Choosing cover
Funeral Cover With No Waiting Period
By FuneralZA editorial team · 8 min read · Updated 30 September 2026
- Natural death
- Waiting period of six months at most, or a quarter of the policy term if shorter
- Accidental death
- No waiting period may apply
- Suicide exclusion
- No longer than 12 months from the start of the policy
- Late premium
- Monthly cover stays in force for 15 days after the due date
Funeral cover with no waiting period nearly always means accidental death is covered from the start, because the law says no waiting period may apply to an accident. For a natural death, a waiting period of up to six months is legal, and most plans use six months. Immediate natural-death cover is possible only in particular situations, such as switching from an insurer where you already served the waiting period, or a once-off payment plan.
This guide sets out what the rules say, which providers publish waivers, and how to avoid being misled by an advert. We are an independent information site and do not sell cover. Confirm every detail with the provider, in writing.
What the rules say about waiting periods
A waiting period is the time after a policy starts during which a natural death is not paid. It exists to stop people buying cover when a death is expected. The rules that bind every funeral policy are these:
- The waiting period for natural death may not exceed the shorter of a quarter of the policy term or six months.
- No waiting period may apply to death from an accident, and none applies on renewal.
- A policy may not exclude suicide for more than 12 months from the start.
- A policy may not exclude pre-existing health conditions except through the waiting period.
So a plan may have no waiting period at all, but nothing requires it, and up to six months is normal for natural death. Where an advert promises immediate cover for every cause of death at every age, read the policy wording before you believe it.
What no waiting period means, by type of death
| Type of death | What the rules allow |
|---|---|
| Accidental death | No waiting period may apply |
| Natural death | Up to six months, or a quarter of the policy term if that is shorter |
| Suicide | May not be excluded for more than 12 months from the start |
| Existing health conditions | May not be excluded except through the waiting period |
| Policy reinstated by the insurer after a lapse | At least the same terms, with no new waiting period |
When an advert says no waiting period, ask which causes of death it covers. In most cases the honest answer is accidental death only.
Switching from another insurer
If you already have funeral cover and move to a new insurer, you may not have to wait again. The rule says a new insurer may not impose a waiting period if you confirm you had a previous policy with another insurer at least 31 days before taking out the new one, covering similar risks and the same lives, and you had completed that waiting period.
Insurers word this differently, and they ask for proof. This is what some publish:
| Provider | What it says |
|---|---|
| Capitec | Removes its waiting period where you have already served it; previous policy active within 31 days |
| FNB | Waived if you have already served it with another licensed SA insurer |
| Liberty | Waived when switching from another insurer within 31 days, if the previous waiting period was served |
| AVBOB | Six months may be waived in part or in full if your cover lapsed or was cancelled within 31 days before the issue date |
| Absa | Six months, or the remainder of the waiting period from the previous insurer |
| Vodacom | Waived with proof of cover and cancellation within 31 days |
| Finchoice | Waived where similar cover was held for at least 31 days and the waiting period had expired |
| DStv | A waiting period completed on a similar policy within the 31 days before the start can be deducted, with written proof |
| Shoprite | No additional waiting period for natural death when you switch from any registered insurer |
| Sanlam | If you had previous funeral cover, you might not have a waiting period |
Do not cancel your old policy until the new insurer confirms the waiver in writing. Keep the old policy schedule and proof of premiums as evidence.
Plans with a shorter or no waiting period
A few published plans differ from the six-month norm.
AVBOB Insurance Scheme for Pensioners. Monthly premiums carry a six-month waiting period for natural death. A once-off payment has no waiting period once the policy is issued and the single premium is received. Entry starts at 55 for a once-off payment and 65 for monthly premiums, and anyone older than 84 must pay once-off. The cover is R8 000 on monthly premiums and R10 000 on a once-off payment.
Vodacom's weekly plan. Vodacom Funeral Cover 4 You is billed weekly to a Vodacom Recharge account. It states a 3-month waiting period for natural causes, with accidental death paid from the start. Main person cover is R2 500, R5 000 or R10 000, and entry is 18 to 60.
Assupol's instant accidental cover. The Absolute Advantage plan includes R5 000 instant accidental death cover until the policy starts, and Excellence Family lists the same R5 000 instant accidental death cover. The instantFuneral plan says its benefits start on the 1st of the next month, with instant accidental death cover from the moment you apply successfully. It does not state the natural-death waiting period on that page.
Silent is not the same as none
Some plan pages do not state a natural-death waiting period at all. Metropolitan's funeral plan page and Sanlam's plan pages do not, and neither does Meerkat's funeral page. That does not mean there is none. It means you must ask before you buy, and get the answer in writing.
Also watch how the period is counted. 1Life requires six completed months and six paid premiums. OUTsurance extends the period until six premiums have been received. Pep uses six consecutive months or six consecutive monthly payments, whichever is later. A missed premium can push the date back.
If death happens inside the waiting period
For a natural death inside the waiting period the funeral benefit is not paid, but some insurers give something back. Old Mutual has a money back guarantee that refunds premiums for the uncovered portion. Liberty refunds premiums if death from natural causes falls in the waiting period, and Standard Bank returns the premiums paid for that life. Metropolitan's No-Lapse plan pays back the payments made so far for that life. Ask any provider whether it refunds, and how much.
Keeping the cover you have
A waiting period you have served is worth protecting. If a monthly premium is unpaid, the insurer must notify you within 15 days, and the cover must stay in force for 15 days after the due date. A valid claim for an event in that window may be reduced only by the unpaid premium.
If a policy lapses and the insurer reinstates it, the rules say it must be on at least the same terms, with no new waiting period. A new policy with the same insurer within two months of the lapse also gets no waiting period, apart from any unexpired part of an unfinished one. Some providers describe reinstatement differently: Affinity's published terms say a lapsed policy can be reinstated with new waiting periods. Ask what applies to your policy, and get it in writing.
How to protect yourself
Read the policy wording and ask the insurer to confirm in writing what is covered from the first day. Keep proof of any earlier cover you are relying on. Answer every question honestly. An insurer may not decline a funeral claim for non-disclosure of information it did not specifically ask for before the policy started, but ASISA says waiting periods, fraud and unpaid premiums are the main reasons claims are declined.
If a claim is declined and you think it is wrong, try the insurer first, then contact the National Financial Ombud on 0860 800 900. The service is free.
Frequently asked questions
Is there really funeral cover with no waiting period?
For accidental death, yes: no waiting period may apply. For natural death, the law allows up to six months and most plans use six. Exceptions are waivers when you switch and a few plans such as AVBOB's once-off payment scheme for pensioners.
Can I avoid the waiting period by switching policies?
Sometimes. A new insurer may not impose one if you had a previous policy with another insurer at least 31 days earlier, on similar risks and the same lives, and had completed that waiting period. Get the waiver in writing before cancelling the old policy.
Is there funeral cover for over 75 with no waiting period?
AVBOB's Insurance Scheme for Pensioners has no waiting period on a once-off payment, and anyone older than 84 must pay once-off. Monthly premiums carry six months. Read our guide to funeral cover for over 80 for other options.
Does no waiting period mean any death is covered immediately?
Not usually. In most adverts it means accidental death. Ask the provider in writing whether natural death is covered from day one.
Is there funeral cover with a 3-month waiting period?
Vodacom Funeral Cover 4 You states 3 months for natural causes on its weekly plan. Check the current terms before you rely on it.
What is the longest waiting period allowed?
Six months for natural death, or a quarter of the policy term if that is shorter. No waiting period may apply to accidental death.
Can a claim still be declined with no waiting period?
Yes. Unpaid premiums, fraud and policy exclusions can still lead to a decline. You can complain to the National Financial Ombud on 0860 800 900.
