By life stage
Funeral Cover for Over 80
By FuneralZA editorial team · 8 min read · Updated 30 September 2026
- Entry ages published
- Up to 84 or 85 on most plans; one pensioner plan says no age limit
- Once-off payment
- AVBOB pensioner scheme, no waiting period, required if older than 84
- Waiting period limit
- Six months at most for natural death, none for accidental death
- Complaints
- National Financial Ombud, 0860 800 900
Funeral cover for over 80 is possible in South Africa, but only a few plans accept new entrants at that age. The published limits are 84 or 85 on most plans that accept older people, a once-off payment option at AVBOB for anyone older than 84, and Assupol's Cornerstone Pensioner Plan, which says it has no age limit. Premiums are higher at this age, and a natural death in the waiting period is not paid.
This guide lists what insurers publish, explains how to weigh the premium against the payout, and covers other ways to provide for a funeral. We are independent and do not sell cover. The figures were checked on 30 September 2026, so confirm the current terms with each provider.
What is realistic at 80 and above
Your choices narrow sharply. Most standard plans stop taking a new policyholder between 64 and 75. The routes that remain are a pensioner plan built for older people, a plan whose entry age for parents is 84 or 85, or being added by a child or relative to their family plan. Over 85, the plans we could verify are AVBOB's once-off payment option and Assupol's Cornerstone Pensioner Plan.
Unless you pay once off at AVBOB or have already served a waiting period elsewhere, expect a waiting period for natural death, so a natural death in the first months is not paid.
Plans that accept people over 80, compared
Every cell comes from the provider's own published terms. Where a provider does not print a figure, the table says so.
| Provider | Entry age | Cover | Waiting period and notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| AVBOB Insurance Scheme for Pensioners | Monthly premiums 65 to 84; once-off payment from 55, and required if older than 84 | R8 000 monthly, R10 000 once-off | 6 months on monthly premiums; none on a once-off payment. Monthly premium is R220 for age 80 to 84 |
| Assupol Cornerstone Pensioner Plan | No age limit; no medical examination | Ask Assupol | Premiums can be deducted from state grants; ask about the waiting period |
| Assupol Excellence Family | Parents and parents-in-law up to 84 (brochure premium tables) | Up to R100 000 for policyholder, spouse and parents | 6 months |
| RFA | Entry 18 to 84 | R10 000 to R30 000 on Covers 1 to 3 | 6 calendar months. A parent aged 75 to 84 costs R90 each on Cover 1 |
| Capitec | Parents 26 to 85 | R50 000 each | 6 months for the policyholder; waived if you already served it elsewhere |
| Sanlam | Parents 26 to 85, other family 0 to 85 (digital plan) | Not stated per person | No waiting period for accidental death; natural death not stated |
| Liberty | Parents and extended family up to 84 | Parents R5 000 to R80 000 | 6 months of payments; premiums refunded if a natural death falls in the waiting period |
| Standard Bank | Parents 18 to 84 | Up to R100 000 per adult | 6 months; premiums for that life returned if a natural death falls in the waiting period |
| Old Mutual | Parents up to 84 | EasiPlus R10 000 to R70 000 | 6 months; money back guarantee during the waiting period |
| Safrican | Parents and extended family up to 85 | Parent R40 000, wider family R30 000 | Waiting period not stated; the policyholder must be 18 to 64 |
| Metropolitan | Lives younger than 85 | Up to R50 000 for parents and extended family | Waiting period not stated on the plan page |
Most rows above are for someone added by a relative who holds the policy. Only AVBOB and Assupol's Cornerstone plan are aimed at the older person taking their own cover.
Premiums and cover at these ages
Premiums are high for the cover you get. AVBOB's pensioner scheme prices R8 000 of monthly cover at R150 a month for age 65 to 74, R180 for 75 to 79 and R220 for 80 to 84, with optional extra cover of R2 000 at a further monthly premium. RFA prices a parent at R90 a month on Cover 1 in the 75 to 84 band, and its Cover 4 for a main member over 65 starts at R150 a month.
Providers publish these figures without your health or other details, so ask for a quote at your exact age. Ask too how the premium changes each year. FNB, for instance, says premiums rise 8% a year and cover 5%, with cover increases stopping at 65.
Waiting periods at 80 and above
The law caps the waiting period for natural death at six months, or a quarter of the policy term if that is shorter, and no waiting period may apply to accidental death. At this age a natural death is the likely claim, so the period matters.
There are two ways to avoid it. AVBOB's pensioner scheme has no waiting period on a once-off payment once the policy is issued and the single premium is received. And if you already had a policy with another insurer at least 31 days earlier, on similar risks, and completed that waiting period, a new insurer may not impose another. Be cautious of any offer of immediate natural-death cover at these ages and ask for the wording in writing. See funeral cover with no waiting period.
Run the numbers before you pay
At advanced ages the total premiums you pay can approach or pass the payout if the person lives for years. Work it out: multiply the monthly premium by twelve, then by the number of years you expect to pay, and compare that with the cover. Then compare it with putting the same money aside for the funeral.
A once-off payment removes the waiting period and the monthly debit order. Ask exactly what the once-off payment buys, and what happens to it if the policy is cancelled.
If cover is not available or not worth it
There are other ways to provide for a funeral.
- A relative's family plan. Several plans accept parents to 84 or 85, and the policyholder pays. Our best funeral cover for parents guide lists them.
- A burial society. Read funeral policy vs burial society first. The FSCA reports growing complaints about burial societies, and says many operate beyond informal community arrangements and so carry regulatory obligations. Ask whether the society is registered and who carries the risk.
- Other money that may be due. If the person was a GEPF member or pensioner, the GEPF funeral benefit for deaths after 31 March 2024 is R20 000 for a member, pensioner or spouse. It is taxable and cannot be paid until SARS issues a tax directive. If a SASSA grant was not withdrawn in the month of death, the person who paid for the funeral can claim the unclaimed amount.
- Savings set aside for the funeral. A dedicated account can beat an expensive late-entry policy.
Apply honestly and keep records
Give the exact age and health details the insurer asks for. Old Mutual lists incorrect age as a reason a claim can be declined. An insurer may not decline a funeral claim for non-disclosure of information it did not specifically ask about before the policy started.
Keep proof of every premium. If a monthly premium is missed the insurer must notify you within 15 days, and the cover must stay in force for 15 days after the due date. If a claim is declined and you disagree, try the insurer first, then contact the National Financial Ombud on 0860 800 900. The service is free.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get funeral cover for someone over 80?
Yes, but few plans accept new entrants at that age. AVBOB's Insurance Scheme for Pensioners takes monthly premiums to 84 and a once-off payment beyond that, and Assupol says its Cornerstone Pensioner Plan has no age limit. Several family plans accept parents to 84 or 85.
Is over-85 funeral cover available?
Capitec, Sanlam's digital plan and Safrican accept parents or extended family up to 85. Above that, the plans we could verify are AVBOB's once-off payment option and Assupol's Cornerstone plan, which says it has no age limit.
Is there funeral cover for over 90 in South Africa?
AVBOB requires a once-off payment for anyone older than 84, and Assupol's Cornerstone Pensioner Plan says it has no age limit. Confirm the cover amount and terms directly with each provider.
Is a waiting period applied for over-80s?
Usually yes: up to six months for natural death by law, none for accidental death. AVBOB's pensioner scheme has none on a once-off payment.
How much does over-80 funeral cover cost?
AVBOB's pensioner scheme is R220 a month for R8 000 of cover at age 80 to 84. RFA prices a parent at R90 a month in the 75 to 84 band on Cover 1. Other providers do not publish a price for this age, so ask for a quote.
Is over-80 funeral cover worth it?
It can be. Multiply the monthly premium by twelve and by the years you expect to pay, compare that with the payout, and compare it with saving the money instead.
What if cover is declined because of age?
Ask whether a relative's family plan can include the person, consider a burial society after checking it, or set aside savings. Other money such as the GEPF funeral benefit may also be due.
