Hippo Funeral Cover: What Hippo Is and Is Not

Hippo compares insurance quotes from several providers on one page. For funeral cover it asks for a few details about you and your family, and then shows quotes from the insurers on its panel.

Hippo does not sell a plan of its own. There is no Hippo-branded funeral policy, no Hippo waiting period and no Hippo claims line. Everything about your cover, from the waiting period to the payout, comes from the insurer you pick.

• Hippo is a comparison service run by Hippo Comparative Services (Pty) Ltd, an authorised FSP (FSP 16357); it does not underwrite funeral cover. (hippo.co.za)
• Hippo compares funeral quotes from 10 insurers: Auto & General, Simply Life, Old Mutual, Budget Insurance, First for Women, Dial Direct, Dis-Chem, 1Life, Different Life and FNB. (hippo.co.za)
• Hippo is free to use and does not charge the customer commission; it is paid a fee by partners when a customer chooses to find out more about a product. Results are ordered by price alone. (hippo.co.za)
• Hippo is part of Telesure Investment Holdings, which owns Auto & General, Budget Insurance, Dialdirect and 1st for Women, four of the ten funeral insurers on its funeral panel; Hippo states it is a separate, impartial business. (hippo.co.za)
• After you pick a quote, the insurer or a representative contacts you to finalise cover ('I'm Interested'); quotes are illustrative, based on limited information, and not a binding offer. (hippo.co.za)

Plans as Hippo describes them on its own website on 30 September 2026. Premiums depend on your age, the cover amount and who you add, so the published figures are examples, not quotes.

Extra benefits Hippo lists:

• Hippo funeral cover comparison (no Hippo-branded plan; quotes come from partner insurers): Cover up to 21 family members on one policy (partner dependent).

Sources: hippo.co.za/funeral-insurance-quote.

Hippo compares funeral quotes from 10 insurers: Auto & General, Simply Life, Old Mutual, Budget Insurance, First for Women, Dial Direct, Dis-Chem, 1Life, Different Life and FNB.

We review three of them on this site: Old Mutual, 1Life and FNB.

Hippo says results are ordered by price alone. It is also part of Telesure Investment Holdings, which owns Auto & General, Budget Insurance, Dialdirect and 1st for Women, four of the ten insurers on the panel. Hippo states that it is a separate and impartial business. A cheaper quote is not the same as better cover, so compare the waiting period and the cover amount as well as the premium.

Hippo's page says premiums start from as little as R42 a month for individual cover. It describes that as the lowest accepted quote by Hippo users in 2026, and says actual quote prices are profile dependent. One person's lowest quote says little about what your family will pay.

Its page gives other starting points: a family plan from R100 a month and extended family cover from R500 a month. Hippo says it quotes up to R80,000, and that some partners offer up to R100,000. Up to 21 family members can be on one policy, depending on the partner. Main members are typically accepted from age 18 to 65, which varies by insurer.

Treat all of these as starting points. Only a quote for your own family, with the cover amounts and ages entered, tells you what you would pay.

Hippo says quotes are illustrative, based on limited information, and not a binding offer. When you choose "I'm Interested", the insurer or one of its representatives contacts you to finalise the cover.

From that point you are dealing with the insurer. Ask it for the policy terms in writing before you pay anything, including the waiting periods, the cover amount for each person and what happens if you miss a premium. The final price and terms may differ from the quote.

Hippo is free to use and does not charge the customer commission. It is paid a fee by partners when a customer chooses to find out more about a product.

Checked on 30 September 2026 against Hippo's official website. Numbers change, so confirm on the linked page before you call. Hippo will never ask you to pay a claim fee or send money to a new bank account; if a caller does, hang up and phone the official number.

Sources: hippo.co.za/legal/terms-and-conditions.

Hippo does not pay claims, and its site publishes no claims line. Claim with the insurer that issued your policy, using the number and documents on your policy schedule.

Hippo's general guide to claim documents lists the death certificate, the deceased's ID, the beneficiary's ID and banking details, a completed claim form and proof of cause of death. It says most claims are paid within 24 to 48 hours of the insurer receiving all required documents. That is a general statement about insurers on its panel, not a Hippo promise.

Hippo's general guide to waiting periods says accidental death usually has none, natural death is typically 6 to 12 months and suicide 12 to 24 months, varying by insurer. The regulator's rules are stricter. A funeral policy may not impose a waiting period for a natural death longer than six months, may not impose one for an accidental death, and may not exclude suicide for more than 12 months. If an insurer quotes longer, ask why in writing.

The regulator's rule is that an insurer must decide a funeral claim within two business days after it has every required document. Our guide to how funeral cover payouts work explains the steps.

If your quote or the way Hippo handled your details is the problem, write to [email protected]. We could not verify a phone number or a separate complaints address for Hippo, so that email is the only contact we list.

If the problem is a declined claim or a policy term, take it to the insurer first. If you are still not satisfied, complain to the National Financial Ombud on 0860 800 900 or at nfosa.co.za. It is free for the person complaining. The Ombud may dismiss a complaint if three years or more have passed since you knew, or should have known, that you had cause to complain, so do not wait.

You can check any provider by phoning the FSCA on its toll-free number, 0800 110 443. It tells the public to check that the FSP number matches the name on its database.