Metropolitan Funeral Cover

Metropolitan Life is part of Momentum Metropolitan Life Limited. It sells two funeral plans:

• Metropolitan Funeral Plan: you and your immediate family are covered for up to R100 000, and parents and extended family for up to R50 000. Up to 20 lives can be on one plan, and everyone covered must be younger than 85.
• No-Lapse Funeral Plan: you pay in whatever amounts you choose, with no debit orders. Once your total payments reach R1500, cover never lapses.

The Funeral Plan has built-in payment protection when the plan owner reaches 85, and a repatriation benefit. Details, add-ons and prices are in the table below.

• Metropolitan pays valid funeral claims submitted on WhatsApp within 4 hours; other channels (email, phone, branch) can take up to 48 hours. (metropolitan.co.za)
• The single Metropolitan number for claims, WhatsApp and the call centre is 0860 724 724; call centre hours are Mon-Fri 8am-5pm and Sat 8am-12 midday, closed Sundays and public holidays, while the WhatsApp chatbot runs 24/7. (metropolitan.co.za)
• The optional CashBack benefit returns 12.5% of premiums after the first 24 months and then every 36 months. (metropolitan.co.za)
• The repatriation benefit covers transporting the body to the place of burial within South Africa only. (metropolitan.co.za)
• Metropolitan also sells a No-Lapse Funeral Plan with no debit orders: once R1500 in total payments is reached, cover stays active for life. (metropolitan.co.za)
• By law, claims for children under 6 are limited to R20 000 and for children aged 6 to 14 to R50 000. (metropolitan.co.za)

Plans as Metropolitan 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 Metropolitan lists:

• Metropolitan Funeral Plan: Built-in: Payment Protection when plan owner reaches 85, Repatriation (transport of body to place of burial within South Africa; 24/7 help with funeral and cremation arrangements). Add-ons: Accidental Death (doubles cover), Memorial (R10 000 or R20 000 lump sum, e.g. tombstone), Monthly Essentials (R1 000 / R2 000 / R3 000 a month for six or 12 months), Payment Protection on death, disability or retirement, Value Protection (premium and cover rise 6% or 10% a year), Premium skips (up to six), CashBack (12.5% of premiums back after the first 24 months, then every 36 months).
• No-Lapse Funeral Plan: Buy and manage via WhatsApp; referral rewards that add cover at no cost. Children covered up to age 21.

Sources: metropolitan.co.za/funeral, metropolitan.co.za/funeral/No-Lapse.

Checked on 30 September 2026 against Metropolitan's official website. Numbers change, so confirm on the linked page before you call. Metropolitan 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: metropolitan.co.za/contact-us, metropolitan.co.za/funeral.

Metropolitan lists optional add-ons. Ask what each adds to your premium:

• Accidental Death, which doubles your cover.
• Memorial, a lump sum of R10 000 or R20 000, for example for a tombstone.
• Monthly Essentials, paying R1 000, R2 000 or R3 000 a month for six or 12 months.
• Payment Protection on death, disability or retirement.
• Value Protection, where premium and cover rise by 6% or 10% a year.
• Premium skips, up to six.
• CashBack, which returns 12.5% of premiums after the first 24 months and then every 36 months. Terms and conditions apply.

The repatriation benefit covers transport of the body to the place of burial within South Africa only. It also includes 24/7 help with funeral and cremation arrangements.

Metropolitan's own pages state a waiting period only for the No-Lapse plan: 6 months for natural death, with the payments made so far paid back for that life, and no waiting period for accidental death.

For the standard Funeral Plan, the page and brochure say only that waiting periods apply. Ask Metropolitan for the exact natural-death and accidental-death terms on your quote, in writing.

The law sets limits. A funeral policy may not impose a waiting period longer than six months for natural death, and none may apply to accidental death. You may also cancel a new policy within 31 days of receiving the policy information, if no benefit has been paid or claimed.

Call or WhatsApp 0860 724 724. The call centre is open Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm and Saturday 8am to 12 midday, and closed on Sundays and public holidays. The WhatsApp chatbot runs 24/7. You can download the claim form through the Chat with us button on the website. Metropolitan asks for:

• The claim form.
• Proof of the claimant's banking details.
• A certified copy of the claimant's ID.
• A certified copy of the deceased's ID.
• A certified copy of the DHA 1663 form.
• A certified copy of the death certificate.

For an unnatural death, add a police statement. Metropolitan says valid claims submitted on WhatsApp are paid within 4 hours, while claims sent by email, phone or at a branch can take up to 48 hours to process. Sending it on WhatsApp is the faster route.

ASISA, the industry body, says the main reasons funeral claims are declined are waiting periods, fraud and unpaid premiums. Ask Metropolitan for the reason in writing and check it against your plan.

An insurer may not turn down a funeral claim for non-disclosure of information it did not specifically ask for before the policy started. If you disagree, take it to the National Financial Ombud Scheme. The service is free. You can lodge a complaint at nfosa.co.za/submit-a-complaint/, call 0860 800 900, or email [email protected]. Trying Metropolitan first is sensible, but it is not a legal requirement. The Ombud can dismiss a complaint after three or more years.

Metropolitan suits families who want to cover many people on one plan, up to 20 lives, and who want the option of cash back or extras such as a memorial benefit. The No-Lapse plan suits people whose income is irregular, because there are no debit orders.

It suits you less if you need a published waiting period before you apply, because the standard Funeral Plan does not state one. Compare a written quote with other providers on our compare funeral cover page.