Insurance company Old Mutual on Monday said it is willing to speed up claims resulting from the tsunami disaster in south-east Asia.
In a statement, Old Mutual spokesperson Stephen Bowey said it normally takes two to three days to process a life-insurance claim once a death certificate is in the company’s possession.
However, ”where there is no body and therefore no possibility of a death certificate being issued (as may be the case with victims of the tsunami), the alternative is for a court to make an order that the person is presumed to be dead”, said Bowey.
Seven South Africans were confirmed dead by Monday and a total of 1 137 were still unaccounted for, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Aziz Pahad said on Monday.
According to Bowey, the court will make a ruling based on the probability that the person has passed away, using the facts available.
The court order will then be used to process the claim.
Liberty Life’s legal head, Leanne Dewey, said it is not too early to institute a claim but Liberty Life will need time to ensure that all requirements are met and that there are no doubts that the victim is possibly still alive.
She said Liberty Life will examine each case on its own merit.
”It’s not like the Helderberg plane crash where we paid out within 48 hours,” she said.
The Helderberg plane crash occurred on November 28 1987 when a South African Airways Boeing 747 crashed into the Indian Ocean, killing the 140 passengers and 19 crew aboard. — Sapa