GEORGE NEWS - The death of a child is always traumatic, but for Rosemoor mother Rochelle Lottering, this was made worse when she learned that her funeral policy would not be paid out. H

owever, Lottering can now finally pay for her daughter's funeral after enquiries made by George Herald helped sort out the confusion.

Read: 'Begrafnispolis' dek toe nie begrafnis

Lottering knew she had a policy with Ackermans and that she paid for it every month. She however did not have any documentation to prove it. After enquiring at both Ackermans and the underwriter, Hollard, it emerged that what she thought was a Family Funeral Plan was in fact a Personal Accident Plan. 

This is why she was told that a post mortem was needed before the policy would be paid out.

Hollard communications manager Zenzile Mogoba said they listened to the original sales call made to Lottering in 2018. "We established that she accepted our sales agent's offer of a Personal Accident Plan, after she said that the premiums for the Family Funeral Plan were a bit steep. Policy documents were sent to her in June 2018, and a notice of renewal followed in June 2019."

Pacaltsdorp Begrafnisdienste helped Lottering bury her daughter with the understanding that when the policy paid out, they would get their money back.

Mogoba said they spoke to Lottering and it became clear that she did not understand the difference between what she was first offered and what she had actually bought. Hollard therefore agreed to convert the Personal Accident Plan to the Family Funeral Plan. 

"This change means that a post mortem is no longer required. It is only required on a Personal Accident Policy because of the substantially higher sum insured involved."

Because of this change Lottering will be paid R12 500, the amount she would have received under the Family Funeral Plan.

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