Frequently Asked
Questions.

If you are involved in an accident, please obtain (if it is safe to do so):

• A copy or photo of the driver’s licence of everyone involved in the accident
• Names, addresses and contact details of witnesses
• Licence plates and pictures of all vehicles involved
• Pictures of the road surface, weather conditions and road markings
• Details of injuries to any passengers or other persons

You need to advise us of your claim as soon as possible (within 24 hours) but no later than 30 days after the date of loss.  You can submit your claim online. Report any criminal activity and motor vehicle accidents to the police immediately.  Provide us with copies of affidavits, supporting information and any other proof that may be relevant for the assessment of your claim as and when we require this. Share any information related to the claim event with us immediately (even after we have settled your claim).

Advise us immediately if you become aware that you may be prosecuted, or if legal proceedings or any claims may be instituted against you.

You can call them on 0860 264 264

All risk non-life policies cover any event that the policy does not specifically exclude. Perils policies on the other hand cover only the perils listed in the policy wording (Side note – Perils are specific damages or losses that your policy will cover.  Examples of Perils include fire, theft or liability.)

With the Ami Wealth Wording you are insured against any sudden, fortuitous, accidental, and unforeseen event as provided for in the wording and schedule unless it is excluded.  This provides more comprehensive coverage than a typical perils wording policy for an additional premium.

With the Ami Personal wording you are insured against sudden, fortuitous, accidental, and unforeseen perils listed.    It only covers specifically names perils.  You can see which perils are covered under each section in the policy wording.

For example: If accidental damage or loss is not listed as a peril in your perils coverage it is automatically excluded from cover. With all risk wordings it would need to be listed under the exclusions otherwise it would be covered.

The concept of average is used to calculate your claim settlement value when the sum you have insured your property for is below the value that it should be insured for.  This means that you need to cover the portion of the loss that you have not insured.

For example: If you insure your household contents for R1 000 000 but it would really cost R1 500 000 to replace it all you will only be covered for the percentage of the loss that you were insured for.  For example, if you have damage of R1 000 000 we would only cover R666 666.  You would need to cover the remaining portion.

When does average apply?
Average applies when you have under-insured your items. You will be expected to cover the damage for portion that was not insured.  The average principle is used when calculating claims relating to contents and buildings.  You can reduce the risk of under-insurance by going through the Ami risk valuation process.

Average applies when you have under-insured your items. You will be expected to cover the damage for portion that was not insured.  The average principle is used when calculating claims relating to contents and buildings.  You can reduce the risk of under-insurance by going through the Ami risk valuation process.

You need to confirm that you would like to have the valuation completed when we underwrite the policy. This will trigger the activation of an Ami risk management fee section. This fee is actuarially calculated based on the sum insured.  An Ami service provider will conduct the valuation.  When the valuation is finalised, we will provide you with a report.  If you accept and agree the valuation, we will insure the buildings and/or contents on an agreed value basis without the application of average.

You must have your expensive jewellery valued. The Ami panel of valuers will not provide you with value validation of jewellery but Ami can put you in touch with specialists for unique items that Ami cannot include in the valuation.

The valuation value will remain unchanged on the anniversary of this policy unless you instruct us to change the value.  If the condition of the asset deteriorates after the agreed value valuation, but before a claim, we may pay you less if there is a claim. We do not apply the under-insured principle where the valuation value reflects on the schedule.

Subsidence and landslip are specific perils relating to the movement of the land.  There are four main causes of subsidence and landslip.  These are heave, landslip, settlement, and subsidence.  Heave is the upward movement of the ground beneath a building when soil expands.  Landslip is the downward movement of sloping ground.  Settlement, consolidation, or compaction is the downward movement when soil is compressed by the weight of a building.  Subsidence is when the ground beneath a building sink which pulls the foundations down with it when the ground loses moisture and shrinks (typically during prolonged dry spells or when trees or plants absorb significant volumes of water from the soil).

The Ami Personal and Ami Wealth plan includes limited subsidence and landslip cover (automatically included at no extra premium but certain areas will be excluded (for example high risk areas such as dolomite areas).

We do not cover loss, damage or liability that is directly or indirectly caused by, or worsened by, or in any way connected to:

• Normal settlement, shrinkage or expansion of any building or part of a building
• Poor design or construction of any building or failure to comply with South African building regulations
• Poor or Faulty materials or workmanship
• Removal or weakening of support to any building
• Poor compaction or infill
• Excavations above or below ground except excavations done during mining operations
• Contraction, shrinkage, or expansion of soil caused by the moistness or dampness or moisture content of clay and other similar soils
• Any process of heating or drying of the building
• Movement of solid floor slabs or any other part of the building, unless the foundations supporting the outside walls of the building are damaged at the same time.
• Demolition, alteration, construction, renovating, repairing, restoring, dyeing, cleaning, or maintenance
• Subsidence and landslip related damage to any damage to drains, water courses, boundary walls, garden walls, screen walls, retaining walls, gates, posts or fences, driveways, paving, paths, patios, terraces, swimming pool surrounds and tennis courts unless the damage occurs to the building at the same time
• Work needed to prevent more destruction or damage due to subsidence or landslip.
• Cost of underpinning the foundations.
• Surface or subterranean excavations except those performed during mining operations.
• Consequential loss because of subsidence and landslip except loss of rent.

If you would like comprehensive subsidence and landslip cover, you will need to submit the Subsidence and Landslip Cover form.  Ami will then assess and underwrite the risk.  Ami may request a geotechnical report for underwriting consideration.  This report will be for your own account and does not guarantee that Ami will grant comprehensive subsidence and landslip cover.

We require tracking devices whenever the vehicle value exceeds R500,000.

This is used to determine the sum insured and premium payable for motor vehicles:

 Retail value – Retail value is based on the retail value of the vehicle as publicised in a recognised and current motor trade publication or database. The vehicle’s age, condition and odometer readings may affect the value.

Agreed value – Agreed value is only used for vehicles that do not have a retail value publicised in a recognised and current motor trade publication or database (for example imported sports cars or vintage cars).

Guaranteed value – Guaranteed value promises the retail value in the event of a total loss. This means that the limit of compensation shown in the schedule will not be reduced to the retail value at the time of the total loss.

The replacement value is what it will cost you to replace the property with similar new property at the time of the loss or damage. Replacement value for household contents is the new retail price. Household contents must include all the contents in your insured building, calculated at their replacement value.  Replacement value for other property must be enough to replace or rebuild such property but can never exceed the reasonable market value thereof at the time the loss or damage occurred.

It is very important that the correct regular driver is detailed in the schedule.  If the regular driver is someone other than the listed regular driver, we may apply premium prejudice to the claim amount.   The excess for vehicle claims is calculated using the driver information (and not the insured).

Certain vehicles may only be driven by named drivers.  If the vehicle is driven by anyone else than a named driver specified on the schedule, we will reject your full claim. Named drivers must have a valid driver licence for 10 years or longer.

This is any indirect loss or damage that happens because of the insured loss or damage. An example is if you are involved in a motor vehicle accident and your vehicle is written off.  If you lose your ability to earn an income because you do not have a vehicle the loss of income is an indirect loss and you will not be covered for that loss.

Yes, we do but remember bicycle theft is very common, so you need to take some extra precautions.  Also, for you to have cover outside your home it must be specified on your schedule and locked securely when you are not using it. Do not leave your bicycle unsecured even if you can see the item from where you are.  It must be secured to an immovable object – ensure that it cannot be lifted or removed from the object. If you do not practice the required due caution your claim will be limited.

Yes, we cover this under bicycles however the bicycle must be specified. We do not cover modified electric bicycles.

You are covered up to the limited specified on your schedule and always subject to the policy wording and exclusions, please take the time to read these conditions carefully.

Global all risk cover protects you when you leave your home with your valuable belongings that your normally carry on you. It is designed to provide cover for accidental loss or damage anywhere in the world for items worn or carried on a person. Items that you take with you when you travel are also covered.  If you do not take this optional cover, you will not be covered away from your buildings.

Unspecified items are items that are below a certain value.  If items are above this value, we recommend that you specify it. Certain items like bicycles, mobile and firearms must always be specified to cover.

Unspecified items are items of clothing and personal effects that are either worn or designed to be carried with you. These tend to be lower value items such as pens, makeup and handbags. Unspecified property may also include sports equipment provided the value of the items fall within your unspecified items limit.

Specified property is any item of property that is specifically listed in your policy schedule.  This will typically be high value items or items that are required to be specified (like bicycles, cell phones, firearms and other electronic hand-held devices).

That is the first amount payable if you have a valid claim.  There could be more than one excess that applies to a claim.

When there is a third party that is involved, we may be able to recover your excess.  Please note that this process takes very long, and it can be up to three years if we are successful.  We will only refund your excess if we have recovered our losses from the responsible third party.

Your schedule will indicate the date on which your premium is due.  Cover is payable in advance.  If you did not pay your premium, you will not have cover unless the grace period applies.

You will be covered from the cover start date if your premiums are up to date and provided that the information on your schedule is accurate and complete.

This is a special risk cover – Insurance companies do not provide cover against loss or damage caused by special risks such as politically motivated malicious acts, riots, strikes, terrorism, and public disorder. The insurer that provides cover for these kinds of events in South Africa is SASRIA.

Yes, in certain instances you may but there would be no guarantee on the workmanship as we did not select provider.

Republic of South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Eswatini, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia, Kenya, Angola and Uganda. For claims related to contents and buildings, the territory is limited to the Republic of South Africa.

As soon as possible but within 30 days.

We cover your credit shortfall for your insured vehicle should a total loss occur after an insured event. The credit shortfall is the difference between the total amount that you owe a registered credit provider and the value of the vehicle as shown in your schedule.  We do not cover any arrear instalments, arrear interest, legal costs, early settlement penalties, any amounts that are refundable or any amounts for extras not insured under this policy.  We also do not cover re-financed or re-advanced settlements.   You will typically have a credit shortfall when you buy a new vehicle on finance and pay a small or no deposit.

If the outages are not due to load shedding or grid failure, then we will cover the contents in refrigerators or freezers inside your building, that have been accidentally spoiled by a change in temperature, but we will not pay for more than two claims in any 12-month period (Wealth Product only) – this is not available on the personal plan.

The Ami Wealth plan covers power surges (including power surges from load shedding) limited to R200 000 (maximum of two (2) events per year).  Where the power surge results in fire damage the event limit does not apply.

National grid failure exclusion applies on all our plans.