Old Mutual Eswatini has officially launched Sizotsa Funeral Cover, a new premium funeral insurance solution designed to provide comprehensive, dignified, and accessible cover for EmaSwati families, including extended family members, and to leverage digital platforms to enhance convenience and accessibility.
The product was unveiled at a stakeholder and media briefing at the Happy Valley Hotel in Ezulwini, where Old Mutual executives outlined Sizotsa as a culturally grounded, digitally enabled funeral solution built from real customer conversations.
Sizotsa was developed in response to a long-standing customer challenge in the insurance space, uncertainty around funeral arrangements after the loss of a loved one.
Providing a detailed overview of the product, Old Mutual Business Development Manager Banomile Hlatshwayo said that Sizotsa is a solution crafted specifically for emaSwati.
“We have heard, we have been listening, and today we are excited to say we are landing a solution that truly speaks to us as emaSwati,” Hlatshwayo said. “This is not just a product driven by innovation alone but a solution aimed at changing lives and restoring dignity during one of the most difficult moments a family can face.”
She added that the new funeral plan is more than an insurance product; it is a promise to stand with families in times of need. “In insurance, the common problem we face is the question, ‘utongcwatjwa kanjani, ipolicy abenayo?’,” she said. “As a service provider, we are here to bring a solution, not one driven by innovation alone, but one aimed at changing the lives of emaSwati.”
Breaking the cover down
She said Sizotsa offers life insurance, ensuring policyholders remain insured until death, unlike conventional funeral policies that lapse after a certain age. The plan allows a principal member to cover up to 18 lives, including immediate and extended family members.
Under the plan, individual coverage is available to singles, young adults, and older adults. Family cover provides protection for nine lives: the principal member, up to two spouses, and six children. Extended family cover caters to up to eight additional lives, including grandparents, parents, parents-in-law, cousins, uncles, and aunts.
Cover amounts start from E10,000, with a maximum benefit of E80,000. Entry age for the family benefit is 18 to 60 years, and additional dependants can be covered from 18 to 70 years, with cover capped at E15,000 for members aged 56 and above.
Children’s cover applies from 26 weeks and extends to 21 years, or 25 years if the child is still in school.
The Sizotsa Funeral Plan also includes rider benefits to ease the financial burden on families. A six-month waiting period applies to death from natural causes, while accidental death coverage is immediate and provides double coverage for the principal member.
A key feature is the income replacement benefit, which pays E1,000, E1,500, or E2,000 per month for six months after the principal member’s death, helping families stabilize their income during the adjustment period.
Payments made in 24 hours
Old Mutual remains committed to efficient service delivery, with claims processed promptly and payouts made to beneficiaries’ bank accounts within 24 hours once all requirements are met.
Customers can access Sizotsa through multiple channels, including Old Mutual service centers, accredited brokers, and nationwide activations in Mbabane, Pigg’s Peak, Manzini, Nhlangano, and Simunye. The insurer is also strengthening its digital presence, with the product available via WhatsApp, enabling customers to engage and transact with ease.
Payment options include source deductions for civil servants, debit order deductions, and mobile wallet payments, expanding access for both formally and informally employed customers.
In his remarks, Old Mutual Eswatini Chief Executive Officer Muzi Bell said the launch of Sizotsa marks a renewed focus on the retail market and reaffirmed the company’s long-term commitment to emaSwati.
“With over 180 years in the industry and our first policy in Eswatini dating back to 1945, we want our customers to know that Old Mutual is here for the long haul,” Bell said. “Sizotsa is affordable, accessible, and flexible, and it reflects our commitment to pioneering digital transformation in the insurance sector.”
Bell noted that insurance penetration in Eswatini remains low, at around 2% of GDP, and said products such as Sizotsa are critical to expanding insurance access and improving financial inclusion.
He called on brokers and other stakeholders to play an active role in ensuring the new product’s success, describing them as key partners in amplifying the message to the public.
“This is not the last product,” Bell added. “More solutions are coming, and they will continue to be shaped by efficiency, accessibility, and the needs of our customers.”