June 17, 2025

Know your Policy Season Finale - Stuff You Take Out of the House

Dear Reader,


I know that it’s a hard pill to swallow, but the sad news is that my epic three-part series is coming to an end this month. But don’t worry, I’ve got plenty of exciting content lined up after this one!


Today it’s the season finale and it’s a subject that is probably one of the least understood amongst policyholders. No, I’m not talking about annual cost increases (sorry). 


But if you guessed ‘All Risk Items’, well then you’d be surprisingly correct. Today that’s what we’re covering. Otherwise known as ‘Portable Possessions’ or, as I like to call them, ‘Stuff you take out of the house’. 


Stuff you take out of the house is exactly what it sounds like - it’s any possessions that you leave the house with and which therefore isn’t covered by your household contents policy section. These possessions are insured under a section of your policy called ‘All Risk’ or ‘Portable Possessions’. 


Statistically, we are all likely to have to claim against this part of our policy at some point. And yet, it’s one of the policy sections that clients least understand. Let’s change that.


What are some examples of insurable stuff that you take out of the house? 


Cellphones (mobile phones)

Laptops (mobile computers)

Prescription glasses or expensive sunglasses

Jewellery

Expensive clothing, shoes, handbags etc.

Wearable tech like smartwatches, heart rate monitors etc.

Your bicycle

Expensive training gear and equipment


Any item that you would normally wear on you or carry with you is covered under a section called ‘Unspecified All Risk’ or ‘General & Clothing’. You would have a round amount as the insured amount. That means that the total value of your claim / the total value of the stuff that has been stolen, can’t be more than for example R10,000. But all policies have an item limit as well. 

What does that mean?


That means that there is a limit to the amount that your insurer will pay on any one item insured under this part of your policy. For example, on the Discovery Essential Plan, one item can’t be more than R1,500. It differs from policy to policy, so make sure you check what your policy states.

The good news is that this kind of insurance is also applicable to your luggage case when you travel. For example, you get on a plane and when you arrive at your destination, you find that your bag has been stolen. Since most of us wouldn’t necessarily have taken out travel insurance, you can now claim for your bag via unspecified all risk on your policy. As always, make sure that you’re aware of what the item limit on your policy is.


We’re reaching the end of this newsletter, but before we finish, I want to deal with three specific items you might be wearing and what you need to know about insuring them:


Smartwatches

Jewellery

Bicycles


Smartwatches are not watches. For insurance purposes, they are a ‘mobile communication device’ like a phone. Please check your policy and make sure that if you’re wearing a smartwatch, that you specify it correctly on your policy.


Expensive Jewellery must be specified, and it will need to have a valuation certificate that is updated annually if the value is more than R 20,000. Expensive watches (R2,000+) fall into this category as well. 


Bicycles are typically referred to in insurance as pedal cycles (this is because e-bikes are insured differently). If you specify your bicycle, always remember that accessories for your bike (for example, your expensive Thule bike rack or your fancy helmet) need to be specified separately since they are not automatically included with your bike’s insurance. This point is especially important because, in the event of a car accident that destroys your bike rack, it will not be automatically replaced unless you have specified it.

What are some other All Risk Items that can be insured?


These three item types can be insured under All Risk but need to be specified:


Firearms

Stamp collections

Contents of Bank Safe Deposit Boxes

Conclusion


In this newsletter, we’ve had a quick look at All Risk items and what that means. We’ve seen what sorts of items can be insured under this category and what you need to know about how to insure them. We’ve also looked at some specific items that need to be specified in order to have proper coverage. If you have any questions, please get in touch with my office immediately.


Always looking after your stuff,



Stephan Kruis

Your roof and your insurance: Valuable lessons you need to know.

July 3, 2025
Dear Reader, What does your roof look like? When last did you climb up and inspect your roof for cracks, loose tiles etc? When last did you clear your gutters? What condition is it in and has it been properly maintained? Most of us never look at our roof and we wouldn’t be able to answer those questions. But knowing those answers will give you an advantage if the day ever comes that you need to submit a claim for your roof. In my experience, roof claims are very difficult, and claims are frequently rejected . Of course, as your broker, I want to help you ensure that your claim is successful should you ever need to claim for your roof. So, in this month’s newsletter, I am going to tell you the three things you need to know about roof-related insurance claims .

Know Your Policy Part 2: Household contents

June 10, 2025
Dear Reader, This month, we continue my riveting series that I began last month. In that newsletter, we looked at all the things you need to know about your vehicle insurance. This month, it’s Episode 2: Know your household contents policy In other words, we’re discussing your stuff, and the insurance that you’ve taken out (or perhaps haven’t taken out yet!) to protect it. Household contents cover insures your belongings against various listed dangers (or ‘perils’ as your policy may refer to them). Specific listed perils will vary from policy to policy but generally you can expect your household contents policy to cover your belongings against fire, floods and theft. Additional perils may or may not be covered depending on your policy and on the cover you chose. But as with most things in life, the ‘devil is in the details’ and you really need to know your policy in order to benefit from its cover. Before I continue, remember that my team and I haven’t been inside your house and we haven’t seen your possessions, so it’s your responsibility to make sure you check your policy and make sure that it covers your stuff adequately. In particular, please study your policy wording in detail as this is what the insurer is going to use when adjudicating a claim. The policy wording will inform you of what is covered, but more importantly, it will inform you of what is NOT covered - or what is excluded - from your policy. And now, to help you ensure that any future claim of yours is successful, here are three things you need to know about your household contents cover:

Know your policy – Part 1 – Vehicle Insurance

June 1, 2025
This month, I’m introducing our very own series. Critics say it is a sleeper hit. Some say Netflix is concerned. And now, with the series you’ve all been waiting for, I proudly introduce: Know Your Policy , and today is Episode 1: Know your Vehicle Insurance As you know from my previous newsletters, my priority is to make sure that you aren’t left disappointed by the outcome of your next insurance claim. But I need your help to ensure that your policy reflects your insured assets correctly.