Insured for death, abandoned in life

As a cancer patient battled through her final months, some relatives stayed away from hospital wards, medical appointments and the daily burden of her care, despite allegedly standing to benefit from her death through funeral policies they had taken out in her name.

When her sister recently approached an insurer to secure funeral cover, she was told it was no longer possible – the woman's life had already been insured multiple times.

The woman, who will be buried in her village on Saturday, spent months fighting cancer while her immediate family struggled to care for her.

According to relatives, those who had taken out policies on her life rarely visited, never contributed to her treatment costs and showed little interest in her wellbeing while she was alive.

Because the sister never had the opportunity to take out funeral cover for her sibling, church members and well-wishers were forced to contribute towards the woman's funeral expenses, while those who had allegedly taken policies against her life remained largely unmoved by the family's financial struggles.

The deceased woman leaves behind two young children who may never see a cent from the policies taken out in their mother's name, despite being among those most directly affected by her death and the loss of her support.

The reality has been difficult to bear for the family, now scrambling for transport and burial money while others had already positioned themselves to benefit from their relative’s death.

Who is the watchdog?

It is a contradiction that cuts to the heart of a growing concern in Namibian communities: those who carry the burden of caring for the sick are often not the same people who stand to benefit when death comes.

When contacted for comment, many insurers referred Namibian Sun to the Namibia Financial Institutions Supervisory Authority (Namfisa).

Hollard Namibia's head of public relations, Sam Kauapirura, said their foremost responsibility is to protect policyholders and to comply with all applicable legislation and regulatory standards.

"Given the complexity of the issues you are exploring, we would encourage you to engage directly with Namfisa for a more comprehensive, sector-wide perspective on regulatory and systemic questions," Kauapirura said.

Old Mutual Group marketing, public affairs and sustainability executive Mignon du Preez said matters relating to policy ownership, consent and consumer protection are governed by regulatory requirements set by Namfisa.

"We confirm that we operate in full compliance with all applicable regulatory requirements and have robust safeguards in place to protect our customers," she said.

"We remain committed to upholding the highest standards of governance, transparency, and customer protection in line with the regulatory framework."

When profit becomes motive

The stakes became painfully clear earlier this year with the murder of Salom Nikanor (41) of Okakwiyu village in the Oshana region.

Nikanor's mutilated body was found near the Oluno Correctional Facility outside Ondangwa on 4 January, leading to the arrest of a 25-year-old Namibian Defence Force member who was reportedly a childhood friend of the deceased.

What troubled detectives more than the crime itself was what they discovered during the course of their murder investigation.

Police established that more than 40 people had taken out funeral policies on Nikanor's life. Oshana CID head Deputy Commissioner Fredrik Ndjadila later said investigators suspected financial gain was a central motive.

One policyholder had already received a payout after insuring Nikanor with four different companies. Authorities moved to stop further claims while the investigation continued.

Investigators also alleged that the murder suspect himself had taken out a funeral policy on Nikanor despite not being related to him.

A warning from SA

The Nikanor case exposed a reality that had long been whispered about: that for some, illness and death have become opportunities for financial gain rather than moments calling for compassion and care.

The discovery that more than 40 people stood to benefit from one man's death was not only shocking but symbolic of a growing culture in which some people appear to place a higher value on funeral payouts than on human life itself.

Whether any wrongdoing occurred in Nikanor's case remains unproven.

However, the family's concerns emerge against the backdrop of one of southern Africa's most chilling insurance-fraud cases.

Former South African police officer Rosemary Ndlovu was sentenced to six life terms after being convicted of murdering six relatives and her boyfriend to claim life and funeral insurance benefits valued at more than R1.4 million.

*Additional reporting by Rita Kakelo