Gap Cover 101 Guide for South Africans

December 18, 2021

Here is a gap cover 101 guide for people in South Africa who do not have a clue what gap cover is.

Firstly, note that there is gap cover for vehicles and then there is gap cover for medical aid.

We are talking about the medical type here.

Interesting that gap cover for medical aid is uniquely South African.

That is because our official, registered medical schemes are unique. And gap cover only exists because there are medical aids in South Africa.

Your Gap Cover 101 Guide

  1. You need to be a paid-up member of a registered medical scheme in South Africa to qualify for gap cover.
  2. The purpose of gap insurance (another name for gap cover) is to insure the co-payment gap i.e. the shortfall between what medical aids will cover in the way of hospital and specialist expenses and the actual amounts that appear on your medical bills.
  3. When you take out a gap cover (also called a top-up) policy, this product will cover all the beneficiaries on your medical aid.
  4. The medical schemes do not offer gap cover. Instead, these products are offered by short-term, specialised companies such as Zestlife.
  5. Gap cover is inexpensive. It amounts to the equivalent of 5% to 10% of the monthly premium you pay for your medical scheme membership
  6. Short-term insurers pay out successful gap cover claims by electronic transfer into your bank account. Then you settle your outstanding medical bills wit this cash.
  7. You can get a quote and then sign up for gap cover online or by phone. You can, for instance, use the form on this page to get a quote and sign up for valuable gap cover insurance.

 

That’s our Gap Cover 101 guide. We hope it has been of assistance. If you have further questions, please complete and submit the form on this page. An agent will be in touch to give you answers and sign you up.

 

All info was correct at time of publishing