Centriq Section 50 Transfer

 

Change in insurer on your policy: All Your Benefits Are 100% Protected by SA Law!

 

The insurer of your The Unlimited branded policy is currently Centriq Insurance. This will change to Centriq Life. Your benefits have not changed. Please see the documents below for further information.

Click here to view Centriq Section 50 Transfer Documents

 

FAQs


Did you know the “change in your insurer” is helping ensure your benefits are all 100% legal & enforceable? 


There’s nothing better than knowing that your products will help you when you need it most. When you’ve taken out death, accident and disability cover, you want to be sure it will pay out when you need it.

That’s why The Unlimited is notifying members who have benefits underwritten by Centriq Insurance that the insurer on their products is changing to Centriq Life. This is because of a new law that requires us to change the insurer on some products, to make sure all your benefits are still 100% protected.

We’re busy making the change and are super happy to inform you that your benefits are and will remain certified 100% protected by law.

The points below are all to inform you of why it’s changing, who it’s changing to and how you can get more information, if you need it.

 

Who are the companies involved in the insurer change?


There are 3 companies you should know about. They are:

1. Centriq Insurance

This is the company that is the current insurer on some of the benefits on a selection of our products. Their full name is: Centriq Insurance Company Limited, and their registration number is 1998/007558/06. They are a public company, duly incorporated (properly registered) according to the requirements of the Companies Act of 2008 ("Companies Act"), and they are a subsidiary of Centriq Insurance Holdings Limited, which is a member of the Santam Limited group of companies ("Santam Group").

Now, the thing is that Centriq Insurance was created in 1998 as a non-life (or short-term) insurer. That means they are not a specialist life insurance company.

2. Centriq Life

This is the new insurer on some of the benefits on a selection of our products. Their full name is: Centriq Life Insurance Company Limited, and their registration number is 1943/016409/06. They are a public company, duly incorporated (properly registered) according to the requirements of the Companies Act, and they are also a subsidiary of Centriq Insurance Holdings Limited, which is a member of the Santam Group.

The important thing is that Centriq Life is a licensed life insurer that underwrites life insurance policies.

3. The Unlimited – hey, that’s us!

As if we need any introduction! We are the company that gives you awesome products with so many benefits and rewards.

Our full name is: The Unlimited Group Proprietary Limited, and our registration number is 2002/002773/07. And we’re a private company that’s duly incorporated (that means legally registered) according to the requirements of the Companies Act.

Now, we’re an authorised financial services provider in terms of the Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services Act of 2002 (“FAIS ACT”). We sell both non-insurance and insurance products (many underwritten by Centriq Insurance or Centriq Life). We are the ones who unlocked your "The Unlimited" branded product and we’re the administrator of your policy, your membership and other non-insurance benefits.

Since 1994, The Unlimited has been shifting lives and delivering on what we promise – to progress the nation by giving real value and leading the way with our values. 

 

Why is the insurer on some products changing?


A new law called the Insurance Act no 18 of 2017, came into effect recently, and it said that any death cover must be underwritten by a company that is an official life insurer.

Now, you’ll remember that Centriq Insurance, who was the insurer on some of our products, is not a life insurer. But Centriq Life is. So, to make sure your benefits are still 100% protected by the law, we’re changing the insurer on The Unlimited products that cover death, accidents and disability from Centriq Insurance to Centriq Life, just like the new law asks.

This transfer is subject to approval by the Prudential Authority, according to section 50 of the Insurance Act of 2017, and we’ve been working with them ever since to help make the change (which we’ll call the "Proposed Transfer") happen.

That means that Centriq Life will officially become the insurer of certain benefits on some of The Unlimited products, as soon as the Prudential Authority gives their final approval.

 

Which products are affected by the insurer change?


Any products you have with The Unlimited that are currently underwritten by Centriq Insurance and give you:

● death cover

● accident cover

● health cover

● disability cover

We will call these “Transfer Products / Transfer Product” from now on, until the insurer change/Proposed Transfer is complete.

NOTE: This excludes all your other benefits on The Unlimited products. Whether they’re insurance or non-insurance, any other benefits that are not in the list above are not affected by the insurer change/Proposed Transfer and won’t change at all.

 

How will the affected product benefits be transferred?


Centriq Insurance will transfer the products to Centriq Life, according to a business agreement between the two companies.

This Proposed Transfer is subject to the Prudential Authority’s approval and there’s a strict legal process it must and will follow.

Once it’s approved, Centriq Life will become the insurer of the Transfer Products and will provide your cover.

IMPORTANT: All your benefits and terms and conditions will stay the same. And you will still deal directly with The Unlimited regarding your product and benefits.

 

Do you have to approve the transfer of your product cover?


No, it’s not necessary. According to section 50 of the Insurance Act, you don’t have to approve the Proposed Transfer – we’ll just keep you informed about it.

 

What happens to my products & benefits if the transfer is approved?


Your cover and benefits on your Transfer Product remain exactly the same. The only change is that the cover will be underwritten by Centriq Life. You will still deal with The Unlimited for all your services and benefits.

And, again, remember that all your current benefits on products you have with The Unlimited, whether they’re insurance or non-insurance, that are not listed above, aren’t affected by the Proposed Transfer at all.

 

Will my benefits stay the same?


Yes. All your benefits stay the same, as well as the terms and conditions and your waiting periods.

 

How will the Proposed Transfer take place?


Transferring insurance policies requires a detailed legal process, according to the Insurance Act, and it must be approved by the Prudential Authority.

So the process has quite a few steps. Here are few first steps that have already been taken:

1. Centriq Insurance and Centriq Life have applied to the Prudential Authority to approve the

Proposed Transfer;

2. Centriq Insurance and Centriq Life have both created reports about how the Proposed

Transfer is sound and legal;

3. The Prudential Authority has said it will preliminarily support the Proposed Transfer, and has

allowed Centriq Insurance and Centriq Life to tell members about the planned change (like

the Insurance Act requires); and

4. We’ve published notices of the Proposed Transfer in various newspapers and other forms of communication, to help ensure that members are aware of the Proposed Transfer.

Any member with a Transfer Product, or anyone who will be affected by the Proposed Transfer, can contact the Prudential Authority about the Proposed Transfer before 26 February 2022.

If you want to object to the Proposed Transfer, you have to call, email or write to the Prudential Authority before 26 February 2022. Otherwise, your cover will be automatically transferred to Centriq Life once the transfer is approved.

For more information, you can contact The Unlimited, Centriq Insurance or Centriq Life – see contact details below.

Please note that the Ombudsman for Long Term Insurance, Short Term Insurance and the Ombud for Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services will not be able to help you in this matter.

 

What is the Transfer process?


The whole process will work like this:


What if I don’t want Centriq Life to underwrite my product?


You can contact the Prudential Authority, The Unlimited, Centriq Insurance or Centriq Life, to ask for more information or explain any concerns and objections you have around the Proposed Transfer. But note: You have to make sure that your communications reach these companies and authorities before 26 February 2022. (See all the contact details below).

 

Where can I get more information about the Proposed Transfer?


There are a lot of documents around the Proposed Transfer, and everyone involved will make them

available to you. The documents are:

● A copy of the Application Forms (excluding annexes);

● A copy of the annual financial statements for the year ended 2019 for Centriq Life;

● A copy of the annual financial statements for the year ended 2019 for Centriq Insurance;

● A copy of the head of actuarial function’s report for Centriq Insurance;

● A copy of the head of actuarial function’s report for Centriq Life;

● All communication notices regarding the Proposed Transfer; and

● Any other documentation as prescribed by the Prudential Authority.

All of these documents will be available for you to view on these websites:

● The Unlimited at: www.theunlimited.co.za

● Centriq Insurance at: www.centriq.co.za

● Centriq Life at www.centriq.co.za

 

Who can I contact if I have questions about the Proposed Transfer?


You’re welcome to contact:

● The Unlimited at: 0861 990 000 or email transfers.centriq@theunlimited.co.za;

● Centriq Insurance at: 011 268 6490 or email info@centriq.co.za; or

● Centriq Life at: 011 268 6490 or email info@centriq.co.za.

You can also contact the Prudential Authority for this Proposed Transfer via email at SARBPA@

resbank.co.za.

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