No payout for morgue body
TRAGIC END: Emile Jacobs, 35, died when he was hit by a train TRAGIC END: Emile Jacobs, 35, died when he was hit by a train
The family of a man whose unidentified body lay at the mortuary for 8 months says a company is refusing to pay out his funeral policy because the 3-month application period had lapsed.
Emile Emmanuel Jacobs, 35, was struck by a train on 12 April 2018 near Woodstock Train Station.
Emile, who used to wander the streets of Cape Town, became an unidentified body at Salt River Mortuary.
In November 2018, Emile’s family searched for him, which led them to the mortuary and later the police.
The family claims when they attempted to access a funeral claim of R4 000 with Emerald Life, Funeral Insurance & Wealth Creator, they were told they were too late because they had to notify the company within 3 months of the death.
The dead man’s brother-in-law, Sergio Fourie, tells the Daily Voice cops from the Woodstock Police Station visited the family’s home on 5 November, which would have been Emile’s 36th birthday, to inform them he had died in April.
“We called Salt River mortuary the day before and they confirmed they had a body there fitting his description,” Sergio says.
“The next day the police visited my mother-in-law, Ragel Jacobs, Emile’s mother to inform her that he had died in April and that he’d been hit by a train.”
Sergio says the family started funeral arrangements and has statements showing that Ragel was up to date with policy payments to Emerald Life (R255 per month for seven family members).
“They first said he wasn’t on the policy, but realised he was,” he adds.
Sergio says while waiting for their claim, the family went ahead and spent R10 000 to bury Emile on 17 November.
During November and December, Sergio says he and Ragel visited the company’s Bellville offices many times to find out about the claim.
Showing the Daily Voice proof of payment, he explains they were told their claim was too late: “They said we had to place the claim within three months after death even when I explained to them that we didn’t know he had died.”
After being contacted by the Daily Voice, Magda Boshoff, Emerald Life administration executive, says they will now consider giving the family another chance: “We take note of your reason why the claim was submitted late.
“We will, therefore, forward the information again to the Insurer, Lion Of Africa, and request if they would reconsider.”