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The aroma of boerewors filled the air as Drikus Koekemoer tended to his custom-built braai, a centerpiece of his newly renovated entertainment area in his luxury Franschhoek dwelling.
His wife, Esme, was arranging boutique red wine glasses on the outdoor bar, preparing for their weekend gathering with friends.
“Drikus, did you remember to open that 1982 cab sav we’ve been saving?” Esme called out, meticulously polishing the crystal red wine glasses they had brought back from their trip to Bordeaux last summer.
“Already done, my love. It’s in the temperature-controlled cellar,” Drikus replied, proudly glancing at their sprawling Cape Dutch home nestled against the mountainside.
Among the guests arriving was Fanus Haasbroek, a respected professional risk advisor whom Drikus knew from his golf club. Known for his fast, friendly, and simple approach to insurance, Fanus had built a stellar reputation among the Winelands elite for making complex insurance matters surprisingly straightforward.
As everyone settled in with drinks, the conversation naturally drifted to Hansie, their mutual friend who wasn’t present.
“Shame, Hansie couldn’t make it today,” said Stellar, a recently nominated HOA board member with a few insurance queries of her own. “Still dealing with that insurance nightmare after a massive rockslide damaged his house. At one stage, I thought something like that would fall under one of those ‘force of nature’ or ‘act of God’ things insurers just sort out, until I realised that even this type of disaster has to be specifically thought through and listed in the policy,” she said, with a swish of her blonde ponytail.
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Fanus, who had been quietly enjoying his wine, perked up. “Ah, yes, classic case of inadequate cover. He had a standard Insured Events policy, which he finalised in 30 minutes flat, but it didn’t specifically list ‘falling rocks’ as a covered peri,l and he didn’t think to ask questions about the fine print; this is where the help of a reputable risk advisor is worth its weight in gold.”
“But surely insurance should cover something like that?” Esme asked, refilling everyone’s glasses.
“You’d think so,” Fanus replied. “But with standard policies, if it’s not explicitly listed, it’s not covered. Poor Hansie is R2 million out of pocket, which is tragic.”
Drikus nearly dropped his tongs. “That’s madness. What should he have done differently?” The room went quiet. After what seemed like an eternity, Drikus raised an eyebrow. “So, what’s the solution? Are you saying I need to spend more on insurance?”
“Perhaps just find a broker who doesn’t sell high-net-worth clients the policy that pays them more instead of the one that actually protects them properly,” suggested Stellar, but everyone ignored her because she had one too many olives in her mouth.
Fanus shook his head, responding to Drikus. “Not necessarily more – just smarter. Avoid ‘Standard Policies’. An ‘All Risks’ policy is what you need and qualify for when you’ve got assets worth over R4 million or so, as was the case with Hansie. It covers accidental loss or damage unless explicitly excluded – no restrictive limits on insured items. Whether it’s a rockslide or a rogue Eskom power surge frying all your electronics, you’re protected; it’s really the only sensible option.”
“Well, we’re covered then,” Drikus said confidently. “Our insurer assured us we have comprehensive cover. Or was it our broker, I can’t recall now. Anyway, it was whoever I spoke to at the company, which is a bit worrying, as I always speak to a different person there,” Drikus added with a chuckle. “Ag, but at least I am talking to a human and not an AI robot who gives you instant wrong answers.”
“That’s the problem with those new-fangled insurance firms,” Fanus said. “When emergencies happen, you’re just another ticket number. One of my clients had a flood at 2 AM last month. They called the dedicated assistance centre, which serves our high-net-worth clients. The team immediately dispatched emergency services and contacted me when the situation required my involvement.”
Esme looked impressed. “So, you have people on call around the clock?”
“Absolutely,” Fanus nodded. “My clients deserve better than ABBA hold music in an emergency. Our assistance centre is staffed 24/7, with specialists trained specifically for after-hours support and emergencies. They handle the immediate response, and I’m brought in if needed. It’s a seamless system that ensures you’re never left stranded.”
Changing the subject, Fanus slowly raised an eyebrow. “Mind if I ask about your red wine collection? How is it insured?”
“It’s part of our household contents,” Drikus shrugged. “Standard policy.”
“And that smart home system controlling your cellar temperature?” Fanus continued.
Esme and Drikus exchanged worried glances.
“Let me tell you a quick story,” Fanus said, putting down his glass of cab sav. “I had clients, let’s call them the Smiths, with a red wine collection similar to yours. Their smart home system accidentally malfunctioned due to a power spike while they were in Mauritius. Part of their cellar overheated, ruining red wine worth nearly R800 000. Their standard policy had a R50 000 Accidental Damage limit, which is all they were paid – some Standard Policies don’t even have a R50 000 limit. And even if they had the cover, they would have had sum insured value issues, as they didn’t get their wine professionally valued. Wine like this, as you know, is not your standard off-shelf stuff; the average replacement cost per bottle is around R5 000, and they have around 1 500 bottles.”
The braai suddenly went totally quiet.
“But with their new All Risks policy,” Fanus continued with a smile, “a power surge fried every electronic device they owned when they were on vacation in Greece – from their home automation system to their fancy entertainment centre. Everything was replaced. No questions asked. When they called our assistance centre in a panic at midnight Greek time, the team immediately logged the incident, arranged for emergency security measures at their property, and notified me. I called them personally the next morning to walk them through what would happen next. By the time they returned home, I had already submitted their claim, and the assessment process was well underway – no generic call centres, no waiting on hold, just fast, friendly and simple service when they needed it most.”
Drikus flipped the boerewors with perhaps more force than necessary. “Esme, remind me to call Fanus on Monday.”
“Already adding it to my calendar,” Esme replied, tapping on her state-of-the-art iPhone.
“Smart move,” Fanus chuckled. “Because with your beautiful mountain view comes mountain risks. And that custom braai? I’m guessing you haven’t told the nameless person at that online insurance company about this new addition?”
Drikus looked at his pride and joy with sudden concern.
“Don’t worry,” Fanus said, raising his glass. “That’s what Monday is for. For now, let’s enjoy this lekka braai. Just hope no unexpected rocks decide to join the party before we review your cover. But if they do,” he added with a wink, “our assistance centre is just one call away – even at midnight on a Sunday.”
Everyone laughed, but Drikus and Esme exchanged knowing glances. Their next insurance discussion wouldn’t be at a braai; it would be in Fanus Haasbroek’s office, first thing on Monday morning. Stellar, however, was making a few mental notes of her own to ask Fanus the next time she bumped into him at the gym.
