Simply and SweepSouth, two technology players with a focus on social impact and financial inclusion, have announced a partnership to provide accidental death and disability cover at no cost to all SweepSouth’s SweepStars - its force of domestic cleaners.

The partnership is a win-win. It deepens Simply’s social commitment to provide cover to individuals among lower income groups who currently are underserved, particularly when it comes to life and disability cover. For SweepSouth, the gesture builds loyalty and commitment among the over 7 000 SweepStars it currently has on its books.

The partnership also helps serve a profound need in the domestic worker space. According to the SweepSouth Report on Pay and Living Conditions for Domestic Work released earlier this year, 78% of domestic workers don’t have any form of savings or pension. And with 84% of domestic workers being sole breadwinners, their families face potential catastrophe if anything happens to them.

The SweepSouth concept, which connects households needing cleaning services with independent domestic workers, was born out of frustration at the many structural inefficiencies and lack of progress in terms of pay rates and further upskilling opportunities for workers within the domestic services industry.

“In many ways, this sector had remained unchanged in practice and attitude for decades,” says SweepSouth founder and CEO Aisha Pandor.

“We wanted to provide dignified, flexible work opportunities at decent levels of pay, to domestic cleaners,” she added.

Homeowners and corporate clients book SweepStar services online through the SweepSouth website and mobile app. SweepStars in turn are able to choose where and when they wish to work, earn up to 80% of the booking fee (plus all of the tipped amounts), and through digital literacy learn to unlock the power of devices such as smartphones, which become tools to add income to their families.

“The SweepSouth partnership with Simply extends dignity to the SweepStars and their families by providing accidental death and disability cover at no cost to the cleaner,” Pandor says.

Simply, an insurtech startup providing great value life, disability and funeral cover online, is making waves in the South African insurance industry. The business has sold over 8 000 policies since launch in late 2016, with most of its retail policies sold via mobile.

The initiative with SweepSouth is a good strategic fit for Simply, as serving South Africa’s one million strong domestic worker force is already a key focus for the company. Through their Domestic Cover product, employers of domestic workers can provide low-cost life, disability and family funeral cover for their employees through a convenient online buying process.

Anthony Miller, CEO of Simply, explains: “When a domestic worker dies or becomes disabled through an accident, his or her dependants are often left destitute.  Working with SweepSouth, who share our passion for social impact, we can now extend our benefits to thousands who would otherwise not have had any life or disability cover. And this at no cost to the Sweepstars.”

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About Simply Financial Services (Simply)

Simply Financial Services (Simply) is a registered financial services provider that designs and sells great value, simple life insurance products in South Africa.  The business was founded by three South Africans – technology entrepreneur Anthony Miller and actuaries Simon Nicholson and Shaun Dippnall – and has offices in Cape Town and Johannesburg.

Simply offers 3 products: Family Cover – Cover for individuals; Domestic cover – Cover for domestic workers; and Group Cover – cover for the employees of businesses, NGOs and otherSimply products include life, disability and funeral cover – available individually or as a combo. Policies start from as little as R59 a month, depending on the benefits and level of cover selected, and are really easy to buy online. They are underwritten by Old Mutual Risk Transfer Ltd (OMART), a member of the Old Mutual Group, and reinsured by the Reinsurance Group of America (RGA).

For more information, check Simply out at www.simply.co.za

About SweepSouth

SweepSouth’s mission is to create happy homes by providing dignified, flexible work at decent pay to our SweepStars; and a hassle-free and reliable service that gives time back to our clients. Our SweepStars can dictate where and when they would like to work, earn up to 80% of the booking fee (plus tips), and learn to use technology to unlock the power of a device like a smartphone, so that it becomes a tool that can bring income to their families.

This impact on wider communities is something we are especially proud of, with 74% of our SweepStars being primary breadwinners at home. Of the thousands of SweepStars we’ve already given work opportunities to via our platform, 71% were previously unemployed while 29% were underemployed, evidence of the real impact we’re having on creating employment.

For more information, check SweepSouth out at www.sweepsouth.com