CAPE TOWN, 15 June 2023 - Santam, South Africa’s largest short-term insurer, has recently received media enquiries concerning the heavy rains and adverse weather conditions that have impacted parts of the Western Cape over the last few days. Santam wishes to confirm that the insurer has received reports of damage to policyholders in areas such as Paarl, Wellington, Stellenbosch, Somerset West, Franschhoek and Worcester.

“It is still too early to quantify the extent of the damage. We expect to have a better picture over the coming days as we begin to receive claim volume feedback. We have also begun receiving reports of flood damages in Gansbaai. We are dispatching assessors. We are also contacting our external assessors in George and Oudtshoorn, to ascertain if there is damage in those areas,” said Rowland Ramalingam, Santam’s Head of Non-Motor Claims.

Santam shares the following tips to assist in lowering risks associated with adverse weather conditions:

Road use tips:

• Use a GPS or App-related maps to find viable routes to use when travelling in the affected areas.
• Drive slowly – slower driving minimises damages linked to storms and combats slippery roads.
• If affected, locate a safe, covered area immediately or pull over under an overpass, provided it is safe to do so.
• Undercover parking at malls and petrol stations is a good temporary solution to protecting your car during a severe downpour.
• If you are affected by a storm, immediately report the incident to your insurer.

Property tips:

• In the event of heavy rain, always try and divert water 'runoff' away from your house, if possible.
• Identify areas where water is likely to pool and flood into your home and address these by installing preventative measures such as a dry well. You could also consider installing tubes and pipes which could facilitate water into and out of the well.
• Ensure that stormwater infrastructure and the road on your property is kept clean. Conventional stormwater infrastructure quickly drains stormwater to rivers and streams, driving the water away from your property. 
• Pack an emergency box. If you live in an area that's known for flooding, please make sure you know what to do when your house floods.

Santam policyholders are reminded that they can call the 24/7 claims and emergency helpline 0860 505 911 or lodge a query via the Santam client site or Santam app.

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About Santam, Insurance, Good and Proper

Santam is South Africa’s largest short-insurer with a market share in excess of 22%. Listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), the Santam group provides a diversified range of general insurance products and services in Southern Africa and internationally through a network of over 3 300 intermediaries and direct channels.

The group’s more than 1 million policyholders range from individuals to commercial and specialist business owners and institutions, including 80 of the Top 100 companies listed on the JSE. The group employs over 6 000 employees and was certified as a Top Employer by the Top Employer Institute for the seventh consecutive year in 2023.