These Terms of Purchase (“Terms”) govern all transactions made through the Mutual Life Africa mobile and web application (“App”), including the purchase of insurance policies, payment of premiums, and any other financial transactions processed through the App or affiliated platforms.
MUTUAL LIFE AFRICA
Terms of Purchase
Effective Date: 01 January 2024
These Terms of Purchase (“Terms”) govern all transactions made through the Mutual Life Africa mobile and web application (“App”), including the purchase of insurance policies, payment of premiums, and any other financial transactions processed through the App or affiliated platforms.
These Terms form part of the broader agreement between you and Mutual Life Africa (operating as Mutual Lifeco Africa) and must be read together with our App Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and your individual policy schedule.
By completing a purchase through the App, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agree to these Terms.
Mutual Life Africa (operating as Mutual Lifeco Africa)
420 Fifth Avenue, Manhattan, New York, NY 10018, United States
Tel: +1 667 317 7991
Email: billing@mutuallifeafrica.com
Website: app.mutuallifeafrica.com
The individual who registers an account, completes a purchase, or holds a policy through the App (“you,” “your,” or “policyholder”).
To purchase a policy or make any transaction through the App, you must:
Mutual Life Africa reserves the right to decline any purchase application without obligation to provide reasons.
The following product categories are available for purchase through the App:
Product availability, pricing, and eligibility criteria are subject to change. The terms applicable to your policy are those in effect at the date of purchase as confirmed in your policy schedule.
Insurance premiums paid to Mutual Life Africa are not savings, deposits, or investments. Premiums are consideration paid in exchange for insurance cover for the period in which they are received. They do not accumulate, accrue interest, or hold any cash or surrender value at any point during or after the policy lifecycle.
Subject to the limited exceptions set out in Section 18 of these Terms, premiums paid are non-refundable under all circumstances. This applies regardless of whether a claim was made, whether the policy was cancelled voluntarily or by Mutual Life Africa, or whether the policyholder believes the cover was underutilised.
Policies issued through the App carry no surrender value. A policyholder who cancels their policy, whether voluntarily or as a result of default, is not entitled to receive any portion of premiums previously paid. No cash-out, policy loan, or premium credit facility is available in connection with any policy unless explicitly offered as a separate product feature in writing by Mutual Life Africa.
By purchasing a policy, you acknowledge and accept that you are purchasing insurance protection for a defined period, and that the value of that product lies in the cover provided during the policy term — not in the accumulation of any monetary value. Premiums paid for periods during which cover was in force are earned by Mutual Life Africa in full upon each billing cycle, regardless of subsequent events.
Premiums are displayed in the App at the time of purchase. Pricing is determined by the product selected, the policyholder’s age, cover level, and any applicable riders or add-ons. All prices are inclusive of applicable taxes unless otherwise stated.
Premiums may be denominated in ZAR, USD, GBP, or EUR depending on the product selected. It is your responsibility to ensure your payment method supports the currency in which your premium is denominated.
Where currency conversion is required, the exchange rate applied will be that of the payment processor at the time of the transaction. Mutual Life Africa accepts no liability for exchange rate fluctuations or conversion fees charged by your bank or payment provider.
Mutual Life Africa reserves the right to revise premium pricing at any time. You will be given at least 30 (thirty) days written notice of any price change affecting your existing policy. Continued payment of premiums after the notice period constitutes acceptance of the revised pricing.
The following payment methods are accepted through the App:
It is your responsibility to ensure your payment method is valid, sufficiently funded, and capable of processing recurring payments where applicable. Mutual Life Africa accepts no liability for failed transactions resulting from payment method issues on your side.
By purchasing a recurring insurance policy, you authorise Mutual Life Africa to debit your selected payment method on the same date each month for the premium amount specified in your policy schedule. This authorisation remains in effect until your policy is cancelled or you update your payment method.
All payment transactions are processed through PCI-DSS compliant payment processors. Mutual Life Africa does not store full card details on its servers. Payment data is handled exclusively by our payment processors in accordance with their respective security standards.
If a premium payment fails, you will be notified immediately via the App and by email. A failed payment triggers the policy status escalation timeline set out in Section 10 of these Terms. It is your responsibility to resolve any payment failure promptly to avoid policy suspension or lapse.
Upon successful completion of a purchase, you will receive:
Your policy is only in force upon receipt of the first premium payment and issuance of your policy document. Mutual Life Africa reserves the right to withhold policy issuance pending identity verification or KYC/AML compliance checks.
You have the right to cancel your policy within 30 (thirty) days of the date of policy issuance (“cooling-off period”), provided that no claim has been submitted or is pending under the policy.
Cancellation within the cooling-off period entitles you to a full refund of premiums paid. Refunds will be processed to your original payment method within 7 to 14 business days of the cancellation request being approved.
Cancellation after the cooling-off period does not entitle you to a refund of premiums already paid. The non-refundable nature of premiums is set out fully in Section 5 of these Terms.
Upon failure to receive a premium payment by the due date, the following escalation schedule applies automatically:
Mutual Life Africa will make reasonable efforts to notify you at each stage of this escalation via the App and by email. However, failure to receive a notification does not suspend or alter the escalation timeline.
A lapsed policy may be reinstated by paying all outstanding premiums in full through the App. Upon confirmed receipt of full payment, the policy will be automatically reinstated to active status without the need for a new application or underwriting review.
The following conditions apply to reinstatement:
You may cancel your policy at any time by submitting a cancellation request through the App or by contacting our support team at billing@mutuallifeafrica.com.
The following terms apply upon cancellation:
Mutual Life Africa reserves the absolute right to cancel any policy where the policyholder’s payment conduct or personal circumstances present an unacceptable underwriting risk.
Mutual Life Africa may cancel a policy on underwriting risk or conduct grounds where any of the following conditions are identified:
Where Mutual Life Africa cancels a policy on underwriting risk or conduct grounds, you will be given 30 (thirty) days written notice prior to the cancellation date. During the notice period, you may submit written representations to Mutual Life Africa at legal@mutuallifeafrica.com. Mutual Life Africa reserves the right to uphold the cancellation notwithstanding any representations made.
In cases of fraud, material misrepresentation, or serious breach, Mutual Life Africa reserves the right to cancel a policy with immediate effect and without prior notice. In such cases, no refund of premiums will be made and any claims pending at the time of cancellation will be voided and rendered null and void.
Cancellation on underwriting risk or conduct grounds does not entitle the policyholder to a refund of premiums previously paid. All outstanding premiums, credit, and financial obligations remain due and payable in full.
Mutual Life Africa operates an internal credit scoring system linked to each policyholder’s payment history and policy conduct. This score is used to determine eligibility for credit-linked products, lending facilities, and financial services available through the Mutual Life Africa Group.
Upon lapse, the policyholder’s credit score is frozen at the level reached at the point of lapse. Upon reinstatement and re-establishment of a consistent payment record, the score will resume and may improve over time. Upon cancellation, the policyholder’s credit score is reset to zero. Policyholders with a cancelled policy history may be restricted from accessing credit-linked products and financial services within the Mutual Life Africa Group until a satisfactory new payment record has been established.
All outstanding premiums remain due and payable regardless of whether a policy has been suspended, lapsed, or cancelled. Mutual Life Africa reserves the right to pursue recovery of outstanding premiums through all available legal channels.
Any credit facility, loan, points-based credit, policy-linked credit, or financial accommodation extended to a policyholder or insured person by any of our affiliated entities:
— shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding the cancellation, lapsing, or suspension of any associated policy. Cancellation or lapsing of a policy does not extinguish, reduce, or waive any outstanding credit or debt owed to the above-named entities.
Each of the above-named entities reserves, jointly and severally, the right of first claim against the policyholder’s estate, assets, and any policy proceeds. This right takes precedence over all other creditors, with the sole exception of obligations mandated by applicable law.
In the event of the policyholder’s death, insolvency, sequestration, or liquidation, the above-named entities shall be entitled to claw back and recover in full any outstanding credit, loans, points-based advances, or financial accommodation extended, directly from policy proceeds, estate assets, or any other recoverable source, before distribution to any nominated beneficiary or third-party creditor. This right of first claim and recovery applies globally across all jurisdictions in which the policyholder maintains assets, accounts, or beneficial interests.
Mutual Life Africa shall not be liable to pay any benefit, and reserves the right to decline, void, or repudiate any claim, in the following circumstances:
All new policies and all newly added members are subject to a 6 (six) month waiting period from their respective cover start date or member addition date. The waiting period applies per member, not per policy.
Any claim submitted within the first 12 months of a member’s cover start date policy purchase date shall be:
Repatriation services are not withheld. Repatriation of mortal remains is a service benefit and will be arranged immediately regardless of claim status. cash payouts maybe withheld pending claim clearance.
Accidental death is exempt from the 6-month waiting period. Full benefits, including the cash payout, shall be released without delay upon submission of a police or coroner’s report confirming accidental cause of death.
Insurance is purchased to provide protection against unforeseen risk. Cover obtained with prior knowledge of a likely or imminent death constitutes misrepresentation and voids the claim. Premiums paid shall not be refunded in confirmed cases of fraud or misrepresentation.
Any claim arising from a condition, illness, or medical history that was known to the policyholder at the time of application but was not disclosed will be declined in full. This includes, but is not limited to, terminal diagnoses, chronic illness, clinical declarations of poor health, and any condition for which the insured person was receiving treatment at the time of application. The duty to disclose is a continuing obligation and applies to all insured persons added to the policy, including family members.
Any policy purchased with the knowledge, or reasonable expectation, that the insured person is terminally ill, clinically declared as being in poor or critical health, or is near end of life, shall be considered void from inception. Mutual Life Africa reserves the right to investigate the health status of any insured person at the time of policy purchase and to repudiate any claim where it is determined that the policy was purchased in the knowledge of an imminent insured event.
No benefit will be payable in respect of a death that occurs in a jurisdiction subject to international sanctions, regulatory restrictions, or in a region formally designated as a conflict zone, failed state, or restricted territory by the United Nations, the United States Government, the European Union, or any relevant regulatory body at the time of the insured event.
Where the cause of death is determined to be a condition or illness that was not disclosed at the time of application and was known or ought reasonably to have been known to the policyholder or a responsible party at the time of application, the claim will be declined. This exclusion applies regardless of whether the non-disclosure was intentional or negligent.
No benefit will be payable to any beneficiary who is found to have caused, contributed to, facilitated, or conspired in the death of the insured person. Where a beneficiary is implicated in the death of the insured person, whether by criminal conviction, coroner’s finding, or civil determination, the claim will be suspended pending the outcome of all relevant proceedings and may be permanently declined.
Where the cause of death is ruled as suspicious, classified as foul play, or is subject to an active criminal investigation by any law enforcement authority, Mutual Life Africa reserves the right to suspend processing of the claim pending the conclusion of all relevant proceedings.
Any claim submitted in connection with a policy where the insured person’s identity was falsified, where government-issued identification documents are found to be fraudulent, forged, or altered, or where the date of birth or any other personal detail was deliberately misrepresented, will be declined in full. The policy will be immediately cancelled with effect from the date of inception, and all premiums paid will be forfeited.
Mutual Life Africa reserves the right to decline any claim where the claimant or beneficiary fails to submit the required original supporting documentation within the timeframe specified. Required documentation includes, but is not limited to, original certified death certificates, official post-mortem or coroner’s reports, government-issued identification of the deceased and the claimant, and any additional documentation reasonably requested by Mutual Life Africa in the course of its claims assessment.
No benefit will be payable where the cause of death is determined to be suicide occurring within 12 (twelve) months of the policy inception date or within 12 (twelve) months of reinstatement following a lapse.
No benefit will be payable where the insured person’s death arises directly or indirectly from participation in any unlawful activity, criminal enterprise, armed conflict entered into voluntarily, or any act that is in contravention of applicable law at the time and place of the event.
After 36 (thirty-six) months of continuous active cover per member, calculated from the member’s individual cover start date, Mutual Life Africa waives the right to contest any claim on the basis of non-disclosure or misrepresentation. All valid claims after this period shall be processed and paid without investigation, subject to the policy remaining active, premiums being up to date, and the claim not falling under Section 16’s general exclusions. Fraud remains grounds for decline at any time regardless of policy age. The contestability period resets for any member added to an existing policy from the date of their addition.
Mutual Life Africa reserves the right to apply additional exclusions on a case-by-case basis where the specific circumstances of a claim give rise to concerns that are not expressly covered by the exclusions listed above. Any such additional exclusion will be communicated to the claimant in writing with the reasons for its application.
Mutual Life Africa maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward insurance fraud in all its forms. The integrity of our claims process is fundamental to the sustainability of cover for all policyholders.
For the purposes of these Terms, fraudulent conduct includes but is not limited to:
Where Mutual Life Africa determines, on reasonable grounds, that a claim involves fraudulent conduct:
All policyholders, claimants, and beneficiaries are required to cooperate fully with any investigation conducted by Mutual Life Africa or its appointed agents in connection with a claim. Failure to cooperate, failure to provide requested documentation, or obstruction of an investigation will be treated as grounds for declining the claim and may be treated as evidence of fraudulent intent.
Mutual Life Africa reserves the right to conduct investigations into any claim at its sole discretion, including engaging independent assessors, forensic investigators, and legal counsel. No claim will be considered approved until Mutual Life Africa has completed its assessment to its satisfaction.
Refunds are only available in the following limited circumstances:
Refunds will be processed to the original payment method within 7 to 14 business days of approval. Mutual Life Africa reserves the right to request supporting documentation before processing any refund.
No refund will be made in respect of premiums paid for any period during which cover was in force, regardless of whether a claim was made. Premiums paid are earned by Mutual Life Africa in full upon each billing cycle and carry no cash or surrender value as set out in Section 5.
If you believe a charge has been made in error, you must contact Mutual Life Africa at billing@mutuallifeafrica.com before initiating a chargeback or dispute with your payment provider. Mutual Life Africa will investigate and respond within 5 business days.
Initiating a chargeback without first contacting Mutual Life Africa may result in immediate suspension of your account and policy pending investigation. Mutual Life Africa reserves the right to recover any chargeback amounts where the original charge is determined to be valid, including any fees levied by the payment processor as a result of the chargeback.
You are responsible for any taxes, duties, or regulatory levies applicable to your purchase in your jurisdiction. Where Mutual Life Africa is required by law to collect and remit taxes on your behalf, the applicable tax will be included in the premium amount displayed at checkout.
These Terms are governed by the laws of the Republic of South Africa, unless otherwise specified in your policy schedule. Any disputes arising from these Terms shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the competent courts of South Africa, without prejudice to Mutual Life Africa’s right to seek relief in any jurisdiction where the policyholder maintains assets or residence.
Mutual Life Africa reserves the right to amend these Terms at any time. You will be notified of material changes via the App or by email at least 14 days before changes take effect. Continued use of the App or continued payment of premiums after that date constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.
Mutual Life Africa is a leading insurance and financial services provider offering credit, life, and funeral cover for African nationals, African expats, and African diaspora communities in Africa and across the globe.
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