Sanlam incompetence in handling a death claim

My ex husband passed away on the 22 August 2021. Sanlam made no effort to trace down any beneficiaries until April 2024 despite being notified by the Executor of the estate that Richard had passed away.

On receiving Richard’s bank statements after his death (his account was only closed a year after he passed away) we noticed a deduction of over R11000.00 a month. With the help of a of a Sanlam advisor tracked the policy to a Sanlam retirement annuity which was once again brought to the Executors attention as he didn’t know where else to get other information. All of a sudden Sanlam jumped into action and dispersed forms for completion.

I completed the forms on the 29th April 2024 and provided all the information requested on the forms.

Since then the trustees have targeted me only with varying requests over the months such as my full bank statements, why Richard used my own name as the beneficiary on his payments, which I couldn’t advise as I don’t have access to Richard’s bank statements. However I did provide proof of one payment where he paid late and did a direct transfer from his Nedbank Account. I also requested Sanlam to phone his current spouse to confirm that Richard had been paying me for years and that she had continued maintaining the payments whilst Richard was in a coma before he passed away, which I provided proof of.

I have forwarded them to my divorce agreement, the first draft of the liquidation account which shows that I am entitled to maintenance and that Nedbank instructed an actuary to calculate the amount and is reflected on the L&D account. I have also forwarded them all other documents requested one at a time over months. The matter must have been to the trustees more than 7 times each time asking for different or more information.

On the forms we had to complete there was a section for staff only whereby they were to contact VWSA for the payment allocation to each beneficiary from his pension fund, which they did not do, instead the test asked me to provide them with this information, which I find totally *********. On this matter VWSA had no problem accepting me as a legal dependant and paid me out in 2022.

The trustees have now said that they don’t feel safe paying me (don’t trust me or the information I have submitted) until they have the final L&D account. This is probably going to take another year as there is still a property to sell. I cannot financially wait this long.

Essentially they are calling me a *****ster by not wanting to pay out the claim and I find this offensive and defamation of my character.

I am not only a dependent on Richard but a legal dependant at that so do not understand Sanlam’s decision making other than they do not believe and documentation or information I have given them……once again pointing to my character.

I want Sanlam to settle this matter in the next five days as they have enough information to make a decision!!