This is Part Three of our 2025 Gap Cover Guide.
Bonus Benefits
As Gap Covers evolve, so do the benefits that they offer.
Insurers are getting creative in what they cover, and benefits can include many extra add-ons that extend well beyond unpaid in-hospital medical bills. (We covered the Standard Benefits in a previous post).
No product offers all of these, so you need to read the marketing brochure carefully, or ask your broker.
- Pre and post surgery consultations (but for this to apply, medical aid usually needs to pay something towards the cost, from either risk or savings)
Example: Zest - Upgrades to a private room
This can be for any procedure, or specific to maternity
Example: Totalrisk, Netcare Plus - Preventative-care allowance,
eg Pap Smears or mammograms.
Example: Stratum - Take home medicine,
If your medical aid (eg. Discovery Health) does not pay for it - Help with the admin
Help you with complicated medical aid claims - International medical care
Cover for medical costs while travelling outside of South Africa, Does not apply to planned procedures or cancer treatment.
Example: Zest - Travel insurance
Cover for lost luggage, etc
Example: Turnberry, Stratum - Trauma counselling
Access to help lines or in-person consults following a traumatic event eg. violent crime or death of a loved one
Example: Zest - Hospital booster
Cash payout for every day you spend in hospital after an accident
Example: Kaelo - Product discounts
20% off certain items at Dischem, for an extra monthly payment
Example: Dischem Gap, Kaelo - Home birth shortfalls
12m waiting period
Example: Zest - Day to day maternity benefits
Extra cover for consults, scans, and high risk pregnancies
Example: Netcare Plus - Day to day costs
Very rare benefit for shortfalls on day-to-day specialists
Example: Netcare Plus, Stratum - Breast reconstruction costs
Medical aid often does not pay for the non-cancerous breast reconstruction as it’s seen as cosmetic procedure
Example: Stratum, Turnberry, Total Risk
What next?
In Part Four we discuss the Possible Exclusions from a Gap Cover. Read that here.
