The GTC gap cover survey winners

● Sanlam and Absa have emerged as the best providers of top-up or gap-cover medical insurance, in a survey of 20 providers conducted by GTC.

Sanlam’s Comprehensive Gap Cover policy, at R250 a month for an individual or a family, was ranked as the leading provider of gap cover for those under the age of 60, while Absa Gold, at R435 a month for an individual or family, scored best for cover for those over 60.

The two providers provide cover for when your scheme short-pays the doctor who treats you in hospital — of up to 500% of the scheme rate — and provide cancer, co-payment cover and sub-limit enhancements up to the maximum benefit of R150 000 a year.

The so-called demarcation regulations under the Insurance Acts limit benefits on gap or top-up cover policies to R150 000 per person a year.

Insurers say most claims are lower than R150 000 per person, but there are always exceptions.