Josh Waller Insurance Broker

Josh Waller Insurance Broker I am Cape Town-based insurance broker helping individuals, families, and body corporates get the cover they need (and ditch what they don’t).

01/09/2026

COVER OF THE WEEK: Buildings Insurance

- Your home may be your biggest asset — but do you know what your Buildings Insurance actually covers?

Buildings Insurance is designed to protect the physical structure of your home against certain insured events.

Depending on your policy, this can include damage caused by events such as:

- Fire
- Lightning
- Storm, wind or hail
- Explosions
- Certain water damage
- Impact damage

But your "building" isn't necessarily just the four walls and roof.

Permanent fixtures and improvements can also form part of the insured building, which may include things like:

- Fitted cupboards
- Built-in kitchen units
- Bathroom fixtures
- Swimming pools
- Boundary walls and gates
- Garages and outbuildings

One important thing to remember:

Buildings Insurance is generally designed to cover sudden and unforeseen insured events — not maintenance, wear and tear or gradual deterioration.

A leaking roof that is suddenly damaged during an insured storm, for example, can be very different from a roof that has deteriorated over many years.

The takeaway:

Make sure your home is insured for its current rebuilding cost, not its market value or what you originally paid for it.

And remember — maintaining your property remains your responsibility.

Not sure whether your home is properly insured? Drop me a message and we can review your current insurance together.

Cover differs between insurers and policies. Terms, conditions, limits and exclusions apply.

31/08/2026

DID YOU KNOW?

Changes to your home security could affect your insurance cover.

When you take out household insurance, your insurer may base your cover on certain security measures being in place — such as:

- An alarm system
- Security gates or burglar bars
- Electric fencing
- Armed response
- Specific locks or security requirements

If your policy requires these measures, it's important that they remain operational and are used as required.

For example, if your policy requires your alarm to be activated whenever the house is unoccupied, forgetting to arm it before leaving could potentially affect a theft claim.

The same applies when your circumstances change.

- Renovating your property?
- Removed or changed your alarm?
- Changed your security arrangements?
- Recently moved into a new home?

Let your broker or insurer know.

The takeaway:

Don't only check what you're insured for — check the conditions attached to that cover too.

A small requirement in your policy could become very important when it's time to claim.

Not sure what conditions apply to your insurance? Drop me a message and we can review your current cover together.

Requirements vary between insurers and policies. Terms, conditions and exclusions apply.

28/08/2026

FRIDAY INSURANCE MYTH: TRUE OR FALSE?

“If my house is insured, everything inside it is insured too.”

TRUE or FALSE?

FALSE — not necessarily!

Buildings Insurance and Household Contents Insurance generally protect two different things.

Buildings Insurance generally covers the physical structure of your home and permanent fixtures — things like the walls, roof, fitted cupboards and other permanent parts of the building.

Household Contents Insurance generally covers the belongings inside your home — such as your furniture, appliances, clothing and electronics.

An easy way to remember the difference:

Imagine turning your house upside down.

The things that would fall out are generally your contents.

The things that stay attached are generally part of the building.

The takeaway:

Having your building insured doesn't necessarily mean your belongings are insured too.

Make sure you understand both sides of your home insurance before you need to claim.

Not sure if your home and belongings are properly covered? Drop me a message and we can review your current insurance together.

Cover differs between insurers and policies. Terms, conditions, limits and exclusions apply.

27/08/2026

INSURANCE TIP THURSDAY

Could you prove what you own if everything was gone tomorrow?

When submitting an insurance claim after a theft, fire or other major loss, you may be asked to provide proof of ownership or information about the items you're claiming for.

The problem? If your home has been badly damaged, the receipts, boxes and paperwork you kept may be gone too.

Today's insurance tip:

Take a few minutes to create a record of the valuable items in your home.

- Take photos or videos of your belongings
- Keep receipts and invoices for expensive purchases
- Record serial numbers where possible
- Store copies somewhere safe online — not only in your home
- Keep valuations for jewellery and other high-value items up to date

A simple idea is to walk through each room of your home and record a video showing what you own.

It only takes a few minutes, but it could make things much easier if you ever have to prove what was lost or damaged.

The takeaway:

Insurance is there for when things go wrong — but a little preparation beforehand can make the claims process much easier.

Don't have a broker looking after your insurance? Drop me a message and we can review your current cover together and make sure you understand what you're insured for.

Claims requirements differ between insurers and policies. Terms, conditions, limits and exclusions apply.

26/08/2026

INSURANCE CASE STUDY: Reckless Driving or a Reasonable Reaction?

A motorist was travelling at approximately 114 km/h in a 60 km/h zone when another vehicle unexpectedly entered his lane.

A collision occurred and the motorist submitted a claim to his insurer.

Why was the claim rejected?

The insurer rejected the claim on the basis that the driver had been reckless, relying on the speed he had been travelling before the accident.

The matter was then taken to the Ombudsman.

What did the Ombud find?

The Ombudsman pointed out that simply showing that a driver was speeding or negligent does not automatically prove reckless driving.

To rely on a reckless-driving exclusion, the insurer needed to show that the driver's conduct went beyond negligence and amounted to recklessness.

In this case, the driver explained that his actions immediately before the collision were taken out of necessity and self-preservation after another vehicle entered his lane.

The insurer did not contest or disprove this explanation.

The outcome?

The Ombudsman found that the insurer had not proved recklessness.

The driver's actions appeared reasonable under the circumstances and could therefore not be considered reckless.

The insurer was recommended to reconsider its position and settle the claim.

The insurer agreed and the claim was settled.

The takeaway:

There can be an important difference between negligent driving and reckless driving when it comes to an insurance claim.

An insurer cannot necessarily reject a claim simply because a driver was speeding or acted negligently. If the insurer relies on a reckless-driving exclusion, the circumstances surrounding the incident and whether the conduct actually amounted to recklessness need to be considered.

Not sure what the exclusions on your motor insurance actually mean? Drop me a message and I’ll be happy to review your cover with you.

Every claim is assessed on its own circumstances and according to the applicable policy wording, terms, conditions and exclusions.

24/08/2026

DID YOU KNOW?

Not all damage caused during load shedding is automatically covered by your insurance.

When the power comes back on after an outage, a power surge can potentially damage TVs, fridges, computers, alarm systems and other electronics.

But here's the important part:

Power surge cover can differ from one insurance policy to another.

Depending on your insurer and policy, there may be:

- Specific limits on power surge claims
- An additional excess
- Certain requirements or conditions
- Exclusions that could affect your claim

Simply having Household Contents Insurance doesn't necessarily mean every type of electrical damage is covered.

Today's takeaway:

Don't wait until your TV or fridge gets damaged to find out what your policy covers.

Take a few minutes to check whether your insurance includes power surge cover, what the limit is, and what excess you would need to pay.

Not sure what you're covered for? Drop me a message and I’ll be happy to review your insurance with you.

Cover differs between insurers and policies. Terms, conditions, limits, excesses and exclusions apply.

21/08/2026

FRIDAY INSURANCE MYTH: TRUE OR FALSE?

If my car is insured, anyone can drive it and they’ll automatically be covered.”

TRUE or FALSE?

FALSE — not necessarily.

Who regularly drives your vehicle can be important when it comes to your insurance.

Many policies require you to declare the regular driver — the person who drives the vehicle most often. Depending on your policy, allowing someone else to drive your car could also affect your cover, excess or how a claim is handled.

For example, there may be specific conditions relating to:

- Who the regular driver is
- The age of the driver
- How long they’ve had their licence
- Whether they have a valid driver’s licence
- Additional excesses for certain drivers

The takeaway:

Don't assume that because the car is insured, every person who gets behind the wheel is automatically covered on exactly the same terms.

If someone else regularly uses your vehicle, let your broker or insurer know and make sure your policy reflects the actual situation.

Not sure if you're properly covered? Drop me a message and I’ll be happy to review your insurance with you.

Cover and requirements differ between insurers and policies. Terms, conditions, exclusions and excesses apply.

20/08/2026

INSURANCE TIP THURSDAY

Had a car accident? Your phone could be one of your most useful tools.

Once everyone is safe, take a few minutes to gather as much information as possible at the scene.

Take photos of:

The damage to all vehicles involved
Vehicle number plates and licence discs
The position of the vehicles and the accident scene
Road signs, traffic lights and road conditions
Any potholes, debris or other factors that may have contributed to the accident

Get the other driver's details:

Full name and contact number
Vehicle registration
Driver's licence details
Insurance details, if available

If there are witnesses, get their names and contact details too.

Then contact your insurer or broker as soon as possible.

And remember — don't rush to authorise repairs or accept towing arrangements without first checking what your insurer requires.

Today's tip:

Create an “Accident Info” folder on your phone now and save your broker's number, insurer's emergency number and policy details.

You may never need it — but if you do, you'll be glad it's there.

Claims procedures and requirements differ between insurers and policies. Always refer to your policy wording and contact your broker or insurer for guidance.

Don't have a broker looking after your insurance?

Drop me a message and let's have a chat. We can review your current insurance, make sure you understand what you're covered for, and identify any potential gaps in your cover — so you're better prepared when it matters most.

19/08/2026

COVER OF THE WEEK: Household Contents Insurance

Take a look around your home…

Your TV, furniture, appliances, clothes, electronics and all the other belongings you've accumulated over the years — have you ever considered what it would cost to replace them all?

That's where Household Contents Insurance comes in.

Household contents insurance is designed to protect the movable belongings inside your home against certain insured events, which may include:

- Fire
- Lightning and power surges
- Storm damage
- Certain water damage
- Theft or attempted theft
- Other insured accidental events, depending on your policy

An easy way to think about it:

If you could turn your house upside down, many of the things that would fall out are your household contents.

Your couch? Contents.
Your TV? Contents.
Your clothes? Contents.
Your fridge? Contents.

The building itself and permanent fixtures generally fall under Buildings/Homeowners Insurance instead.

One important thing to remember:

Items you regularly take outside your home — particularly cellphones, laptops, jewellery and other valuables — may require All Risks or specified cover to remain insured while away from your home.

The takeaway?

Don't only think about the value of your house. Think about how much it would cost to replace everything inside it too.

18/08/2026

INSURANCE CASE STUDY: Can a Claim Be Rejected Because It Was Reported Late?

A homeowner’s perimeter wall was damaged when a taxi collided with it.

Because of safety concerns, the homeowner went ahead with the repairs before the insurer could assess the damage. The homeowner had, however, taken photographs, kept records and obtained detailed quotations for the repairs.

Why was the claim rejected?

When the claim was eventually submitted, the insurer rejected it due to late notification, arguing that because the repairs had already been completed, it could no longer properly validate the claim.

What did the Ombud find?

The NFO found that there was still enough information available for the insurer to assess the claim, including photographs, repair documentation and quotations.

Importantly, the insurer could not demonstrate that the late notification had caused material prejudice to its ability to assess the claim.

The NFO therefore recommended that the insurer reconsider and validate the claim.

The outcome?

The insurer reconsidered its position, assessed the claim and ultimately settled it.

The takeaway:

Policyholders should always report a potential claim to their insurer or broker as soon as possible and follow the claims process before starting repairs wherever possible.

However, this case also demonstrates that late notification should not automatically result in a rejected claim. The circumstances of the claim and whether the delay materially affected the insurer’s ability to investigate and assess the loss should also be considered.

Know your cover. Know your responsibilities. And when in doubt, contact your broker before taking action.

Every claim is assessed on its own circumstances and subject to the applicable policy terms, conditions and exclusions.

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