Discovery Life has paid out R67 billion in claims to date, of which R36 billion was paid out in the past five years.

• Discovery Life says 52% of its risk payouts now support clients during their lives, highlighting a shift beyond death-only cover.
• In 2025, it paid out about 9 300 claims, close to three times the number it paid out 15 years ago.
• Cancer accounted for 45% of severe illness claims and 28% of life cover claims, according to Discovery Life data.
• For more financial news, visit News24 Business.

Discovery Life paid out R11.5 billion to clients in 2025, matching the previous year’s number but about R1 billion more than it paid out in 2023.

The group’s life cover payments in 2025 comprised R6.9 billion in individual life insurance claims; R2.2 billion in group risk claims; and R2.4 billion in shared-value benefits that reward clients for responsible management of their health and finances.

Of the R6.9 billion paid to individual clients, some R3.2 billion was paid through life cover benefits, with an additional R1.8 billion going to severe illness benefits and R987 million to capital disability benefits, paid out as lump sums.

Another R684 million was paid in the form of income continuation benefits, which provide clients with income should they be unable to work due to an illness or disability covered by their policy.

Additional benefits, such as funeral plan cover and payouts for education costs in the event of a parent dying or suffering severe illness or disability, amounted to R268 million.

“Life insurance is no longer just about what happens when someone dies. More and more, it’s about supporting people while they are still alive – helping them navigate severe illness, disability, or income disruption,” said Gareth Friedlander, deputy CEO of Discovery Life.

“At Discovery Life, 52% of risk payouts now support clients during life, which reflects how life insurance is evolving to provide protection throughout a person’s life.”

Discovery Life has paid out R67 billion in claims to date, of which R36 billion was paid out in the past five years. In 2025 alone, it paid out 9 298 claims, almost three times the number it paid out 15 years ago.

AI-driven recommendations

Discovery Life launched its Personalised PayBack Booster in 2025, which rewards clients for completing individualised actions to improve their health.

It says this initiative has prompted almost 9 500 cancer screenings, 5 500 health checks, 2 500 metabolic health screenings, and more than 710 organ health screenings.

“AI is enabling highly personalised recommendations based on each client’s health profile and behavioural patterns,” said Dr Deidre Kotze, Discovery Life’s chief medical officer.

“By guiding clients toward the screenings most relevant to them, we are increasingly able to detect serious conditions earlier, when treatment options are broader and outcomes are often significantly better.”

Cancer remains a significant concern, with Discovery Life saying it accounts for 45% of severe illness claims, 28% of life cover claims (second only to heart and artery conditions at 29%), and 11% of income continuation claims.

“We’re seeing earlier detection in cancers with established screening programmes, including breast, prostate, cervical and colon cancer,” said Kotze.

“Early detection dramatically improves outcomes. For example, someone diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer has a five-year survival rate of 96%, while men diagnosed with localised prostate cancer can expect a 99% five-year survival rate.”