By Lindiwe Gumede, Chief Marketing Officer at Metropolitan
AFTER just over a year as Chief Marketing Officer at Metropolitan, I’ve found myself thinking very differently about death, and the business of death. Coming from the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) world, shifting into funeral and life insurance was a significant change. Yet, both sectors are built on the same foundation: a promise made to the customer that must be kept.
In the insurance world, that promise becomes particularly meaningful when someone has passed away. It’s in those moments, when we’re able to deliver on our promise to a grieving family, that I’ve found the most purpose in my role.
Death is a deeply sensitive and often taboo subject in many South African cultures, despite funerals being highly significant events. At Metropolitan, we recognise that death is just as much about those left behind as it is about those who’ve passed. That’s why clear, accessible, and compassionate communication is central to what we do.
Unlike FMCG, where products offer instant gratification, funeral policies require long-term thinking. The policyholder doesn’t benefit from the payout – it’s their loved ones who do. This makes trust, transparency, and education absolutely essential. We’ve invested in simplifying the way we explain financial concepts like saving, debt, and intergenerational planning, as well as the terms and conditions of our policies.
The pandemic accelerated our digital transformation. Today, we meet clients where they are, including through WhatsApp – a platform where, in some cases, we’ve paid out valid claims in under an hour. That speed brings real peace of mind. At the same time, our presence on the ground remains crucial. We employ agents who live within the communities they serve, helping people understand their policies from the moment they sign up through to the claims process. It’s this personal connection that builds trust.
Over the past year, I’ve also become more comfortable discussing death – timing and empathy are everything. My father once gathered our family elders to share his wishes for after his death. That experience stayed with me. It made me realise how much easier death becomes for the living when there is openness and preparation.
Sadly, many families are left scrambling to find out whether a loved one even had a policy. That’s why it’s critical to share this information before the inevitable occurs. It’s one of the kindest things we can do for those we leave behind.
I’ve also come to appreciate the cultural complexity of our work. I once believed repatriating my body to KZN would be too costly for my family. Yet my family’s desire to bury each of us on our ancestral land never wavered. At Metropolitan, we understand that cultural expectations often include the repatriation of a body, which is why our policies cover those additional costs. But not everyone understands terms like “repatriation,” which is why we work hard to remove jargon and explain policies in plain language.
Our advisors are trained to guide families through difficult decisions, even when conversations about death never took place. They help design policies that reflect people’s lifestyles, beliefs, and budgets. Ultimately, our work is about more than payouts. It’s about dignity, legacy, and peace of mind.
What I’ve learned over the past year is this: funeral policies aren’t just pieces of paper. They are living agreements that bring structure to chaos, clarity to uncertainty, and comfort to grief. The real gift isn’t just financial – it’s the assurance that, even in death, our loved ones are taken care of.
At Metropolitan, we honour that responsibility with empathy, honesty, and humanity. That’s how we breathe life into the business of death.
