

21st Century Life
Based on recent customer reviews, 21st Century Life receives sharply divided feedback shaped by the emotional weight of funeral policy claims. A recurring theme is severe frustration with delayed claim payouts, unresponsive consultants, and blame shifted to the underwriter Hollard, with grieving families reporting being left financially stranded before burials. In contrast, a smaller group of customers consistently mention heartfelt support, attentive staff, and meaningful assistance during bereavement. The dominant sentiment centres on poor communication and slow claim resolution, while positive experiences highlight compassion and hands-on funeral coordination when the process works.
TrustIndex
2.9
Jul '25 - Jun '26
Used this business recently? Share your experience to help others decide.
Used this business recently? Share your experience to help others decide.
Share Your Experience1 reviews | Active since Jan 2020
*Complaint:* I am lodging a formal complaint against 21st Century Life Ltd regarding my life insurance policies. *What happened:* 1. Since 2024 I have been requesting proof of payment and a payment history because I was not receiving payment confirmations or statements after paying monthly premiums. I was told 21st Century was undergoing a system migration and could not provide this. 2. In July 2025 I contacted the Orlando West branch. Agent Zinhle assisted me and sent screenshots showing missing payments for previous months and years. 3. On 26 May 2026 I followed up again. Agent Phindile assisted and sent more screenshots. One screenshot showed my policy status as “lapsed”, which surprised me as I have been paying consistently. 4. Phindile stated that from previous years to date I have 5 months of missed payments and owe R1450. 5. The proof of payment I have does not match what Phindile sees on the system. Months I have paid are showing as unpaid on their side. *My concerns:* - I was never notified of arrears or a pending lapse. I requested statements since 2024 and did not receive them. - The records between myself and 21st Century do not match, so I cannot confirm that the R1450 is correct. - I am concerned that payments I made have not been allocated and that I am being penalised for a system error. *What I want:* 1. A full reconciled payment history for both policies from 2021 to date showing all payments received, dates, and allocation. 2. Immediate suspension of the lapse status while the discrepancy is investigated. 3. Reinstatement of both policies without penalties, interest, or waiting periods once payments are correctly allocated. I believe the issue is due to 21st Century's system migration failure. If I do not receive a resolution within 14 days,I will escalate this to the FAIS Ombudsman. *Contact details:* Name: Bongani Dlamini Phone: 0685608916 Email: bonganilwandlesimphiwe@gmail.com
1 reviews | Active since Jan 2020
*Complaint:* I am lodging a formal complaint against 21st Century Life Ltd regarding my life insurance policies. *What happened:* 1. Since 2024 I have been requesting proof of payment and a payment history because I was not receiving payment confirmations or statements after paying monthly premiums. I was told 21st Century was undergoing a system migration and could not provide this. 2. In July 2025 I contacted the Orlando West branch. Agent Zinhle assisted me and sent screenshots showing missing payments for previous months and years. 3. On 26 May 2026 I followed up again. Agent Phindile assisted and sent more screenshots. One screenshot showed my policy status as “lapsed”, which surprised me as I have been paying consistently. 4. Phindile stated that from previous years to date I have 5 months of missed payments and owe R1450. 5. The proof of payment I have does not match what Phindile sees on the system. Months I have paid are showing as unpaid on their side. *My concerns:* - I was never notified of arrears or a pending lapse. I requested statements since 2024 and did not receive them. - The records between myself and 21st Century do not match, so I cannot confirm that the R1450 is correct. - I am concerned that payments I made have not been allocated and that I am being penalised for a system error. *What I want:* 1. A full reconciled payment history for both policies from 2021 to date showing all payments received, dates, and allocation. 2. Immediate suspension of the lapse status while the discrepancy is investigated. 3. Reinstatement of both policies without penalties, interest, or waiting periods once payments are correctly allocated. I believe the issue is due to 21st Century's system migration failure. If I do not receive a resolution within 14 days,I will escalate this to the FAIS Ombudsman. *Contact details:* Name: Bongani Dlamini Phone: 0685608916 Email: bonganilwandlesimphiwe@gmail.com
1 reviews | Active since Jan 2020
I have a funeral at 21st century and I my uncle who was my dependent passed away and I claimed in November and still today the company is still billing the deceased I called the customer and was sent from one agent to the other I spoke to approximately 6 agent with no resolution
1 reviews | Active since Jan 2020
I have a funeral at 21st century and I my uncle who was my dependent passed away and I claimed in November and still today the company is still billing the deceased I called the customer and was sent from one agent to the other I spoke to approximately 6 agent with no resolution
1 reviews | Active since Jan 2020
Urgent: Immediate Action Required on Claim Dear Sir/Madam, I am writing to formally raise concern about the unacceptable delays and lack of communication regarding my claim following the passing of my brother. Despite multiple attempts to contact your office, submitting all required documents in person on 20 March, and being promised a 24-hour turnaround, I have received no response. I have also been given inconsistent timelines and a promised call back today at 10:00 did not occur. This matter is urgent. I require immediate feedback on the status of my claim and confirmation of when it will be finalized. Failure to respond promptly will leave me with no option but to escalate this matter further. Yours faithfully, Philisiwe Wendy
1 reviews | Active since Jan 2020
Urgent: Immediate Action Required on Claim Dear Sir/Madam, I am writing to formally raise concern about the unacceptable delays and lack of communication regarding my claim following the passing of my brother. Despite multiple attempts to contact your office, submitting all required documents in person on 20 March, and being promised a 24-hour turnaround, I have received no response. I have also been given inconsistent timelines and a promised call back today at 10:00 did not occur. This matter is urgent. I require immediate feedback on the status of my claim and confirmation of when it will be finalized. Failure to respond promptly will leave me with no option but to escalate this matter further. Yours faithfully, Philisiwe Wendy
Based on recent customer reviews, 21st Century Life receives sharply divided feedback shaped by the emotional weight of funeral policy claims. A recurring theme is severe frustration with delayed claim payouts, unresponsive consultants, and blame shifted to the underwriter Hollard, with grieving families reporting being left financially stranded before burials. In contrast, a smaller group of customers consistently mention heartfelt support, attentive staff, and meaningful assistance during bereavement. The dominant sentiment centres on poor communication and slow claim resolution, while positive experiences highlight compassion and hands-on funeral coordination when the process works.
21st Century Life has a TrustIndex of 2.9 out of 10 on Hellopeter, based on 21 reviews in the last 12 months. They reply to 29% of negative reviews, typically within 1834 hours 47 min. Hellopeter has tracked 21st Century Life across 107 total reviews. How is the TrustIndex calculated? →