Godfrey Mlalazi, a former Zimbabwe People’s Revolutionary Army (Zipra) veteran from Bulawayo, accused a prominent insurance broker of offering inadequate funeral payouts despite years of paying premiums in foreign currency. Mlalazi revealed that Progressive Insurance Brokers (PIB), which serves many war veterans, provided him only ZiG200 and US$50 for funeral cover after he had been paying premiums since February 2013. Despite contributing US$20 per month for 11 years, covering all beneficiaries including his mother-in-law, Mlalazi was dismayed by the payout when his mother-in-law passed away on May 9.
Struggling to get assistance from PIB’s Bulawayo offices, Mlalazi faced difficulties arranging the funeral until discovering that his brother-in-law had a separate funeral policy. Despite repeatedly visiting PIB offices, he encountered evasive officials before finally being offered the inadequate payout. A PIB representative in Bulawayo, Collet Maduma, confirmed Mlalazi’s visit but claimed the system did not show his contributions in US dollars. Maduma directed Mlalazi to the claims office or the head office in Harare for assistance.
Mlalazi contested Maduma’s claims, stating that the funeral parlour dismissed PIB’s assertions and clarified that PIB was merely a broker providing services after contractual obligations were met.
Disappointed by the ZiG200 and US$50 payout, which was insufficient even for a tombstone for his mother-in-law, Mlalazi regretted staying with PIB while other war veterans switched to alternative funeral insurance providers. He criticized PIB’s inadequate service despite being major clients.
