To get paid on a burst geyser insurance job in South Africa, you need the paperwork the insurer asks for, not just a working geyser. Santam's published July 2024 circular is a good example: where it refunds a client for a replacement, it wants a signed certificate of compliance, a detailed invoice with the serial numbers of both the old and new geysers, and before and after photos. Miss one, or start without the insurer's authorisation, and the client's payout (and your payment) can shrink or stall.
Insurers set their own claim rules, and they change. This guide uses one insurer's published circular as a worked example. Always confirm with the client's insurer or broker before you start.
Why does the paperwork matter so much?
Because on an insurance job the person who pays is often not the person who called you. The homeowner wants hot water back; the insurer wants proof that the work was necessary, compliant and correctly priced. If your file does not satisfy the insurer, the homeowner may be paid less than your invoice, and you end up chasing the difference.
Homeowners ask about this on forums such as MyBroadband, including whether they can bring in their own plumber and what the insurer will then pay.
What does an insurer actually require?
Santam's Operational Circular of 1 July 2024, sent to intermediaries, sets out its geyser process. The points that affect a plumber directly:
| Requirement | What the circular says |
|---|---|
| Claims route | Geyser claims are facilitated through Santam's 24/7 claims helpline, which appoints the service provider |
| Own plumber | Without authorisation from a Santam representative or intermediary, settlement is based on "fair and reasonable market value" |
| Compliance | SANS 10254 requires a CoC on completion of a geyser installation, maintenance or replacement of components, with notice of any non-compliances |
| Before refunding a client | A signed CoC; a detailed invoice including old and new geyser serial numbers; before and after photos |
| Solar | The same applies to solar geyser installations |
| Geyser grade | Only level B energy-efficiency graded geysers may be installed |
| 300 L on a roof | Needs an engineer's certificate that the roof can carry it, or Santam cash-settles the value |
| Warranty failures | A geyser faulty within the manufacturer's warranty period is not a claim under the policy |
| Electrical work | The electrical supplier issues an electrical CoC for the electrical part of the installation |
The same circular lists Santam's average replacement costs (VAT inclusive, compliance costs not included), based on a Class B, 400 kPa geyser with standard accessories:
| Size | Average replacement cost |
|---|---|
| 50 L | R12,130.66 |
| 100 L | R12,317.65 |
| 150 L | R12,340.65 |
| 200 L | R15,376.65 |
| 250 L | R22,882.70 |
These are one insurer's averages from mid-2024, not a price list for your area, but they show the scale an assessor will be comparing your invoice against.
What about the PIRB CoC?
The Plumbing Industry Registration Board is clear: "a PIRB CoC must be issued on all plumbing work undertaken by a Licenced plumber which includes but is not limited to geysers, solar water installations, heat pumps, etc." (PIRB). PIRB also says a copy goes to the local authority or the insurer where relevant.
So the CoC is not just an insurance formality. It is your declaration that the work is up to standard, and for the insurer it is often the document that releases payment.
Who pays for the rest of the system?
This is where disputes start. A geyser replacement often exposes other non-compliant plumbing. Santam's circular says the plumbing supplier issues a CoC on the geyser installation and a notice of non-compliance for the remainder of the system, and that the client is responsible for the cost of getting the rest compliant, including:
- balancing the system,
- installing a dedicated isolator, and
- insulating surrounding pipework.
Quote those items separately from the insured work, explain to the homeowner that the insurer is not covering them, and get their approval in writing before you do them. Under the Consumer Protection Act, section 15, a consumer who has asked for an estimate does not have to pay for repair work they did not authorise, and you may not charge more than the estimate without telling them the extra and getting their go-ahead.
A job-file checklist for insurance geysers
Use this on every insurance job, whoever the insurer is:
- Insurer, policy holder name and claim number recorded on the first call
- Authorisation from the insurer or broker confirmed before work starts
- Age of the geyser checked (warranty failure may not be a claim)
- "Before" photos taken on arrival, before anything is removed
- Old geyser serial number recorded
- New geyser serial number recorded
- "After" photos of the completed installation
- PIRB CoC issued, with notice of non-compliances
- Electrical CoC from the electrician, if electrical work was done
- Separate written estimate, approved by the homeowner, for non-insured compliance work
- Detailed, itemised invoice sent the same day
Where do jobs fall through the cracks?
Two places: the first call and the last invoice.
The first call often comes at night, when water is coming through a ceiling and you are asleep or on another job. If nobody answers, the homeowner calls the insurer's helpline or the next plumber. Remi answers your line 24/7 in English and Afrikaans, takes the caller's name, address and insurer details, and puts urgent calls through to whoever is on call, telling them who is calling and why first. You can see how it fits a plumbing business on the AI receptionist page for plumbers. It does not give safety advice; if anyone is in danger, the number to call from a cell phone is 112 (Western Cape Government).
The last invoice is the other leak. Insurance jobs can take weeks to settle, and the excess and any non-insured work are owed by the homeowner. Remi's PaidUp add-on, from R299 a month, chases those unpaid invoices for you so they do not quietly age.
The short version
On a burst geyser insurance job, the paperwork is what gets you paid. Using Santam's July 2024 circular as an example: get authorisation first, issue a signed CoC, invoice with both geyser serial numbers, and supply before and after photos. PIRB requires a CoC on all geyser work by licensed plumbers. Quote non-insured compliance work separately and get the homeowner's approval in writing, because the insurer will not cover it. Check the geyser's age, since a warranty failure may not be an insurance claim at all.