A Death Prepared For, A Life Left Uninsured
As healthcare costs keep going up, families in Harare’s low-income suburbs are getting ready for funerals instead of medical emergencies. A lot of Zimbabweans who don’t have health insurance put off getting treatment until their illnesses become life-threatening, hoping to get better on their own. This is part of a bigger change where planning for survival has been replaced by planning for death.
Ngoni Mutambararo’s uncle went through months of terrible pain without getting help because his family couldn’t afford to see a specialist. Even though his medical insurance might have paid for his diagnosis, the monthly cost was way too high for the family to afford. However, a small funeral policy that he paid into for many years paid for his funeral in full.
Source: AL Jazeera/Website
Funeral Insurance Outpaces Health Coverage Nationwide
Data shows that funeral insurance is now Zimbabwe’s most popular financial product, far outpacing medical insurance. Health insurance premiums can be more than $200 a month, but funeral plans can be as low as $1. Because it is so cheap, burial insurance is the most common type of protection for millions of people.
FinMark Trust says that 72% of Zimbabweans with insurance have funeral policies, while only thirty percent have health insurance. Most workers don’t have formal jobs, so they can’t get employer-based health insurance. Because of this, families value guaranteed burial dignity more than uncertain access to health care.
Public Healthcare Struggles Push Families Away
Zimbabwe’s public healthcare system is still under a lot of stress after years of not getting enough money and not having enough staff. Patients have to deal with drug shortages, old infrastructure, and long waits for even the most basic services. These things have made people less trusting of public hospitals, even though they charge less.
There are private healthcare options, but most people who live below the poverty line can’t afford them. Even small premiums can make already weak household budgets even weaker. Because of this, families often stay away from hospitals until it’s too late.
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Cultural Beliefs Shape Financial Decisions
Funeral customs in Zimbabwe are very important to the culture because they are connected to dignity, respect, and community responsibility. Death rituals are things that must be done right away, even if you don’t have the money to do them. Funeral insurance gives you peace of mind at a time when failing to do something can have social consequences.
People often see medical planning as a way to bring bad luck or sickness on too soon. Healthcare costs are hard to predict, emotionally draining, and often don’t lead to any clear answers. Funeral cover gives you peace of mind by making sure you have a respectful goodbye.
Informal Burial Societies Fill Insurance Gaps
When formal insurance is too expensive, communities have started grassroots burial societies to help families pay for funerals. These groups pool small monthly contributions and activate support when death occurs. They often give coffins, transportation, food, and other basic needs.
In rural areas like Zaka, burial societies formed when families had trouble properly burying their loved ones. Members now give a set amount of money every time someone in the group dies. These systems make sure that people die with dignity when formal safety nets don’t work.
National Health Insurance Offers Cautious Hope
Zimbabwe wants to start a national health insurance program to make it easier for people to get care. Officials say that the program is a promise to provide health care to everyone. A lot of people are looking forward to the program starting in June.
Advocates for health say that sustainability is still uncertain because of inflation, debt, and currency instability. The plan could fail to work or get enough money without bigger changes to the economy. Experts say that social and economic conditions need to get better at the same time as access to healthcare.
A Society Forced To Prepare For Loss
Most of the money that life insurance companies in Zimbabwe make now comes from funeral insurance. Policies give families financial certainty that they can’t ignore, since funerals can cost up to three thousand dollars. This trend shows a system where death is planned for more than life.
Traditional leaders say that this change means that survival itself is becoming a business. Communities used to bury their dead together without exchanging money. Today, premiums are more important than shared responsibility when it comes to dignity.
