Cover for security guard services

Costs to cover security guards are viewed as a consequential loss; therefore, it is not automatically included in all policies.

What is included?

Most insurance policies include additional benefit extensions, providing damage cover to the insured buildings. This benefit extension – if provided by your policy-  is usually limited to an amount between R5,000 and R10,000 per damage claim event, and most community scheme policies include this cover.

Which damage event circumstances qualify?

Insurance policy wordings and definitions differ slightly from insurer to insurer, but not all damage event circumstances necessarily qualify for settlement.

Consideration of these expenses is given only in specific circumstances and on certain conditions:

1. Were the costs necessary and reasonable?
2. A sudden and unforeseen insured event must have occurred where the building was damaged.
3. The damage must clearly result in a breach of the building’s security.
4. The remaining buildings’ and occupants’ safety must have been compromised by the damage.

What is not covered?

It is important to acknowledge that sectional title or community scheme policies do not provide cover for individual owners’ household contents. As a result, this benefit does not necessarily apply where only unit contents safety is compromised, e.g. a broken window.

The benefit also does not respond in the case of wear and tear or routine maintenance, causing a security breach, such as the repair or service of a security gate or any planned building contract works.