Use of residential section for business
In today’s modern and economically tough times, it is becoming more common for professional people with their own businesses to work from a home office. This is quite likely in…
Addsure
The definition of a building
[Updated: 11 August 2025] When it comes to insuring a building, definitions do matter, and they are not always the same. Interestingly, the term “building” can mean different things depending…
Check your sectional title policy
[Updated: 12 August 2025] Sectional title insurance policies are short-term contracts, renewed annually. When reviewing your cover, three core areas should always be addressed, i.e. buildings, liability, and fidelity. In…
Homeowners’ associations and insurance
[Updated: 22 August 2025] Community schemes are usually structured as sectional title schemes or HOAs (homeowners’ associations). The HOAs are usually either in the form of an association with a…
Unoccupied premises
Unoccupied properties present unique challenges for insurance coverage in South Africa. The risk factors associated with these properties differ significantly from those of occupied homes, necessitating adjustments in insurance policies.…
Sectional title insurance and power surge
With load shedding upon us again, incidents of power surges become more prevalent. What is a power surge? A power surge is a form of electrical power disturbance. There are…
Generators in the body corporate environment
[Updated: 22 August 2025] More and more building owners are installing generators to provide backup electricity power. These are usually larger schemes with more extensive common property lighting, security and…
Better informed trustees reduce risk
[Updated: 25 August 2025] When things go wrong in a sectional title scheme, we often hear “Nobody told us about that!” or “How were we expected to know?” Trusteeship (or…
Braai fires on balconies
Trustees are often concerned about braais on balconies and whether other owners could be prejudiced, i.e. be victims of claim rejection in the case of such a fire spreading. Does…
Aerials, satellite dishes, air conditioning units on common property
These items are described as exterior fixtures and fittings and are usually owned by owners within the scheme. They are deemed to be part of the buildings, as belonging to…