The Government Institutions Pension Fund (GIPF) is now accepting completed funeral claims submitted via email.

Funeral claims submitted electronically are acknowledged and processed in the shortest time possible, thus eliminating the need for the claimant to physically be at the GIPF office.

Claims can either be submitted by a human resource practitioner from a GIPF participating employer or the applicable claimant.

Additionally, GIPF requests that claimants submit funeral claims with original certified supporting documents, such as the death certificate, identity document of the deceased and claimant, marriage certificate (if married) and proof of banking particulars of the claimant.

Hilkka Mbako, the manager for client services, says if the deceased was not married (single member), declarations from two independent family members stating their relationship to the deceased and at the same time giving permission to a claimant to claim the funeral benefit within a period of 10 working days, are required.

"The above-mentioned amendment to funeral claims is inspired by the fund's vision to be a leading and model pension fund globally, and by living its service excellence value of delivering right, fast, and humane quality service to all its stakeholders in an innovative, professional, and respectful manner," Mbako notes.