2011 was a year of far-reaching change. In the US, protesters occupied Wall Street to campaign against economic inequality and greed, while Europe battled soaring debt in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. South Sudan declared independence, becoming the world’s newest nation. The Arab Spring brought political revolutions to Tunisia and Egypt and war to Syria. South Africa experienced its own watershed moments: from joining BRICS for the first time to a turning point in the HIV/AIDS crisis through the roll-out of antiretroviral treatments, and the promulgation of the Consumer Protection Act. And that same year, around a dining room table in Johannesburg, a new life insurer was born: BrightRock.
Fifteen years on, the world is changing again. In 2026, we live in a “NAVI” world (Nonlinear, Accelerated, Volatile, and Interconnected), characterised by geopolitical tensions, climate change, the rapid embedding of AI, and significant economic uncertainty. Despite volatility, global economies have proven resilient, and both the IMF and the World Bank have recently revised their global economic outlooks upward. South Africa’s own prospects have improved significantly. Driven by a stronger exchange rate against the US dollar, higher commodity prices, improved energy infrastructure, and lower interest and inflation rates, our economy is expected to grow faster than it has over the past decade. From an international investment perspective, economists believe the narrative around South Africa is the best it has been in 30 years.
Our insurance sector is also performing solidly. The latest life insurance industry statistics from ASISA indicate a well-capitalised, resilient life insurance sector that paid out R297 billion to beneficiaries in the first half of 2025 alone. The life sector’s average growth rate is in line with the 2.3% growth predicted for mature, established world insurance markets.
BrightRock has performed strongly too. Since its inception in 2011, it has grown from a zero-base start. It is now the fourth-largest insurer in the South African intermediated individual risk market, with a market share of approximately 13%. According to an independent new business market survey, BrightRock’s consolidated average growth rate of around 7% in the IFA segment over 12 months is higher than the market average of 5%.
But the true measure of our impact in the industry is how we have performed for clients and their financial advisers. Over the past year, we paid more than R930 million in claims, bringing the total paid to over R7.6 billion since our first policies were written in early 2012. Total cover in force exceeds R388 billion, and BrightRock’s total annualised premium income (API) is R1.8 billion, with R222 million new business API written in 2025. The latest National Financial Ombud Scheme annual report indicates that BrightRock accounts for just 1% of consumer complaints received. While the industry average for findings wholly or partially in favour of the complainant is around 25%, this figure was 8% for individual life complaints against BrightRock, indicating good client outcomes consistent with our commitment to Treating Customers Fairly.
But what of the future – how are we positioned to impact the market in the next 15 years?
When we introduced the concept of needs-matched life insurance, it was a world first, anchored in a desire to better meet policyholders’ needs through flexible, efficient, and sustainable solutions that deliver unparalleled certainty. While other providers in the market have introduced a handful of product features similar to key BrightRock features, no provider to date has replicated our needs-matched technology. Yet international insurance research indicates that our needs-matched approach is the future of insurance.
Global insurance market research by Capgemini and LIMRA, published in early 2026, shows that – 15 years after we entered the market – 45% of providers are now redesigning their products in line with our needs-matched principles – modular, flexible policies designed to match clients’ needs through evolving life stages. The researchers point out that coverage gaps and low life insurance uptake among consumers, especially those under 40, are due to outdated value propositions. Living in a digital-first world, clients expect products to offer personalised, flexible, technology-enabled offerings that deliver tangible value not only at claim-stage, but throughout changing lives. “The solution,” says the study, “lies in transforming life insurance from a passive product into an active financial tool that promotes long-term wealth creation as well as immediate wellbeing.”
We couldn’t agree more.
Market research confirms another fundamental BrightRock belief. As an advice-led business, we have always advocated for the value of trusted, human-centric independent advice. As Deloitte’s global insurance outlook for 2026 highlights, life insurance clients prioritise human values such as “trust, transparency, and personal guidance”. Facing the twin challenges of uncertain economic conditions and the complexities of personal financial decision-making, they seek reassurance through human interaction and expert guidance.
After 15 years of growth into a significant force in the intermediated life market, it’s clear that BrightRock is here to stay. Our needs-matched approach remains at the cutting edge globally, designed from the outset to be a living, evolving financial tool that platforms and enables financial advice, delivering better value and certainty for our mutual clients throughout their lives. As we partner with you in 2026, our commitment is to keep changing our industry – and the lives of the people we touch – for good.