2021: A 30-year-old Brazilian man was fishing with two friends at a lake, when the group was attacked by bees. The man and his friends jumped into the lake to escape the bees, but the Brazilian man was then eaten by piranha fish and died; his friends survived.

2020: A 54-year-old man from USA, died after eating a bag and a half of black liquorice every day for a few weeks, which caused such low potassium levels in his body that his heart stopped.

2019: Parvat Gala Baria, 60, from India, bit a snake after the snake had bitten him. Both he and the snake died.

2017: Alexander Chechik sent his friend a photograph of a grenade with the pin pulled out while chatting on social media. Chechik died shortly after, as the grenade in his hand exploded. Police however ruled the incident as an accident instead of a suicide.

2015: Stephen Whinfrey, 50, became trapped and asphyxiated when rabbiting in England, after his head became stuck down a rabbit hole.

2013: João Maria de Souza, 45, was crushed in his bed by a cow falling through the roof of his home in Brazil. It had climbed on top of the house from a steep hillside behind it. Both the cow and de Souza’s wife (who was in bed next to him) were unharmed.

2012: Edward Archbold, 32, of Florida, choked on “arthropod body parts” during a cockroach eating contest.

2011: Jose Luis Ochoa, 35, died after being stabbed in the leg at an illegal cockfight in California, by a bird with a knife-like spur strapped to its leg.

1998: Jonathan Capewell, 16, died from a heart attack brought on by the build-up of butane and propane in his blood after excessive use of deodorant sprays.

1996: Mark Gleeson, 26, from England, attempted to cure his incurable snoring by taking sleeping pills and inserting tampons into his nostrils. He died from suffocation.

1988: A poodle named Cachy, in Buenos Aires, fell 13 floors and hit Marta Espina, 75, killing both instantly. Edith Solá, 46, came to see the incident, and was fatally hit by a bus. An unidentified man who witnessed her death had a heart attack and also died, on his way to the hospital.

1978: Gödel, an Austrian-American logician and mathematician, developed an obsessive fear of being poisoned and refused to eat food prepared by anyone but his wife. When she became ill and was hospitalized, he starved to death.

1974: Basil Brown, 48, an English health food advocate, died from liver damage after he consumed 70 million units of Vitamin A and 38 litres of carrot juice, turning his skin bright yellow.

1923: Frank Hayes, 22, a New York jockey, died of a heart attack mid-race and collapsed on the horse, which nonetheless crossed the finish line first, still carrying his body.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_unusual_deaths#21st_century

“A debit order is an agreement between a customer and a service provider. In terms of that agreement the customer authorises the service provider to take money out of her or his account for the service provided. The bank is not a party to the agreement.” Advocate Clive Pillay, Ombudsman for banking services.

A debit order is only possible if a company has got their hands on your banking details – you will have to figure out how and absolutely NEVER give your banking details, especially over the phone, without proper documents saying what you are signing up for.

If you have an unwanted debit order, DO NOT be tempted to withdraw your money before the deduction can be made. This will incur penalty bank fees of R5 to R210 and can affect your chances of getting credit in the future. In addition, the insurer will just put a double deduction on your account the next month. If a customer keeps removing money before the debit order can be paid, they will be flagged as a ‘bad payer’ which allows their account to be tracked so as soon as money comes in, the debit order amount is taken.

So how do you cancel an unwanted or fraudulent debit order? The Ombudsman for Banking Services, https://www.obssa.co.za/, provide these steps:

1. Send a written notice of cancellation to the insurer (keep a copy for your bank).
2. Ask your bank to stop future debit order payments. Be aware that:
   • a “stop payment instruction” is only for a specific amount, so the insurer could double-debit you.
   • This instruction only lasts 3-6 months before the insurer can debit you again.
   • You may be charged a fee.
   • If a debit order is stopped, the insurer may well take this as a cancellation of the policy and no claims will be paid.
3. Report your debit order as disputed to your bank in cases where:
   • You did not authorise a debit.
   • Debits continue after you cancelled or placed a stop payment instruction.
   • Money is withdrawn before the agreed date; it is the wrong amount; or the amount is split or combined.
4. Your bank may ask for proof of ID to confirm the dispute.
5. If the bank agrees you did not authorise the debit order, they can reverse the transaction and related fees. You may need to declare in writing that:
   • You did not authorise the debit order.
   • The deduction of the debit order is in contravention of your authority.
   • You instructed the insurer to cancel the debit order (ideally give a copy of your notice of cancellation to the insurer from step 1).
   • You stopped payment of the debit order instruction.
6. You cannot dispute a debit order done by you, using your debit card and PIN.

Bear in mind, that your bank can only return funds easily if you ask for a reversal within 40 days of the deduction. After 40 days, the bank that received the money will have to give your bank proof that you allowed the debit. The banks cannot act as a court between you and the insurer ie in cases of forged signatures. In these cases, you will need to talk to a lawyer or the Ombud for Financial Service Providers, www.faisombud.co.za.

The best alternative to a debit order is a stop order. This is an instruction from you to your bank to pay an insurer a fixed amount on a regular basis and the insurer has no authority to debit your account as they do with a debit order.

It is important to check your bank statements regularly for any fraudulent debits.

https://www.capetalk.co.za/articles/47/fraudulent-debit-orders-how-to-get-your-money-back

https://www.lawforall.co.za/personal-finances/managing-debit-orders/

https://www.obssa.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Bulletin-11-Debit-Orders-Final-30.01.2018.pdf

There are many theories about what killed Alexander. He may have caught typhoid or malaria in the swamps around Babylon as some historical accounts mention high fever before his death. However, other accounts note severe stomach pain after drinking a large bowl of wine, which could mean that he was poisoned.

Alexander’s death caused chaos as he had not named a successor and his body was left for days in the Babylonian heat. Legend says that when the embalmers arrived his body was still in perfect condition. The body was then embalmed and placed in a golden coffin to wait for two years while his elaborate funeral carriage was built.

To show that Alexander now sat amongst the Gods, his funeral carriage was designed like a temple. It was pulled by 64 mules each wearing a golden crown, collars of precious stones and golden bells. The temple was about 3.5m wide and 5.5metres long, completely covered in gold, even the wheels. The inside was decorated with jewels and paintings showing Alexander and his army. The entrance was guarded by golden lions and the four corners had gold statues. The King’s weapons were displayed between a gold throne and the gold coffin which was half filled with spices and perfumes. As this incredible carriage moved, the sun’s rays were reflected off it like lightning. Huge crowds of spectators were drawn by their worship of Alexander and the unequalled magnificence of the funeral procession.

Ptolemy I (one of Alexander’s generals) knew whoever had Alexander’s body would have influence over the empire and a claim to rule. As the procession went through Syria, he bribed the escort, seized the body and took it to Egypt. Later, Alexander’s body was moved to a new royal burial complex known as the ‘Soma’ or the body – named after its main attraction. In 89 BC King Ptolemy X, in desperate need of money to pay his mercenaries, melted down Alexander’s golden sarcophagus. The resting place of Alexander is no longer known – according to one legend, the body lies in a crypt beneath an early Christian church in Egypt.

http://turningpointsoftheancientworld.com/index.php/2018/08/09/story-behind-body-alexander-part-1/

https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/bauchant-the-funeral-procession-of-alexander-the-great-t00466

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Alexander_the_Great

Funeral insurance is an agreement between the policy holder, to pay a set amount on time, and the insurer (eg. Sanlam, Old Mutual), to pay a cash benefit upon a member’s death. Funeral businesses can be licensed to sell cash policies or “assistance” policies eg. Coffin, service, part cash. One of the abuses identified is that insurers fail to advise the assistance policy holder that the claim can be made as cash only if requested, equal in value to the service that was stated. Cash benefits do not have to be used for funeral costs and insurance companies do not need to check what it is used for. There is often no underwriting of policies with insurers. This is illegal.

There are several parties involved in funeral insurance;

1. The insurance company itself who takes the risk and provides the claim money. It is extremely important for the policy holder that the insurer is a registered long-term insurance company;
2. The administrator who collects premiums and pays the risk to the insurer;
3. The Intermediary or Agent who is authorised to accept applications for the administrator or insurer;
4. The individual policyholder who makes the agreement, or application, with the insurer and on his death the benefit goes to whoever he has listed on his policy, the nominated beneficiary. If no beneficiary is listed, the benefit goes to his estate; or
5. The burial society, scheme, fund, union or stokvel who has the policy for a group, individuals are not underwritten but are responsible for paying premiums. Problems can occur when a union or group does not pay the administrator or insurer.

Some Problems that Occur

1. Policy holders should be given their proper Policy Document, but these can be so heavily worded that they can be difficult to understand. The policyholder must agree to the policy terms for the policy to be valid. Brochures or media advertising can make false promises that do not match the actual terms of the policy.
2. Complaints are received about unfair premium increases by insurers, who often put complicated clauses about increases into the rules allowing exploitation.
3. Funeral insurance is sold by telephone, banks, trade unions and shops. One complainant was told: “When you make a purchase at our stores, and the cashier presses the ‘enter’ button on the computer, you will automatically get a funeral policy.” Customers can be unaware of these policies and never claim. The premium deductions from their account are invalid because the customer did not consent to a policy. Our Office would insist on a refund plus interest and possibly additional compensation for distress and inconvenience.
4. Fraudsters use the public’s trust to catch victims into inappropriate policies. The problem is mainly with funeral parlours, loan sharks and dishonest insurers who are not registered. Only registered insurance companies can underwrite funeral insurance, operators who self-insure with no legal control are in business to scam. Some may pay claims to get more customers but disappear when they have taken enough money. Customers also commit fraud with false claims, especially for cash benefits. One fraudster, with the help of hospital staff, took out funeral policies on terminally ill patients that he had no relationship with and listed himself as beneficiary.
5. A nominated beneficiary has the right to the benefits. If a beneficiary is deceased or did not actually exist, the benefit goes to the policyholder’s estate.
6. It is the claimant’s responsibility to prove that the person is deceased, that they were one of the lives assured and that he is entitled to the payment. We have had several complaints about rejected claims where the death certificates do not match the names on the application form, this is up to the claimant to prove. If the dates of birth also differ, the insurer cannot be blamed for denying the claim. It is standard for policies to cover children up to 21, or as a full-time student up to 25. In one case a child died at 24 and the claim was not paid as the complainant could not provide proof of schooling. The claimant must prove that a deceased baby falls into the policy definition of ‘still-born child.’ For example, a claim will not be paid if the rules state still-born as ‘after the 28th week of pregnancy’ and the still-birth was at 26 weeks.
7. Overinsurance is a problem often seen in policies sold by banks that cover extended family members. Names do not always match, so it is only when a claim is made that the insurer discovers the life is covered for more than allowed. The full claim tends to be paid to the main member and others are refunded their premiums.
8. Waiting periods apply to death by natural causes but normally do not apply to accidents as they cannot be predicted. If the insurers risk is reduced, so too are the premiums payable. If premiums are not paid within the time the policy rules state, the policy will lapse and the waiting period starts again. One problem with waiting periods is to know when they start. One complainant paid in March for his policy starting 1 April with a six-month waiting period ending 30 September. One of the lives assured died during September and the policyholder argued that, paying in advance, he had already paid 6 months premiums. The claim was not paid because the policy stated the waiting period started on 1 April, not on the date he made his first payment.
9. Exclusion clauses are very important to understand. An insurer might argue against paying a claim using exclusion clauses for certain medical conditions like cancer or involvement in illegal activity.
10. Premiums are paid in advance. The moment a policyholder falls behind in payment his claim can be fought. This does not mean an insurer can go to court for payment of premiums in arrears. If a policy lapses, funeral policies unlike life policies have no surrender value and all benefits will be lost – funeral policies are NOT savings schemes.
11. Claims must be made in time, though it is unreasonable not to allow a small delay especially if the insurer or administrator slows down the claim with paperwork.
12. Many policies promise payment in 48 hours of a claim. When this does not happen, it can cause great hardship to the family of the deceased.

Funeral Insurance can be difficult and dishonest. Premiums are low with many operators involved and it is not easy to find practical answers for all the problems. The Financial Services Board (FSB) does apply the Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services Act (FAIS Act) to make registered insurers act fairly. The Office of the Ombudsman for Long-term Insurance helps wherever and in fairness to both parties concerned, it can.

https://www.ombud.co.za/publications/papers-and-presentations/funeral-insurance-a-perception-from-the-office-of-the-ombudsman-for-long-term-insurance (33 pages)

Flowers have been a part of funerals for centuries. In early times, fragrant flowers were placed around the deceased to ward off smell:
– flowers were laid in the tombs of pharaohs in ancient Egypt.
– flowers were found in an Iraqi burial cave dating back to 62,000 BC.
– ancient Greece used wreaths to represent the circle of eternal life.
– evergreen wreaths of Early Christian martyrs expressed victory of the everlasting soul over death.
– in 1874, the un-embalmed body of US President Johnson was in foul condition the day of the funeral. The undertaker used fragrant flowers to hide the corpse’s odour.

The meaning of funeral flowers can be very different from one culture to another:
HAWAII – burial lei, made from flowers of the native Hala tree, are draped over the coffin, a photo of the deceased, or put in a place important to the deceased.
MEXICO – the Cempoalxochitl flower is the ‘flower of the dead’ and is placed on the altar with offerings such as bread, tequila and candles.
JAPAN – bright flowers are taboo, white or yellow is associated with death. Mourners place condolence money (kōden) in the coffin to fund the crossing of the Sanzu River on the way to the next life.
SPAIN – mixed red and white flowers are the traditional funeral colours.
CENTRAL/SOUTH AMERICA – it’s widely believed that yellow flowers call the ghost of the deceased to the grave so family members can spend time with them.

Red poppies are the flower of remembrance of Veterans, especially those who died during World War 1 and II. A symbol of the blood spilled by soldiers, the poppy is so resilient it grew in battlefields, providing beautiful splashes of red against the destructive backdrop of war.

An arrangement of the deceased’s favourite flower may be the most meaningful, although many flowers and colours have symbolic meanings:
Chrysanthemums = fidelity
Orchids = beauty
Forget-me-nots = remembrance
Gladioli = strong character
Lilies = life
Roses = love
Hydrangeas = heartfelt expressions
Carnations = pride and beauty

Red = admiration, deep love and courage
White = innocence and purity
Blue = peace and a reference to heaven
Pink = grace, appreciation and happiness
Yellow = friendship, loyalty and joy
Orange = warmth and marriage
Purple = elegance and sorrow
Black, dark red/purple = grief and mourning

Funeral rituals and ceremonies give understanding of the life lost. Weeping and talking releases grief and allows acceptance of loss. Flowers are a symbol of feelings; they express the inexpressible.

1. The emergence of funeral rites is the best indicator of the emergence of modern man, humans have been burying their dead for at least 200,000 years. Among the earliest suspected grave sites are Atapuerca, Spain, and Pontnewydd Cave, Wales.
2. Only about 93.5% of humans have died. Of the 108 billion people estimated to have lived since the emergence of anatomically modern human beings, 7 billion are still alive.
3. One million seconds is about 11 days. One billion seconds is about 33 years. So the average human life is about 2.5 billion seconds long.
4. In any given second, more than twice as many people are born as die.
5. Every minute, 300 million cells die in the human body, about 50 billion cells every day.
6. Scientists at Southampton University have found evidence that awareness can continue for at least a few minutes after clinical death. Brain cells die within a few minutes of the heart stopping, hearing is the last sense to go. Skin cells can survive for up to 24 hours.
7. Fingernails and toenails do not continue to grow after death. The skin dries and contracts around them, making it look as though they have grown.
8. Male corpses often get erections. It’s especially frequently observed after hangings.
9. More people die from selfies than from shark attacks. Sharks kill about 12 people a year, people kill about 11, 417 sharks an hour.
10. Compared to right-handers, left-handers die at least 3 years earlier.
11. Mistakes on a doctor’s note, mainly due to messy handwriting, kill over 7,000 people in the U.S. each year.
12. Lack of physical exercise is one of the leading causes of preventable deaths worldwide. Heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide.
13. Of the 55 million deaths per year, about 9.5 million are Chinese.
14. It is estimated that malaria has been responsible for half of the deaths of everyone who has ever lived.
15. In 1918, the flu virus killed between 21,000,000-50,000,000 people around the year, making it the deadliest virus in human history.
16. Between 1347-1352 the bubonic plague killed about 75,000,000-200,000,000 worldwide, including 1/3 of the entire population of Europe.
17. In case you were wondering, a cubic inch of bone is about four times as strong as concrete.
18. In Cotard’s syndrome, living people believe themselves to be dead.
19. There are animals that don’t die, or at least don’t die from old age, including a jellyfish and a kind of flatworm.
20. Instead of viewing death as a type of failure, many ancient people, such as the ancient Egyptians, believed death was one of life’s many passages.

https://blog.funeralone.com/grow-your-business/unique-services/death-facts/

https://www.buzzfeed.com/tomchivers/strange-and-unexpected-facts-about-death

https://www.factretriever.com/death-facts

Never join or pay any scheme offered by ‘agents’ in the field who ask for your money. Only pay at a proper business, office, shop etc.

1. Ask who the insurance underwriter is. The law says the name or logo of the underwriter must appear on all stationary ie application forms, receipts etc. The underwriter must be a known insurance company ie. Groups R Us, Hollard, Rentmeester, Old Mutual, Metropolitan etc.
2. Check that the broker will pay out your claim in cash if you wish. It is your money and the law (Long Term Insurance Act 52 of 1998) says this is your right. If you get cash you are free to spend your money where it is needed most and not spend it all at the funeral parlour.
3. Ask what the waiting period is. It must not be longer than 6 months.
4. Ask what the ‘exclusion’ waiting period is for death from suicide or HIV related causes. It must not be longer than 2 years.
5. Every time you pay you must get a receipt. Keep it safe – it will be needed in case of a claim.

If you are unhappy with any answers to the above questions be very careful before you pay any money or sign any paper.

We hope this information has helped to keep your money safe.

Fishing and cocoa farming are the main business in the area leading to coffins shaped as cocoa pods, boats and fish. Local clients using cheaper materials can be charged as little as $1,000 though international clients using expensive hardwoods can be charged $5,000 to $15,000. Coffins can be styled as a Mercedes Benz or Nike sneakers to show wealth or social status. Clan totems may be represented by animals such as leopards, eagles and bulls. A person’s interests or personality can be symbolised by such diverse coffins as chillies, Coca-Cola bottles, hairdryers and taxi cabs.

This tradition is thought to have started in the practice of burying a person with a small object that was important or symbolic. Around 1950 this practice evolved into the coffin as symbolic, thought to have started by Ataa Oko and popularised with a coffin maker called Kane Kwei. The stories suggest Kwei was inspired by a chief’s burial in a coffin shaped as a cocoa pod. When his grandmother died, he decided to bury her in an aeroplane coffin to honour her interest in aviation.

This coffin art has gained such interest that many of the coffins have been on display worldwide, first at the exhibition “Les Magiciens de la terre” at the Musée National d’Art Moderne in Paris in 1989. Kwei trained many apprentices such as his grandson Eric Adjetey Anang and nephew Joseph Ashong, known as Paa Joe, perhaps the most widely known craftsman today. Many of these craftsmen have continued their trade and also become resident artists, international art exhibitors and subjects of documentary movies.

http://www.kanekwei.com/past-events

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fantasy_coffin

https://people.howstuffworks.com/culture-traditions/funerals/ghana-fantasy-coffins.htm

https://edition.cnn.com/2017/12/29/africa/ghana-fantasy-coffin/index.html

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-46142977

In general, most funeral insurance defines a dependent child as unmarried and under 21. After this a child may still be a dependent until about 26, unmarried and a full-time student. This means that if a child is still a dependant between 21 and 26, it is very important to ensure that there is proper proof of schooling. This proof is provided to you from the school where the child is studying.

This stage in a dependant child’s funeral cover can create some areas of doubt where the insurer might not pay a claim.

1. There is a gap between the end of a school year and the child’s acceptance to the school for the following year. For example, during the dangerous Christmas and New Year time when young adults are out on the roads, a claim may not be covered if the child’s school application for the new year is denied (see Ombud CR335).
2. It is also important to note that the rule is for “full-time” student. If the child is a “part-time” student, even if the intention is to improve grades in order to become a full-time student, a part-time student may not be fully covered and it may be wise to confirm with your insurer if they would pay a claim and to keep their answer in writing (see Ombud CR281).
3. The rule can also be unclear if the dependant is working in a paid apprenticeship. An insurer may argue that as they are paid, they are not a student although an apprenticeship is learning and can be called studying (see Ombud CR185).

Proof of schooling is very important should you need to make a claim. If you are in any doubt, please confirm with your insurer in writing that your child is covered during whatever further studies they are taking or take out a new policy for your child as a main member.

https://www.ombud.co.za/topics-cases/funeral-insurance/cr335-funeral-insurance-funeral-policy

https://www.ombud.co.za/topics-cases/funeral-insurance/cr281-funeral-insurance-funeral-policy

https://www.ombud.co.za/topics-cases/funeral-insurance/cr185-funeral-insurance

https://www.ombud.co.za/topics-cases/funeral-insurance/cr95-funeral-claim-declined-maximum-age-attained-not-a-full-time-student-accommodating-attitude-of-insurer