Insurer reviews
Affinity car insurance: Affinity Underwriting Managers and affinity schemes
By CarInsureZA editorial team · 8 min read · Updated 29 September 2026
- Meaning 1
- Affinity scheme: motor cover badged by a club, union, retailer, employer or motor group
- Meaning 2
- Affinity Underwriting Managers (Pty) Ltd, an underwriting management agency in Roodepoort, Johannesburg
- Affinity UM distribution
- Through brokers, not direct to the public
- Affinity UM status
- Its site states it is an authorised financial services provider, FSP number 40832; verify on the FSCA register
- Affinity UM products
- Affinity Blue, Affinity Plus, Affinity Affordable and Affinity Total Loss, according to its site
- Who carries the risk
- A licensed insurer named on the schedule. Affinity's site names New National Assurance Company as the insurer backing Affinity Blue, but not the insurer behind its other tiers
- Not the same as
- Affinity Health, a separate South African health insurance brand
Affinity car insurance means one of two things in South Africa: an affinity scheme, where a brand whose core business is not insurance badges motor cover underwritten by a licensed insurer, or Affinity Underwriting Managers, a Johannesburg-based underwriting management agency selling vehicle and household cover through brokers only.
Both are legitimate structures and both are common. What they share is that the name on the marketing is not necessarily the company carrying your risk, which is the one thing you need to establish before you sign.
This page separates the two, explains what Affinity Underwriting Managers says about its own products, and lists what to confirm on any policy sold under a brand you do not recognise as an insurer. We are an independent information site, not a broker, so confirm the details with your broker and the insurer.
What an affinity scheme actually is
An affinity scheme is insurance distributed through an organisation whose main business is something else. A trade union, professional body, alumni association, church group, retailer, employer or motor dealership lends its brand and its member base, a broker or administrator arranges and runs the product, and a licensed insurer underwrites it.
You will see the same idea called a group scheme, a branded scheme, a white-label product or embedded insurance. The pattern is that three parties sit behind the policy: the brand you recognise, the intermediary who administers it, and the insurer who pays claims. The brand is usually paid something for the introduction, for example as commission or a fee.
What to know about Affinity in 2026
- Affinity Blue is backed by New National Assurance Company, with low starting premiums and a choice of a flat, very low basic excess. (affinityum.co.za)
- Affinity Plus is aimed at experienced drivers and uses flat excess structures. (affinityum.co.za)
- Affinity Affordable targets young drivers and includes an Emergency Monitoring Device that detects an accident and alerts a response centre. (affinityum.co.za)
- Affinity Total Loss is a low-cost option that pays out in the event of a total loss for people who do not need full cover. (affinityum.co.za)
- The motor package includes the Angel Assist Program and cover for hail damage as well as accidents, theft, hijacking, fire and malicious damage. (affinityum.co.za)
- Affinity is broker-facing: it says it exists to empower brokers to offer clients cover, and it is independent of the major insurance groups. (affinityum.co.za)
- Affinity says it won PMR Diamond, Platinum and Gold Awards in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2023, per its own site. (affinityum.co.za)
- Affinity's online quote system is broker-only: it sits behind a login and its quotes are non-binding and valid for a maximum of 7 days. (affinityum.ibls.co.za)
Affinity Underwriting Managers: the products
Affinity's Personal Lines page describes four motor products.
- Affinity Blue is backed by New National Assurance Company, with low starting premiums and a choice of a flat, very low basic excess.
- Affinity Plus is aimed at experienced drivers and uses flat excess structures.
- Affinity Affordable targets young drivers and includes an Emergency Monitoring Device that detects an accident and alerts a response centre.
- Affinity Total Loss is a low-cost option that pays out in the event of a total loss, for people who do not need full cover.
The motor package includes the Angel Assist Program and cover for hail damage, as well as accidents, theft, hijacking, fire and malicious damage. Affinity says it is independent of the major insurance groups. Product details can change, so ask your broker for the current wording.
Affinity contact numbers, claims and app
Checked on 29 September 2026 against Affinity's official website. Numbers and channels change, so confirm on the linked page before you call. Affinity will not ask you to pay into a new bank account over the phone; hang up and call the official number if anything feels off.
| What you need | How to reach Affinity |
|---|---|
| Switchboard | 011 621 9000 |
| Roadside assistance | 0861 446 320 |
Sources: affinityum.co.za/Client-Contact.html, affinityum.co.za.
Affinity Underwriting Managers: what is publicly known
Affinity Underwriting Managers (Pty) Ltd is an underwriting management agency, not a licensed insurer. Its own site describes vehicle, household contents and business cover, states that it is an authorised financial services provider with FSP number 40832, and is built around brokers rather than direct sales. Its online quote system sits behind a broker login, and its quotes are non-binding and valid for a maximum of 7 days. There is no public quote engine.
A UMA underwrites, prices and administers policies under a mandate from an insurer, and that insurer carries the risk. Affinity's public site names New National Assurance Company as the insurer backing its Affinity Blue product, but not the insurer behind its other tiers. Ask your broker for the insurer's name in writing and check it against the Prudential Authority's list of licensed insurers. That is a reasonable question and any broker should answer it immediately.
How the routes compare
Structural comparison, indicative only.
| Feature | Affinity or group scheme | UMA-backed broker policy | Direct insurer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brand on the marketing | The club, retailer or employer | The UMA | The insurer |
| Who carries the risk | A licensed insurer named on the schedule | A licensed insurer behind the UMA | The insurer itself |
| How you buy | Through the group or its administrator | Through a broker | Online or by phone |
| Pricing | Often group-rated, sometimes simplified underwriting | Individually rated, can suit odd risks | Individually rated, price-competitive |
| Flexibility | Scheme rules apply to everyone | Broker can tailor | Menu-driven |
| What happens if you leave the group | Cover can end with membership | Policy is yours | Policy is yours |
| Complaints | NFO for claims, FAIS Ombud for advice | Same | NFO |
The row that catches people is the second-last one. If your cover exists because you belong to something, resigning, changing jobs or letting a membership lapse can end the policy.
Where affinity cover is good value, and where it is not
It works well when the group has real bargaining power and low acquisition cost, for example a large employer or union scheme where premiums are collected by payroll and claims experience is decent. Simplified underwriting can also help people a direct insurer would rate harshly.
It works badly when the badge is doing the selling. Cover sold at a dealership counter, added to a store account or bundled with a purchase is often priced for convenience, thin on benefits and hard to compare. If nobody can hand you full wording before you agree, that is your answer.
The test is simple. Get the scheme's premium and full wording, then get two independent quotes on identical cover, including excess and valuation basis. Group cover that cannot survive that comparison is not a benefit of membership.
What to confirm before you sign
Ask for this in writing, and keep it:
- The licensed insurer carrying the risk, checked against the Prudential Authority list
- The FSP number of the intermediary or UMA, checked on the FSCA register
- Full policy wording, not a brochure or a summary of benefits
- The basic excess and every additional excess
- Whether the car is insured at retail, market or agreed value
- Whether cover depends on continued membership, employment or a store account
- Who to call at claim time, and whether the claim is handled by the UMA or the insurer
- Your cooling-off right, normally at least 14 days from receiving the documents where no claim has been paid and no insured event has happened
Also confirm what happens at renewal. Scheme terms can change for everyone at once, and a benefit you bought the policy for can be trimmed without you reading the notice.
Complaints on a scheme or UMA policy
The complaints route depends on what went wrong. A rejected or badly handled claim goes to the insurer's internal complaints process first, then free of charge to the National Financial Ombud (nfosa.co.za), which absorbed the former Ombudsman for Short-Term Insurance in 2024.
If the problem is how the product was sold to you, for example cover you were never told about being added to an account, or advice that ignored something material, that is a FAIS complaint against the intermediary and goes to the FAIS Ombud. The FSCA regulates conduct on both sides, and insurers are licensed by the Prudential Authority.
Frequently asked questions
What is affinity car insurance?
Motor cover distributed through an organisation whose core business is not insurance, such as a union, club, employer, retailer or motor group. The brand is on the marketing, an intermediary administers it, and a licensed insurer carries the risk and pays claims.
Is Affinity an insurance company in South Africa?
Affinity Underwriting Managers is an underwriting management agency, not a licensed insurer. It underwrites and administers vehicle and household cover under a mandate from an insurer, and it distributes through brokers rather than selling direct.
How do I get an Affinity car insurance quote?
Affinity Underwriting Managers works through brokers, so you would approach a broker who has an agreement with them rather than buying online. Its online quote system is broker-only. Ask that broker which licensed insurer carries the risk before you accept the quote.
What products does Affinity Underwriting Managers offer?
Its site describes Affinity Blue (backed by New National Assurance Company), Affinity Plus for experienced drivers, Affinity Affordable for young drivers, and Affinity Total Loss, a low-cost total-loss option. Ask your broker which insurer backs the tier you are quoted.
Is a group or affinity scheme cheaper than a normal policy?
Sometimes, when the group is large and acquisition costs are low. But cover badged onto a purchase or a store account is often priced for convenience. Compare the scheme premium and wording against two independent quotes on identical cover.
What happens to my affinity policy if I leave the group?
Cover can end when the membership or employment ends. Check that specific point in the wording before you rely on the policy, and ask whether the cover can be converted to an individual policy if you leave.
Who pays my claim on a UMA or affinity policy?
The licensed insurer named on your policy schedule, even though the UMA or scheme administrator may handle the paperwork. If you cannot find that insurer's name on your schedule, ask for it in writing before you pay another premium.
Can I cancel cover that was added to an account without me asking?
Yes. You are entitled to the policy documents, and short-term policies normally carry a cooling-off right of at least 14 days where no benefit has been paid. If cover was added without proper disclosure, complain to the intermediary and then the FAIS Ombud.
