Pineapple car insurance: review, contact numbers and claims

Pineapple is an app-first insurer for people who want to manage cover digitally. You can get a quote, activate a policy and file a claim in the app, which is on Google Play, the Apple App Store and Huawei AppGallery, and the same steps work on its website.

Pineapple (FSP 48650) is underwritten by Old Mutual Alternative Risk Transfer (OMART) Insure Limited, a licensed non-life insurer and a specialised division of Old Mutual Limited. The regulated cover sits with the underwriter, so check both names on the FSCA register.

• Car insurance is advertised from R459/m; example premiums shown include Suzuki Swift from R531.02 p/m and Toyota Hilux from R619.96 p/m, marked as risk-profile dependent. (pineapple.co.za)
• Drive Less, Get Blessed: up to 30% back each month for driving 300km or less, shown as a discount on the quoted premium. (pineapple.co.za)
• No fixed contracts and you choose your excess. (pineapple.co.za)
• Retail value cover: on a claim Pineapple says it replaces the car with the same model rather than paying trade-in (book) value. (pineapple.co.za)
• Open driver policy: a secondary driver need not be declared if 18 or older, holding a valid SA licence and driving with the policyholder's permission; a standard additional excess may apply if they cause an accident. (pineapple.co.za)
• Free auto crash detect in the Pineapple app detects an accident and alerts loved ones; it is free and needs no policy. (pineapple.co.za)
• 24/7 emergency assistance is included: accident and roadside, fuel, tyre, key and remote assist, and emergency accommodation. (pineapple.co.za)
• Quote in about 90 seconds and cover in five minutes or less; claim submitted online in about 30 seconds. (pineapple.co.za)

Drive Less, Get Blessed is Pineapple's low-mileage benefit. You can get up to 30% back each month for driving 300km or less, and Pineapple shows it as a discount on the quoted premium.

It is a refund for driving little, not reduced cover on days the car is parked, and the pages we read do not say that theft cover stays on while accident cover drops. They also do not say how the distance is measured. Ask what the refund is on your own quote and what happens in a month you drive further.

Checked on 29 September 2026 against Pineapple's official website. Numbers and channels change, so confirm on the linked page before you call. Pineapple 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.

Sources: pineapple.co.za/car-insurance, pineapple.co.za/faq.

Pineapple says that on a claim it will replace your car with the same model instead of paying trade-in (book) value. That is a strong promise, so read the wording for its conditions before you rely on it.

The open driver policy means a secondary driver need not be declared if they are 18 or older, hold a valid South African licence and have your permission to drive. A standard additional excess may apply if they cause an accident.

The app includes a free auto crash detect feature that detects an accident and alerts your loved ones, and it needs no policy. Emergency assistance is included 24/7: accident and roadside help, fuel, tyre, key and remote assist, and emergency accommodation.

You choose your excess when you take the policy, so pick an amount you could pay tomorrow. Pineapple's own pages give conflicting excess amounts, so we give none. Confirm the figure on your schedule.

Standard exclusions across insurers commonly include driving under the influence, an unlicensed driver and an unroadworthy vehicle. The biggest avoidable risk is non-disclosure. If the app asks who drives the car, where it parks overnight or about modifications, answer accurately. Wrong or missing information can lead to a rejected claim later, even months after you bought the policy.

This is orientation, not a quote. Your real terms depend on your car, area, driver profile and history.

Use it to frame questions, then get a real quote and compare with at least two other insurers.

Pros: a modern app, no fixed contracts, a choice of excess, an open driver policy, retail value replacement on a claim, included 24/7 emergency assistance and a low-mileage refund if you drive very little.

Cons: it is app-centric and support runs mainly by WhatsApp, which is messages only with no calls. The car page does not describe third party cover, the low-mileage refund depends on how little you drive, and as with any direct cover you do your own comparison shopping.

Because we are not a broker, get your quote in Pineapple's own app or website. Confirm the underwriter and check the cover on the FSCA register before buying. If a claim is rejected and the internal complaints process does not resolve it, you can escalate for free to the National Financial Ombud, which absorbed the former Ombudsman for Short-Term Insurance (OSTI).