Jira & Confluence 
Bitrix24 Public violence in Durban and Soweto, 8 October 2026. On 8 October 2026 protests in Durban (KwaZulu-Natal) and Soweto (Gauteng) turned violent: SAPS reported 14 vehicles torched in Durban and 10 in Soweto, and shops looted (SAnews, 9 October 2026). Sasria said it expects claims for looting and fire damage (SABC News, 10 October 2026). By 19 October 2026 no support scheme for affected businesses had been announced. Source
Business looted · step 2 of 4
Sasria claim after looting — the notice letter to your insurer
Short answer. The letter is open below: the event, the damage item by item, business interruption and your requests. Report to the police, get a case number: Within 48 hours of the event (Sasria Material Damage and Motor 2026, cl. 5.1.1; Material Damage 2025, «How to claim»).
- Report to the police and get a CAS number (48 hours): type the date
- Written notice to your insurer / Sasria Agent (30 calendar days): type the date
- Full claim details and documents (60 calendar days, 2026 wordings): type the date
- Outer limit: no claim payable after 12 months (Motor 2026; Material Damage 2025): type the date
- Outer limit under Material Damage 2026: 24 months: type the date
Check your own case.
Deadlines are those of the Sasria policy wordings published on sasria.co.za (Material Damage and Motor 2026; Material Damage 2025). Your schedule shows which wording applies; your own insurer's policy may set its own deadlines for the rest of the claim — check it and use the earlier date. Business interruption: claim no later than 30 days after the end of the indemnity period shown on your schedule. If Sasria rejects the claim, the 2026 wordings give 6 months from receipt of the rejection to start legal proceedings.
Start typing right in the document — no sign-up. It stays in this browser; save it to your free Layers account to keep it, open it on your phone and share it.
Your numbers
Work out your Sasria loss schedule
Dates, usual turnover, damage and excess. We count lost turnover week by week, the amount to claim and the Sasria deadlines.
- No SAPS case yet: report it now and get the CAS number — late is better than never; tell the insurer in writing.
- Before the notice date: send the claim letter to your insurer or broker by e-mail and keep the confirmation.
- Before the details date: inventory, quotes and reports; update the loss schedule every week until you reopen. The letter already asks for a payment on account.
Rules: Sasria Material Damage Policy 2026 — police report within 48 hours (cl. 5.1.1), written notice to the Sasria agent within 30 days (cl. 5.1.2), full details within 60 days unless agreed (cl. 5.1.3), no claim payable after 24 months (cl. 6.1). Dates are in calendar days. Loss of gross profit = lost turnover × gross profit rate: the usual business interruption method, not a rule of law — check your wording.
Lida, Layers template assistant
A week-by-week table against the same weeks last year is the first thing the assessor looks at.
Ask for the payment on account in the first letter: nobody offers it if you don't ask.
An illustrated character, not a lawyer.
Deadlines
The rules, with the source
| What | Deadline | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Report to the police, get a case number | Within 48 hours of the event | Sasria Material Damage and Motor 2026, cl. 5.1.1; Material Damage 2025, «How to claim» |
| Written notice to the insurer (Sasria Agent) | Within 30 calendar days of the event | Sasria Material Damage and Motor 2026, cl. 5.1.2; Material Damage 2025 |
| Full details of the claim | Within 60 calendar days, unless Sasria agrees otherwise | Sasria Material Damage and Motor 2026, cl. 5.1.3 |
| No claim payable after | 12 months (Motor 2026; Material Damage 2025: not considered) or 24 months (Material Damage 2026), unless legal proceedings are pending | Sasria Motor and Material Damage 2026, cl. 6.1; Material Damage 2025 |
| Business interruption claim | Notify in writing; submit no later than 30 days after the end of the indemnity period | Sasria Business Interruption wording, «How to claim» |
| After a rejection | 6 months from receipt of the rejection to start legal proceedings | Sasria Material Damage and Motor 2026, cl. 6.2 |
| Payment on account | At Sasria's discretion once the claim is accepted; not a right | Sasria Material Damage 2026, «Payments on Account» |
General prescription of a debt is 3 years (Prescription Act 68 of 1969, s.11(d)), but the shorter time limits in your policy wording are what count for the claim. Business interruption is paid only if your schedule includes it.
Step by step
What to do, in order
1
Find your schedule
Policy number, Sasria sections (Material Damage, Business Interruption, Money), excess, broker.
2
Fill in the letter
Event, CAS number, damage item by item, closure period.
3
Work out the lost turnover
Same period last year and your gross profit rate: the Excel workbook does it week by week.
4
Ask for a payment on account
Write it down: cash flow can't wait for the final assessment.
5
Send with proof
Email and keep the insurer's acknowledgement; note the date.
6
Step 3
If tax is due: ask SARS for a payment arrangement.
Questions
Do I claim from Sasria directly?
No. Sasria cover attaches to your own policy; your insurer or broker (the Sasria Agent) registers and handles the Sasria claim.
I don't have all the figures yet.
Send the notice now with estimates and say you will complete it. The 30-day notice and the 60-day full details are separate deadlines.
Will Sasria pay my lost turnover?
Only if your schedule includes Sasria Business Interruption cover, within its limits. Without it, the loss of turnover stays with the business.
Official sources
- Sasria Material Damage Policy 2026, clauses 5 (Claims) and 6 (Time Limitations)
- Sasria Material Damage policy wording, «How to claim» (30 days, 12 months)
- Sasria Motor Policy 2026, clauses 5 (Claims) and 6 (Time Limitations)
- Sasria Business Interruption policy wording, «How to claim»
- Prescription Act 68 of 1969, ss.11 and 12 (Department of Justice)
- SAnews — Police issue stern warning following Durban, Soweto protests (9 October 2026)
Step 2 of 4
Business looted or damaged: the 4 steps
- 1 Open a SAPS case
- 2 Notify your insurer (Sasria)
- 3 Ask SARS for a payment arrangement
- 4 Write to the landlord and the bank
Other documents
Keep the papers in one place
Letters, receipts and notices in one folder you can share with family or a lawyer. The templates and the editor are free; Layers is free for up to 20 people.
This is a ready-to-fill template and a deadline calculation, not legal advice.