Homeowners with gas appliances stand the chance to have insurance claims denied if it is found that their appliances did not meet the safety requirements set by the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) and the Liquefied Petroleum Gas Safety Association of South Africa (LPGSASA).
This is according to Marike van Niekerk, Legal and Compliance Manager at MUA Insurance Acceptances, who says that insurers expect their policyholders to prove that they have taken every reasonable measure to manage the risks associated with their insured assets.
“Gas is becoming more and more popular for household use, and a report by South Africa’s Competition Commission reveals that gas is used in one way or another, in at least 20% of South African electrified households and around 13% of households that are not connected to the electrical grid.”
She says that in the event of an accident involving a gas appliance, insurers may insist on proof that the appliance and its installation complied with safety standards. “For this, the policyholder needs a Certificate of Conformity, which confirms that the appliance was inspected by an authorised person who is registered with the LPGSASA. It is proof that the appliance is safe, leak free, and installed in accordance with the SABS regulations.”
Van Niekerk adds that if a homeowner cannot produce the required safety documentation, there is a good chance that their insurance claims could be denied. She says that the LPGSASA has a number of requirements that should be on every homeowner’s checklist when installing a gas appliance. Only use a registered installer. Approved installers must have LPGSASA certificates and should provide you with an installation certificate on completion. Only buy gas from a qualified gas dealer. Make sure that all of your gas products have been verified and tested by the correct regulatory bodies. Regularly check whether the seal on a cylinder matches the brand of the cylinder. Regularly check gas appliances before use. No matter which appliance it is, always ensure that no pipes are damaged, no gas is leaking and that all valves open and close correctly.
Lastly, she explains that homeowners need to turn off gas appliances immediately if they suspect that the equipment may be leaking. “All windows and doors should be opened and a registered gas engineer should be contacted to inspect the appliance.”
To further prevent any possible claim rejections, Van Niekerk advises homeowners to get registered installers to perform annual maintenance checks.
“There are major implications to using non-compliant gas appliances, and homeowners place themselves in peril – both financially and physically – if they do not manage their risks to the best of their ability,” concludes Van Niekerk.
