YuLife SA and Old Mutual Corporate have announced an exciting new strategic collaboration to integrate traditional employee benefits with comprehensive health and well-being support for South African employees. Launched 1 May 2025, this programme will combine YuLife’s innovative digital platform with Old Mutual’s expertise in group risk benefits.
YuLife SA’s Co-Founder and Managing Director, Jaco Oosthuizen, expressed excitement about the collaboration, stressing its importance in transforming the employee benefits landscape. “Collaborating with Old Mutual Corporate is a huge milestone for us. Their extensive experience and trust within the insurance sector, combined with our innovative approach to employee well-being creates a powerful opportunity to redefine how group insurance can support both financial security and create healthier societies,” he said.
Old Mutual Corporate recognises the critical need for a more integrated approach to employee benefits. “To truly support employees, organisations must adopt a holistic approach that integrates financial, physical, and emotional well-being. In a rapidly changing and challenging business environment, traditional employee benefits are no longer sufficient. This collaboration with YuLife represents an essential step towards creating workplaces that promote financial resilience and healthier, more engaged employees,” said Mariaan de Jongh, General Manager of Group Assurance at Old Mutual Corporate.
How it will work
The collaboration aims to meet the growing demand for comprehensive employee well-being solutions by leveraging behavioural science and game mechanics to improve health and overall well-being outcomes. YuLife’s award-winning, tech-driven app with an automated admin system offers a gamified platform that engages employees in ways traditional solutions cannot. Together, they will deliver an integrated, next-generation group risk benefit solution designed to enhance both workplace wellness and organisational productivity.
Key benefits
“By combining YuLife’s technology with Old Mutual Corporate’s extensive expertise, the programme will allow policyholders to engage with their benefits in a more interactive, personalised, engaging, and efficient way setting a new benchmark for employee well-being and financial security across South Africa,” says Oosthuizen.
The collaboration delivers unique advantages for employers and employees, including:
- Comprehensive well-being and financial protection: Old Mutual Corporate’s trusted insurance coverage now includes YuLife’s tech-driven well-being solutions, providing employees with financial security and preventative health tools.
- Enhanced employee engagement: YuLife’s gamified, interactive platform incentivises users to focus on holistic well-being, leading to healthier and more engaged employees.
- Trusted innovation: Combining Old Mutual Corporate’s 179-year heritage and credibility with YuLife’s modern approach, ensuring reliable protection with a focus on wellness.
- Seamless service and administration: YuLife’s automated administration system enhances Old Mutual’s customer-centric service, streamlining processes and providing superior support for brokers and clients.
Why this collaboration matters
The success of digital engagement during the Two-Pot Retirement System reform in 2024 demonstrated the power of accessible, intuitive digital tools in transforming employee benefits. According to Old Mutual Corporate, over 98% of claims were submitted digitally, which clearly shows that workers from all backgrounds are embracing digital solutions.
“By partnering with YuLife, we are building on these valuable insights to offer a solution that not only strengthens financial security but also fosters inclusive well-being for all employees,” added de Jongh.
The synergy between Old Mutual Corporate and YuLife SA is significant for the South African employee benefits sector because it:
- Champions innovation: By integrating tech-driven well-being tools with traditional and trusted insurance coverage, this collaboration creates a holistic solution for today’s dynamic work environment.
- Promotes inclusive financial well-being: It bridges financial security with preventative health measures, helping employees achieve physical, mental, and financial wellness.
- Enhances engagement through gamification: YuLife’s gamified platform incentivises healthier behaviours through rewards and interactive features, driving higher levels of sustained employee engagement.
Since its launch in April 2023, YuLife SA has experienced significant growth. Collaborating with Old Mutual Corporate will support its ongoing expansion, bringing innovative solutions to a wider audience. Initially, the initiative will be available to new clients only, with intermediaries encouraged to contact YuLife or Old Mutual Corporate to learn more about eligibility and how they can get involved.
