Black Cygnet Life Financial Services Provider | Hippo.co.za

Black Cygnet Life

is an Authorized Financial Services Provider (FSP 44723). Black Cygnet Life has been in existence since 2013 and Black Cygnet Life performs Binder functions as well as markets and sells Insurance products via. a direct sales channel (call center), exclusively for Old Mutual Alternative Risk Transfer Limited, a licensed life insurer.

Iceberg in the ocean

Our Story

Formerly known as Shackleton Life, Black Cygnet Life represents a fresh new chapter with the same commitment to protecting your financial future. While our name and look have evolved, our core mission remains unchanged: to provide accessible, specialized life insurance that delivers real value and peace of mind.

Black Cygnet Life exists to make life insurance simpler, more accessible, and truly valuable. We provide specialized cover designed to protect your financial future - whether it’s your home, income, or family’s security. Our policies are clear, flexible, and built around real needs, ensuring that your legacy lasts a lifetime and beyond. Life insurance isn’t just about what happens when you’re gone - it’s about making your life worth more today, tomorrow, and for generations to come.

Our Name, In nature, a cygnet (a young swan) is a symbol of emerging strength and transformation. And just as The Black Swan challenges conventional wisdom, Black Cygnet exists to disrupt an industry that’s left too many behind.

We don’t just offer protection—we offer progress. We don’t just insure against risk—we redefine it as an opportunity to build wealth, security, and a better future.

Boat at sea with icebergs in the background

Company Philosophy

At Black Cygnet Group, we value integrity, accountability, and innovation.

Our strength lies in our people - forward-thinkers who push boundaries to create meaningful financial solutions.

Our 3 core beliefs are detailed below and will be realized fully in our product roadmap over the coming years:

  • Your Impact Should Last a Lifetime – and Beyond
  • Life insurance isn’t just about risk; it’s about ensuring your loved ones thrive, even in your absence.
  • You Should Be Worth More Alive Than Dead
  • Protect the life you’re building—your career, assets, and dreams.
  • Making Your Life Worth More to You
  • Financial security enables a richer, more fulfilling life.
Image of compass close up

Licenses

Black Cygnet Life (Pty) Ltd is an Authorised Financial Services Provider | FSP 44723. Our licenses authorise us to carry out business of the following products

  • Long term insurance : Category A, B1, C, B2,
  • Short term Insurance : Category Personal Lines, Commercial Lines,
  • Retail Pension Fund Benefits,
  • Deposits as defined in the Banks Act,
  • Participatory interest in one or more collective investment scheme.

 

Black Cygnet Life is therefore well positioned to offer services in most insurance, investment and financial services environments.

Rope tied in a knot

Strengths

    • Product – Black Cygnet Life strength lies is in the products underwritten by OMART, which are niche products designed and suited for specific needs. These product take into account the wants and needs of customers along with the latest systems and technology.

      • Black Cygnet Life strive to deliver niche low advice need products that can be distributed via the direct channel.

      In delivering need products via this channel we are able to accurately target clients and segment our market in the direct space.

      Innovate and develop products only when we believe that there is a defined need, and in areas where we have adequate capacity, resources and expertise to deliver competitive results over meaningful periods

      Staff - Black Cygnet Life staff are loyal and hardworking always putting customers first.

    • Staff - Shackleton Life staff are loyal and hardworking always putting customers first.

      At the heart of the the Black Cygnet Life DNA are our people.

      Staff enjoy an open-door policy, providing for ongoing dialogue with management on any aspect of the business.

      Staff compensation is directly linked to service delivery to clients. We rate and reward our people on their ability to add value to our clients and the business.


  • Black Cygnet Life follows a strict TCF (treating customers first) policy that can be viewed on our website.
  • Black Cygnet Life strives on the ability to make direct sales through its call centre and currently dial both hot affinity leads, as well as cold calling. The bulk of our business is cold calling.
  • Majority of Black Cygnet Life business is outbound, however we do have the systems and expertise to do inbound sales.
A person holding his hands

Our Company Values

Black Cygnet Life we believe that our core values accurately communicate the elements that drive us as an organization and make our competitors admire us. Our core values are also aligned with those of our business partners therefore ensuring that our day-to-day interactions are honest and ethical.
Our client centric business model is reflected in our "Values"

  • We strive to always put the interests of clients first;
  • We have an unwavering commitment to the building of long-term sustainable client relationships;
  • We focus on trust in that we always act in the interest of our clients and are truthful at all times building a trust relationship;
  • We are uncompromising about applying ethics and good governance across all areas of our business.
People sitting around the boardroom table

Values

  • Always put clients first
  • Think and act like an owner, not an employee
  • Always act with integrity
  • Act honestly and take accountability for our actions
  • Trust - we always act in the interest of our clients and are truthful at all times building a trust relationship
  • One business one team
  • Excellence in all we do
  • Think contribution not title

 

Our Values are key drivers of our strategy as well as our day-to-day dealings with clients.

People analyzing document

Governance

  • Black Cygnet Life maintains a robust corporate governance framework, effected through a unitary board, various subcommittees, management forums, the appointment of an independent internal auditor and independent compliance company.
  • Our compliance department, with advice from external compliance experts, ensures that we comply with the full regulatory universe applicable to our business. Risk management follows an integrated approach and is well entrenched in Black Cygnet Life.

 

Black Cygnet Life continues to place a high priority on ensuring it complies with all regulatory and statutory obligations, as well as industry best practice. The principles supporting the TCF Outcomes are at the center of the board's decision making processes.