Absa Buildings Insurance - Totally Dysfunctional!

Below is a note sent today to Absa Insurance - the last of many I have written describing their utterly atrocious handling of a straightforward insurance claim. I have been an Absa Insurance customer for nearly 20 years and am quite frankly amazed at how utterly dysfunctional the organisation has become.

Their lack of concern leaving me with no bathroom and a seriously damaged kitchen for 4 months takes my breath away. They have also broken literally every promise made regarding calling me back which has fundamentally destroyed my trust in the company.

Shocking, shocking, shocking.....

Hi there,

As suggested by your phone line I am writing to the apparent black hole that is this email address. I have written numerous times but get no response.

When I call you I am invariably placed on hold for an extended period, having provided all my details - only for the line to go dead or to be promised a call back by whoever is managing my claim. You are now at zero calls back from 24 - I have noted each one - with growing frustration.

Your entire claims system appears to have become utterly dysfunctional which as a customer of yours for nearly 20 years is extremely disappointing.

The claim number I was initially given for a bathroom leak with damage also to my downstairs kitchen was: ***.

The initial diagnosis of the problem was a leaking drain pipe (bathroom damage not covered) but consequential damage to my kitchen/ garage was covered.

This claim dates back to the 22nd of June.

The initial diagnosis turned out to be incorrect however and, despite the bathroom drain pipes bein (unnecessarily) replaced via a hole made in the adjacent bedroom wall the leak continued if anything getting worse.

Two weeks later having been assured by your plumber that the continued dripping into my kitchen was just water on the slab, I insisted the plumber returned.

They then removed my bath completely with a pneumatic drill then the built in toilet - to find that the problem was actually a leaking cistern.

They then submitted a new report and both they and I were told that the bathroom damage was therefore covered.

Weeks of delay followed, apparently caused by the opening of a new claim number for the bathroom damage that wasn’t relayed to me or the plumber.

Daily calls to the plumber and to the people you appointed to handle the water damage to my kitchen/garage (Mark Bennet Interiors) have FOR MONTHS gone nowhere. Every time I’m told they are waiting for authorisation from you that never comes.

I have now had to live with no upstairs bathroom and rotting kitchen cabinets/ garage damage for 4 months. I wonder in what world you might think that is an acceptable way to handle a claim?

I am now in a position where the bath plumbing was finally reconnected 2 weeks and a new cistern installed - but can get no answers from you or your contractors on when the brickwork/tiling will be attended to. I can still not use the bathroom as the bath is unsupported and the toilet can’t be refitted until the building work/tiling is done.

I am now at a total loss as to how to, 4 months down the line, get a functional kitchen and bathroom back.

Your service in this matter has been indescribably bad and has forced me to waste huge amounts of time engaging with you and your appointed contractors whilst getting nowhere.

Please respond urgently with your plan to resolve these unacceptable issues.

Regards,

Geoff