Absa Flexi Funeral Plan

I took out a funeral plan with Absa in 2005, an account that has been running for 14 years without a single payment missed.

From this funeral plan, I claimed for the first time in 2008 with the passing of my Father and there was no issue at the time. Claim was processed and the cover was paid out within 24 hours, unfortunately, 2019 sees a completely different picture, and I'm not a very happy client.

On the 1st of September 2019, my Husband suddenly passed and needing to setting the funeral costs claimed for this from the plan. During the week of the 9th and 13th of September, I followed up with Absa in regards to the pay-out of the claim, and was told there is a problem with Mr Truter CIF and that Absa needed to resolve this, so I left it for them to sort out. On the 16th of September 2019, I phoned in again, and spoke to a lady by the name Leanne who informed me that a joint account between myself and my late Husband was holding up the pay-out and that they need more information around it. Giving Leanne the particulars of this joint account and that I am trying to sort out the mortgage that had been registered as a joint, got told by Leanne that it is not a problem and it will be sorted out in 48 hours. She asked me to phone back the next day, asking for her directly. Nothing!

I phoned in again on the 18th September 2019, spoke to a gentleman by the name of Sipho and he informed me that he has been unable to reach Leanne as well, and that he has escalated the query to her to follow up with me. Nothing!

On the 19th of September 2019 I phoned in again, and spoke to a gentleman by the name of Vusi and again he told me that Leanne is unreachable, and that he has no feedback on the progress of the claim.

On the 20th of September 2019 I phoned in again, and spoke to a gentleman by the name of Sesiwe who finally got hold of Leanne and that she'll phone me later in the day. Nothing!

On the 23rd of September 2019 I phoned in again, as I have not been given any feedback on my claim, spoke to a lady by the name of Promise who told me that Leanne is on leave and will call me back on Wednesday when she's back. Nothing!

On the 25th of September 2019 I phoned in again, after receiving no phone call in regards to this claim, spoke to a lady by the name of Monique who confirmed that Leanne is unreachable and escalated the claim and my complaint to a supervisor by the name of Deidre and that they will phone me back later that day. Nothing!

We're on the 26th of September 2019, nearly a month after I had started this process and no one at Absa can tell me where my claim is. Every person I have spoken to had shown a complete lack of service and nobody has endeavoured to complete my claim.

This is utterly unacceptable. 14 years of accumulating funds in case of a sudden passing as I had experienced this month and a bank callously delaying the process, is just disappointing.