Auto & General ****

I want to warn everyone about the unacceptable and misleading practices at Auto & General.

I cancelled my previous insurance to move to them and took out comprehensive cover. When my car broke down, I called for roadside assistance expecting the service I’m paying for. Instead, I was told I had to pay R500 to the towing company simply because I wanted my car taken to my own mechanic (only 24 km away) instead of the manufacturer’s dealership.

They claim this is their “policy” — apparently towing is only free if you choose their option, but you get penalised if you choose your own. Nowhere was this disclosed properly when I joined.

The first roadside assistance agent promised to call me back to arrange the towing and explain the R500 fee. It took her five hours to come back to me, at which point she said the towing had finally been authorised — long after the emergency and after I had already paid.

So that’s R500 out of pocket for an emergency service my policy is supposed to cover, plus hours of waiting while stranded.

Auto & General sold me a service they don’t deliver without hidden penalties. In my experience, this is nothing short of a ****.