Pathetic Service

So, I bought my first car in 2017 and insured it with Auto & General, mainly due to a reliable reference (although my premium and combined excesses - basic & additional were higher than other quotes I had received). The additional excess was based on the time of the incident, driver's age, driver's license age, incident location, effective policy duration etc. I claimed for damages I inadvertently inflicted on the RHS rear door of my vehicle within a few months of taking cover and my claim was handled with the utmost professionalism and efficiency, to the extent that I felt obliged to give my reference a token of appreciation for referring me to Auto & General and also duly refer other potential clients.

I then switched to Old Mutual iWyze (monthly premium and basic excess were lower than Auto & General) and my experience with them fell far short of what I had experienced with Auto & General. Consequently, I decided to go back "home" (Auto & General), although it once again came at a higher premium and excess. After all, value-for-money in terms of services rendered is what matters to consumers.

I was unfortunately involved in an accident on the 28th of September and subsequently lodged a claim. Five weeks later, the claim is still unfinalised. I am sent from pillar to post regarding the prolonged delay and I am now absolutely aggrieved. Hence, I am compelled to share my experience you.

As a fellow consumer, kindly take note the following regarding Auto & General:

1. Service delivery promise? Forget about it. It is just a mere ad campaign funded by our exorbitant premiums.

They state that they reserve the right to deduct premiums on an alternative date in an attempt to ensure cover. Furthermore, if the deduction date falls on a Sunday or public holiday, they may lodge the debit order for an earlier date. However, do expect premiums to be habitually deducted before the agreed-upon date (up to 3 days prior), even if it falls outside the aforesaid exclusions.

2. Will your claim be finalised within 7 to 10 working days? Absolutely not.

You may sign a letter of permission granting them to obtain documents relevant to the claim but they will still send you from pillar to post regarding finalisation. Alluding the delay to outstanding documents. A delay of 5 weeks, going to the 6th, is simply unjust. Clauses 8.1.4.1 and 8.1.4.2 of the South African Insurance Association (SAIA) Code of Conduct, of which Auto & General is a member of, further alludes to the insurers' receipt of required documents, the necessary investigations and time frames required for finalisation on a claim.

Also, your claims consultant will promise you an extension on your courtesy car but it will never be effected. The courtesy car service provider will pester you to return their vehicle and Auto & General will just go missing in action.

3. Will you be kept informed of the progress of your claim? Once again, not.

Expect an SMS acknowledging the registration of the claim, another informing you that validation is in progress and 2 days later, another informing you that the administration is in progress. Thereafter, the updates will come in bits and drabs from the dedicated claims consultant. You might also have to take some time out of your schedule to call the person assigned to your claim and enquire about the progress. Your calls may go unanswered and never returned. Expect to be on hold for at least 20 minutes when you enquire via the call-centre. Additionally, do expect fallacious promises of being updated every 3 days by the claims consultant and ultimately being reverted to by close of business on the day of you took some effort to make a progress enquiry. Simply put, you as the insured may be somewhat of a nuisance.

If you opt to insure your beloved goods with Auto & General, I sincerely wish you all the best. My experience with them, of late, has fallen far short of what I had experienced 3 years ago. I can only imagine what my loved ones would have had to go through in the event of my death, seeing as I have an active 1Life life and disability policy, underwritten by Auto & General.

Such platforms were made for us consumers to learn from each other's experiences and make much more informed decisions regarding whom we select as our service providers. An eventuality may occur and your trusted insurance partner might fail you dismally. They certainly will not be there for you when you need them to give you convenience and peace of mind. Such is a situation you do not want to find yourself in.