Poor claims handling and inaccurate claim record

I recently had a very disappointing experience with Auto & General.

I submitted a claim for a damaged tap that required a plumber. During the claims process I was informed that they would only cover the plumber’s work itself, but not any incidental damage to the tiles that might occur in order to repair the tap. This effectively meant that if tiles had to be removed or damaged during the repair, those costs would be for my own account.

Considering that I would still have to pay a R2,500 excess, and that the insurer was unwilling to cover the potential incidental damage required to complete the repair properly, I decided to withdraw the claim and arranged my own plumber to fix the leak at a much lower cost.

However, when I later requested my claims history document, I discovered that the claim had been recorded as “rejected” rather than withdrawn. This is inaccurate and unfair, as I was the one who chose not to proceed under the terms offered.

Recording a claim as rejected when the client withdrew it creates a misleading claims history and reflects poorly on the customer.

Because of this experience, I am currently in the process of moving my insurance to another provider.

I hope Auto & General can:

Correct the status of this claim on my record, and

Improve the clarity and fairness of how claims and claim outcomes are recorded.