THIS INSURER IS DISHONEST, USELESS AND HAS HORRIBLE SERVICE

I am greatly disappointed with the level of service I received from Auto&Gen or it's representatives, if you wish to separate the two. 7 Dec 2020 I had an accident where I drove over a compressed s**** metal on the freeway at night from work and damaged my radiator and sump. I called them immediately and they sent a tow truck to tow it from the accident scene to their assessment center in Durban Point Road. 8 Dec 2020 at 10h49 the claim was logged and processed and a car hire was arranged...to which i enquired immediately with the person that registered the claim: what would happen if the 30days were to lapse before my car is repaired. She confirmed they would extend car hire, but also guaranteed their repairers usually dont take that long. They then went quiet, taking their own sweet time and only approved the claim on 24 Dec 2020 but just because their selected/ preferred bodyshop was now closed for holidays, my car only got to the repairers 4 Jan 2021. Wed 6 Jan 2021 I went to view the car from the repairer only to find out they haven't even started coz the insurance instructed them not to commence the repairs but rather must first buy the oil sump to check the engine for internal damages and if it ise repairable to determine if any additional costs would be required....which they were waiting for parts to arrive on thursday 7 Jan 2021.... i kept following up with repair shop and the engine was only confirmed to be ok on 12 Jan which is when they began the repairs. Wednesday 6 Jan - I received a message from the carhire to return the car. I immediately called insurance claims dept and after holding for a while I was told the person handling my claim is busy and would call back which they never did. Thurs 7 Jan, I called again and same thing but only to be advised by their consultant working under supervision that i must return the carhire despite my car being fixed and the person handling my claim would call back....which they never did again. Fri 8 Jan - I received a call from Europcar asking when I am returning the car. Again, I immediately called the Claims Dept and only to be told the person handling my claim is on leave and the person assigned is not available either but would call back. After 18 mins of waiting, spending my own airtime being transferred from person to person and holding, nothing positive.

I then escalated this matter here to their Dispute Resolution department via call and the lady took my number and said someone would call back...someone called back but i couldnt take the call as I was at work, so I then sent them an email. To which an Afrikaans speaking arrogant lady returned with a call. I wouldnt want to make this to be about race but her tone and me being black... i dont think she has ever taken a course or class in customer service or if she even had any slightest intention to assist me or even understand this. All she said was: I hear what you are saying but this is not our problem, you are contracted for 30days car hire and you can either return it or book it at your own cost. all they can offer me is to rent it at a discounted rate they have with Europcar. When I asked them to put the dispute resolution in writing they would just ignore me. The phone call by their agent promising they would extend was conveniently dismissed. I even wrote to the Ombudsman for Insurance, they were also useless. I took the matter to my attorney, they still didnt even respond to the letter of demand. 12 Jan I received a call from Europcar saying that my lease has expired and if anything happened to the car I would be liable for the full value of the car. I immediately returned the car same day and they charge me R1400 for the days i had kept the car since 7 Jan2021 and I have been walking since.

I work at a port, 25km away from home and a single trip of Bolt/ Uber costs R150, totaling R300 a return per day. I had to take unpaid leave to stay home coz i couldn't afford going to work. Since then, I have been the one running after the repairers for updates and pushing them to finish my car. As per yesterdays update the car is likely to be ready tomorrow 27 Jan 2021.

If this is how they treat their customers then I don't know how they are still in the service business. They are terrible at customer service and are no different to Covid instilling fear and chaos in one's lives. I shouldn't even be in this position of uncer*****y or running after them speaking to everyone in their company just for answers and way forward. I've always paid my premiums in time and the only time I claim after 2-3years with Auto&Gen, this is the service I get!!! the very same call that I was told is recorded for our protection actually protects only one party. I wouldnt be surprised if they cancelled my policy after all this.