Wheelfixit fire claim 19 months later against Auto and Genral Please Help

The smell - I will never forget that. Even now, 18 months later, it often catches me off guard and I struggle to breath, it clings to my clothes, it burns in my nose. I don’t know what is worse – the frustration or the hopeless feeling . Here I stand, surrounded by stone, dust and red soil – the kind which penetrates everything. The water, my clothes, my soul. It mixes with the smell of fire in my nose, until it bleeds. Today, its frustration’s turn to play master of my emotions. Why oh why did it happen to me? Why did it happen at all? Who decided it to be ok to burn down my business. Not only destroying my life, but everybody who worked there. The toll of the stress claimed the life of one of my employees when he last week died of a heart attack. He leaves behind a wife and children, who still ,now even worse, have to find a way to survive. On that fateful night, a few days before Christmas, I got the message that my business, Wheelfixit, is going up in flames. (Thinking back now, the irony of the business name struck me – nothing can be fixed). Hazards flicking, I raced to my workshop, only to find it already gutted. My eyes looked at the scene, the fire men trying to safe something, onlookers shaking their heads in disbelieve. My head felt like it was going to explode – what happened? So many questions rushed through my head, making it spin. The car that was suppose to be a Christmas gift for a customers’ son who just finished matric, the horsebox of a young couple who used their hard earned savings to have it refurbished – all gone. Today still, that questions are turning and turning in my mind – especially at night, re-living the nightmare over and over. And still no answers. I remember someone at the scene that night asking me if I have insurance. A few seconds of relief – yes! As a matter of fact, I had two insurances at that stage. I decided to change from Budget insurance to Auto & General (Telesure). The marketer from Telesure was so determined to sell me insurance which would save me money without comprising my cover. Both insurance premiums were still being deducted from my bank account at that stage. And then the real hell started In the weeks, months that followed, horror upon horror repeatedly struck. The fire brought me on my knees, but the way me and my employees were treated by the insurance company, the investigators and so –called experts, knocked me right down to the ground. No matter what I said, they heard only what they want to hear, blaming me for burning down my own company! Everybody knew it was arson! It was only common sense that the search for the quilty person(s) will follow. But my insurance claim was rejected because “someone started the fire”. No investigating, no case at the police – I couldn’t believe what was happening. Included in my insurance was covering for lack of income. None of that realised. They decided I was guilty and nothing is going to be paid out. No evidence, no investigation, nothing. I started my own investigation and discovered the police was not going to do anything. After talking to the Station commander, I took the investigating officer to the scene, gave him clues, lots and lots of hard evidence and photographs. Apparently the investigation team of the insurance wanted the employee who they say I paid to start the fire, to testify that I indeed paid him! After rejecting my claim, I went to the Ombudsman. After months and months of worthless communication, needless to say they will not take a stand against the ‘mighty’ Auto & General. I appointed legal representation in an attempt to get through to the ‘right channels’. Still fighting. Each day the public are bombarded with adverti*****ts from insurance companies promising only wonderful service and affordable premiums. But never do you hear what happen if they are needed. When looking at comments in the media it is no secret that Auto & General is not a favorite insurance company with the majority of the public. Tomorrow I move to a new farm – not my farm, into a little so-called ‘bywonershuisie’. I am thankful. Luckily it is a brick house, warmer than the wooden structure I called home for the past 9 months. It has running water and there is reception and no red dust … live goes on. And I will keep on fighting until justice has prevailed.