Worst insurance company I have ever dealt with!!!

I have finally pulled myself out of depression to write this review.

On the 6th of October 2021, I took collection of a brand new car from the dealership. The dealership arranged for a broker to assist with insurance. The broker from PSG, Doris Bangani, organized the cover with Auto & General. The sales consultant contacted me and within no time, I was signed up and "covered" comprehensively. The questions flew and the responses were "yes", "no", etc. When we got to the question, "Have you been enjoyed uninterrupted insurance cover for 7 years?" I responded, “yes" We followed on to the next question till completion.

2 weeks later, Friday 22 October 2021 at 7am... just as I was about to drop my 2 children off at school, a taxi came at full speed and drove into the rear of my stationery vehicle. I watched as the taxi driver tried to stop before the collision but the speed made it impossible. Just as we thought it’s over, a truck skipped the red traffic light and it too could not stop in time and crashed into the taxi and for a second time, the taxi crashed right into my vehicle again.

I recall seeing the children fly to towards the front despite the seatbelts hugging them for safety. My son suffered slight injury to his head. My daughter hurt her neck. Emergency services came to the scene and insisted we be rushed to the ER. I was pulled from one party (Traffic officers, paramedics, towing company) to the other...Answering questions amidst the chaos. The worry of my children's wellbeing looming over my head. I contacted the Auto & General and they dispatched their contracted towing services. The guy from First Help towing asked me to complete a document and stated that he will tow my vehicle to BMW AutoBahn in Isando Kempton Park. I agreed and signed. The paramedics then pulled me and off we went.

I received a call from Auto & General on Wednesday, 27 October 2021 just to update me on the claim. The lady advised that the vehicle has been assessed by their assessors on the 24th of October 2021 and they are awaiting the results. She promised to call me back before close of business as the system indicated that the results will be available 27 October 2021. I responded by asking her if the assessors went to BMW on a Sunday as the 24th was on a Sunday and to my knowledge they are closed on that day. She confirmed that indeed the system shows that they went out to do the assessment on the 24th of October 2021. I never received a call back that day, instead a different person named Chantelle Jacobs sent an email asking for permission to access records, statements and any reports pertaining to the claim. I signed the document and returned it and waited. Days later, I emailed Chantelle to ask for feedback. Every single time I had to initiate communication, nothing from Auto & General’s side. Auto & General informed me that the assessment report is back, and the damage costs amounts to R120 000. A week later, BMW Sandton contacts me and asks what further instructions needs to be followed with regards to the car that was just dumped there by the towing company 2 weeks ago (22 Oct 2021). I argued that the car is in Kempton Park by the BMW Autobahn ARC and not in Sandton. The lady told me that she is standing next to the vehicle as we speak, and the car is indeed in Sandton. I had to call the towing company (as I had the driver’s business card) to find out why the car was not where we agreed to have it delivered. It was treated as “nothing serious” and they said that they’ll investigate it. I kept calling and following up and days later, it was eventually taken to Autobahn in Kempton Park. No apology, no sincerity. This made me question the insurance assessment, I called Auto & General and asked where the car was assessed…they confirmed that the assessment was conducted at Autobahn Kempton Park on the 24th of October 2021. I raised the fact that the car was never in Kempton Park on the said date and the Sandton BMW contact confirmed that no assessors came out at any given time to assess the car. The only response I got from Auto & General was that they will get back to me in this regard. Till today, I have not heard a word. My claim was rejected after weeks of me waiting and doing follow ups myself. My broker, PSG, who earned a commission from me, did not once contact me or contact Auto & General on my behalf…nothing. I did all the phone calls, the emails, everything. I drove to Steyn City where Auto & General Head Office is to speak to someone face to face as the phone calls and emails were frustrating because I felt like I was being dismissed and ignored at times. I asked to speak to the Claims manager, who in this case is Jogerah Martins. She sent a junior person to me at the reception to tell me that she will call me telephonically when there’s an update. I demanded to speak to her myself since I have been waiting a while for her to call back. And for the fact that I drove so far to see someone in person and yet I’m being shown away. She came and took notes as I explained the situation. She agreed that the assessment of the car could not have been done that Sunday and said that she will request the photos from them. She promised to launch a little investigate and get back to me. This never happened. She asked me if a needs analysis was conducted by my broker, to which I advised that is was not done and neither has the broker been helping with the claim, she said that it was not right and said that she will address that too. I never received feedback for anything. Jogerah has just disappeared. I waited and emailed to no avail. I was called by a very rude, dismissive Jan Wardeck who introduced himself as a disputes specialist. He asked if I raised it to Doris (the broker that I didn’t understand one of her questions clearly and I said no, because I did understand all her questions correctly. She asked if I had 7 years of cover history and I rep**** “yes”…because before this current car, I had a BMW F30 which was covered by another insurer and before then, I drove my spouse’s vehicle and my mom’s vehicle and I have always been on an insurance plan. He rudely interrupted me and asked, “did you tell her that?” I answered that “the questions were flowing so no, I did not elaborate because after that question, she asked another.” He told me that my answer is not good enough and that I should have told her. I told him that the claims manager told me that the broker ought to have done a needs analysis and get back to me, he dismissed this and told me that he will get back to me in 7 days. I waited and waited. 10 days later, I received an email stating that the claim remains rejected and the case is closed.

Now, my grief is that since day 1 of this claim Auto & General is treated me like I am some sort of ******** or not a worthy citizen or client. They admit that it is a valid claim and that the accident was not my fault as my vehicle was stationary when the taxi drove into me (with my 2 kids in the car) …yet, I have been treated so badly. I kept calling and emailing for feedback. I was dismissed and rudely spoken to. Absolutely no sympathy to my situation at all. I am falsely told that I have no insurance history at all, yet I traded my car in for this new one. I have had no support or assistance from Doris, the broker from PSG. I have been left to fend for myself. Its been 5 weeks since the accident and the car is still standing at BMW untouched, I am now charged for storage and I still have no idea how I will pay R120 000 to get it fixed. As it is almost the end of the year, my medical aid was almost depleted on the day the accident occurred. I have unpaid medical bills as medical aid did not cover everything. This is another blow from the same accident I have to deal with.