Car hail claim

Formal Complaint: Poor Handling of Hail claim Policy no:***

I am writing to formally lodge a complaint regarding the unacceptable handling of my hail damage claim and the inconvenience I have experienced as a loyal Budget Insurance customer of four years.

On 1 December 2025, my vehicle sustained hail damage affecting the rear window, left tail light, roof, bonnet, and side panels, leaving visible dents. I contacted Budget Insurance on the same day to report the incident. Unfortunately, the matter was incorrectly treated as an accident, and a tow truck was dispatched unnecessarily. The vehicle was not towed, as the engine was still in working condition.

I contacted Budget Insurance again the following day, at which point I was issued with a claim number. From that point onward, I had to repeatedly follow up with your call centre on a daily basis, as no one contacted me to explain the next steps or provide any progress updates.

Subsequently, IDMS scheduled my vehicle for an assessment on 11 December 2025. However, on 10 December 2025, I received a call from IDMS informing me that Budget Insurance had cancelled the booking, and I was advised to contact Budget Insurance for an explanation. Despite doing so, I was not provided with any clear update or resolution, and to date, I am still without assistance.

This experience has been extremely frustrating and disappointing. The lack of communication, incorrect handling of the claim, and unexplained cancellation of the assessment demonstrate poor service and disregard for customer inconvenience. As someone who has remained insured with Budget for four years, I expected a far higher standard of service.

I respectfully request:

A clear explanation for the cancellation of the assessment

Immediate rescheduling of my vehicle assessment

Written confirmation of the way forward with my claim

Consideration of the inconvenience caused due to the prolonged delay and lack of communication

Should this matter not be resolved promptly, I will have no option but to escalate my complaint to the Insurance Ombudsman.

I trust that Budget Insurance will take this complaint seriously and resolve it without further delay.

Yours faithfully, Thapelo Precious Thaba ***