Continued Bad service delivery to Business Clients

Claim number: *** I am extremely disappointed with the handling of our motor vehicle claim by Budget Insurance and the service providers appointed to deal with this claim.

Our vehicle was involved in a serious accident on 15 August 2026. The accident was reported to the police, and on the following Monday we submitted the required documentation to our insurer. Within that same week, we were informed that the initial repairs had been approved.

The original assessment reflected damages of approximately R170,000, with a detailed list of parts to be repaired or replaced, including the canopy.

Because of the extent and value of the damage, I specifically contacted Budget Insurance and questioned why the vehicle was not being written off. The repair cost was already more than half of the value of the vehicle, and I was concerned not only about the repair time but also about the long-term reliability and safety of a vehicle that had sustained such extensive damage.

I was informed that Budget Insurance would proceed with repairing the vehicle because it would cost them more to write it off. I was reassured that the vehicle could be properly repaired and that the repairs would carry a guarantee.

The vehicle was subsequently sent to the appointed repairer. After conducting their own further assessment, the repairer identified additional damage that was apparently not included in the original assessment and submitted this additional assessment to the insurer for approval.

This is where the situation has become completely unacceptable.

The accident happened on 15 August 2026. Today is 9 September 2026, and the vehicle has still not even been worked on. According to the repairer, they are still waiting for the insurer to respond to and approve the additional assessment. We have further been advised that, once approval is eventually received, some of the required parts may take approximately 21 additional days to arrive before the repairs can proceed.

This potentially leaves us without our vehicle for well over a month and possibly approaching two months.

My questions to Budget Insurance are straightforward:

Why was a vehicle with approximately R170,000 worth of initially assessed damage, followed by further identified damage, considered more appropriate to repair than to write off?

What assessment was used to determine that repairing a vehicle with damage of this magnitude was the appropriate option?

What assurance do we have regarding the long-term reliability, safety and value of this vehicle after such extensive repairs?

Most importantly, why is Budget Insurance taking so long to approve or decline the additional assessment submitted by its appointed repairer?

The repairer cannot order the outstanding parts or proceed with the repairs until the insurer concludes this process. Meanwhile, we are left without a vehicle and our business is being affected.

As a paying customer, I should not have to continuously chase an insurer and its appointed service providers simply to get a claim progressed. If Budget Insurance appoints or subcontracts companies to assess and repair vehicles on its behalf, customers should still receive proper communication, accountability and reasonable turnaround times.

I am therefore publicly requesting Budget Insurance to urgently intervene, finalise all outstanding approvals and provide us with a clear written timeline for completion of this claim.

I also want Budget Insurance to provide a proper written explanation of why this vehicle was not considered for write-off given the original repair value and the additional damage subsequently identified. if the canopy formed part of the approved claim, why is it now causing a dispute or delay?

We have comp**** with what was required from us. The accident occurred on 15 August. It is now 9 September, and the repair process has not even started.

This level of delay and lack of communication is unacceptable.

Budget Insurance, please take responsibility for this claim, provide us with answers, and bring this matter to a conclusion so that we can get our vehicle back and continue operating our business.