Vitality Money is a ****

My short experience with Discovery Bank was unpleasant. The rewards are handsome but getting the rewards is impossible. The process is very complicated; somewhere along the line, you will always meet a complication that will stop you from earning the rewards. For me, this complication was Discovery Bank.

I have loyally supported Discovery (Health, Life, and Vitality) for many years. I was interested in moving my banking accounts (Transaction, Savings, and Investment Accounts) to Discovery Bank. The interest rates offered were lower than FNB, but this would have been made up for by the Vitality Rewards.

I spent the last two weeks trying to get through the application process for the banking suite but the roadblock was Discovery Bank Credit Department. I was not able to open a bank account that would earn any Vitality Miles and there was no assistance from the Discovery Bank Credit Department on a way forward. I was looking to apply for a R500.00 Credit Card (I do not use credit at all, only wanted to be able to access the rewards). This was not good enough as it appears Discovery Bank only wants clients that will default on payments so that they can make money on the interest charged.

My Discovery Money Status would have been Diamond as I have sufficient Savings, Investments, Insurance, and own property.

I understand that a bank wants to make money but the Vitality Money program is a **** in this case. They reward banking well but will not provide you with products unless you bank poorly and they can make money.

I would recommend staying away from Discovery Bank as a whole as they do not follow the Discovery philosophy of rewarding good behavior.

On the positive side - The Discovery Bankers (Call center) was always amazing and willing to assist. This excludes the Discovery Bank Credit Department.