Delay and avoid
My comprehensively insured car was damaged in an accident on May 25th. Everything took a long time and repairs only started on July 3. On 14 August I went to see the "repaired" car. There were a couple of minor issues with the bodywork but the car didn't drive well and had a strange whistling sound from I suppose the turbo. They agreed to send to Ford for inspection but a week later hadn't and I was threatened by the panelbeater with storage charges if I didn't collect the car. I complained and the car was tested but the report said nothing about the engine. I got nowhere with more requests until I posted on the Discovery Facebook page when I entered into a conversation on Messenger. A second problem was that they wanted me to pay R14,450 because they decided to move the car from the initial repaired to another. So the conversation is taken out of public sight for 2 weeks on to Messenger, but no action is taken or assistance given to get a full and proper report from Ford Motor Company Barlowworld Bruma, who just ignore requests and don't return calls. Despite having a Discovery tracker in the car and the accident being reported by the tracker department on May 25th, the claim by Discovery is now that they only knew about it 8 days after it happened so I have to pay for storage for that period plus additional tow fees because Discovery decided the quote I got was too high and they moved it to another repairer, Bredren Autobody Pty (Ltd) who quoted lower by omitting some of the items and using second hand parts instead of genuine Ford parts to repair the vehicle! 4 months later I don't have my "comprehensively" insured vehicle back, it's not in my opinion, properly repaired, and I'm paying monthly insurance premiums all this time. I have to pay an extra R14,450 on top of R5,000 excess to get it back and only then can I have it checked, at additional cost to me, by a reliable Ford agent to confirm whether or not the vehicle suffered any engine-related damage! On top of all that, the conversation is anonymous, they refuse to give me the name of the person on the other side of the Messenger messages or his/her title or position in the organisation. What's there to be afraid of Discovery? Discovery Health yes, but there's something seriously rotten in the State of Discovery Insure!
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Discovery Insure's replyOfficial
22 Sept 2017, 08:43Dear Rod
Thanks for raising your concerns with us. This matter has been addressed and our stance on it was also communicated. Should you feel you were treated unfairly, the Ombudsman remains available to resolve such disputes.
We've provided you the sufficient documentation regarding the assessment findings, it is unfortunate you find them rather inconclusive. As Advised previously, you can address this with ford as they assessed and provided the report. Our decision is consistent with this report until the assessment findings changed for unknown reasons.
On the issue of the R14 500, we did advise that we are not charging you the amount but rather the service provider you made use of shortly after the incident because you did not arrange a tow with us as your insurer. Lastly, the person who has been in conversation with you is a representative of Discovery Insure and should you escalate this to the Ombudsman, it is Discovery that you are in dispute with not the individual.
In good faith, we offered that we write-off R2000 off your premium or even off excess. This offer remains available until we receive your answer.
Regards
Discovery Insure
Best regards,
Discovery Insure's reply22 Sept 2017, 08:43
Official
Dear Rod
Thanks for raising your concerns with us. This matter has been addressed and our stance on it was also communicated. Should you feel you were treated unfairly, the Ombudsman remains available to resolve such disputes.
We've provided you the sufficient documentation regarding the assessment findings, it is unfortunate you find them rather inconclusive. As Advised previously, you can address this with ford as they assessed and provided the report. Our decision is consistent with this report until the assessment findings changed for unknown reasons.
On the issue of the R14 500, we did advise that we are not charging you the amount but rather the service provider you made use of shortly after the incident because you did not arrange a tow with us as your insurer. Lastly, the person who has been in conversation with you is a representative of Discovery Insure and should you escalate this to the Ombudsman, it is Discovery that you are in dispute with not the individual.
In good faith, we offered that we write-off R2000 off your premium or even off excess. This offer remains available until we receive your answer.
Regards
Discovery Insure
Best regards,
's updateReviewer Update
22 Sept 2017, 10:58I wrote an extensive reply to this which seems to have disappeared. In essence my response to your reply is that you are still avoiding the root of the problem. You have NOT supp**** sufficient documentation. A covering letter from Ford Bruma that is silent on the major concern, the engine/turbo, cannot in any way be described as sufficient! It is surely incumbent on the insurer, who appoints the assessor and the repair shop, to take a keen interest on behalf of its client and ensure that if a third party is brought in to the mix, the concerns of the client are fully addressed. You appointed the assessor and the repairer, not me, and you should direct them to perform thoroughly and properly, which you seem reluctant to do. In this case client were not addressed, and you have failed to support me in ensuring that Ford Bruma do their job, as requested by the assessor appointed by you. You are now avoiding that core issue and forcing me to find R17 or R19 thousand rand which I don't have to get my car back and have it tested properly at my cost, instead of simply directing the assessor to have the engine assessment thoroughly done and reported on. You are therefore not acting in my best interest, which you easily could do. I have previously advised you that your dates are incorrect but instead of re-investigating you are taking this arrogant approach. The accident occurred on the evening of Thursday May 25. My son received a call from your tracker department about it, so clearly you knew. I was not in touch with the driver and he was unaware he should use certain suppliers so sensibly had the vehicle removed to safety. The quote for repair was sent on Monday 29, so effectively only 1 working day after the accident. I missed a call from Discovery on either the Monday or Tuesday. I have it in writing that the claim was already registered by June 1, not the 2nd as you claim. YOU decided to relocate the vehicle after seeing the quote. In hindsight obviously to somewhere that would not quote on genuine Ford parts, but cheap second-hand ones. You did not send the assessor to where the car was located, which would have been a logical move, and the assessor could have negotiated with the original repairer and avoided any removal and associated costs. You have failed to ensure a proper engine assessment and you have accepted incorrect information from your employees and expect me to be responsible for the cost. I need you to check carefully on the dates and either waive the betterment charge so that I can collect my car and have it tested or instruct that it be sent back to Ford for a more thorough and detailed engine/turbo assessment and report.
's update22 Sept 2017, 10:58
Reviewer Update
I wrote an extensive reply to this which seems to have disappeared. In essence my response to your reply is that you are still avoiding the root of the problem. You have NOT supp**** sufficient documentation. A covering letter from Ford Bruma that is silent on the major concern, the engine/turbo, cannot in any way be described as sufficient! It is surely incumbent on the insurer, who appoints the assessor and the repair shop, to take a keen interest on behalf of its client and ensure that if a third party is brought in to the mix, the concerns of the client are fully addressed. You appointed the assessor and the repairer, not me, and you should direct them to perform thoroughly and properly, which you seem reluctant to do. In this case client were not addressed, and you have failed to support me in ensuring that Ford Bruma do their job, as requested by the assessor appointed by you. You are now avoiding that core issue and forcing me to find R17 or R19 thousand rand which I don't have to get my car back and have it tested properly at my cost, instead of simply directing the assessor to have the engine assessment thoroughly done and reported on. You are therefore not acting in my best interest, which you easily could do. I have previously advised you that your dates are incorrect but instead of re-investigating you are taking this arrogant approach. The accident occurred on the evening of Thursday May 25. My son received a call from your tracker department about it, so clearly you knew. I was not in touch with the driver and he was unaware he should use certain suppliers so sensibly had the vehicle removed to safety. The quote for repair was sent on Monday 29, so effectively only 1 working day after the accident. I missed a call from Discovery on either the Monday or Tuesday. I have it in writing that the claim was already registered by June 1, not the 2nd as you claim. YOU decided to relocate the vehicle after seeing the quote. In hindsight obviously to somewhere that would not quote on genuine Ford parts, but cheap second-hand ones. You did not send the assessor to where the car was located, which would have been a logical move, and the assessor could have negotiated with the original repairer and avoided any removal and associated costs. You have failed to ensure a proper engine assessment and you have accepted incorrect information from your employees and expect me to be responsible for the cost. I need you to check carefully on the dates and either waive the betterment charge so that I can collect my car and have it tested or instruct that it be sent back to Ford for a more thorough and detailed engine/turbo assessment and report.