Discovery Bullies

I cancelled my car/home insurance policy with Discovery Insure on 20th February 2019, effective from April 1st, due to a 16% increase in my premium.

The next day an agent from Discovery Retentions called and offered me a cheaper policy. I told him I was shopping around for the best deal and invited him to email me a new quote which he did. I eventually signed up with another company offering more cover for R150 less, commencing on April 1st.

I heard nothing more from Discovery regarding the revised quote.

When I found that Discovery Insure had deducted the old premium, with the 16% increase, on the 1st April I called them on 11th April to request my money back. An agent, Shafick Allow, told me that my non-response to the emailed quote offering a cheaper premium indicated my acceptance of the quote. This is patently untrue, especially since the deducted amount was the old premium+16% increase, and not the newly quoted amount.

I pointed this discrepancy out and Shafick Allow said he would consult with his seniors and call back the next day, which he did, saying the best 'solution' he could offer is to cancel my policy effective from the previous day and refund me a pro-rated amount of the premium. I refused, telling him I had a new insurer. He then instructed me to send a copy of the contract with my new insurer to prove this. By now his tone was quite threatening and argumentative. When I refused this instruction he told me they had a telephone recording of me accepting the revised quote , implying there was nothing I could do to get a refund.

I asked for the recording and he emailed me a disclaimer form to complete and submit before they release the recording.

Today I'm unable to get anyone in Discovery Insure to deal with my problem. I refuse to speak with Shafick Allow because he behaves like a bully and is dishonest. I feel angry and helpless. I submitted my complaint to the ombud, but they work exptremely slowly. Hence this post on Hellopeter.

The fact is that Discovery Insure had absolutely no right to deduct R1207.78 from my account on the 1st of April. This is outright theft.

Advice would be welcome.