Discovery disaster

I had an accident on 5 September 2019. My car went out of control on a wet slippery road and ended up sliding in to bush on the opposite side of the road with the left side in the bush and the nose of the car pointing in the opposite direction to that which I had been travelling. I called my own repairer to collect the car, which they duly did, and I went home, composed myself, phoned Discovery and reported the accident. I was put through to a gentleman who I was asssureed was the man to speak to. While speaking to him the line went dead. I thought that he would phone me back and that didn't happen. When I phoned back later in the day and was put through to him, he told me that another call had come through and I had been cut off... I should have taken that as the clue that trouble was coming. The car was in the care of my repairer and I informed Discovery that they would be my repairer even though they insisted on their repairer. I have had this conversation with them before - also with a fight - but they eventually conceded and allowed this directive of mine. I then received three smses telling me that 1) the assessor had received the claim; 2) the assessor had authorised the repair and 3) please rate the assessor. I got hold of my repairer and was told that they were stil working on a quote, may I come in to discuss the repairs. I found this a little odd - how could the assessor have authorised the repairs if the quote had not been done. This was not the end of my confusion. When I got to the repairer, I was told that the car could be written off due to the cost of the PAINT! The insurance/assessor had allowed a maximum spend of R53000 and the repairer was already on more than that and counting. We discussed the matter and looked at the repairs needed and the repairer kindly worked the amount down to under R47000 stating that they could not go as high as R53000 because it would be declined as there are always extra bits and pieces. All fair and good. I walked away with the repairer about to send the info for authorisation (how did the sms come telling me it was authorised if the info had never been sent to them?). This was 6 September. The next information I received was that the insurer/assessor was only willing to pay R27000! Half of the maximum spend, and many things had been declined for repair. The items declined were:1) The left front and rear doors (the doors that were damaged in the accident - the reason I was needing repairs!);2) The windscreen wiper ON THE LEFT OF THE CAR - the side that ended up in the bush and needed the repair;3) the shocks which needed replacing. A shock test was sent as motivation and the comment to the repairer was "More information needed" (how much more info can you give besides a shock test?). SO my repairer restarted the process of filling in the information on the assessors internet porthole only to be declined again. Thus an email discuss ensued between my repairer and the different levels of the assessor office. This has met with zero help besides the following:1) the wiper and the shocks can be replacedHOWEVER!2) the left had side of the car is STILL declined for repair3) items that were authorised have now bee adjusted or declined - such as cost of paint and labour! (At the risk of repeating myself - these had been authorised for repair at the costs sent and suddenly - on the THIRD attempt at the information on the assessor's porthole - it is declined or adjusted with no explanation! In the mean time, I have got hold of Discovery electronically and requested a phone call and to be kept updated on what is happening - explaining the situation. To this day, I have received a once a week email telling me that the repairer and the assessor are speaking and I will be sent further information. The following week I receive the same email - almost word for word... I still have not received a call to explain what is going on. This information is up to today - in broad brushstrokes. the car has been started on - on the items that have been authorised and not changed. However, I have been without this car for over a month and it has only had work started on it THIS WEEK! I am blessed enough to own two cars and thus have still been able to move my family and myself around with as little disruption as a two car family, now down to a single car can get. I told the gentleman at Discovery that I wanted some forward momentum today or I would send an email to the ombudsman and request intervention. The situation has got worse, with the now declining or adjusting what once was authorised and the reason for my car needing repairs - ie the left hand side being damaged - being declined. Further, I do not feel that if there is a maximum spend of R53000 available, that we should have to count pennies and I get my car back worse than it was before the accident. This needs to be resolved THIS WEEK (today is Friday - not much of the week left). I cannot remain without my car for much longer - it is impacting on my family, professional and social responsibilities.

[Email sent to ombudsman]