Poor Service

Good Evening Discovery Management,

I would like to bring this matter to your attention as I strongly believe that I’ve been tolerantly cooperative with your team and process but now I have had enough.

Below is the email correspondence to your team assigned to my claim. I implore you to go through these emails and advise if it is really necessary for your client to go through such when a claim is being lodged

I lodged a complaint which had no effect as I need a detailed explanation as to why no one called me to discuss the assessment report with me in details then provide us with the necessary information or procedures that will be follow thereafter.

Our vehicle was in an accident on the 23rd of July 2021 and till today I haven't received any clarity or feedback from your team but instead, I received calls whereby your team is requesting incessant information which should have been asked from the beginning. Also, my phone is being spammed by your automated SMSs that doesn't not shed any light. I'm highly frustrated and I find myself having to provide information in dribs and drabs however I am not being given any report of the assessment till to date. If the roles were reversed, how would all of you feel had you gone through this experience? Would you still be polite and cooperative to the Discovery Insure team, even though they are treating you the way that I’ve been treated?

I am lost for words as I didn't expect such from a big and global company, like Discovery. I joined Discovery Insure in the hopes that I would never have to feel uncertain or unclear should a life altering event happen and instead, I am met with the same contusion I was hoping to have none of. I was told straight up that secondhand parts would be fitted in my vehicle and that some parts are still missing or not even mentioned in the assessment report. These were the words of the Manager who called me to notify us that our claim was authorized. It concerns me that Discovery uses secondhand parts when my previous insurer made sure that my vehicle was repaired with band new and original BMW parts. Even with that, no one from Discovery called to alert us or explain in detail what would happen regarding the repair. To add salt to the wound, we were further told that reason why secondhand part would be used or not taking the vehicle to an approved BMW center was merely cause our vehicle is out of warranty with BMW. This is appalling.

I acknowledge and understand the Ombudsman ruling regarding the use of secondhand parts however I am not benefiting form that at all. Our premium went up stupidly whilst the vehicle's value depreciates and so are the parts being used to repair the vehicle. I do not imagine that the ruling by the Ombudsman was meant to ensure that all parties are worse off. If anything, it was to help both Insurance companies and the consumer, without unfairly disadvantaging me as a consumer.

The appointed panel beater also told us that they are going to cut our vehicle in order to fix the car and the damaged inner panels. How is that helping me or the cause when instead, this will further kill the vehicle's value? If we had to sell this car tomorrow, we are obligated to disclose that the vehicle was cut during the repair process which in turn will affect us financially. This car would be as good as a code 3 (rebuild) once all these repairs are completed. In the same breath, this Discovery approved dealer further advised that we have a lifetime warranty on the workmanship. This is so ironic because the same company fixed my uncles car when it was in an accident through the Discovery Insure claims process. As we speak, my uncle is dissatisfied with the workmanship because the window does not close properly and there is air coming through the door whilst closed and driving. These were the aftereffects of the repair and yet he still pays a monthly installment for a vehicle which was not properly repaired.

All that we ever asked for was an ear and an explanation from the Discovery Insure team. We insured this car because we wanted for it to always be maintained at it's reasonable best given that it is our family vehicle. At this point, we feel as though we have no say over the way in which our vehicle is repaired yet we ae expected to continue to use it afterwards.

I hope that you find all of the above to be in order and will entertain my complaint. We will patiently wait for your feedback.