Why leaving Discovery is the best move

I am very dissatisfied with the was Discovery Insure has been treating me whenever I had to submit a claim. Yet again, I am forced to use this platform to compel Discovery Insure to address the issue of an outstanding claim. Since October 2021, Discovery Insure has been refusing to finalise my claim after my handbag, containing my iPhone, wallet with bank cards, cash and other items was ****** from my car (luckily, they didn’t take the car or I would really be *****ed!).

Since I joined Discovery Insure in 2015, I have found that claiming from Discovery has been torture. Not a single claim has ever been paid on time. Each and every claim takes weeks to resolve after numerous fights. As it is, I have had a cracked screen on my iPhone since January that I did not have the energy to claim because I am still fighting for payment of a claim that has been outstanding since 2021. Dealing with Discovery Insure has become unpalatable. The manner in which I have bee treated really make me wonder is my investment is in safe hands when I cannot get joy from a simple handbag claim.

Here are the reasons why I feel Discovery Insure is being disingenuous: 1. When I lodged a claim for my iPhone in 2021, I was advised by a consultant at Discovery Insure to claim for the handbag and the contents because I was covered for this a well items. In our telephonic conversation, he assured me that I was adequately covered; and this is a matter of fact and Discovery confirmed such in July 2022 after giving me a run around for a year

2. It took a year of emails being ignored and false promises before I insisted on Discovery Insure checking their previous records and recordings that substantiated my claim that, In our telephonic conversation, the consultant assured me that I was adequately covered. This is a matter of fact and Discovery confirmed such in July 2022 after giving me a run around for a year. Upon verification of the recordings, a Discovery Insure Consultant confirmed that I was correct and I was requested to submit supporting documents. However, since the list of required documentation was only sent in 2023 (after I Sent follow up emails requesting a way forward on my claim); I could not reasonably source all the documentation but I submitted key documentation like the police report.

3. The response from Keneiloe Makgalemele was that I failed to provide proof of payment for my ATM cards, gym card, my ID or proof the I had cash on me. This is another example of disingenuousness because it is a fact that banks generally don’t give invoices for replacement of bank cards but rather deduct the cost from your bank account. Had Discovery responded timeously and in good faith to my claim, providing the necessary proof would have been simple. Requesting these a year and a half later is just a deliberate attempt to avoid paying. As it is, these are considered to be archived documents and the cost per page isn’t worth bothering with claiming back the R50 card replacement fee. As for proof that I had cash on me, I am yet to be educated as to the form of proof would be required and where this is outlined in the policy documents.

4. Another fact is that in 2018, my iPhone, earphones and power bank went missing while i was on a flight to Johannesburg. I submitted a claim to Discovery Insure and my phone was replaced and I also received a voucher for the value of earphones and power bank. That too can be verified.

5. Another fact is that I have not made any alterations to my policy since I joined Discovery Insure. Incidentally, I was enticed to join Discovery Insure under the guise that I would get the same value I had from my previous insurance with the added benefit of getting a holistic approach to my portfolio. However, to date, I have been treated with utter disdain; this is evidenced by a need to fight before every little claim is paid and to be given a run around for 18 months so that my insurance can avoid paying a mere R5000 claim! I shudder to think what would have happened had I had a real (big) claim! All this makes me wonder if I didn’t make a huge mistake moving my investments to Discovery because the reality is that my experience with Discovery Insure is a reflection of how Discovery group views it’s clients. They say your insurance is as good as your next claim! Will a company that refuses to pay a R50 card replacement fee really honour a claim for a ****** vehicle or even a life cover? I shudder to think!