BEWARE!! If you are a Business owner and Insured with DISCOVERY LIFE please read.......

BEWARE!! If you are a Business owner and Insured with Discovery please read.......

I have the current life products with Discovery Life- Life cover/ Disability/ Server illness/ Dreaded Disease/ ICB ( Income Continue Benefit that is your salary you earn) All these products on my personal name and not on the business.

Background- in 2014 I had an injury which required surgery I was temporarily disabled . Discovery paid my ICB for 3 months which was registered at R20 000 a month.

Few years later I had another accident and had to have revised surgery. After my surgery I again claim ICB and I also claimed on my Disability and Serve illness as I had permanent damages. Discovery approved my claim and paid out a lump Sum of + - 3mil and approved my ICB til the age of 65 . I continued to receive ICB til November 2020.

In August 2020 the claims Manager sent an email requesting personal bank statements/ Business bank statements and Financials stating that I was selected for an Audit.

I gathered my bank statements( Business and Personal) and financials which was not signed off by me signed ( draft copy)

I then received a zoom call with their Forensic Auditor stating that financials was not signed and it was not matching up to the bank statements and that I was misleading DISCOVERY as to how much the business revenue is making. We had no knowledge that the bank statements and Financials submitted did not correspond and that he also would not be able to use that financials as it was not signed. We advised the auditor that we will look into it and sort it out.

When we did some investigating we found out that a number of manual invoices and expenses was not added to the vat files for the book keepers to capture and sales and expenses invoices were missing. We later learned that some invoices was lost during a factor move and some just mislaid by inadequate stuff members .

We notified the auditor and he said that we was being dishonest and misleading Discovery

Firstly to my knowledge this is a PERSONAL claim and is based on the salary that I used to get.

Secondly if I was hiding anything I would have not submitted the business and personal bank statements and also submit incorrect financials that does not match my bank statements?

Because I am unable to work my Husband helps run the business which he had temp staff to assist with the business paperwork has there is not a lot of work .He has been really unwell with a number of surgeries done in the past 2 years.

We explained to Discovery that because I am ill and on strong medication I am not able to work and my company affairs was not in order due to that fact. How do they expect a sick person to run a business correctly?

The auditor then sent an email requesting our customers name/ contact numbers and what business my company was conducting with them , Vat log book etc.

I refused to give in my customers details as that would have jeopardise my little business I had with them especially if Discovery Forensic department started questioning them. I also explained to them that I could not just go and do new financials as I also needed to get all the company taxes etc in order first.

Discovery still put pressure and made this Personal life claim into a company audit instead of my Personal claim.

I have also come to the realisation that I’m in no position to be the Director of the company and resigned as Director as I’m not fit to run the business which was very frustrating as I have worked so hard to achieve that position and I built the company but now have no part of it. ( sad but true due to my illness)

This was mentioned to Discovery in December. I sent the Documents to Discovery on the 22nd of February 2021 .

On the 8th of March 2021 I received a letter from Discovery stating that they are cancelling my policy due to me submitting a false claim ( that’s the incorrect financials ) and that an amount of R 4,466,822.52 within 7 days..... Yes imagine the shock and strain that put on me and my health. They also mentioned that I did not send them the document that I’m no longer the Director of the company. Discovery has included all the Disability/ Serve illness/ ICB payouts to be paid back. Considering the fact the review was for the ICB 2***.

Discovery can’t do this and they are taking advantage because I am ill and they feel that I won’t fight back.

I’m in absolute shock and have now taken this up with an Attorney who is going to fight this for me and also taking it to the ombudsman.

I am also posting in all social media to advise other BUSINESS OWNERS that have legit medical claims with Discovery how they operate, and try to get out of paying their clients and also put investigators to follow their family members etc and when Discovery realise that the claim is legit they go after your weakest link in this case the running of my business which frankly has Notting to do with this claim as this ICB renewal claim is on my personal name on the salary that I use to get and not ICB Business.