Bad service from Dotsure Insurance

WARNING: READ THE FINE PRINT ON ALL DOTSURE INSURANCE CONTRACTS 25/10/2018

I signed up for household and car insurance for a 2007 BMW 330D with a relatively new short term insurance company, Dotsure. During the course of last year my house was struck by lightning and I attempted to put in a claim for a wireless router. They made me wait for over 2 weeks and then informed me to get quotes which I did. Then after 2 weeks they informed that my excess was higher than the cost of the router. So I went ahead and paid cash for another wireless router. Two weeks ago I was in a parking lot that has concrete pavement blocks, and I drove too close to the parking pavement and happened to mount onto one of these blocks. When I reversed off the pavement, the below part of the bumper was damaged and pulled loose and the power steering pump and belt were damaged. (See Pictures below). Normally one has to get 3 individual quotes from panel beaters. I went to an expensive panel shop and was quoted R32000-00. I then asked Dotsure what their procedure was and was told I can’t use just any panel beater as they have not agreed to their Terms and Conditions and that I would have to use their appointed partners. I think they only have 4 in Johannesburg. They were not allowed to send me all their approved dealers according to one of their staff members. Another question mark? I then drove my car without power steering to Chloorkop to their appointed panel shop to get another quote. They were told that they had to do a proper inspection in order to produce a quote. They stripped the front half of the car. This took them 5 working days to produce a quote and came out at an unbelievable R70, 000-00. (One could purchase a used small vehicle for this price)The reason for the delay I was informed is that Dotsure buy all the parts on behalf of the panel beater. Has anyone ever heard of an Insurance company buying parts on behalf of a panel beater? I certainly have not in all the years I have been insured for. Absolutely shocked, I said I would like to get another quote from “another one of their appointed Panel beaters”. When I went to collect my car they informed that there would be an Upliftment fee for storage and security. Of course I flipped out as I had to wait 5 days for this ridiculous quotation. This Upliftment Fee Dotsure agreed to cover. On arrival to collect my car after been informed I could collect from Dotsure, the car was in many pieces and was not driveable. Please see pictures below.

When I complained that the quote was way too high, I was then informed that they relooked at the quote and came down miraculously to around R32, 000-00 and they would rather give me a pay-out and I can take the car to panel shop of my choice. They then informed me that the excess was high because there wasn’t a 3rd party involved would now be 20%. (I am 65 years old and normally people over age certain don’t pay any excess) They then deducted this 20% from their offer and paid me out R24, 700-00. Now I don’t know how a quote can come down from R70K to a cash pay-out of R24, 700-00. This will still be taken up by the ombudsman. Tell me if this not a ****, where either the Insurance company is making money out of the parts and supplying the panel beater, who have agreed to Dotsure’s terms and conditions or the panel beater is paying them a kick-back, added to that a 20% excess which Dotsure charge deducted off the final payment to me.