worst insurance experience ever!

<p>I am writing this letter of complaint as a highly irritated client of the poor service & lack of service I received from your insurance company from the very moment I lodged a claim in November 2016.</p> <p>On the 3rd November 2016 I was involved in an accident when I was rear ended me from behind. I went to the Police station, got the AR number ,got the details of the driver and called 1st For women to lodge the claim when I was told that I would have to pay an excess fee of R3000 to have my car fixed and that the full outstanding amount including my excess would be recovered and referred to as a “all inclusive claim” from the driver of the other vehicle . I provided the company with all the information of the driver, ID number, Drivers Licence number, AR number, etc. My vehicle was then booked in by a company to have my vehicle repaired. My vehicle was booked in, repaired and returned to me on 22nd November 2016, thanks for that. I submitted all information to 1st For Women and so did the company that repaired my vehicle for further handling.</p> <p> </p> <p>I contacted 1st for women and spoke to a lady by the name of ‘ Ms N’ who informed me that she was dealing with my case and that they finally found out that the driver of the other vehicle belongs to insurance Y. This information was FINALLY discovered after more than a month in December 2016. Ms N then explained that the driver of the other vehicle did not submit any sort of claim to her insurance for the accident and that they sent her a notice and that she had a few weeks to respond to the correspondence sent to her and if not, 1st for women would then claim the full outstanding amount including the R3000 excess that was paid by me meaning an “all inclusive claim”. After numerous of calls to 1st for women with regards to how far the process was, I kept on getting the same story from the consultants! (1st for women only informs you IF YOU CALL TO FOLLOW UP! THEY DO NOT CALL YOU TO INFORM YOU ON HOW FAR THE PROCESS IS).</p> <p>On the 30th December 2016, I received a call from Ms N explaining that the driver of the other vehicle did not respond to the correspondence sent to her and that they will now be handing her over to the “unclaimed department/legal department” and that they would now be requesting the full outstanding amount from her(the driver of the other vehicle) and that she will then be held liable for the full amount including my excess of R3000 that I paid to have my car fixed. In January 2017 I contacted 1st for women to enquire about the process and how far it is(AS USUAL I HAD TO CALL THEM FIRST BEFORE GETTING ANY ANSWERS). A consultant indicated once again, that they have given her over to the unclaimed department and that they would be calling her thrice a week and also sending at least one correspondence every week with regards to the outstanding amount. In the last week of January 2017, my mom contacted 1st for women as she is the policy holder and also because I was fed up of hearing the same story over and over and over again. she was informed that the driver of the other vehicle responded to 1st for women and stated that she is with Y Insurance and that she would be going via her insurance and lodging a claim and that we should be patient as the policy/claim would now AGAIN be sent back to the claims department. On 9th February 2017, I called again and spoke to Ms N who again indicate to me that my claim was sent to the unclaimed department as the driver of the other vehicle did not submit the claim through her insurance as was stated to my mother just over two weeks prior. I explained that to Ms N who then said she will call Y insurance and follow up.</p> <p> </p> <p>On 10th February 2017 I called 1st For Women and a guy by the name of Mr B answered. He checked on the system and said the following:</p> <p> </p> <p>1. There was a claim submitted by the driver of the other vehicle.</p> <p>2. They awaiting the invoice (according to him the system says the car hasn’t been fixed and that all they awaiting is the invoice and thus after my vehicle was fixed in the November already and given back to me repaired on 22nd November 2016 and all documents submitted to your company for further handling).</p> <p>After I explained that my vehicle had been repaired a while back and that the company that repaired my vehicle already submitted all documents, Mr B then put me on hold while he tried to figure out what the problem was and the reason for this misunderstanding. This is absurd of a consultant to say. He came back to me after 5min and said he spoke to Ms N (whom did not get back to me after speaking to Y Insurance once again and I had to call them for feedback). She indicated that she has spoken to Y Insurance and said that the driver of the other vehicle has not submitted any claim and therefore Y Insurance has closed the file on their side and that 1st for women sent the claim back to the unclaimed department after I called Ms N which is an indication that 1st for Women does nothing until the policy holder contacts them first. Mr B then transferred me to the “garnishee department” and I then spoke to a guy by the name of Mr J who confirmed Ms N’s story and that also said that my file was only sent to the unclaimed department on Wednesday, 8th February 2017. I then asked for 1st for Women’s complaint department’s number and Mr J did not know what it was and later asked his “manager” for the details who also did not have that information and said that I should contact him/her and send the complaint email to an email given to me by Mr J’s “manager”. I decided that I would search the contact details myself and have this email drafted and sent to. The email address given to me was invalid if I might add!</p> <p> </p> <p>I am seriously disappointed in the service or lack thereof given by 1st for Women. None of the consultants ever called me back informing me on any progress that was taking place or how far the process is. It was either my mother that had to call to get feedback or myself but if we didn’t call, we would never have gotten any feedback with regards to progress or lack thereof. Every single time this company is contacted they give you the same story until you actually inform them but that’s not what was told to me the last time. It seems that all consultants answer calls or enquiries with a standard template of answers. The company’s consultants also explain that the process can take up to 6months but what have they been doing for the past 3months? NOTHING!!!!!!!</p> <p>I have gotten such bad service from thiscompany and am highly disappointed and I would honestly not advise/recommend anyone to join 1st For Women. Everything you claim to stand for I have yet to experience! I pay my monthly instalment and this is the type of service we as customers receive? It’s extremely bad and if you ask me , so far for the past 3months, almost 4months, nothing whatsoever has been done with regards to my claim until this very hour , I have heard the same story over and over and over again with no outcome at all. From claims department to unclaimed department then back to claims department and back to unclaimed again. When will actual effort be put into this to have it sorted? It is obvious that 1st for women is not interested in getting their money back due to the fact that no concerted effort is made to recover the claim money from the driver of the other vehicle but I need my access money for my studies. I cannot do anything as 1st for women is claiming for an all-inclusive claim that is what I was told. I am starting to wonder if it is really a true reflection of what I was told. I have lodged a claim two weeks ago with 1st for women insurance and until this very hour , not a single person contacted me!</p> <p>I trust this is not the way 1st For Women wishes to conduct business with valued customers. I have been loyal to your company and have been paying my monthly instalment every month since I’ve joined your company and the service I have received so far is unacceptable. I would welcome the opportunity to discuss matters further as well as a response in writing as I have been given the run around for the last 3 months.</p> <p>I am eagerly awaiting your urgent response in this matter.</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p>