Complete Disregard For Clients Who have Paid monthly Premiums for years - FNB looks for reasons not to pay out funeral policies

My dad passed away on the 4th of April 2024, he committed suicide... I submitted a claim on the 15th of April with FNB as he had a premium plan, funeral policy with them since 2015. When I submitted the claim with all the necessary documents (Death Certificate, notice of death form with finger prints, statement from the police, certified copy of his birth certificate, certified copy of his ID as well as mine as I am the nominated beneficiary) and I was told that due to the death being unnatural causes the claim will will take 24 - 48 hours to pay out.

After being given this information I arranged with the funeral palour to do his cremation as his was a very big man and was held in a cold room due to his size. I had to identify him 2 days in a row, as the first obsticle was that he was booked into a hotel under my husbands name instead of his own, despite the fact that his note clearly said "this is my name and ID", please notify my family with my husband's name and his number.

The second time was for the funeral palour to pick him up from the mortuary, so as you can imagine this was very traumatic for me as he already started decomposing.

If I did not arrange for this to happen, my dad would have still been left there to rot due to FNB's neglegance and disrespect to their clients and not paying out his funeral plan in time.

It is now the 30th of April and I am still waiting for them to pay out. I have phoned and complaind in all kinds of ways I can think of and all I get told from FNB is that they will escelate the case and someone will get back to me, NO ONE EVER DOES.

I have been left on hold for 2 hours to get through to the 'TEAM LEADER' as he stated that the SAPS investigating officer ordered them to put the claim on hold, when I spoke to the officer, she said that she never said anything like that and that she does not have any authority to do so.

I was told by them that on their 'NOTES' it claim that this is what the SAPS IO said so 'NO ONE WILL TOUCH THE FILE' Kagiso Mogothi advised me to read through their terms and conditions however NOWHERE DOES IT STATE THAT THE CLAIM WILL BE PUT ON HOLD DUE TO THE CASE STILL BEING UNDER INVESTIGATION, as he claims.

Finally, today I got through to Kagiso Mogothi, the team leader, and I was told that they (FNB) had a meeting and decided to put the claim on hold because they need to rule out any ******** actions or foul play.

This is completley unacceptable as this is a FUNERAL PLAN and what happens if the case runs cold, will they never pay out.

ARE ALL INQUEST CLAIMS BEING PUT ON HOLD, BECAUSE THIS CERTAINLY IS NOT MENTIONED IN YOUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS.

I am appauled by their incompetence and the fact that they are happy to take peoples' money for years and then LOOK FOR ANY EXCUSE TO DELAY AND NOT PAY OUT THE CLAIMS.

ALL OF THIS MONEY PROBABLY ENDS UP IN THEIR POCKETS AND THATS WHY THEY DON'T WANT TO PAY OUT WHAT IS DUE TO THEIR CLIENTS.

I will advise every person I come across for the rest of my life to not make use of these *********** people because they like to offer big but cant deliver on what they offer.

For such a large corporate institution to pull wool over your eyes when you try to clain I suggest seek funeral cover elsewhere before this happens to you.

I consider you as *****sters, taking payment for a service you are not delivering on.