FNB LIFE **** INSURER

This review is specifically for the FNB pay protect scheme. Dealing with their customer service has been incredibly frustrating. It's almost impossible to reach them, communication is limited to email, which they rarely respond to, or over the phone. Even when you do get through, the quality of service is inconsistent. Depending on which agent you speak to, you might receive incorrect information or be put on hold for 20-30 minutes while they supposedly consult with a supervisor. Worse, you often just get a scripted response, and in some cases, the call gets unexpectedly cut off.

I unfortunately was retrenched from by job towards the middle-end of last year. I contacted FNB life regarding my claim, they had requested documentation, which I provided a letter of retrenchment from the company and a UI-19 form. FNB then told me that it wasn't good enough due to the fact that the letter wasn't on a company letter head and the UI-19 form didn't have a company stamp and so on. So I requested updated documents from my already closed employer. They provided the letter but not the UI-19 form with the stamp. I stipulated this to the insurer and they investigated for a period of 2 months where I was constantly following up due to my lack of income and the lack of updates from FNB, they quite frankly F*cked me around providing me no information saying its sitting with another department. This is or should be ******* why can I not know what an registered FSP is doing and how can they not keep up with those who are in a vulnerable state due to being retrenched. They then sent a person to my house without notifying me prior, he calls and says "hey I'm outside your house." I let him in due to the fact that I want this to be resolved I provide a statement with names and contact numbers of former employee's to validate that the company closed last minute and that many people were effected by this.

Another 2 weeks goes by constantly checking up with FNB, being provided dates that are incorrect, being put on hold for long periods of time, having people hang up on me, it got to the stage where I said this cannot be right. I requested that they review the calls I have had with their team. I have expressed that it shouldn't take so long if you offer me the policy of pay protect, you should know I am employed, I have provided bank statements where I was receiving my salary, My tax number and everything in between but I am still being messed around on a daily basis.

A lady then contact me with the outcome of my case and this is where we took a turn for the worse, the claim was declined which yes I am upset about but I am more upset about how and why,

They did not contact the people I had provided them with, and stated the company was not at the location stated (NO DUH THEY CLOSED) they did not go and check with SARS or review the calls that I had had with their team leading to this point. They declined the claim and when I got angry and was asking questions that the lady could not answer she hung up on me because I swore (not at her but said that the service is bull****)

Which honestly it is, the incompetence is unbelievably unexpectable!

I have been to the branch where they "Don't have authorization to deal with the claims". Which is scary thinking that you can't really get a hold of someone who can actually help you.

I have since received an email to appeal the claim, to which I did do, but that will take another 47 days and who knows what the outcome will be.

But a few days later I get an email to say my service will be cancelled without explanation, I assume this is because I was unable to continue making payments towards the service, due to the fact that I am retrenched and therefore have a lack of income.

So I sent an email asking them to clarify what this meant for my appeal and if I would be refunded my money due to the reason my claim was declined, being they "CANNOT PROVE I WORKED FOR THE COMPANY", YES EVEN THOUGH MY SALARY GOES INTO THE ACCOUNT EVERY MONTH AND I HAD ALL THE COMPANIES LEGAL INFOMATION, REGISTATION NUMBER ON THE UI-19 FORM AND A LETTER TO STATE I HAD WORKED THERE FOR 3 YEARS THEY CANT PROVE I WORKED THERE. On top of that, FNB called ME to offer me this service "due to be being employed" they graciously took my money, now when it is time to claim, I am apparently suddenly lying about my employment.

Regardless I found this to be extremely unfair and was expecting the company to compensate me, I mean if I was never working, then they wouldn't have been able to cover me for anything in which case why was I paying the insurance in the first place. Its like getting car insurance for a car you don't have or life insurance after death. Regardless another no response to my email, I am hoping they see this as well as anyone else thinking about this policy, DON'T DO IT! its not worth it.

They are looking for reasons to decline claims to keep their cost's low, they are not looking to insure you but to provide you with a false security. The problem is because this is a part of FNB it has pushed me to the point where I will probably change banks due to the incompetence of a certain group