***** claims process

Earlier this year, KZN had severe rain which significantly damaged infrastructure in the province.

I had a resultant claim for water damage to an interior cupboard. I managed to obtain 2 quotations for the repair and duly submitted a clam for some R 14000.00.

Shortly after this, I received a 3rd quote from a reputable company that I’d used before. This quote was for R 5300.00 which I immediately sent to the broker handling my claim as the difference was significant.

Shortly thereafter I received a call from an unknown cupboard company that was sent by the insurer who measured and evaluated the damaged cupboard. I was under the impression that they were the assessor for Hollard.

A few days later I received a call from this company that they had been authorised to effect the cupboard repair and I was firstly required to pay them the excess before they would start the repair.

I duly did and once paid, I realised that the preferred company was not only a company with their bank account in Newcastle, but on the questioning found the repair job would cost R 14000.00.

I immediately contacted the broker and complained and the cost to repair when I had a legitimate quote if almost R 10000.00 less than the authorised repair amount and for an out of town company.

After a confrontational telephone conversation with the broker, I was advised that the authorisation would be withdrawn and the excess refunded.

This was duly done and pretty smartly as well. A further indication that someone had been caught out and wanted to resolve the issue quickly.

It was blatantly obvious that this entire process was manipulated to give business to an out of town company at a value equal to the highest quote.

Skullduggery?

A few days later I received the funds to repair by the cheaper option and duly effected the repair.

It was our complex AGM yesterday and I learned that hollard was increasing our premium as a result of our claims history. If this is how Hollard operates I’m not surprised at the high value of our complex claims and wonder if similar skullduggery has not occurred previously which contributed to higher than normal claims payouts.

What is also disconcerting is that shortly before this cupboard claim, I tried to claim for interior building damage resulting from water ingress through the windows on the western side of my unit. The severe rain storms had caused water seepage through the window frames and caused interior wall damage. This claim was however repudiated and I now wonder if the repudiation was not merely because the claims handler didn’t have a connection to whom he could give the claim like with my cupboard claim.

This is not a good look for a reputable company like Hollard.