R5,999 Taken After Cancellation – Call Recording Will Prove It

I am writing to share my experience with Absa iDirect in the hope that someone will take this seriously and review the facts.

On 9 March, I telephonically cancelled my Absa iDirect insurance policy. The consultant confirmed that both the policy and the scheduled debit order of 15 March would be cancelled immediately.

Despite this, on 13 March, Absa debited R5,999 from my account.

When I called on 14 March to query this, I was told there were no notes on my file reflecting my 9 March cancellation request. The consultant I spoke to mentioned that a partial refund of around R1,500 might be possible, but this was not a formal offer - it was mentioned informally during the call. I have since lodged a formal complaint and received an automated response with reference number C-***6 .

Here are the key facts that Absa needs to address:

1. I cancelled on 9 March. I gave clear and immediate notice of cancellation on 9 March. The policy itself states: "You can cancel this policy by giving us immediate notice." From that moment, the policy should have been terminated.

2. The debit on 13 March was taken after cancellation. Because I cancelled on 9 March, the policy was no longer active when the R5,999 was debited on 13 March. That money should not have been taken.

3. The "no notes" excuse is not my fault. I was told there were no records of my 9 March call. That is an internal administrative failure. I gave clear instructions. Absa's failure to record them does not make those instructions disappear. The call recording exists, and it will confirm what I said.

4. I had missed my February payment. To be transparent, I did miss my February premium. However, that does not change the fact that I cancelled on 9 March. The issue here is not whether I owed anything for February - it is whether Absa was entitled to debit me after I had already cancelled.

5. The policy's own terms support my position. Clause 10 of the policy states: "If you claim during the grace period, we will not consider your claim unless you have paid the outstanding premium." If I had claimed during the period when my February premium was unpaid, Absa would have rejected it. They cannot now insist on keeping money for a period where they would have provided no value.

I have been polite and patient. I have provided clear dates and clear facts. All I am asking is that Absa:

i. Review the call recording of 9 March ii. Acknowledge that I cancelled on that date iii. Refund the full R5,999 that was incorrectly debited on 13 March

I work hard for my money. This amount matters to me and my family. I trust that Absa will do the right thing and investigate this properly.

Reference Number: C-***6 Date of Incident: 9 March (cancellation) / 13 March (incorrect debit)