Momentum Insure rejecting accident claim based on incomplete visual assessment

Iam writing this out of sheer frustration with Momentum Insure regarding an accident my wife was involved in on Monday, 18 May 2026. The vehicle was towed to ARC, and a visual assessment was done by NetAssess. Momentum then notified me that the claim is being rejected because the visible damage amount is less than my R1,500 excess.

However, when I contacted NetAssess directly, they explicitly confirmed to me that a visual inspection is **not enough** to complete this assessment. Because it was an accident, the vehicle needs to be sent for wheel alignment to properly check for hidden mechanical damage, specifically to the steering rack and other internal steering components.

The absurdity here is that Momentum is refusing to authorise the alignment because the cost of the alignment alone is less than my excess. By doing this, they are effectively trapping my claim in a loop: they are rejecting the entire accident claim as "under excess" because they refuse to pay for the diagnostic test required to find the rest of the damage. How can a claim be officially rejected as being under excess when a full and proper assessment has not even been completed? I expect Momentum to act in good faith, authorise the alignment so NetAssess can finish their job, and look at the total reality of the damage from this accident.