Refusal to pay funeral claim-funds at work

I Michelle Dethanie, wish to express my utmost disappointment and regret in the service that the Momentum funds at work department treat their clients and the manner in which they handle submitted claims. I submitted a funeral claim to Momemtum under funds at work portfolio on 21 September 2023. Our previous broker did not advise that I could nominate my spouse as a dependant, hence I was not aware if this benefit, only brought to my attention when our company brought in new brokers and hence we were requested to update our personal information. Upon doing so I noticed that our funeral benefit had the option to register a spouse as a dependant. Unfortunately my spouse passed on on 22 September 2022. I contacted Momentum to enquire, and the consultant I spoke to advised that I could still submit the claim, but it will be escalated to their legal department and that a motivational letter will be required as to why I was not informed of this benefit prior to the 6 month period of submitting the claim. Indeed I submitted the claim and on the 27th of November, Momentum wrote to my employer informing us that they will consider the late claim on condition that an acceptable reason be provided for the late notification. This motivational letter was then sent to Momemtum on 28 September 2023. Our current broker then followed up with Momemtum on the 3rd of October requesting feedback. Momentum then informed our broker that they needed a written affidavit from myself advising that I was not aware of the funeral benefit at the passing of the deceased. I then submitted the affidavit on the 4 of September 2023. Our broker then followed up with Momemtum on Monday 9 September and could not get any update from Momentum. I contacted Momentum on 11 September and the consultant I spoke to advised that the claim was handled by an administrator known as Siyanda Bonqu. I called Siyanda on the 12 October to ff up and she advised that she was awaiting feedback from her manager as she could not establish a link between me and the deceased as our addresses were not the same. I informed her that when the deceased passed we had differences as he was cheating on me and that I returned home but we were still together as he would constantly visit my son and I at my moms place and would sometimes sleep over. Siyanda promised to call me back with feedback and never did. I called her on the 13th ov October and she advised that the claim had been forwarded to their forensics department. She advised that she would have a update by Monday 16 October. I called in on Tuesday 17 October to request an update from Siyanda, was advised that she was not available and that she will call me as there was a note on system that she was awaiting feedback from the Investigating officer. I called again on Wednesday 17 October and was advised that she was awaiting feedback. She advisedcthat the investigating officer wanted to know the cover amount on the previous policy that I registered the deceased on. She also requested the previous policy document which indicated that the deceased was indicated as a spouse on the policy. I submitted this policy document and had previously submitted all the supporting documents including a sworn affidavit that the deceased's brother, myself and my mother had provided on the previous claim. On Thursday 18 October I received a call from a guy known as Kgomothswane Masemola whom advised that he was the investigating officer at Momentum. He advised that he needed any prior policy documents apart from the previously submitted claim, that indicate that the deceased was my spouse. He also requested the birth certificate of my son as we share a son together with my son. October which I provided him with all these documents dating back to 2012. He requested the contact number for the deceased's father of which I provided him with. I was as honest with him to inform him that I was back home when the deceased passed due to the issues we had with him cheating on me. I also informed him that iwebt to the deceased's parents home everyday until the funeral day and that I had contributed towards the funeral as well as u was open to informing the deceased father, brother and sister that I had taken out a policy for him. He then mentioned a lady known as Cindy whom claimed to be the deceased 's life partner as they were apparently living together at the time of the deceased's passing. The deceased's father then called me to inform me that the Investigating officer had contacted him and had informed him that this Cindy woman advised the investigating officer that he was not the deceased's biological father an d that they lived together and that her family and the deceased's family had met on numerous occasions. He also informed me that he informed the investigating officer that he was not fami**** of the 2 families meeting nor that she lived with the deceased. I followed upnon Monday 22 October was advised that Siyanda was still waiting feedback from the IO. Yesterday on 26 October I received a call from the Io asking me what the name of the other lady was, as the name he was provided with was known as Lindiwe. I advised that as far as I know, she is known as Cindy. He then asked that I look at my watsapp messages as he had sent me an image. It was an identity picture of Cindy and I confirmed that it was her. A few minutes later I received a call from Siyanda informing me that Momentum will not be paying the claim as the deceased was living with this Cindy woman at the time of his death. I informed her that I was not happy with the decision and I raised my concerns to her. She advised that she will speak to her manager to see if they cannot process yje claim as there was a child involved and that the deceased and I had problems at his passing as he was cheating on me, but we continued to see each other. She promised to call me back at 12pm yesterday and has not done so. I informed hervthat I knew that she would not call me back as she never did previously. I noticed that Momentum has a reputation for I'll treating their clients, lack customer service and is notorious for not paying out claims as per the reviews on hello Peter and on the insurance ombudsman. I feel that they contradicted themselves for the 2 reasons not wanting to settle this claim and for requesting endless documents which just prolonged the process and wasted one's time. I honestly thought that Momentum was a reputable company and had the best interest of their clients. They are just a **** hence the high influx of bad reviews they have.