A life could have been lost because of Altech Netstar

It is with utmost shock and great regret that I write this review. In January 2019 I managed to purchase a KIA RIO 1.4 TECH with the Goldreef dealership. I had the vehicle financed through Standard Bank and collected the vehicle on the 26 of January 2019.

Through the course of purchasing the car I managed to get a deal with Auto&General to have the car insured at "Better Value" comprehensive insurance. As an add on to the insurance they offered me a tracking unit with Altech Netstar and with them I took the "Safe and Sound" tracking unit. The Unit was installed on the 28th of January 2019, with it came a panic button (to use during a hijacking or attempted hijacking and has an auto accident collision sensory system that helps you get assistance immediately once in an accident).

Fast forward to last night at about 20:23 I had an accident, remembering that I had the panic button with me I pressed desperately in order to get assistance. I got no call from Auto&General nor did Altech Netstar check with me in order to assist.

Due to reception issues and poor area coverage I struggled to call Auto&General to get help. I was then assisted buy a random tow-truck to tow the vehicle out of the scene and head to the police station to open a case.

After struggling to get through to Auto&General I finally got through to different numbers and departments asking desperately for them to call me back. Some consultants did but some did not. Most of them told me that there was nothing they could do for me as I had arranged with a different towing company to have my car moved from the scene. I asked if they could at least help me collect the vehicle from AHE Towing and have it transported to wherever they would deem fit and I was given the answer that they could do nothing and I would have to call back in the morning and speak to the Claims Department.

This Morning at 8:30 I submitted my claim via telephone with a consultant by the name of Lebogang. He was able to assist as he could. Whilst with Lebogang my main concern was the vehicle being with the towing company in question and not having any details of what they would charge me as Lebo mentioned that the main concern was to get the vehicle first to avoid any further costs as they only would cover R2000 of the total cost for using an unauthorized towing company.

With that in mind I then decided to call the towing company and asked what it would cost to have the vehicle released and given to the insurance company. I spoke to a gentleman called Nazeer who said the cost would be R6200.

I called back Auto&General to explain this and they mentioned that they could do nothing about this and that I should wait for their towing department to get back to me.

At about 10:00 I then called Altech Nestar to get an understanding why they did not respond to me last night and got to speak to a gentleman by the name of Goodwill Mogodiri. I gave him my details as per my fitment certificate and he said he could not retrieve any details relating to my account or profile. He asked me to hold and came back later asking if my vehicle was a BMW to which I responded no. He then continued to read what was on his screen saying the account belonged to a Mr. Naidoo.

I told him the information was incorrect and he kept me on hold only to come back to tell me that their system had duplicated Mr. Naidoo's details onto my account, after he had first blamed my insurance of capturing my details wrong to which I mentioned that I had just spoken to my insurance and would have picked up if my details were wrong. He also confirmed there was an accident alert yesterday @ 20:24 and that Mr. Naidoo would have received an alert sms on an 061 number. He said he would call me in an hour as he escalated my case.

It is past lunch time and no one has called me back so I decided to call the towing department at Auto&General explaining my situation and concerns. I spoke to Kele who promised to call back. Indeed she did only to find that the towing company has closed for the weekend. With this delay this can only mean rising costs with the towing company in question but Kele has assured me that any costs as of today will not be charged to me and would escalate my grievances relating to my tracker to her management and get back to me on Monday.

Out of panic once again I called my tracking company to follow up on the details of my query only to speak to a lady called Anjitah who said all she could do is send me a detailed accident report that the insurance would require and would lodge an investigation relating to the incorrect info on my account that had been amended. I then asked her is if such duplication of details could happen to which she confirmed that it was frequent and that is why perhaps I could not get any help from them. Considering this, I then asked that at least the company should have taken the initiative to physically send out someone that would be able to verify if the accident had indeed taken place as I had been on site to about 40-45 minutes or at least to physically verify that the said "Mr. Naidoo" was indeed safe and sound. This notion she understood but could not respond to; perhaps realizing that the duty to care from the company had not been exercised.

Now I only have a few fundamental questions to ask. Altrach got business from me through Auto&General which means that they have a standing agreement that places them in partnership as preferred and trusted partners in the automobile industry with regards to car insurance, protection and the tracking of vehicles - THEY HAVE A WORKING RELATIONSHIP AND DEPEND ON EACH OTHER TO PROVIDE A HOLISTIC SERVICE AND SOLUTION TO CLIENTS - .

With the failure of Altrach to come to my rescue, even after having received a collision alert, why did they not come through to the accident site to verify if this was indeed the car or accident? Does this mean that someone could have died on the scene even after I had placed some much trust in their product and service?

Having had no response from Altrach and various difficulties getting through to Auto&General, why is it that they would place this financial burden on me after their preferred partner was a no show?

I am expected to pay basic excess for the amount of +/- R 6 300 plus whatever the unaffiliated towing company may request in order to release the car, with these delays it means that costs are due to rise which could have been avoided had my tracking company been able get to me and had been able to alert my insurer.

The reason one has a collision alert system and a panic button is to mitigate against various failures that could take place, and in my instance have, in order to avoid the hassle of having to make calls or not even not having airtime or being physically unable to make a call. All this did not materialize as both parties failed me in various ways. Thank God no loss of life occurred but the financial burden to be imposed on me makes me wish that I was DEAD!!!

I have no problem with the excess that I need to pay, but all the other costs that could have been avoided had my tracking company and insurer been in sync certainly make me wish DEATH upon myself.

How on earth will able to raise +/- R14 000 and rising to make this all go away? how?

I certainly do not know.