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Sue W

1 reviews | Active since Jan 2018

27 Jun 2018, 21:47

Old Mutual wont Pay Superfund Pension Fund Claim

Good Day

I have such a frustrating issue. I got divorced in the beginning of April. My word, what a run around to get my claim in at Old Mutual on my Ex's Pension and Provident Fund.

I had to send the documents 3 times before they actually received it, which wasted 2 weeks. After numerous inquiries I EVENTUALLY got a person tell me that my decree of divorce does not cover the Provident Fund payout. The person emailed me concent forms that my ex had to complete and send back. I sent the documents and gave another time for them to process it when I contacted them and once again had to hear that my Provident Claim is not binding to the Divorce court order because my attorney did not write specifically that we are claiming from the Pension AND Provident Fund. Regardless of the concent form that my ex completed. I eventually got some words in an email, stating that the divorce court order is not binding to the Provident fund.

Well, this morning my Lawyer and I met at Old Mutual to go and find out WHAT DO WE NEED SPECIFICALLY to claim my part from my Ex's Provident fund too, as we agreed upon in our setement with no avail. Old Mutual branch does not handle the Superfund Pension an Provident Fund so they called them. After a good 15 minutes we got answer on the other side. The person had my Lawyer hold on for another good 15minutes just to tell him that he couldn't inquire without a Power of Attorney letter from me. He told the person i was there with him but with no luck. The person told him to tell me the claim is still in process. They said 90 days from the day that the claim has been received. We are almost half way and if they are not going to pay out the Provident Fund, I need to go back to court and i have told Old Mutual Superfund that but I just dont get a reply whatsoever. I can not BELIEVE the frustration. This is probably going to get to the 90 days and then the will confirm by only paying out the pension fund part and THEN only will I have to go back to court to lay the problem infront of the judge.

I can not understand WHY can't they privide me with a definite answer in writing so that I can go back to court and secondly, why don't they have competent staff to supply me with straight forward information. Three people told me and one sent it in writing that the Provident fund is not going to pay out, yet when my Lawyer is with me they say it is still under process. WHY is there still an issue paying out the provident fund if the concent form that my ex filled in specifically says its for in the case where the wording of the court order is not correct?

This is a great eye opener and I must i am scared to ever invest any money at Old Mutual. There is NO reputable communication. If you are lucky enough to get through to a call centre agent you must pray that you get any useful help other that "it is still pending", nevertheless the every other call centre agent's finding that they are not going to pay the Provident Fund.

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Replies (5)
Old Mutual
Old Mutual's reply28 Jun 2018, 11:06
Official

Dear Sue

I acknowledge receipt of your complaint and apologise for the poor service you have experienced.

This matter is being investigated by our retirement Fund Administration team. I will contact you as soon as their feedback is received.

Regards

Carol Olckers

Complaints Management

SW
Sue W's update30 Jun 2018, 01:09
Reviewer Update
Update: Ms Carol Olckers have contacted me very promptly and was very helpful in my "quest" to provide me with an answer from Old Mutual's Legal Depsrtment that my claim was indeed NOT going to be paid out according to legal clauses mentioned in the email that was sent to me, that stated that the Provident Fund was indeed not part of the Pension Fund. So my question is (was yesterday just before closing of work day) What about the concent form that my ex husband signed and gave me the original of that states on the top of the document "TO BE COMPLETED BY THE MEMBER SPOUSE IN THE EVENT OF A DIVORCE SETTLEMENT CLAIM, WHERE THE DIVORCE COURT ORDER FAILS TO NAME THE RETIREMENT SCHEME OR NAME IT CORRECTLY" I Please want to know what is the purpose of this document if it doesn't serve the purpose it is inteded for, seeing the Old Mutual Legal Department is aware of this document in my posession but they state that I will have to go back to court to have my Divorce Court Order amended. I want to state this for the record because i am 100% sure that they have received it at least TWICE, because that is the confirmation correspondence I have received about the letter. And in great arguments back and forth with my ex I have learnt that Old Mutual "people" has phoned him numerously to confirm if he "know what he is doing". Old Mutual was not with us during our divorce proceedings, they have no idea why my ex is so lenient but trust me, I deserve every cent of his whole pension and more, not even the bit I accepted to try and be realistic and fair. I do understand that Old Mutual might be acting in the interest of my ex but there would not be a fighting matter if there was no reason for it. And the most FRUSTRATING part is, my ex wants to get it behind him and gave me everything I NEEDED to make my claim but Old Mutual acts as if I was married to them.
SW
Sue W's update02 Jul 2018, 17:50
Reviewer Update
Ms Carol Olckers emailed me early today and told me that she has sent my inquiry about the "Spousal Concent Letter" to the Old Mutual Legal Department. Thank you.
SW
Sue W's update04 Jul 2018, 17:11
Reviewer Update
Update: I have received regular and promt replies from Ms Carol Olckers as the Client Relationship Manager which made correspondence possible where in the past few weeks is was the most frustrating thing to get ANY correspondence worth while from the resources available at Old Mutual. I have been notified this afternoon via email, by Ms Olckers that the Legal department approved my claim for the Provident Fund as for the reasons described above. I am not the least happy knowing that Old Mutual put me through this frustration and stress and fights, back and forth with my ex and my attorney after the were in possession of the "claim concent form". I am completely honest to say that it put doubt in my mind as to how honest they are when in comes to paying out claims because if I wasn't this desperate and determined to fight for my share, I would have lost it and I would have had to make ends meet on my own. Great appreciation for Ms Olckers that handeled the situation very professional and made it possible for me to get what I have also worked for, even though I was not the main contributor. I will update my comments as soon as the case has completely been settled. Regards Sue
SW
Sue W's update10 Jul 2018, 00:32
Reviewer Update
Good day. My case is settled and I did not even have to go to court as Old Mutual kept claiming. I purely changed my rating because of Ms Carol Olckers that mediated without hesitation. Her loyalty towards Old Mutual is far more appreciated that the way Old Mutual tried to make me drop my claim. DO NOT GIVE UP, is my advice to others. If you don't come right here on Hello Peter, take it up with the Ombudsman. Do not take anything at face value if it can not be put in writing. Thank you Ms Olckers for your help and patience with this case. Regards