Ooba insure

I am writing to formally lodge a complaint regarding the handling and rejection of two insurance claims submitted by myself within the past two years. Despite being a loyal client, paying substantial premiums without objection, I have been met with repeated refusals from Ooba Insure, with each claim dismissed on the basis of policy clauses and technicalities. This has left me with no choice but to escalate the matter to the National Financial Ombud (NFO SA). Over the last three years, we have paid approximately R70,000 in premiums. This amount is considerably higher than average due to the fact that we have a thatch roof, which understandably carries a greater risk profile. However, despite our commitment and continued payment of increased premiums, both of our claims – amounting to a combined value of around R25,000 – were rejected. What concerns me most is that while Ooba Insure readily increases premiums, there appears to be significant reluctance to honour legitimate claims, especially when the amounts exceed your comfort threshold. The pattern of declining claims by pointing to selective clauses and wording suggests a tendency to seek “escape routes” rather than provide the cover we have paid for. When your assessor initially visited our property, we were advised that we needed to remove four trees situated too close to the house. We acted immediately, at our own expense of R9,000, to meet this requirement. We additionally installed fire extinguishers as per the recommendations. We comp**** with every instruction given, in good faith, expecting that Ooba Insure would reciprocate with fair and reasonable support. Despite our compliance, not a single claim has been approved: Gate Motor Claim Our gate motor was damaged, and after receiving no assistance from the insurer, we were forced to replace it ourselves at a cost of R12,000. Roof Leak Claim Following the recent severe storms, we reported a roof leak. Once again, the claim was rejected—this time on the basis that it was classified as a “maintenance issue,” according to your investigator. Given the violent weather conditions, this explanation appears unreasonable and dismissive of the circumstances. It is extremely concerning that we are required to spend significant amounts of money to adhere to Ooba Insure’s compliance requirements, yet when we genuinely need support, we are met with resistance. This creates the impression that the insurer expects full adherence from clients but does not provide the same level of commitment in return. We have invested heavily in our home, our compliance, and our premiums. The ongoing denial of claims has placed an unfair financial burden on us and eroded our confidence in Ooba Insure’s willingness to honour the policy we are paying for.