Complaint regarding an insurance claim *** lodged with Outsurance

The area in the Klein Karoo where I live experienced heavy rain from 2nd June which caused heavy flooding which damaged the road infrastructure. I returned home on the 5th June with my wife’s car on the provincial road (1704) when I saw a deep ditch in the road too late and ended up crashing into it. Once out of the ditch I immediately stopped the engine and inspected the vehicle for damage, I could observe some damage to the steel protection plate under the engine and oil draining from the engine. I contacted my neighbour who sent a tractor to tow the vehicle to my farm about 6 km from where the accident happened. The next day, 6 June, I phoned Outsurance to establish whether they cover the accident and spoke to an agent whose name I could not establish (I tried more than once to get the name of the agent but her response was unclear). The agent told me that the damage would be covered under flood damage and the car must be taken to Cape Town for the damage to be assessed and if approved the car will then be taken to a panel beater to be repaired. I asked the agent why the car has to be taken to Cape Town and tried to explain why the car cannot be repaired by a panel beater as the damage in my opinion is mechanical and I would prefer the car to be repaired by Du Plessis motors in Oudtshoorn, the VW agent who has serviced this car for the past 12 years. The agent told me that I was rude and should not interrupt her and this is the way it is done. I accept that I was agitated because I could not get the agent to understand that this car is valuable to me and I cannot take the risk of someone starting the car and in doing so damaging the engine and Outsurance then write of the car. Later on the 6th June I received an Email from the agent, Daviya Naidoo, with the following information. Thank you for registering your claim *** with Outsurance. I will be assisting you throughout the claims process. If necessary, please upload photos or documents using the Outsurance App or, if advised to, please send the required information to me, in your reply to this e-mail. For urgent assistance please call on me on my direct number 27-12 ***. From the above I accepted that the claim was registered and all information that I supp**** was noted in the Outsurance system against my name. Later on the 6th June a towing company GH towing in Oudtshoorn called me to find out where my farm was because they were preparing a quotation for Outsurance to tow my vehicle. I told the person about the condition of the road to my farm and that it would take at least a couple of days for it to be passable. On June the 8th I rep**** with an Email to Daviya to inform her that the towing company contacted me and we agreed that the roads were not passable and that we will review the situation next week. I also attached photographs of the ditch, my car etc. and stressed my concern that the car should not be started. I received no reply to the Email. The towing company called me on the 11th to find out whether I have heard anything from Outsurance because they have not heard whether they were contracted to do the towing, I called the direct number as given by Daviya, I asked for her and the person rep**** that she was not available. I called the number again and the person who answered again said that Daviya was not available and asked whether she can assist me. I gave her my ID number and she responded with my details but it was obvious that she had no information about the claim. I informed her that the towing company that was phoned by Outsurance was not sure whether they got the job to tow my car. My suspicion that the details of my claim was not recorded was proven the next day when Outsurance sent GH towing an Email notifying them to tow my Ford Ranger (and not the VW Tiguan). On the 12th June I called the direct number for Daviya to inform her of the mistake with the wrong vehicle to be towed, she was not available and I spoke to another agent. I told him about the mistake with the towing of the Ford instead of the VW Tiguan. I also discussed the necessity of taking the car to Cape Town and having it fixed by a panel beater. I told him that I would prefer the car to be repaired by Du Plessis motors in Oudtshoorn, he said that because they were not on the Outsurance preferred supplier list, they would have to complete a service provider form. He promised to rectify the wrong vehicle to be towed and also send me the preferred supplier form. I received an Email but it did not have any attachments nor rectify the correct vehicle to be towed, I rep**** asking for the form as well as the correction of the vehicle to be towed. Later on the 12th June Daviya sent me an Email with the service provider form attached and that the vehicle details were corrected. Maybe the Outsurance agents handle many claims like mine, but I would like to understand; What does it mean that I will be assisting you throughout the claims process. giving an emergency private number and then not answering it calling GH towing about the vehicle, but do not confirm that they are contracted (they have to call the client to find out what the situation is) not replying to Emails information about the claim not available to other agents Sending the tow company an Email with the wrong vehicle Sending an Email without an attachment Not confirming that the vehicle to be towed was corrected Not listening to the call recording to get your facts right, but tell the client that the recording is available. Take no trouble to understand the road conditions or communicate with either the client or the tow company. I concluded that the agent(s) assigned to this claim did not respect me as a client and I had to evaluate whether I feel comfortable to trust Outsurance to take care of my damaged vehicle and return it in the same condition it was before the accident. My conclusion was that I cannot and I then rep**** to Daviya to cancel the claim. Her response was quick and shocking and confirmed my decision to cancel the claim was correct.