Frustrated and Disappointed with OUTsurance

I am beyond frustrated with OUTsurance’s poor service, lack of transparency, and repeated miscommunications. My experience has been nothing short of exhausting.

Last year, I considered switching to another insurer due to the incompetence and unprofessionalism of OUTsurance’s call centre staff. My experience is that many of them lack proper knowledge of policy details, leading to miscommunication and errors. Worse, some staff members have been outright rude. However, I finally managed to speak to a manager named Karabo who convinced me to stay after he indicated that he would investigate my policy.

Major Policy Issue – Structural Cover Removed Without My Knowledge I later discovered that my structural cover had been removed from my policy without my consent. When I queried this, the call centre staff admitted it was a mistake. However, when I asked why I was not informed, they claimed someone had tried calling me but failed to reach me. When I asked why no email was sent, they had no answer, just silence.

Repeated Frustrations and Lack of Accountability Last week, after speaking with Shaina Gounder, I was promised a follow-up. Since she had a personal matter to attend to, I was handed over to Bjorn Glyne, who wasted my time by asking the exact same questions Shaina had already covered.

My Concerns That Remain Unanswered I requested clarification on several critical issues, but I am still waiting for answers: 1. Proof of attempted contact – I requested clear evidence of how OUTsurance tried to inform me about their mistake in removing my structural cover. 2. Would OUTsurance have covered me if something had gone wrong? – A call centre agent said they would have covered me, but from experience I do not believe this would have been the case. 3. Updated quote for structural cover – I requested a quote for the structural cover of my properties. I am still awaiting a response. 4. Quote for Out of Africa Travel – still awaiting a response. 5. Travel coverage for breakdowns with Out of Africa cover – My query was regarding if I break down in a neighbouring country and my car is unrepairable and I wish to continue with my journey, will OUTsurance cover accommodation for the night and repatriation of the vehicle. I have not received a response. 6. Laptop coverage issue – According to the agent my laptop is not covered under contents insurance if it is damaged in my house but rather only if I take out “Out & About” cover. This does not make sense. 7. Unreasonable "Out & About" policy – The agent indicated that I would need to list every single item prior to travel, meaning if I buy a device the day before a trip and it gets ******, I have no coverage. The implication is that you continuously need to update OUTsurance on the devices you have. This is easy to forget and means that you will not be covered if the specific device is lost or ******.

OUTsurance Wins, Clients Lose Insurance should provide peace of mind, but with OUTsurance, it is my opinion that clients are always on the losing end. I have paid a significant amount in premiums over the years, yet when I needed my geyser replaced last year, I still had to contribute a large sum as I was not willing to accept the inferior option (in my opinion) that the OUTsurance provider offered. I was later told by the call centre agent that I should have been totally covered for this. The catch it appears is that you only get the full benefit if you use their affiliated providers, who offer lower-quality products.

Hidden Clauses That Could Leave You Uncovered OUTsurance’s contents cover states: “THERE IS NO COVER UNLESS AN OUTSURANCE APPROVED ALARM SYSTEM IS PROPERLY INSTALLED AND MAINTAINED.” However, they do not specify which alarm systems they approve. If I had not asked whether ADT was covered and the agent had confirmed that ADT is an OUTsurance approved alarm company, I could have been left without coverage in an emergency. This lack of transparency is completely unacceptable.

What I Expect from OUTsurance 1. A formal apology letter for the inconvenience and mistakes on my policy. 2. A response to all my pending queries, especially regarding my structural cover and travel coverage. 3. Immediate improvements in customer service and policy transparency, because no one should have to go through this level of frustration just to get what they are paying for.