Outsurance - Unacceptable Service:Vehicle Mishandled and Claim Mismanaged

On 28 March, I contacted OUTsurance after my vehicle was involved in an accident and subsequently towed to an assessment centre.

A few days later, I was informed that the vehicle would be sent to a panel beater in the Roodepoort area for alignment and bumper repairs. Upon arrival, the panel beater advised that there was a gearbox issue and requested approval from OUTsurance to have the gearbox inspected. This request was approved, and the vehicle was then sent to Hyundai Roodepoort for further assessment.

The following day, I contacted Hyundai Roodepoort to check on the progress of my vehicle. To my surprise, I was informed that there was no record of my car on their system. After further investigation, I was called back and advised that the vehicle had in fact been located on their premises—parked with the key in the ignition—but had not been booked in. This meant the car had been left unattended and unaccounted for.

I immediately escalated this matter to OUTsurance via both phone and email, expressing serious concerns about the handling, safety, and accountability of my vehicle. A Customer Liaison Officer (CLO) was assigned, who then contacted the panel beater. The panel beater claimed that the vehicle had been booked in and provided details of the individual and time of booking. However, these details only correspond to a booking made after my inquiry with Hyundai, not when the vehicle initially arrived. This indicates that the car remained unrecorded and unsecured at Hyundai Roodepoort for over 24 hours.

On Thursday, 23 April 2025, I was contacted by the CLO and informed that the gearbox had been assessed, a repair quotation had been submitted and approved, and that the next step was to confirm parts availability so that repairs could begin.

However, to my astonishment, the very next day (24 April), I received another call from the same CLO advising that the vehicle had now been written off. I was told that I would receive a follow-up call explaining the write-off process, but to date, I have not received any such communication. After contacting OUTsurance again, I only received an email confirming the write-off, still without any proper explanation.

I am extremely disappointed with the handling of this entire process for the following reasons:

The initial assessment centre failed to identify the gearbox issue. A panel beater—tasked only with body repairs—identified a major mechanical fault instead. My vehicle was left unattended at Hyundai Roodepoort for over 24 hours without being booked in or accounted for. I was informed that a repair quote exceeding R40,000 had been approved, only to be told less than 24 hours later that the vehicle was being written off, with no clear explanation for this sudden change.

Overall, the process has been poorly managed, lacks transparency, and has raised serious concerns regarding the safety, accountability, and communication standards of all parties involved