Poor service//No accountability//Typical corporate//Not worth the trouble

What a terrible, first time insurance claim experience.

While I have personal vehicle insurance and personal liability insurance for my business with this company, my complaint relates to an motor vehicle accident I had in late January.

The nightmare started when my car was dropped off at the panel beaters, Aerotech auto body, in Spartan. The initial approval received from my car was disfactory because there was parts which were simply not added, this could be because of their 'virtual assessment' exercise they do where you are asked to submit photos via whatsapp (looking back, I should have actually gotten under car and taken videos due to the sinkhole damage caused to it during my accident). This was a battle because my car remained unattended for at least two weeks because the panel beater advised they were awaiting further approval from the assessor.

My car, being a 2017 Mini Cooper Countryman S, showed various fault warnings on my screen due to the impact, which was submitted to the insurance assessor. When the panel beater confirmed that the assessor had approved some of the additionals I requested on their advice, I enquired about the diagnostic that would deal with engine fault that was showing which did not seem to be accounted for on the list of 'approvals'. I was told that the panel beater would do the diagnostic on the vehicle as soon as the body was repaired. I queried this the logic, for the approved list of repairs was finalized without even completing a diagnostic to ascertain the ENTIRE claim amount, so at that juncture, Outsurance was assuring that the car would look great but the engin and/or mechanical issues where completely overlooked and disregarded.

After insisting, by email and telephonically that the diagnostic be done whole the body is being attended to, the panel beaters finally advised that a diagnostic was performed and that my car was due for only due for a routine service. I queried this because had that been the case, my computer screen would advise of the exact service needed at that time. I was even offered to take the vehicle for the weekend as they were near completion which I refused. I addressed an email to the panel beaters whom I respectfully still believe are trained to work on the auto body and nothing more to which they agreed and undertook to liase with my insurance and get a second opinion at BMW/MINI.

The vehicle was driven to Mini by the panel beaters and booked in for a diagnostic in the afternoon of March 24th, 2022. On the 25th I received a call from MINI at 14h40 that the diagnostic was completed and that there was a minor issue which they decided to attend to, which also included replacing oil and that my car was taken for a test drive twice- the engine light error was sorted and that they would not be charging any extra in addition to what was quoted to the panel beaters. With excitement, I called Vanessa, from Aerotech myself and let her know the news and that they had advised the car could be collected if it was paid for that day (I was eager for this to happen as it was a Friday and I had been without a car since early February). She advised that they would pay and collect the car as they still needed to fit in 2 parts which was on back order but I was assured I could collect the car that evening.

The car was collected (sticker for my vehicle was absolutely incorrect), did not make a fuss of this and made arrangements to drop it off the following Monday for the remainder of the minor work to be done.

Within approximately 15 mins of having the car home which the distance from the panel beater to home is about 15/20mins, the engine light came on.

Tbe following day I started the car, it now has a faulty start and took a while to start, and it just did not sound 'well' (I have no better way of explaining it) but my car was not okay. I drove out of my complex and then shortly thereafter the car was making funny jerking movements and when I pulled off on the side of the road, just before halting the car switched off on its own. I immediately Vanessa advising her of this so that she would receive my email first thing on Monday. I had to return home and park the car till then.

Fast forward- Monday morning, Thd car was returned to Mini who then advised they would check the vehicle. Mini reverted to me on Wednesday 30th of Mar with a quote of R41k. Which I queried immediately, and sent all info to the panel beaters (who had all along been the ones communicating with the insurance, getting all the necessary approval on my behalf), their response to this was that I needed to contact my insurance and deal with them.

I struggled to get hold of the assessor and the claims advisor, numerous calls were made to Outsurance to escalate this-the following week, after having called nothing less that 5/6 times I managed to get hold of my claims advisor, who advised she had been on leave. I explained that I queried the new quote because my car has actually been to Mini a few days prior and they had confirmed the car was in good order.

The lack of response from Outsurance about the new quote prompted me to now escalate my issue to the complaints department and a gentleman by the name of Sam attended to me. Outsurance then advised based on the the above happenings and my email communications querying this new quote that they needed to investigate despite all written communication between myself and mini, ND myself and aerotech who confirmed to me that when THE car was in their care it was still driving normally even up to the point that it was dropped off at mini and collected.

This week week on 12 April I was advised that a forensic investigator was going out to check on my car- which is still at Mini. Upon checking my Outsurance App, my claim status was changed to finalized and that there would be no further updates as the claim is basically closed. I sent an email to the assessing manager whom I have been in lengthy discussions since my escalation to the complaints department, asking what that meant as my claim is far from finalized- I am two months without a car, 2 insurance premiums have been deducted for a car I have not been using and their lack of care, interest, empathy and simple business obligation has been almost non- existant. As I type this I am preparing my notes to taks this matter further, legally.

Outsurance has not only amplified its terrible customer service to me but has also shown that their finding every avenue to avoid completely dealing and finalizing a claim. This just feels like a way for them to avoid doing the right thing which is returning my car to me repaired.

As a mother of 2 with no vehicle, my confidence in having pride in the fact that I have insurance for such occurrences has been shattered. As I type this today, I am still awaiting feedback despite the client liason, Sam confirming that I would receive feedback by Wednesday afternoon!/ Thursday morning (14 April) latest, to no surprise, still nothing. It is a long weekend, I'm unable to go anywhere to visit family or take my children out (it's been 2 months). Not a courtesy of a response from Brandon, to the email I sent to him or maggy regarding my claim. I have developed so much stress resulting from what was meant to be a quick and seamless exercise.

Outsurance value system so disappointing, I cannot imagine what would happen if we were to try and pursue a claim under our personal liability insurance for our business given the sensitive nature of the business.

I cannot wait for this nightmare to be over.

This is a warning to those hoping to put all your trust and confidence into a supposedly 'well established' entity. You will feel alone, side lined and without help, and for someone who was hoping that having insurance meant I do not have to struggle should I have to be in an accident, the extreme opposite has happened.