When you really need them, they'll let you down badly

Terrible customer service experience We moved into a 18 year old double storey house, which has a cement ceiling. The ceiling collapsed and we were very fortunate not to have any injuries or deaths as we escaped it by a second or two. The ceiling collapsed because of an earthquake tremor in Boksburg a few weeks ago, we could feel the house shaking that morning as it woke us up. Our 2 year old baby was traumatised by this and we decided to send her to Durban while the remainining section of cement ceiling is removed as we didn't want her to see it again. A week later Outsurance's service provider was about to commence work but said they won't be able to guarantee a cement ceiling as it might fall down within a year. Outsurance then wanted to do a cash settlement with me, so I could get someone to install a new cement ceiling. I questioned why they want me to get someone to install instead of doing it themselves, they obviously want to have someone else to have the blame of poor workmanship. I refused the cash settlement as it is a 3rd of what it would cost me to put a ceiling, which would be a rhinoboard ceiling, since a cement ceiling might come down again if we have another tremor.

Outsurance told me that my concrete slab collapsed due to poor workmanship, I requested that they prove to me by showing me the building regulations that was in place 18 years ago.

The service provider came through today to remove the cement plaster that was left but only removed half of it there's still about 4 square meters left which could fall onto someone's head. I don't know when the rest will be removed and I don't know when I'll get a new ceiling. Outsurance offered me this insurance without sending someone out to assess the house before signing me up. I made my first insurance payment about 2 weeks before I even moved into this house. Now that the ceiling collapsed, it's my problem. They are just a money making scheme, really bad to treat their clients like this when the clients are absolutely desperate. In my case, they begged me to come to them, saying they want to build a relationship with me.

My family and baby is still not home because I cannot tell them when the ceiling will be fixed.