5-Year Loyal Client – Prime South Africa Now Looking for Reasons Not to Honor a Clear Accident Claim

I have been a loyal client of **Prime Meridian Direct**, now operating as **Prime South Africa**, for approximately **five years**. I insure **two vehicles** with this insurer and have **never missed a single payment**. In that entire time, I have only ever submitted **one claim**.

Unfortunately, the way this claim is currently being handled is **completely unacceptable and deeply concerning**.

On **3 March 2026**, a **jack fell off a Fine Metals truck** and struck my vehicle, causing damage. This incident was **clearly accidental and completely beyond my control**. I reported the matter to Prime South Africa on **4 March 2026** and a claim was logged.

What has followed since then has been a **shocking display of incompetence, contradictory communication, and a clear lack of understanding of the facts surrounding this claim.**

**Firstly**, Prime South Africa appears unable to distinguish between a **Volkswagen Maintenance Plan and a Warranty**. I have had to repeatedly explain this basic concept to an insurer that deals with motor vehicles daily. It is extremely concerning that such fundamental knowledge appears to be lacking when handling vehicle claims.

**Secondly**, Prime South Africa has insisted on sending my vehicle to a **non-Volkswagen approved panel beating repair centre** despite the damage involving **mechanical components caused by the accident**.

**Thirdly**, it has been explained multiple times that repairing my vehicle at a **non-VW approved repair centre or using non-OEM parts will void my genuine Volkswagen Maintenance Plan**, which will cause me a **direct financial loss of approximately R37,000**. In addition, it compromises the **safety, reliability, and resale value** of my vehicle. Despite this being clearly explained, Prime South Africa continues to ignore this fact entirely.

**Fourthly**, I received an **SMS and email boldly stating: “Congratulations Mr Kistan, your claim has been approved, please proceed with repairs.”** However, when I contacted Prime South Africa to proceed, I was informed that **my claim had not actually been approved**. This raises serious concerns about the **accuracy and integrity of the communication being sent to customers**. Is this how Prime South Africa conducts business?

Every time I contact Prime South Africa, I receive **different information depending on who answers the phone**. On one day alone I called four times and received **four completely different explanations** regarding the status of my claim.

To make matters worse, the so-called legal or complaints department provided the completely irrelevant response that **“your policy does not cover mechanical failure arising from lack of maintenance or wear and tear.”**

This response is **absurd and completely unrelated to the facts of this claim.**

The damage occurred because **a jack fell from a truck and struck my vehicle**. The impact **damaged the oil sump**, which resulted in oil gradually leaking from the engine. The vehicle was then **towed to Hoopers Volkswagen Durban** because the sump had been damaged and the oil had drained out.

I was then asked questions such as **when and why the oil light appeared on the dashboard**. This question alone demonstrates a complete failure to understand the situation. The oil light came on **because the sump was damaged and the oil drained from the engine** — something that should be obvious to anyone assessing accident-related mechanical damage.

After **five years of being a loyal paying client**, it now appears that Prime South Africa is **actively searching for reasons not to honour a legitimate claim**, rather than dealing with the matter fairly and professionally.

I have even provided **an audio recording where the truck driver clearly admits responsibility for the incident**, yet Prime South Africa still appears unable to acknowledge that this is **straightforward accidental damage caused by a third party**.

My vehicle is still under a **genuine Volkswagen Maintenance Plan**, which means repairs **must be carried out using approved procedures and genuine OEM parts**. Any attempt to repair the vehicle outside of an approved network will **invalidate my maintenance plan and cause significant financial prejudice to me as the policyholder**.

I have requested a **complaints manager to contact me**, and no call was received. I have also requested **specific call recordings**, which have not been provided. The lack of response and accountability is extremely concerning.

If this matter is not addressed urgently and professionally, I will have no hesitation in escalating this matter further to the **Financial Sector Conduct Authority** as well as the **Ombudsman for Short-Term Insurance**, as the handling of this claim raises serious concerns regarding **fair claims practices and regulatory compliance**.

After five years of loyalty and consistent premium payments, this experience has been **extremely disappointing and unacceptable**.

Prime South Africa needs to decide whether it intends to **honour legitimate claims or continue subjecting clients to unnecessary delays, contradictions, and misinformation.

If Prime South Africa intends to decline or delay this claim despite the clear third-party cause of damage, supporting evidence, and admission of responsibility, I request that the insurer provide a written and policy-based explanation for such a decision, as this will be required for formal regulatory review and further legal action if necessary.