Absolutely appalling claims experience

Prime SA Insurance will call you a million times when they want you to sign up and take your money. The moment you actually need them, however, the experience is completely different. Be prepared to spend weeks chasing them, repeating yourself and feeling like you’re being treated as though you’ve committed a crime.

I was involved in a serious accident on 15 August after being hit by a speeding driver who allegedly ran a red robot and may have been under the influence. My vehicle was subsequently deemed a write-off, and Prime has since cancelled my policy.

The claims process has been an absolute nightmare from the beginning. I was told to submit my claim through the app, which is already unnecessarily difficult to navigate. I then followed up myself to make sure my claim had actually been received, only to discover that I apparently also needed to complete a separate claim form. Nobody had told me about this form.

So I was left chasing them for answers, only to then be told that they had not received my claim and that I needed to complete a form I wouldn’t even have known existed if I hadn’t followed up myself.

The following two weeks were filled with frustration, delays and what felt like constant suspicion. I understand that insurance companies need to investigate claims, but there is a massive difference between conducting an investigation and making an injured customer feel as though they are being treated like a potential *****ster.

And all of this was happening while I was still recovering from injuries sustained in the accident.

I then needed written confirmation that my vehicle had been written off so that I could provide it to Standard Bank. Getting this simple confirmation from Prime became another battle. I was made to feel as though I was asking for something completely unreasonable.

Eventually, Mamo from the legal department contacted me and told me she thought I was trying to dispute the write-off.

Why on earth would I be disputing the write-off when I am the one asking for written confirmation that you have written my car off?

The manager, Millicent, has unfortunately been no better. Every interaction seems to result in another excuse: they are waiting for this, waiting for that, waiting for something from external investigators, etc.

What makes it even more unacceptable is that I was only informed two weeks after the accident that they intended to inspect the accident scene. Two weeks. After an accident scene has obviously changed significantly.

I am now three weeks without a vehicle, dealing with the aftermath of an accident and still having to fight with my insurer just to get basic communication and clarity about my claim.

The entire experience has been exhausting, frustrating and incredibly disappointing.

Prime SA Insurance was very eager to get my business when I was signing up. Unfortunately, that level of enthusiasm disappeared the moment I actually needed them.

Please think very carefully before taking out a policy with Prime SA Insurance. Based on my experience, getting insured is the easy part. Getting help when something actually goes wrong is an entirely different story.