Claim unfairly denied

I had an vehicle insurance policy with Prime Meridian Direct (PMD). This was later cancelled due to my claim unfairly not been approved. On the 27 March 2025, I was involved in a car accident in Turffontein, Johannesburg. The following day on the 28 March 2025, I submitted a claim. There was continuous communication and correspondence between the insurer and I. Within their turn around time of between 10 to 14 business days I received the outcome of my claim.

Initially, I was advised by PMD’s customer service consultant that my claim has not been approved because the vehicle has been deem a write off. The reason issued was that it was uneconomically viable to repair the vehicle. I challenged this outcome as my vehicle was not severly damaged and is perfectly driveable. I couple of days down the line, I received another call; advising me that PMD is yet to reach a final decision on the matter. I was utterly shocked by this call (as I had be informed of the supposed claim outcome). A consultant from PMD’s claims department asked for my permission to be issued with the trip report from my tracking device company and this was with a Netstar Nano consultant on the line; in a three way call. I then agreed that she be given the trip report.

In the weeks that followed, I was then given another final outcome of my claim. My claim was not approved once again. The reason issued was that I did not stop at the stop sign on the day of the accident. Immediately after being informed of the disappointing outcome, I called Netstar Nano to ascertain whether their system is able to detect whether a motorist stopped at the stop sign or at the traffic light or not. I was advised that Netstar Nano’s tracking device system does not have such function in it. I then asked for something in writing from Netstar Nano explaining that their system does not have any function that illustrates that a motorist did not stop at the stop sign. They duly provided forwarded me with something in writing highlighting the inaccuracy of the reason issued to me by PMD that resulted in my claim not being approved.

I then did my own quotations with two seperate registered panel beating workshops to compare the amount that PMD came up with, and the two different quotatons from these other workshops. The two amounts were not even a quarter of the amount that PMD came up with. On the 12th May 2025, I then contacted PMD’s claims department to spoke to the individual that handled my claim. I asked her what evidence she used to reach the conclusion that I did not stop at the stop sign; because she definitely did not get this information from PMD’s trip report and this is according to what I was told of at Netstar Nano. She then told me that she used some Google App to determine that I did not stop at the stop sign on the day of the accident. And this completely contradicts what I was told of and what is in the email that was forwarded to me with the final decision.

It is so unfortunate to encounter such unfair and unwarranted gross violation of my rights as a loyal premium paying client of PMD. I have been nothing but loyal to PMD for all the years I have been with them and it so disappointed to treated in this manner.

Silolo Lungisani