Dealing with Santam has been more painful than the actual car accident.

It has been been 49 days (and counting) and my car remains at the panel beater. In the course of these 49 days, Santam has: - Allocated my car accident claim to the trucks department (3 days delay) - Phoned me thinking I was the 3rd party because "someone probably took the details down incorrectly" - Taken 12 days to approve a quote from the panel beater -Sent the incorrect VIN number to the panel beater causing unfit parts to be ordered, further delaying repairs.

In all of this, I asked them to extend my car hire due to the slow and flawed service. They extended it for 2 days. Every call, always answered by someone who can't actually help but will get a manager to call me, has remained fruitless. After 5 attempts, and escalated frustration, I am yet to receive a call from a "manager", every day adding to the thousands of Rands already spent.

For a company who deals with clients who most likely have just undergone a trauma or loss, the company seems unsympathetic, unhelpful, and their lack of communication is appalling.