DE*****ING ME FROM A SERVICE AND BULL****TING THE CLIENT

Santam Hereby, I want to lay an official complaint of ***** and unprofessional conduct. It is with great difficulty that I will restrain myself from using any swear words or derogative words towards your personnel. There are no words that can describe how furious I am.

On the 16/05/2019 my wife hit a pothole with her vehicle when driving in town. After that she complains that the vehicle makes sometimes funny noises at the back. Upon further investigation on 20/05/2019 I found that the shock mounting was torn from the body. On the 21/05/2019 I report the damage to Santam. On 31/05/2019 I received a call from Santam informing me that the claim is approved and confirmed that I can take the vehicle to the panelbeaters for repairs. I took the vehicle to the panelbeaters on the 01/06/2019. On the 04/06/2019 via the panelbeaters (Santam remains silent) I was informed that Santam is not willing to pay for all the labour and parts that is needed for the repairs (check your emails between the assessor and the panelbeater).

On 06/06/2019 I had to follow up with Santam (again Santam remains silent) and found out Santam will only pay for one shock on one side and not all the labour and spray painting as the panelbeater quoted (check all your voice conversation between myself, the assessor and the claim manager). After following up with the claim manager on the 07/06/2019 Santam insist to pay only for one shock. Skimming on a R 1000 to save on a shock and mounting. Really, after taking my money like clockwork every month that is more than the R 1 000. Upon informing Santam that you cannot replace one shock only (causing instability when cornering) you will endanger the lives of my wife and children and I won’t accept half repairs or the vehicle in that state. Your job is to put my vehicle in the state it was before or better and not worse. That is why I’m paying insurance and entitled to a fair and safe repair.

The manager then stated that he will arrange for someone to inspect the vehicle. The claim relationship manager then inspected the vehicle on the 07/06/19. Upon his report to the manager Santam send an email to the panelbeaters on the 10/06/2019 in your own words. “As discussed please note that the damages on the client's vehicle are not accident related and we won't authorise repairs. Please do not order any parts.”. Again Santam has conveniently ignore to inform me as the client about the status of my claim, again I had to receive the news via my panelbeater.

On the 11/06/2019 I contact the claim handler (again me following up). She could not supply a reason why the work was cancelled, but she was the one that send the email to the panelbeaters. When requesting the direct number of the CEO she informed me that she doesn’t have the number. Upon requesting her to get me the number she stated that she will get the number and get back to me (guess what, I’m still waiting for the phone number).

Then the manager phoned me and inform me that the manager that inspected the vehicle stated there is metal fatigue on the vehicle. I requested that he explain to me how did they determine metal fatigue. Once I caught him out that they have no proof of metal fatique he stated that there is still an on-going investigation. How can there be an on-going investigation when the panelbeaters are told by Santam they won’t pay out for repair and again me as the client is not informed. When I request a rental vehicle while Santam is trying to sort out my claim, messing me around and inconvenience me, my family and my work trying to sort out their blunders and incompetence, I get the standard reply from Santam” If you pay for the service of a rental vehicle you can get one”. In other words, we don’t care about you as a client while we as Santam *****s up.

Without given me any proof of your statement why Santam won’t authorise repairs the claim manager (knows now that he cannot bull**** me any further) then got to a think quick scheme and stated that they will send someone from BMW to inspect vehicle. In the mean time I discussed the findings of your claim relationship manager wrt to the inspection of the vehicle. He states he never reported metal fatigue. Why does the manager then report to me there is metal fatigue. Who is lying to me here? When I ask him if the damage was metal fatigue or impact damage he states in his own words “I can’t really say’. Proof that he is bull****ting me and de*****ing me of a service. He states in his own words wrt to the inspection “to me it looks like’, “there is a possibility” and “I can assume”. He cannot deliver any physical proof of his inspection findings. He just looked at the vehicle. No tests were performed. Since when does Santam makes a decision based on the above words “I can’t really say” with no hard facts to proof what is been said. Proof that I’m being denied service with false information.

Fact for Santam, “to me it looks like’, “there is a possibility” and “I can assume”, we are bull****ting the client is not a suspicion of bull****ting the client but a fact.

Then BMW, the people that Santam appointed to inspected the vehicle, found no traces of metal fatigue and stated that the damage to the vehicle was impact related. Proof that Santam is now bulling me, **** to me and bull****ting me.

On the 13/06/2019 Santam informed me that the claim is now approved and the panelbeaters will go ahead with the repairs. Now all of a sudden Santam is willing to get me a rental vehicle at Santams expense (remember I don’t have that option available yesterday when requesting and I can get a rental if I pay for it). Why is Santam now willing to help with a rental vehicle after you have been caught out lying to me? You can get some vaseline and polish that rental vehicle and store it in a place where the sun doesn’t shine.

Guess what? The panel beaters informed me today that they won’t go ahead with the repairs as the authorization is for the amended quotation not covering for all spares, spray painting and labour.

I’m done trying to talk to the Indians on the ground, now the chiefs must explain. Anyone want to take a guess when my vehicle will be repaired? All this would have been resolved with honest and competent personnel and I would have got my vehicle from the panelbeater beaters on the 6th.

Santam. I had enough of your gross incompetence. The way you treated me as a customer. The way you want to endanger the lives of my family for wanting to return the vehicle to me in an unsafe condition. The way your people are trying to de***** me of a service I’m paying for. The way you inconvenience me, my family and my work for not having my vehicle fixed by now.

For nearly the past 40 years I’m paying insurance. I’m only asking for the service that I’m entitled to and paying for. Get my vehicle fixed or return my monthly subs (I’m past “die moer in !!!!!”).

Can someone inform me when my vehicle will be fixed!!!!!!!!!!

I’m awaiting your reply.

PS. I just wonder how many other people are being de*****ed from a service on the hands of the above. People that doesn’t know what they are entitled to. If I didn’t know the difference of right and wrong and bull**** I would have ended up paying for all repairs out of my own pocket My advice to insurance clients is to know what is wrong and right. Know what you are entitled to, you pay for the service. Ask for advice. When it sound like bull****, know for sure you are being bull****ted. People are being de*****ed from a service by being bul**** to, compromised reports and *********** personal.