Formal Complaint Regarding Poor Service and Refund Dispute

Dear Santam Customer Service,

I am writing to formally express my deep disappointment and dissatisfaction with the way my matter has been handled by Santam representatives regarding the refund for double insurance coverage.

I have been a loyal client of Santam since 2012, when I took out a car insurance policy with you. However, due to a lack of clarity and transparency on your part, particularly from your consultant Mr. Neo, I was not informed that my policy included household contents cover. As a result, I took out a separate household contents policy with Momentum in 2016, leading to duplicate cover for the same risk.

Upon discovering this overlap, I approached the Santam office on 3 June 2025 to request a termination and refund for the duplicate household cover. I submitted all the requested documents, including my Momentum policy schedule and claims report, and received confirmation from consultants Zuzeka, Boitumelo, Xobisa, Nokuthula, and others that these documents were received and processed.

I was assured that the refund would be paid within 10 working days. However, after multiple follow-up calls — all initiated by me, as I never received proactive feedback — I was informed by Mr. Lyle on 20 June that the process was delayed due to a missing cancellation letter. I promptly followed up again on 25 June, only to be told the following shocking and unacceptable points:

I would only be refunded from 2016, even though I was sold the policy without proper explanation in 2012.

I would only receive half the amount due to me.

My premiums from before 2020 were archived and unavailable, so the refund would be calculated manually, further delaying the process.

No clear timeline or date could be provided for my refund.

This level of service is unprofessional, disrespectful, and completely unacceptable. I trusted Santam as a reputable insurance provider, but this experience has severely damaged my confidence in your customer service and ethical standards.

I am formally requesting:

A full and transparent breakdown of how my refund is being calculated.

A reassessment of the refund period, including the full duration from 2012 if household contents were included without my informed consent.

A timeline for when the refund will be finalized and paid.

A formal apology for the lack of communication, mismanagement and the way I was spoken to by your staff.

If I do not receive a satisfactory response within 7 working days, I will escalate this matter to the Ombudsman for Short-Term Insurance (OSTI) and consider sharing my experience on public platforms to warn other potential customers.

I trust that Santam will treat this matter with the urgency, fairness, and respect it deserves.

Sincerely, Irene Ledwaba *** ***