Santam - Dissatisfaction!!!

If I could give no stars, that would actually be the correct rating.

I was in an accident on n 1 Sep 2023. I cannot attest for the 3rd party driver since the incident had happened so fast, and it is as if he came out from nowhere. He drove a high speed and swerved out for an oncoming truck that was driving in the oncoming traffic lane on the highway (R59) and when he swerved out, he hit me instead on the front right side of my car, on my cars tire. One moment I was driving peacefully and next thing all I heard, and feel was a very loud crash and me losing control of my steering wheel. I immediately smelled oil (which never happened before) when I stopped and climb out after of the car (I really take great care of my car - service it on due date and have never ben in an accident since Ive bought the car in 2014). I immediately reported the accident to my broker (Jenny Klopper from (GELAWA VERSEKERINGS MAKELAARS) for Santam.

I took the car on 6 Sep 2023 to the Park panel beaters, Vanderbijlpark. As Heinrich (assigned to my car) inspected the vehicle I shared what had happened and that we immediately smelled oil after the accident and that at the home parking me and my partner saw oil leaks that weren’t there before. He looked at the engine and just refused to acknowledge that this accident could cause damage inside and the car would be fine to drive until they are able to fix the outer part of the body. My partner and I again asked him about the oil and again it was just made out as nothing. My partner and I asked Park panel beaters if we can drive the car until they can do the repairs as we were concerned about the oil smell and they said "yes", its fine we can drive with it, they will look at the car further once it comes in for the repair of the bodywork. I contacted Park panel beaters and they were able to only book my car for the repairs on the 16th of Oct 2023. This concerned me greatly and my partner and I were both very worried about me driving the car with this oil smell and leaks. My partner then arranged to have the vehicle inspected by the guy that services all our vehicles and upon inspection he found out that the gearbox had cracked. I immediately reported it to Park panel beaters, and they requested we bring the car back. This happened on the 15th of Sep 2023. Upon Arrival at Park panel beaters, they inspected the car properly as they should have done from day one and Heinrich the guy who inspected the car phoned my partner and apologized for not considering the damage from the start and emailed me apologizing for the mistake that was made on the 5th of Sep 2023.

While my car was supposed to be efficiently assessed by a reputable dealer and a assessor (Asheen Gurdayal), I received a call for the first time from someone from the insurance (I suspect because I could not confirm where the guy is from. He was under the impression that the damage occurred while the car was standing still???? This had me very worried and I corrected him as I realized, he does not have his facts regarding the accident correct.

According to my knowledge and the feedback regarding Gerda’s (broker) email to the assessor is that the vehicle would have been taken on a lowbed to a dealer to assess the damages to the gearbox, however upon receiving feedback from my broker the feedback stated that the inspection was done at Park panel beaters and not at a dealer, they only had the car on a lift while a CRM of Santam and the VW technicians inspected it. I was not happy with the report from the CRM of Santam and the VW Dutton technicians as the inspection was not done at a reputable dealer, the feedback was not explained in detail by VW Dutton and the build-up of oil and dust referred to in the report was due to the fact that I had to drive around with the car from 5 Sep 2023 up until 15 Sep 2023 due to Park panel beaters told me I can drive with the vehicle. I was able to get the car back to Park panel beaters where the damages were at long last acknowledged after I reported it immediately upon the first inspection already. Also, a wheel alignment test was done, but was the mag also inspected where the tire was removed etc.??All of this is just a good excuse to get away with not paying damages that were incurred during my accident.

I then had the car towed in on a low bed on my own cost to get a proper investigation done at a reputable dealer not just on a lift at a panel beater. I also incurred the cost myself for the report as I knew I would be getting a good quality and in-depth report from VW Vereeniging as they pride themselves on giving honest and thorough service to their customers. The report from VW Vereeniging clearly states the damages to my vehicle and the impact on my front right wheel due to taking into consideration the damages on both vehicles. The report from VW Vereeniging is clearly a report done with the factually correct information regarding what happened the night of the accident on 1 Sep 2023.

Upon receiving the report from VW Vereeniging, the broker informed me that a mechanical expert would be looking at the vehicle as there are now two contradicting reports.

On Friday 6 Oct 2023 we received feedback regarding the mechanical expert stating again that his findings state that the gearbox damage is not due to the incident. I however would like to query the mechanical expert’s findings as these findings are not factually correct and do not correspond with that which happened on the night of 1 Sep 2023. I tried phoning the mechanical expert J P Asselbergs on Friday 6 Sep 2023 to discuss his findings, but I was told by the lady which answered the phone that only my insurance can contact him, and I may not speak to him.

Throughout the report it is being clearly seen that this accident is not seen for what it was, a very serious accident that could have claimed the lives of me and my godson. There was no effort made to get to the facts of the accident before the inspection was done. The incident is referred to as a very slight “fender bender”. How does a very slight fender bender cause a car to lose control and how is being partially pushed of the road seen as irrelevant? And how can the vehicle's gearbox been cracked with only a fender bender in an "standing position" as mentioned by the assessor from Santam). Get your statements right: I am disgraced by the disrespect for human life and the ignorance of statements made that haven’t been thoroughly investigated by people that should be experts in their field.

On 5 Sep 2023 I received a email from Santam and in the email it says “By Santam streef ons daarna om die beste te wees in alles wat ons doen.” Unfortunately, I have to say that you are failing your own slogan because this assessment of my vehicle and the accident that took place has been everything BUT the best, it has been the worst experience I have ever had with an insurance company, just trying to fight for what is right as a person that trusted you with my insurance.

At the end Ive had to pay for a 2nd hand gearbox as I could not afford a new one (+-R80 000). I will not recommend Santam insurance to anybody and I distribute this message to everyone I come in contact. I am already searching for a new insurance company and I am sure they will give better customer service and after service.