Santam Insurance – Rejection of Refrigerator Claim

I have been a loyal Santam client for many years and, during this time, I have hardly ever submitted a claim. I have always maintained my insurance cover in good faith and have expected Santam to provide assistance when I experience an insured loss. On 30 June 2026, I registered a claim for my Hisense double-door refrigerator, which had stopped cooling. A Santam-appointed consultant subsequently attended my property to inspect the refrigerator. Despite numerous attempts to follow up on the progress of my claim, I only received feedback on 17 August 2026, advising me that the claim had been rejected. According to the service provider's findings, the following was noted: • The unit has an internal leak. • The compressor has been running without gas due to usage. • The damage is attributed to normal wear and tear. • There were no signs of surge damage to the refrigerator. I am extremely disappointed with this outcome. My understanding is that this particular refrigerator is a sealed unit, as is the case with many modern refrigerators, and that an internal gas leak cannot simply be repaired. I therefore question whether this should automatically be regarded as normal wear and tear and excluded from cover.