Santam, you failed our family!

@Santam,

I don’t even know where to start. You have truly let us down in so many ways, and today, I am heartbroken. It is with such sadness that I write this because, for the first time in 21 years, we cannot set up our Christmas tree or decorate our home to kick off the season. This is something our son has always looked forward to—getting his letter to Santa ready and feeling the magic of the season. But today, I’m forced to explain to him why this year is different. The disappointment in his eyes is unbearable.

Our home flooded on July 10th. Five months later, we’re still living in what feels like a construction site, surrounded by FOUR industrial dehumidifiers and THREE industrial blowers that have been running non-stop for nearly THREE weeks. These machines are taking a toll on us—constantly running, causing headaches, sore throats, nosebleeds, and allergies. Our home is filled with the overwhelming noise, and we can’t escape the dust and debris that are being blown through every room. How do you think we feel living like this?

We’ve been more than patient, more than understanding. But your lack of response, your complete disregard for our well-being, and your inability to process our claim in a timely manner has made everything worse. Because of your delays, we’ve faced issue after issue—being moved three times in three weeks in July because you failed to arrange emergency accommodations on time, leaving us without a place to stay and scrambling. Do you have any idea what it’s like to lose almost everything and then be forced to uproot your family, especially with an 8-year-old child in tow? The constant moving, the uncer*****y, the emotional toll—was unbearable.

And yet, today, the thing that has broken me is not being able to kick off the festive season with my family as we’ve always done. My son deserves more than this. He deserves to experience the joy of the season, but instead, I’m left to explain why we cannot set up the Christmas tree and decorate for Santa. It’s breaking my heart.

On top of everything, we’re living in a house with giant holes in the floors, our bedrooms, hallway and lounge, missing tiles for weeks while repairs drag on and no one seems to really care. My child, hurt yet again by tripping over the uneven floors, or twisting his ankle because he forgot about one of the gaps in his bedroom, hallway or lounge—these are not the memories I wanted him to have.

This is not what we expected from Santam. We trusted you, and you’ve left us to suffer through this nightmare.

Is this what insurance is supposed to be, Good and Proper?

Please, we need you to show us the compassion, kindness, and humanity that we’ve been desperately waiting for. Our family has suffered enough.

Sincerely, A heartbroken mother