Insurance ***** investigation underway

We agreed with South African Relocations to handle the shipment of our goods from SA to the UK. On the quote acceptance form we had to tick the box if we wanted to insure our goods in transit. We had to state the value we wanted insurance for (at full replacement value of everything n the UK), and calculate 3.5% of that as insurance fee - it came to R23 625. We paid the total of shipping costs plus insurance over to SA Relocations as per request.

We were assured everything was fine, our goods were packed up, collected and shipped. We were concerned because we saw the way our goods were handled and had to ask the team to repack at least 1 box of valuable records which were thrown into a big box.

During shipment, on 12 August 2019, SA Relocations informed us that the rand/dollar value had dropped and we needed to pay in an additional R5422,25. When we said we couldn't afford that, they offered to lower our insurance from Comprehensive (which they said we had at 3.5% and covered against loss and damage), to Total Cover at 2%, which would cover us only for loss at sea. They could then use the difference in payment to cover the rand value loss and pay out the rest to us. This was a clear admission on their part that we had insurance in place.

As we knew by that stage that the ship had safely docked in London, we questioned the legality (and point) of changing the insurance to cover only for loss at sea. They assured us it would be fine to change policy up and until delivery day. We decided to stick with Comprehensive Insurance to cover us against possible damages, especially since we saw the packers’ carelessness (we notified SA Relocations of it at the time) and weren’t sure in what state we’d receive our goods. So we paid the R5422.25 over to them separately and informed them we wanted to keep the Comprehensive policy. We never dealt with the insurance company nor got a policy number.

Upon delivery on Thursday 12 September 2019, we realised that quite a few items had been damaged, including our piano, both on the outside, some keys are jammed and the case is cracked on the inside. I took photos and emailed SA Relocations as soon as we’d unpacked everything on Tuesday 17 September. I didn't hear back for a day, I was referred to “claims”, and ader following up, finally Monique (surname? no signature or phone number, the email from accounts@sarelocatons) then sent me a form to complete and informed me that I had to send them a list of breakages plus repairing quotes within 7 days of delivery, which was the following day. Monique also informed me that the insurers won’t pay out for a mechanical defect to the piano.

Afer having sent the damages form, list and photos, Monique responded on 25 September, saying: “Yes please rest assured all is in order. I have all the pictures as well as your claims form. It has been submitted to the insurance company, if they require anything for the claim I will get back to you and stay in contact with you.”

After repeatedly asking for a claims number and progress update, Kyle Tiltman finally got back on 14 October and asked where the insurance value form was we were supposed to have sent them upon packing. I sent it to Kyle in its original form, but he simply rep**** that they don't have a record of us sending it originally and they now refuse to proceed with the claim unless we can show proof that we’d sent it upon packing.

My question is: They were happy to take our R23k of insurance money without apparently having record of our inventory form, but now refuse to progress with the claim. They did repeatedly assure us everything was in order - especially since they took our payment for insurance.

We are currently in the process seeking legal advice and have made complaints about them to various consumer ombudsman including FAIS and OSTI (Insurance).