Absolute worst insurer - stay away!

Never have I ever felt more cheated, manipulated and humiliated by an insurer. I've been a Standard Bank Insurance client for about 3 years and logged my first and only claim in June 2018. At the time, when I switched on my gas hob (a permanent fixture in my kitchen), it sent an electric shock. After many frustrating calls with Standard Bank Insurance, I was advised by a manager (Alpheos) that, in short, I needed to source a gas specialist, obtain a status report from the specialist and that I will be reimbursed for the call-out fee. I was also informed that if the gas specialist report indicated that the hob needs to be repaired or replaced, it will be covered under building insurance. He mentioned that as soon as I obtain the report, I will be reimbursed for the call-out fee and the claim will be handled by the Claims department. Fast-track a number of months, many follow-up calls and a complaint logged with the Ombudsman, I am now informed by the Head of Complaints (Louis Muzangwa) that the claim was previously rejected on the same day I initially logged the complaint i.e. 7 June 2018. Louis claims (in February 2019) that there had to be an incidence of storm, fire or lightning for me to have logged a claim in the first place. No-one told me this before.

I was only made aware of this purported rejection letter on 22 January 2019 by Standard Bank's Ombudsman Consultant (Patricia Huma). She presented a rejection letter which was never sent to me. This was not 'communicated' to me prior as they claim. They claim that I knew about this rejection upfront and continued to pursue a gas specialist!!! It's humiliating that I am asked this and expected to respond to this fallacy, and the fact that they would even question my integrity is ludicrous. Is this the norm, I must ask? Is this how Standard Bank Insurance treats its customers?? For my own sanity, I have a recording of the conversation with Alpheos, where I specifically enquired of the process to follow and the purpose for the gas specialist report, to which he responded: "If the report shows that the stove needs to be replaced, it will be replaced"

They also claim that because I did not directly submit the claim to their claims department for the building insurance, the advice given by Alpheos does not stand. To date, I have not even been reimbursed for the call-out fee! Standard Bank Insurance is being led by *********** staff parading as "Heads" of departments, completely incapable of conceptualising TCF, there is absolutely no regard for the customer, they are on a drive to prove you wrong and question your integrity. They admit to the poor service delivery, but that's about it. It's like, we are sorry but sorry for you, we will proceed to close this complaint. Go to the Ombudsman or pursue litigation they say, no care at all. I am a Private Signature account holder and I am concerned!! I wish I was never a client!