Poor service from Standard Bank Home Insurance

I am deeply disappointed in the service I have received from Standard Bank Home Insurance.

I am a loyal client who have paid my premiums religiously, and on time for the last 5 years. However, for the third time I have attempted to lodge a claim, and for the third time my claim was rejected.

Last year we lodged a claim for our sky-light that started leaking six months after we moved in. An assessor came out and inspected the roof. We were then informed that the damage was due to poor workmanship and that the claim was rejected. This, after your bank appointed assessor inspected the house when we purchased it and declared it structurally sound.

Last month I lodged a claim for a fridge (white appliance) to be repaired. Again an assessor came out to inspect the fridge. After two weeks I had not heard anything, so I followed up on the claim. I was told that they would phone me back. A week later, I had not received any feedback, so again I phoned for feedback. I was then told that the contractor could not source the parts required, and could therefore not assist me.

A few months ago we noticed minute cracks in the floor tiles and the walls, which have since widened noticeably. In addition, there are hairline cracks on other tiles, and the roof has started leaking in other places. I again lodged a claim and requested an assessor to come and inspect the condition of the floor tiles and the roof. We think it is due to an addition that was made to the front of the house, that has now started to sag, or subside. Again, this addition to the house, as with the sky-light, was done by the previous owners, before we purchased the house. The claim was again rejected due to bad workmanship.

We are not experts in building matters. That is why a bank appointed assessor comes out to check the property. We trusted that the assessor who came out to inspect the integrity of the structure of the house before we purchased it did a proper inspection. Apparently, this was not the case. Now we have to suffer the consequences of his negligent inspection.

It seems that Standard Bank Home Insurance is only interested in collecting premiums from their clients, but when it comes to paying out, they look for excuses not to pay.

I will be reporting my case to the Ombudsman, and I intend on moving my building insurance and my bond to another bank, that does not penalize their clients for something that happened before we purchased the property, and something that their inspectors should have identified before approving the loan and the insurance.