Stay away from Standard Bank Insurance

I am outright disappointed with how Standard Bank Insurance managed our claim. Our house flooded due to a burst pipe on December 23, 2023. I submitted a claim through the app, and it was chaotic from the start. They didn’t send an assessor to evaluate the damage initially, and after several phone calls, service providers arrived only after New Year’s Day. After sending seven follow-up emails—copying four people from Standard Bank—I finally received a reply stating that an assessor was sent (though no one came to our house). I was instructed to sign the three AOLs they sent and was told the claim was finalized on their end. I expressed my concerns about damages that hadn’t been addressed, and after my ninth email, I was told they would follow up with the builder regarding his damage report. This all unfolded over 38 days since we submitted the claim! After being ignored for 45 days by Standard Bank, who failed to answer any of my questions, I registered a case with the Ombudsman (what a waste of time!). The Ombudsman instructed us not to contact Standard Bank unless they reached out to us and advised that we keep receipts and take photos of any repairs made during this time. We brought in builders to provide quotes since our daughter’s bedroom ceiling collapsed, and she hasn’t been able to use her room since the 23rd of December. By the 5th of February, one of the builders reviewed photos of the water damage and the burst pipe repair. He noticed a poly cop plastic pipe on the hot water connection of the geyser, stating it wasn’t installed according to SANS regulations. We then hired a qualified plumber who confirmed this and replaced it with a copper pipe. Here’s where it gets interesting: Standard Bank installed the geyser in 2022 after a geyser burst. We specifically asked their plumber to position it outside to prevent flooding in the future. Their plumber had to move the geyser seven meters from its original location due to windows along the outside wall. We sent photos and a report from the qualified plumber to the Ombudsman, only for Standard Bank to unashamedly deny responsibility for the installation. They claimed the installation photos showed copper pipes leading into the house and that we had no proof of poor workmanship or that any work had been done in the roof. This disregarded the fact that removing the old geyser required their plumber to open the roof. They then needed to restore hot water to the original geyser location for the en-suite bathroom on that side of the house. Standard Bank then alleged that the plumber we used replaced the poly cop pipe, despite us clearly stating that we had a handyman fix the burst pipe. We have photos showing that the handyman merely reconnected the existing poly cop pipe in the roof to restore our water supply. They continue to claim that we are being untruthful! This includes their claims about the geyser installation and our use of our own plumber (handyman) which our policy allows, but they refuse to acknowledge. They also say the damp issues were pre-existing, despite my repeated requests for a damp specialist to assess the situation, which Standard Bank conveniently ignored. Regarding the painting questions I raised, their builder refused to inspect our scullery because of the wooden shelves, claiming it was a carpenter's job, and he overlooked the water damage on the scullery walls (which I have photos of). As for the tiles, he insisted they weren't loose after only tapping on two, but upon closer inspection, I found several that were indeed loose. I only inspected half of the bathrooms and deemed that sufficient proof for replacement, yet Standard Bank still claims it's not enough evidence and insists it has nothing to do with the water that ran down the walls in these bathrooms (again, I have photos to support this).

I find it truly frustrating how Standard Bank consistently refuses to take responsibility for any of the issues we've raised. They initially ignored our concerns and then outright denied responsibility, not only for the mishandling of our claim but also for the flooding of our home due to their service provider's failure to install the geyser according to SANS regulations! This is despite us providing ample evidence to support our case! After going through this entire ordeal, I’ve heard how many people struggle with banks over building insurance, and after going through this entire ordeal, I can confidently say that Standard Bank is by far the worst! Avoid them at all costs! We have been loyal customers of Standard Bank for the past 20 years! However, it's safe to say that we will be transferring all our business to another bank.