Why do you sign a contract with specified debit order dates if this is not adhered to?

I have been a customer of Standard Bank Insurance for many years, but their service seems to be getting worse by the day.

In December they activate the debit order to go off as soon as your salary is paid - which can be as early as 2 weeks prior to the normal date. The reason being 'due to the holidays...for your convenience...' I wonder why other businesses' debit orders go off as per usual without any problems or inconvenience? Or who collects interest on this money that's in their account for 2 weeks? I have never defaulted on a payment - so I do not fall into the category of non-payers in December.

Now for the best part - on the 18th of Jan they deducted my payment for Jan - a whole week early! Seeing that it is Jan and being a 'long' month I budgeted to be able to provide and pay everything I needed to. Low and behold - my budget went phoof. When I phoned them and asked what the problem was - 'O sorry, there was a mistake with the debit orders. We can refund you on Monday'. Who is going to pay for the second debit order (which will surely be deducted) and I needed my money on the 19th - that's what a budget means after all? If I didn't budget and didn't have any money in my account - I would still get billed for defaulting.

Who is going to refund me the extra expenses (in excess of 200km in petrol and maintenance on my car as well as a day's leave from work) that I would have done for free on the 19th? If I am late with a payment, 'sorry' doesn't cut it with a bank. Why should you/Standard Bank Insurance be any different? To send a sms after the fact on the 22nd is a nice thought but doesn't solve the problem. I do hope that there is someone at the Ombudsman that keeps an eye on things and that you get a considerable fine - just like we, the customers, would have to pay all kinds of fees/penalties.