Terrible service dealing with a pensioner and a disabled person

My name is Andre Klassen, a senior citizen who has a longstanding account with Standard Bank. I am bringing these unfortunate incidents to your attention. Using existing procedures have proved fruitless. Your approach in dealing with these matters does give perspective of how you view, handle, and mislead a

a) senior citizen customer (myself)

b) disabled customer (Leon)

c) deal with a death claim (Leon)

My brother Leon Klassen had down syndrome, suffered from epilepsy and was staying with me (guardian) in Jansenville. Leon Klassen had two death policies, one with a) legacy lifebrokers and b) with klein karoo funeral service. I then approached standard bank and opened a bank account for Leon Klassen. Thereafter I had discussions with a representative of standard bank by the name of Portia. I then asked her what the implications were if I took out a death policy for Leon Klassen with Standard Bank and then cancelled the policies with legacy life and klein karoo. The reasoning was to have one funeral policy for Leon Klassen.

Per my discussion with Portia, I was given a clear undertaking of what I needed to do to make sure Leon Klassen was covered even if the policy did not mature with Standard Bank. Please refer to voicemail from Portia. (Standard bank representative-you can contact me for voice message)

As per Portia’s instruction I was told that once the debit order had gone off the Standard bank account, I had to then notify my existing(previous) policy holders being Legacy life brokers and Klein Karoo that I would be making one policy that would be with Standard bank instead of having 3 policies to ensure that the benefits with Standard bank do not cease should Leon Klassen pass away within 6 months of the new policy that had been taken out with Standard bank.

Leon Klassen then passed on 11 October 2021, which was within the 6months maturity period. I was comforted knowing that my brother would be covered. Little did I know that I would have to not only go through a traumatic loss of my brother but to deal with the pain and suffering of trying to lodge a claim only to be told that the policy did not mature.

Had I been told this before I would not have cancelled the previous policies with Legacy Life and Klein Karoo, but being that Standard bank is a trusted bank in the financial services industry it was very disappointing to find out that they had ill-advised me and I had to pay the death costs out of my own pocket. I am pensioner looking after my disabled brother and have gone through every avenue to state my case.

I underwent the following processes which has proven fruitless. The following happened

1. The beneficiary of the policy holder (Griselda Jacobs- sister to Leon Klassen) was treated poorly when lodging the claim at the branch in Cape Town to deal with the funeral expenses. There was no feedback whether the claim was successful or not as the service was disappointing. 2. I ( Andre Klassen- brother to Leon Klassen) approached Standard bank only to be put on hold by a voice machine at a Standard bank branch in Cleary Park – Port Elizabeth. I waited on the phone -+ 2 hours to no assistance. 3.Then I went to the Standard bank branch in Jansenville, whereby a teller referred me to write my complaint in a comments book. I then requested to speak to the manager to explain the facts of the claim and to ask for an email address where I can lodge a detailed explanation of the claim. Sadly the manager treated me with the most disappointing service and was left to find another solution to highlight my grievance. I then went online to the Standard bank complaints section and then was referred to the following email address : *** of which they told me that they would pay me back my premiums since the policy did not mature amounting to R437 .96.

As you would know funeral expenses do not amount to R437.96 and these costs were taken out of the family member pockets where most of them were pensioners and unemployed.

The policy was taken out to firstly avoid paying 3 policy holders for one person and to alleviate burden that would put pressure financially on the family as we trusted that Standard bank would cover my brother in the event of death. It does not even make sense that we would cancel a policy with Legacy we had for 4 years if we knew that Standard bank would not honour their commitment. We stressed the point with the agent to assure that if my brother passed away within 6 months he would be covered, and the agent guaranteed us in her voice message that once the debit order went off we would be covered and we would not lose the existing policy benefits even if the policy with Standard bank did not mature.

By Standard bank not listening to me in the various avenues it appears that their main goal was to make a sale and take advantage of the elderly and disabled. My next step is to take the matter to the Banking ombudsman should I not hear any feedback from Standard bank within the week.