Upgrading Contract Earlier Renders Previous Insurrance on ****** Phone Invalid?

Having taken out a contract on an iPhone 8 two years ago, and it costing R15 000 to replace should anything happen to it, I decided to include insurance cover on it.

As it turned out, my phone was ****** on the 02 June, 2019. All the correct procedures were followed in handing in a claim, on the 8th June.

However, I had received notification re being able to upgrade. The dilemma was: do I wait 5-10 days for the claim to be sorted, or do I take the upgrade, and be issued with a new phone, immediately. Because it was the Comrades marathon the following day, which my husband was running, we decided on the latter option as I would then have a phone to use, on the road.

This upgrade was also 3 months early, which means that I am effectively, for the next 3 months having to pay for TWO contracts, and in effect, STILL paying for insurance on the ****** phone.

As it has happened, my new phone (iPhone 6) has been damaged and no longer functioning. In returning to Vodacom, to 1) request repair on new phone, and 2) follow up on what was happening with my previous claim as this is now 3 weeks later, and I had heard nothing.

Firstly, NO claim was EVER received by Vodacom’s Insurance division. Upon querying this, I have been told numerous times that because I upgraded, the insurance only covers the now new phone, and not the ****** one.

I cannot wrap my head around the logical reasoning that I AM STILL PAYING off that contract, which includes the insurance. According to the Vodacom Insurance division, that contract is still valid and that ****** phone is still insured, but am not receiving ANY positive action from the Vodacom shop, themselves. I am thoroughly disheartened and disappointed.