Delays in approving claim

This is my first claim submitted with Zest. At the time of taking out the policy, I was advised that Zest is among the best providers; however, my claim payout has now been delayed for approximately two and a half weeks. The medical aid portion of the claim was settled some time ago, yet my claim has since been outsourced to Medclaim Assist, with no resolution to date. As a result of this delay, I am facing the possibility of having to settle the outstanding amount myself to avoid the account being handed over to attorneys for collection. This is not a significant claim amount, which makes the prolonged delay even more concerning. Should this matter not be resolved urgently, I will have no alternative but to escalate the issue to the NFO.