Mounting Complaints Against SA Underwriting

July 17 - Being involved in a car accident is stressful enough but at least many of us are comforted with the fact that those steep monthly car insurance premiums will bear fruit with a payout by the company.

However, for many insured with SA Underwriting, the stress only becomes greater. There has been a growing number of policyholders with this insurance company who complain that they have not received payouts following an accident, despite the fact that they have religiously paid their premiums and complied with all the conditions set out by SA Underwriting.

At times, the settlement offered by the insurance company is not enough to repair the damage to the car, leaving many consumers disgruntled and frustrated.

One example is Betty Peter of the Free State who was involved in an accident last year. Peter's Opel was towed to an undisclosed venue and after she called the SA Underwriting call center, she was told that her vehicle was a write-off and a settlement would be made directly with her bank.

A frustrated Peter said: "But according to my financier, no settlement was made. I am still paying an installment of R1893 and the insurer can't provide me with proof of the settlement."

When approached regarding the wave of complaints against them by unsatisfied consumers, SA Underwriting was anything but helpful. The company refused point blank to investigate any of the many claims brought to its attention and even added that its failure to investigate should not be seen as an 'admissions of guilt'.

Ryno Arangies, the director of SA Underwriting, turned the tables on the consumer instead and said that it was well known that the average South African policyholder was poorly educated about insurance matters. "Publishing claims about an apparent shoddy service offered by SA Underwriting cannot be deemed constructive," he told the investigating publication. "Rather publish an educational article that would serve a valuable purpose to the broader public and specifically your readers."