My Traumatic Experience with Discovery Insurance, Renew It, and NetAssess

Warning: Be very careful with Discovery Insurance, Renew It, and NetAssess! My recent car accident claim was a nightmare, with my vehicle mishandled, moved to a salvage yard without notification or consent, fuel st, and further damage incurred. Their lack of empathy and fraudulent practices were appalling. I took my car to Renew It Rivonia on Monday for an assessment. Adrian asked me to leave it for further evaluation. On Tuesday, I received a quotation for damages amounting to R84,000 and was told the car must be written off. I replied  that I did not agree with this write-off and would collect my car to have my panel shop inspect it and handle the repairs. I know this option is available to clients where they receive a payout and handle the repairs themselves. I then drove to Renew It to collect my car on Wednesday at approximately 11 am, only to find that my car was not there. The receptionist told me it had been towed away to a salvage yard but refused to divulge the company’s details or share contact numbers. After making several calls to my broker and sending emails, I was informed that my car was at Auction Nation Salvage Yard. I drove with my daughter to various Auction Nation branches searching for the car, eventually finding it at the R21 branch, an hour away from Rivonia and my home. The fuel was stolen from the car—three-quarters of the tank emptied—and new scratches were present. I called Discovery to release my car and was told by Ntombi from Discovery and Lindsay from NetAssess that if they released the car, the claim would be withdrawn. I was forced, under duress, to shout at them on the phone and say stiff the claim just so that I could get my car back. After three hours and crying, i finally got the release letter and I had to arrange my own towing to bring the car back to my home, an hour away. Today, I received a letter stating that I had canceled the claim. As a mother, my daughter and I endured an emotional and traumatizing experience. It’s her first car, and she is deeply affected. Has anyone had better experiences with other car insurance companies than Discovery Insurance?

Update as at September 2024: I repaired my car at about hald the cost and I have suffered emotional and stress as well as losses from repairs which I had to pay for.