MY
Mark Yorke-Mitchell
Active since May 2018
4
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4 reviews78 months ago
ZSS Security presence is appreciated!
Despite having had to cancel my security contract after years of good service after a 1:100 year storm event on 7/11/2016 when our insurance policy for storm damage to my buildings wasn't honoured by CIA Insurance Pty (LTD), (run by Douglas Haig, peddling policies for Compass Insurance, both wholly owned subsidiaries of insurance giant HannoverRe); we have continued to enjoy the presence of ZSS Security here in Linbro Park as well as the surrounding areas in Modderfontein, Edenvale, Meadowdale and also the Marlboro Drive suburbs on the way to Sandton CBD. South Africa is a great place to live, but to save you from financial ruin, or worse, when disaster strikes, just as you need to have used a reputable insurance company with a strong foundation of strong corporate ethics and sound values to be there for you after a storm, so too should you have used a great security company when the time comes that you require their services. Having been involved in setting up an alarm installation and response company in Bedfordview, Johannesburg, I realise that one of the most important assets to have is well organised feet on the ground and cars on the road. In any of the areas I have mentioned, and there are probably many more, ZSS Security are extremely visible and are also well known for their community support, even where any benefit to them is not self-evidentiary. Just as I can give you good advice on who not to use for your insurance needs, I can with equal confidence encourage you to support ZSS Security in your security needs so they can provide you with the calm one likes to have regarding Business, Commercial, or Residential security requirements in these dangerous times. Thank you ZSS Security!
0 replies
79 months ago
Old Mutual Insure is a beacon of hope where it seems that "Integrity" still has meaning!
It's almost 3 years (3 years on 7th November) of trawling through the back alleys of the short term insurance industry by continuing to attempt to get some justice via the OSTI regarding a mis-represented assessor, asked for by name to attend my claim by Commercial and Industrial Acceptances Pty LTD (CIA), acting as the underwriting managers for Compass Insurance Pty LTD, both wholly owned subsidiaries of Hannover Re. The policy covers building insurance with two of the main perils covered being storm and fire. After a 1 in 100yr storm event on 7th November 2016, I put in my first claim in an otherwise claim free policy with CIA, and they sent out an unqualified "hatchet-man" who did everything from making up NHBRC laws that don't exist to denying most of my claim even existed, even going so far as to say I had said that I didn't want to claim on one of my roofs which has eventually cost me about R90,000.00 to repair. CIA, & Compass (Hannover Re) have backed up the untruths and what seems like intentional confusion spread by this intermediary of theirs every step of the way. The tacit support of the OSTI regarding demonstrable falsehoods has compounded my disastrous financial situation, and I am now trying to sell half my property to pay for a claim that I had estimated to be R250k. With all the temporary and emergency repairs, and then subsequent permanent repairs without having received any reimbur*****t for the damage caused by the covered peril (a storm that made international headline news), it has cost me more than R800k without costs, but including interest, to self finance the repairs The "assessor" said to me that all my buildings were illegal and offered me R9,500.00 in full and final settlement that he had "organised" for me and that I should accept it as "I was very lucky to get it". Some of the apartments had painted knotty pine ceilings that filled up like a bath from rain blowing up the corrugated iron into the ridge of the roof, but despite what looked like more than 1000 lites of water on top of them with the pine getting warped and twisted, expanding, with the paint cracking, they were deemed to have been incorrectly fitted by quoting non-existent NHBRC regulations which the OSTI is also quoting as part of their finding in favour of the insurer. I am in one of 15 apartments that all suffered some kind of damage, but my claims were ignored with unit 1 and unit 2 (the main ceiling claim) not offered any compensation for the storm damage, without offering specific details of the refusal to pay, as required by law, the only damage recognised, despite affidavits and photographs to the contrary, was long term creep deflection, which I had no idea what it was, but it is not covered in the policy, and the timing coinciding with the biggest storm we have ever had was considered "coincidence" by the person Hannover Re, the reinsurance giant, had hand-picked to come and make a diabolical situation an absolute financial nemesis for me, because of my limited access to capital. This is how "Hannover Re" does business to save €10,000.00. Shame on you! What happened to the days when insurance customers were rewarded for being honest and having a no claims history would act in ones favour in times of difficulty such as after a huge insured loss such as this storm that just came out of nowhere. Despite my complete loss of faith in the Human Race, as I continue to fight this bitter point of principal for all citizens of South Africa against unethical monopolies abusing their power, a small water spill, by comparison, above unit 2, the exact same apartment, with an already damaged ceiling, but very well repaired, was correctly acknowledged by Old Mutual Insure to require the knotty pine to be replaced, along with the cornicing and painting of the walls. They did this after I had honestly disclosed that the outflow pipe had a mouse nest in it which caused it not to work as designed. Hannover Re would have leapt on this as obvious lack of maintenance, but not Old Mutual Insure! I was paid R30,000.00 that same week! No need for temporary repairs as they paid out so quickly. I hope that I become their most profitable customer and I am singing their praises to anyone that will listen. As South Africans we must support our local companies and distance ourselves from European actuarial frauds that rely on local thugs to remain profitable by ruining the lives of normal people, who think our castle is safe when disaster strikes! Laws like "Treat the Customer Fairly" self regulated within the industry and overseen by the powerful FSCA are useless for the man on the street, because, like me, after 3 years of fighting phantoms with CIA (Hannover Re) and then the OSTI, to be able to afford a lawyer is no longer an option. Thank you Old Mutual Insure for keeping to the good faith nature of the the goodwill within the spirit of these all very similar Building Insurance Policies. You have no idea how much more than just pay my claim you have done and I am available to talk of your kindness and the sharks that are also feeding in your aquarium whenever you want! Corrupt companies eating away at the good name that insurance companies used to have by literally saving your life when financial disaster strikes, should be chased out of our country like Bell Pottinger for their services to the Guptas! We must support companies like Old Mutual Insure that have the same contracts, but use their discretion within a controlled environment of well educated professionals; Not people specifically employed to use the same words to destroy your life, that Old Mutual uses to help you fight another day. Corruption can be used to good effect in the USA where their leader is is a fine role model, and the corruption will probably be overlooked. Africa's turn at corruption is over and the rot that is left must leave too. I have been in insurance hell for 3 years and the Old Mutual payment only helps me in that unit, but in my experience, by the time an insurance company has pushed you to the Ombudsman, you get lost in the system and your self worth starts getting eroded day by excruciating day. In my experience, Old Mutual doesn't play that game! On exactly the same apartment, one that had been acknowledged by me to have been damaged once before on the 7th November, as a new customer Old Mutual gave me R30k as would be considered more than fair, given the policy. In an almost identical policy after 4 years without a claim Hannover Re gave me nothing for that exact same apartment and using blatant misrepresentation of the facts and falling back on the same words Old Mutual has, but instead, has used them unscrupulously, as knives, to attack their customers, not provide the parachute they were designed for. Hannover Re gave me nothing multiple times over. If one gives Old Mutual the benefit of the doubt, and you have my word, which is good, that they have earned that right, then I would have been paid out the same way over my many water damaged apartments and I would not now have to sell half my property to pay off the loans I took as a result of having to pay for the storm damage myself as the property is all that I have. This is simple, support Old Mutual Insure, as they are trying to do good in an industry that has to have a law called "Treat your Customers Fairly" ! I know why our government needed that law. I am a casualty despite that law. Support Old Mutual Insure! Don't find Old Mutual Insure the way I had to! Call me for any details! (Facts have not been important for the people that have dealt with my claim so far)
105 replies
81 months ago
CIA & Compass Insurance are letting the entire insurance industry down!
Almost 3 years since one of the biggest storms Linbro Park AH, Sandton, 2090 has had in 150 years, with more than 3 years of not one claim on the property (for anything), I have not received one rand for a claim that has now been agreed by Compass Insurance to have a quantum of about R80,000.00 after first offering me R10,000.00 in full and final settlement after being instructed by one of their intermediaries that all my buildings were illegal. This is an ongoing matter with the Ombudsman for Short Term Insurance, but the public needs to be warned about this company and their wholly owned subsidiary run by Douglas Haig, CIA (Commercial & Industrial Acceptances) who act as the "Underwriting Managers" for their holding company. I was referred to these businesses by my broker and with their ultimate owners being Hannover RE, they wield huge power in all the professionals I have contacted to give honest professional reports which would corroborate the storm damage. Repudiation reasons given have varied from the fact that all my water damage is a coincidence to me not having wanted to claim for the damage to defective construction, ongoing maintainance issues (despite a no claims history), and even "betterment" when moving from municipal sewage to a septic tank system after following their advice immediately subsequent to the storm damage notification to my broker.
0 replies
81 months ago
CIA and Compass insurance cannot be relied on during catastrophic flooding.
Almost 3 years since one of the biggest storms Linbro Park AH, Sandton, 2090 has had in 150 years, with more than 3 years of not one claim on the property (for anything), I have not received one rand for a claim that has now been agreed by Compass Insurance to have a quantum of about R80,000.00 after first offering me R10,000.00 in full and final settlement after being instructed by one of their intermediaries that all my buildings were illegal. This is an ongoing matter with the Ombudsman for Short Term Insurance, but the public needs to be warned about this company and their wholly owned subsidiary run by Douglas Haig, CIA (Commercial & Industrial Acceptances) who act as the "Underwriting Managers" for their holding company. I was referred to these businesses by my broker and with their ultimate owners being Hannover RE, they wield huge power in all the professionals I have contacted to give honest professional reports which would corroborate the storm damage. Repudiation reasons given have varied from the fact that all my water damage is a coincidence to me not having wanted to claim for the damage to defective construction, ongoing maintainance issues (despite a no claims history), and even "betterment" when moving from municipal sewage to a septic tank system after following their advice immediately subsequent to the storm damage notification to my broker.
0 replies
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