Active since Feb 2023
I have been with Santam/Echelon for over 30 years,. During this period I have received significant support during very difficult times namely, burglaries, car accidents, and home maintenance crises. Not only were their premiums very competitive (no other insurer has come even close to their premiums) , their personal touch, care and consideration was excellent. I am treated with respect at each and every event that gives rise to a claim. Well done Echelon/Santam. Much appreciated.
This is a friendly warning to people using the abovementioned companies for VISA to Dubai (UAE). As an error I made (I iterate I made the error), I thought this was the official website of the UAE immigration services. Sadly it was not, neither are you informed that it is not. InstaGlobal has an efficient online system (onlind chat included) to obtain your UAE visa, however it comes with a premium. You are charged much more (almost double) than the official VISA fees, but more importantly you are coerced into taking travel insurance with them as well. They claim that you need a travel insurance that is COVID specific and this is a requirement for the visa application, even though you may have your own insurance. I formally complained to InstaGlobal about the coercive practice but nothing came of it. Furthermore, you will also be exposed to travel agents touting for your travel arrangemnts. So this is just a friendly "heads-up" before you decide to use their services. Take care.