Inflating costs to avoid honouring legitimate claims

I have held an active Scratch and Dent policy with FNB since 2023 and have consistently paid R99 per month without submitting a single claim over the past three years. On 22 January 2026, I submitted my first claim. As instructed, I provided the required photos via WhatsApp. I was later contacted and asked to submit more detailed images because the assessor “could not see any damage,” which already indicates how minor the damages were. I then supp**** additional photos with all affected areas clearly circled. After waiting approximately two weeks with no update, I followed up via email and WhatsApp. Only then was I informed that the repair cost had been quoted at R48,000, and because the policy covers only R3,000 per claim, my claim was rejected. Despite this, I was also told that no repairs would be authorised up to the R3,000 limit due to “accumulation of damage,” even though all damage occurred during the period I was actively paying for the policy. To verify the reasonableness of the quoted amount, I contacted independent repair shops. I was advised that stone chip repairs typically cost R150–R200 per chip, and minor dents R400–R500 each. Based on these standard industry prices, the total repair cost for my vehicle should not exceed R3,000. It is evident that the body shop used by SmartUMA has significantly inflated their pricing, making it impossible for customers to benefit from the policy. It is unacceptable that customers are not provided with multiple quotes or allowed to obtain independent quotations. I requested a copy of the quotation used to justify the rejection and received no response. The repair partner appears to be inflating costs to avoid honouring legitimate claims. Given this experience, I have lost confidence in the value and integrity of this policy. I cancelled my plan effective 16 February 2026. FNB should really consider using SmartUMA as the underwriter.