Terrible service

I am writing to formally lodge a complaint regarding the handling of my recent funeral claim under my policy, following the passing of my father.

On *Thursday*, I contacted your call center to get assistance with initiating a claim. I was advised by your agent that I could pay R260 to bring my policy up to date and would then qualify for the *basic funeral benefit*. I made this payment as instructed.

Following that, my family informed me that my late father was already covered under a different funeral policy, and they intended to proceed with those arrangements. We then contacted your office again, in front of family members, to enquire whether my Vuyo policy could provide a **cash payout instead of funeral services*. The agent informed us that *R10,000* would be paid out if we did not use Vuyo's services. Based on this confirmation, we proceeded with the other funeral service provider.

On Friday, I visited your offices again to submit the hard copies required for the claim. At no point—either during Thursday’s or Friday’s interactions—was I informed that I would not qualify for a cash payout. If I had been properly informed, I would have reconsidered the entire arrangement and allowed Vuyo to handle the funeral.

Today, I received a message that my claim has been *declined*, with the reason being that only the basic service applies, and not a cash payout. I am now left in a terrible situation: the funeral is this *Saturday, my family has made arrangements based on your agent's advice, and there appears to be no accountability for the misinformation given by your representatives.

This situation is deeply distressing. I comp**** with all instructions given, and the error lies in the *incorrect guidance* provided by your staff, who failed to verify my eligibility before advising me. This is not only unprofessional but unacceptable, especially when dealing with grieving families.