Who is Discovery Insurance?
Discovery Insurance is a financial service organization that was established about twenty years ago and has grown in part due to their newer venue, Discovery Car Insurance. Once a small health insurer, Discovery Insurance is now a company that services about six million clients in four continents (based on their website stats). With their expressed goal of making people healthier, Discovery Insurance has put all their effort into creating products and policies that will foster the health, wellness and financial security of their customers. In their words, Discovery Insurance has a client-centric approach that drives the way they conduct their business.
Discovery Insurance conducts business in the UK, China and South Africa. They are involved in a number of programs with the goal of strengthening healthcare in South Africa. The company is currently under the management of MI Hilkowitz, chairperson, and A Gore, CEO.
Where is Discovery Insurance located?
Discovery Insurance’s head office is located in Sandton at 16 Fredman Drive, Sandton, 2146. Their postal address is P.O. Box 784262, Sandton, 2146. In addition, Discovery Car Insurance has offices in Centurion, Durban, Cape Town and Port Elizabeth.
What services does Discovery Insurance offer?
Discovery Insurance offers a wide variety of insurance and financial service options. In addition to their investment business, Discovery offers health and life insurance, along with vehicle and home insurance. Let’s focus on the Discovery Car Insurance policies.
Discovery Car Insurance
Discovery car insurance offers 3 options: comprehensive car insurance cover, third party, fire and theft cover and third party cover.
Discovery Car Insurance – Comprehensive cover – This option provides the broadest coverage in a variety of circumstances. Examples include:
- your car is stolen or hijacked;
- your car is damaged by fire, hail, storm, lightning or explosions;
- your car is damaged in an accident;
- your car caused an accident and you are legally responsible for another’s costs, including damages, legal costs and medical expenses;
- your windscreen needs replacement or repair;
Discovery Car Insurance – Third party, fire, and theft cover – If you choose this option, you will be covered for loss or damages to your car only due to theft, hijacking, fire, lightning or explosions. Discovery Car Insurance offers the following benefits with this option:
- No excess on claims for theft, hijacking or fire damage;
- SmartClaims – you can use your smartphone app to take pictures of an accident and send it to the car insurance company. This alone with start the claim process;
- Free emergency roadside assistance for mechanical or electrical breakdowns, flat tires or batteries or any other roadside emergency;
- Discovery Car Insurance – Third party cover – This option only covers you if an accident you cause leaves you legally liable to pay for compensation for damages, legal costs or medical expenses.
- Once you’ve chosen your coverage option, Discovery Insurance offers various plans that include a number of benefits. Although the plans vary slightly, the overall benefits include:
- Car hire at no extra cost;
- No-excess benefit;
- Smartphone app;
- Towing and storage after an accident;
- Recovery of keys, locks and remote controls;
- Free delivery of your repaired vehicle;
- Recovery costs after a theft or hijacking;
- Repatriation
How user-friendly is the Discovery Insurance website?
The Discovery Insurance website is organized and easy to navigate. It is not too ‘busy’ with information, but allows you to see all the information you need by scrolling over the types of insurances they offer and their other products. The information is readily accessible and written in a clear and concise manner with all of their products clearly explained, alongside the benefits offered. The user-friendliness on their website, along with their descriptions of their products and policies seems to reflect their expressed approach of being client-centered.
Customer Reviews of Discovery Insurance and Discovery Car Insurance?
In reviewing the Discovery Insurance reviews on hellopeter, they received a total of 631 reports over the past 12 months. One quarter, or 25%, of those reports were compliments, while 75% were complaints. That is 3 times more complaints than compliments. We looked further at the nature of the complaints and found that almost 30% of the complaints were due to dissatisfaction with “feedback/response.” The team at Discovery Insurance did supply responses to most reports, which is of course something positive.
John Robbie from Talk Radio 702 appeared on a recent advertisement for Discovery Car Insurance. With his no-nonsense approach, John talks about how much he is saving by switching to Discovery Car Insurance. Although it is not the commercial with John Robbie, below find one of the more known advertisements for Discovery Car Insurance.
Summary
In the span of two decades, Discovery Insurance has grown exponentially. Their goal of making people healthier has inspired them to create a range of insurance products to promote a sense of health, wellbeing and financial security for their customers. While their website is inviting and informative, the high percentage of complaints in the “feedback/response” category on hellopeter is a bit concerning seeing how feedback and responsiveness is a major component of customer service – or do healthier people complain more? If you’re looking for quality car insurance, without paying an arm and a leg for it, we invite you to get up to 9 online quotes, for free, by clicking on above car insurance banner.
Main Subject: Discovery Car Insurance
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I have been with Discovery since last year October and I never had any problems, but my debit order and salary deposit date was different so I always had to make sure I leave enough in my savings account. I miscalculated and was short a few Rands, so the debit order did not go through. I phoned and asked if I may pay the money directly into their bank account, which they didn’t allow. I had to wait 15 days for the second debit order to go through. I then completely forgot to transfer enough back back to my savings account so the debit order did not go through. They did not phone me, email me or anything close to the time, and once again I was not allowed to pay the money directly into their account. So they didn’t receive payment for 15 days, and what do they do? They cancel my policy completely. I wanted to change the debit order date for future use and thought they would make a double debit order at month-end, but they apparently only give you 15 days and do not accommodate their customer’s wishes and preferences in difficult circumstances. They promised me to phone me back within 48 hours to re-activate my policy and so that we can change the debit order date. It has now been almost 6 days and I have not received a single phone call or response from them. They are quick to get new business but do not give a damn when their existing customers have a problem. How can they cancel a policy completely only after 15 days? It is not that I do not have the money, the timing of these debit orders was the problem and they did not give me the opportunity to pay from my side, which is what suited me the best in that situation. Worse than that, they promised to get back to me and they never did. So I am driving around without being insured. I received only three calls from a 021 number, but it literally rang only for 2 seconds each time. The third time, I quickly answered, heard noises in the background and the the line was cut. Not really an effort was made to talk to me, me if you ask me. I am disgusted with the way they treated me because of this issue which could have been so easily resolved if they only get back to their customers or make space for special arrangements
Hi Helene
Thank you for sharing your experience. Although we are in no way related to Discovery, we can help you in getting a few insurance quotes and you can choose what best suits you. If you haven’t already filled in one of the quote forms on the website, then please send us you phone number and we will have an agent get back to you with a few quotes (or just one if you prefer less calls).
Kind Regards,
The Carinfo Team