Who is Etana Insurance?
Etana Insurance is a brokerage company that uses brokers to offer a personal approach to insurance. According to their website, their goal is to provide tailor made insurance products to fit the needs of their customers by utilizing brokers. Going back to 1938, Etana Insurance’s origins began with the creation of the Fedsure General Insurance Company. Subsequently, they were bought out by Hollard Insurance in 2002 who till recently held 40% of the Etana shares. Etana obtained their short term insurance license in 2007, at which point Hollard was transferred to this new license. According to recent press releases, among them one from the Hollard insurance website, dated the 16th of January 2014, Hollard received approval to buy out the remaining 60% shares in Etana. Full integration of these companies is expected by the end of March.
Where is Etana Insurance located?
Etana Insurance has 19 offices located throughout South Africa, including in cities such as Port Elizabeth, Pretoria, Cape Town, and Bloemfontein. Their head office is at 22 Oxford Road, Parktown, Johannesburg.
What services does Etana Insurance offer?
Through their brokers, Etana Insurance offers a full range of insurance products to businesses, including agriculture, commercial/industrial, construction/engineering, corporate, marine, trucking, wildlife, as well as motor insurance and home insurance.
In terms of car insurance, Etana Insurance’s brokers tailor the coverage that best suits the needs of their customers. For a minimal fee* added to monthly premiums, Etana’s Insurance customers are eligible for roadside assistance (accident management is a free service available to all Etana customers with motor insurance).
* We were unable to attain how much exactly this ‘minimal fee’ is.
The Roadside assistance benefits include:
- Minor repairs;
- Fuel assistance;
- Jump starting a flat battery;
- Transmission of urgent message;
- Assistance with changing a flat tire;
- Help with unlocking vehicle if the keys have been left inside;
- Tow to nearest mechanic/dealership depending on the circumstances;
- Overnight accommodations if breakdown occurred a certain distance from home or assistance with rental car coverage.
As mentioned, these benefits cost an additional monthly premium.
How user-friendly is the Etana Insurance website?
The Etana Insurance website is inviting with its clear and simple layout and graphics. Once you click on the links provided, the website does seem to have helpful and thorough information. This was particularly true for the company’s history. In terms of car insurance specifically, the website did not discuss different types of coverage, but rather focused on the assist benefits their customers are eligible for (if they pay the additional monthly premium). This may be partly due to the fact that they are a brokerage company and their products are made specifically to fit the needs of each customer. Nevertheless, it would have been helpful if they gave a few examples, and if they mentioned the average cost of for the roadside assistance benefits, seeing how this seemed to be one of their main ‘features’. We did not find information about how to file a claim, but again, this may be due to them being a brokerage company, hence the customer would contact the broker. Overall, as a potential customer, we certainly got a sense of them as a company and felt they shared helpful information regarding their products.
What are the customer reviews of Etana Insurance?
Over the past 12 months, Etana Insurance received a total of 20 reports on hellopeter. This is a very low number of reports (something neither positive nor negative). Of those 20 reports, all except for one were complaints. Although that is a 95% complaint ratio to 5% compliments, one really can’t assume anything from this, seeing how 20 reports in 12 months is very low. The reason for the low amount of reports, is probably due to the fact that if customers have an issue, they can take it up directly with their broker by just picking up the phone, unlike the case with big insurance companies where the customer does not have this option, and therefore when he feels unheard, he turns to complain on Hellopeter.
Summary
Etana Insurance started out as a brokerage company that offered a wide range of insurance products with a few added value services which is branded under their “Road Assistance” package. These additional services come at an added cost, but seeing how the cost is undisclosed, we cannot comment as to the real value of these services, whether they are worth the fee or whether they are over priced. Regarding customer service, and due to the few public reports on the company, we were unable to reach any objective conclusion. Also, due to the purchase by Hollard Insurance, one can probably expect a change in this area – wether for the better or the worse, we cannot tell for now, although according to a recent survey done by Carinfo, which attempted to answer the question "which is the best insurance company in SA for 2013", Hollard Insurance's level of service was very low. So one can only hope that the Etana will raise the level of service. If you have experience with this company, feel free to comment below. As always, before getting car insurance, we advise that you follow the following 3 steps:
1. Read our post on how to save on car insurance;
2. read 2-3 reviews about other insurance companies that are of interest to you OR read the above mentioned survey.
3. Get a few Free online car insurance quotes before making your final decision. Click here to get One quote from King Price insurance which offers decreasing premiums every month, or here for up to 9 quotes from various other companies.
Main subject: Etana Insurance
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