NELSPRUIT – A full two months after a burst water pipe caused extensive damage to their property, the Louw family of Saffier Crescent are still struggling to get answers. Their yard and house was flooded on September 11 when a water pipe burst underneath their driveway.
After several phone calls and emails, the problem had still not been solved. Ms Sonya Meyer, who handles Sembcorp Silulumanzi’s insurance, told them that the company would not pay for the damages as the excess payment was too high.
The incident was classified as an “act of God”, which is why they weren’t paid out swiftly. The Louws, however, were unwilling to claim from their insurance as this would mean their premiums would increase.
They were also told that none of the other residents who suffered damage had been paid out, but later learned that both their neighbours’ driveways had been fixed.
Mr Tiaan Schutte, one of the neighbours, had claimed from his short-term insurance to fix the damage inside his house. Mr Derek Louw was told at first that Sembcorp would look at fixing their driveway, but when he replied that he would still not be finished with the company after it had been fixed, he was told “if that is the case, then we’ll leave it”.
Ms Yolanda Louw has sent two emails to the company since, enquiring about their claim but has received no reply.
Upon enquiry last week, Mr Richmond Jele, public-relations manager of Sembcorp Silulumanzi, stated there had apparently been a “miscommunication, which initially resulted in the client being averse to obtaining quotations for the damage through his insurer for the attention of our insurance brokers. The brokers needed this official confirmation to process the said claim”. He added that the affected customer feared that his insurance premiums or no-claim bonus would be negatively affected.
According to Jele, it is standard procedure for their insurers to request official confirmation from the customer’s insurer in the form of quotations for damages that they suffered. Jele promised to get back to Lowvelder in regards to the progress of the claim as soon as their finance director was back from study leave.
In the meantime, the Louws are left to struggle with an electric gate that is no longer working and the stench of the water- damaged carpets in the house.
