Santam
Insurance claim and attutitude of Panelbeaters

There was an accident with my friends vehicle. The vehicle was taken into the panel beaters and reported to the insurance. The panel beater gave an quotation of R17000 verbal. Then we found out that the book value is R17600. Afterwards the assessor of SANTAM insurance came out to assess the vehicle, and suddenly the price went up to R24, 000. Then the insurance said that the book value is R11000 that is totally unacceptable as the book value is R17600.
The insurance then said that the vehicle must be scrapped that was not acceptable by my friend. They also do not want to accept a payment between the R11, 000 and R24, 000 to repair the vehicle. That is cannot be done. The payment will be done by my Friend
The panel beater want to complete a form that the vehicle must be scrapped the day after tomorrow AFTER we said NO SCAPPING at all, as we will repair the vehicle ourselves. Still they do not let the vehicle to go out of their shop.
The insurance said that my friend must take the vehicle to 2 other panel beaters for quotes but on our costs.
The panel beater COALFIELDS do not want to let the vehicle go.
Tomorrow new negotiations will be continue.
Can this happen? I smell a rat

Company: Santam
Country: South Africa
City: Witbank

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