The vehicle is insured in Botswana and because the accident happened just past 5pm, we were unable to get contact the insurance broker to obtain the insurer's approval.
I requested an approximate cost from the towing company that had arrived first on scene. What was most interesting is that no towing vehicles had been summoned.
I was verbally quoted an approximate amount of R1500. I accepted the verbal quote and requested for the vehicle to be delivered to the panelbeater, who made arrangements to accept my vehicle after-hours.
The following morning, I made the gut-sinking discovery that I had left the purse in the vehicle (hidden under the driver seat) and immediately called the panel beater. He informed me that the vehicle had not yet arrived. A1 assist had stored the vehicle overnight (despite my instruction to proceed to the panel beater) and would only release the vehicle after receiving proof of payment for almost R5000. When I challenged them, they agreed to an amount of R4161.Insult to injury: my purse was found but had been emptied of cash over R500!
Ludicrous that the verbal quote can differ so significantly from the invoiced amount. Why no benchmark fees?
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