I am insured with Mutual & Federal Insurers through RSA Agri Brokers since 01 April 2008. During this period my laptop HEWLETT PACKARD COMPAQ 11 000 101.98 gave problems various times and I visited the IT Company frequently to see if they can assist me - which the IT company can confirm. I did not think of claiming a new laptop as I believe insurance is there for when things are really critical and you have not other option but to claim – which my claim record with RSA Agri will show.

However on 06 June 2011 my laptop really gave me a lot of trouble (the previous time I was at the IT Company for the same thing was on 20 January 2011 from 10:30 the morning for the entire day). On 06 June 2011 I phoned Erika to ask if I have insurance on my laptop. She assured me that I was insured ALL INCLUSIVE for the laptop to the amount of R11 000. According to her all I had to do was to get a report from the IT Company that I cannot work on the laptop any further and that I need to provide her with quotes and that they will replace the laptop - which I did. The report went to her on 06 June 2011 and the quotations followed on 07 June 2011.

After numerous emails and telephone calls I received a call from a Pierre from Mutual and Federal on Friday 10 June informing me that I was not covered for wear and tear and that this was, according to them, the problem with my laptop. I honestly feel this is not acceptable as I told him I went to the IT Company for more than 2 years already trying to solve the same problem. I also told him that if I was ALL INCLUSIVE insured this surely should be taken into consideration.

Even though Erika told me on 06 June that I was covered for R11 000, I submitted quotes for a Toshiba Tecra Notebook to the value of R4999.00 and Microsoft Home & Business Software for R2299. A total value of R7298.00 which is R3701.01 lower than what I am insured for!

After my conversation with Pierre from Mutual and Federal on 10 June, I called the guy from the IT Company that always assisted me - I told him that Mutual and Federal is of the opinion that the laptop was broken due to wear and tear and he said that even if it was according to them wear and tear at this stage (which he was not 100% convinced it was), the same problem re-occurred for at least two years already and they treated it for the same problem over and over again without being able to solve it 100%. Something was clearly seriously wrong with the laptop.

I send a mail to Erika on Monday morning 13 June informing her of my discussion with the guy from the IT Company, but the next email I received was just to tell the following: As discussed please be advised this claim will be rejected on the basis that the cause of damage is wear and tear as confirmed by our assessor / investigator.

This is simply not acceptable as I was told I was ALL INCLUSIVE INSURED by my Broker, the COMPUTER HAD THE SAME PROBLEM OVER AND OVER AGAIN FOR AT LEAST TWO YEARS - which can be confirmed by the IT Company, I SUBMITTED QUOTATIONS FOR WAY LOWER THAN INSURED, the COMPUTER IS MY BUSINESS COMPUTER and I NEED THIS TO EARN MY INCOME - THIS IS WHY IT IS INSURED.

Insurance does not help if you pay your instalment every month but when you claim for something that is really critical and to top it all, way under the value that you are insured for, they just do not come to the party.