Homeowner finally gets paid out after insurer resists tribunal ruling over storm damage claim

Last week on The Money Show, Wendy Knowler reported on only a semi-victory for a Capetonian whose Woodstock heritage home suffered storm damage back in 2023.

Now the consumer journo is finally able to confirm that the insurer has paid the outstanding amount from the claim, as ordered by the Appeals Tribunal already on 13 February.

The deadline for Standard Insurance to pay the R110,00 was 27 February, which came and went with no money forthcoming.

At the time, Knowler says, the company was still going to appeal, despite the fact there is no process to appeal an Appeal Tribunal finding!

She also notes she still finds it odd that with the original claim of R363,000, the insurer paid out R228 000 for replacement of the roof and another R23 000 for emergency repairs and storage costs.

Standard Insurance didn't pay the full amount on the grounds that damage had occurred, with them claiming it happened "gradually from wear and tear over the130 years that the house had stood, coupled with non-treatment of borers, termites and dry rot and general lack of maintenance, which is this very standard reason for repudiating these claims across all insurers."

Initially, the National Financial Ombud (NFO) decided with the insurer in the claim, and that's why it went all the way to the Appeals Tribunal, which then decided in favour of the complainant.

"I'm happy to report that Standard Insurance has had a bit of an about-turn, and a couple of days ago they paid the woman that R110,00... and she is really very delighted."

Which just goes to show that it is worth battling through to the very end to get recourse when your claim is justified.

Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the full conversation