Going the extra mile lightens a bereavement
On the morning of 29 August 2014, Bradley Honwani, 32, was driving from Johannesburg to Bungeni in Limpopo. He was on his way to fetch his brother for his nephew’s funeral when he collided with another car on Thabo Mbeki Drive in Polokwane.
“My nephew was very close to me. I was saddened by being stranded on a very hot day while my presence at the funeral was very important,” he says. “I had to be there to assist with arrangements.”
His car had been seriously damaged in the accident, making it impossible for him to drive any further. Although Bradley was not injured, he was concerned that he would not reach Bungeni on time to help his family to arrange a dignified burial.
“I felt like it was the end of the world. I was angry, frustrated, and didn’t know what to do,” he says.
At the time of the collision, technology was on Bradley’s side without his realising it. His car was fitted with the App and Tag, a Discovery Insure telematics device that automatically triggers an ImpactAlert to the call centre for immediate attention. At the moment of the accident, an alert was immediately sent to Discovery Insure indicating an incident with his car.
“I must say well done to the Discovery Assist team. They called me less than a minute after the impact and calmed me down,” says Bradley, a Wilgeheuwel resident and Business Development Consultant. “They then asked if I needed medical assistance and if anyone was injured.”
A towing company was dispatched to the scene, which arrived in less than 20 minutes. He was impressed that the team went the extra mile to cater for his preferences too. “To make matters even better, they sent me the type of towing truck that I suggested,” he says. “They then arranged a courtesy car and even gave me the choice that they bring it to the scene or anywhere that was convenient for me.”
His family was delighted that he made it to the burial, regardless of the accident. “They were very shocked that I was in an accident and that I made it without asking anyone to come fetch me. Earlier, when they received the call about the accident, they were devastated because they assumed the worst,” he says. Luckily, due to Discovery Insure’s state-of-the-art telematics technology, Bradley was able to attend his nephew’s burial and be there for his family.
“They made sure I had car hire, kept me in the loop about progress on my car, and deducted the excess from my Excess Funder Account without even asking. I was just surprised that the excess was lower than when I signed up” – Bradley.