“1 Life is a scamming, thieving company.
I found out per my bank statements that I am paying for a policy with 1 Life, that I never took out or initiated in any way.
The money has been deducted from my bank account, monthly for November 2023 and December 2023.
I will never in my lifetime take out a policy with this company, as I have heard only bad reviews. A family member of mine, works for a very large reputable insurance/assurance company, and if I want or need these services I would go through her.
When I phoned to query this, I found out that although the money is being deducted from my bank account, the policy is in someone else's name, therefore I am paying for a policy for someone I don't know and have never heard of.
I asked who was the person who took it upon themselves to initiate this and was given a name. I then asked for the 1 Life employee who I began dealing with in mid December last year, namely a Mr. Victor Mokoena, to put this all in writing for me so that I could take the matter further. I have since not received the information I require, as I feel the need to make this person known. This employee should not be allowed to continue to do this to unsuspecting people in the future, and must be dealt with by head office.
I refuse to carry on trying to deal with 1 Life employees who are ill equipped to handle this timeously, and who listen with the intent to reply and not to understand. They argue with you, talk over you and don't allow you to continue with your complaint, without them butting in so you can't get a word in edgeways.
The policy has been stopped, as I am led to believe, but am still waiting for this confirmation in writing, from mid December. I was told that I would only receive the reimbursement of the money deducted from my bank account in 6 to 8 weeks. This I find is totally unacceptable and told them so. Why must I wait so long for my money to be refunded for a policy that I did not take out or authorize in any way. I did not authorize deductions to be made from my bank account, let alone give anyone information of my bank details. This goes against what the POPI Act stands for.
I have left several messages and sent several emails to Mr Mokoena to phone me back and to escalate this to the next level. My messages have been ignored as well as my emails. All I get is, what I imagine is a computer generated response, that reads that the person you are trying to reach is not in the office.
How is one supposed to get a conclusion and a reimbursement if no one from this company follows up on anything.
I am copying this message along with an email to FAIS which are the offices for the Ombud for financial service providers. Hopefully now, 1 Life, might decide to respond to me and reimburse me my money that was illegally deducted from my bank account and face whatever consequences thier unlawful actions may bring.
Big companies like this should not be able to do as they please to the little man on the street.
Yours sincerely
J Lesar”
“1 Life direct is scam, they always debit my account when ever they want and when i ask refund they tell me about week , they took 3 weeks to pay my cash back i regret they day i took policy with them”
“They do not stick to their timelines. All documents were successfully submitted after they claimed not to receive it at first. They also said 10 working day for pay-outs but my son is still waiting and they do not communicate effectively. Personally I will take a life-cover out somewhere else.”
“How dare you try sneak payments off my bank account !! I never signed nor took a policy with you and thankfully my bank contacted me to verify the transaction
What a scam”
“You'll literally be throwing your money away. Decades of payments towards your policy only to have your medical records manipulated to fit 1Life and their unfounded reasons to reject claims. You will be best off putting your money into an interest baring savings account in the name of your beneficiaries.”
“Since 1Life direct was established in 2006, my Dad took out a life insurance with this company. He passed away this year at the age of 74. My Dad was a loyal customer and made he last payment two weeks before his passing, an amount that I feel was ridiculous for a pensioner to pay, over R600. When my mom put in a claim, with all documents sent to them, they would take their time with feedback. Incompetent consultants. After 6 months my mom received an email stating that the claim was rejected. We will not leave this until justice has prevailed. We are disgusted by 1Life direct scamming so many people that is still mourning their loved ones. The saddest part of all this is that my Dad's first stop, after receiving his pension, was to deposit his payment for his life insurance. His exact words to my mom was, "I do not want you to struggle when I am no longer her. I will make sure that everyone knows that 1Life Direct is scammers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
“Good day guy true 1 life cover its a scam i jave been with them for 14year paying my premium as usual and updating my health condition with them until l was diagnosed with diabetic and even umputed but still keeping them in touch ,then came the time where my policy lapses and l was called by 1 life to retreiv it of which l agreed to it but here is the catch,apparently the rewriting commitee of 1life want to change l life cover to accident cover,l ask the lady that call me to ask her why
She said because of my health condition,soi in nigjt shell it means since l am about to die ,they cant pay family that momey 1 million rand tjat l have cover my self,furtjer more l do still jave funeral cover with them,so if they are telling me this storie, do think they will be able to pay my family while lam gone l daugjt it. So l am also thonking of moving everything l had woth them cause they are truly scammers.”
“You pay your premiums far more than sanlam old murual extra plus when you loose your work or no longer have an income you cant claim for the premiums you did pay. Lost alot of money... Whatch out”
“I've been send from pillar to post to me it's horrible experience ,no payment received, this company gives me a headache it's been 4 weeks now with no success”
“Your staff are impossible and are not prepared to work with other people in order to come up with the solution and are stibborn.They make people's lives miserable and are very impossoble.”
