Ostriches not like garages...

2008-08-22 21:31

Cape Town - Having your vehicle chained to another and guarded behind a locked gate by dogs and aggressive male ostriches is no substitute for a garage, a Sasolburg resident has discovered.

Abrie Burger found these measures he had taken to protect his off-road vehicle when he parked it in his yard were not good enough for his insurance company when he submitted a claim after it was stolen.

The insurance company rejected the claim on the basis that the vehicle had not been parked in a locked garage at night, as was required by the policy.

Burger, a sales representative from Sasolburg, complained to the deputy ombud for financial services providers Noluntu Bam that he had not been aware of the requirement as he had not received the policy schedule or policy wording from his broker.

He said that on the day of the theft, his vehicle and that of a friend were chained and locked together and left in the yard for the night because they had been washed, and he had arrived home late that afternoon.

Several dogs and five ostriches

There were several dogs on the premises but they were poisoned on the night of the theft, and one had died as a result.

Outside the fence there were five ostriches of which three were "very aggressive males".

The thieves had gained entry to the yard by breaking or cutting off the lock on the gate.

In a statement on Friday, Bam said her investigation showed Burger had noted in his own handwriting on the proposal form that the vehicle would be kept in a locked garage at night.

In addition, the insurer maintained it sent him a letter accompanied by the policy schedule and wording shortly after inception of the policy.

Bam said that given the fact that Burger had responded to other letters from the insurer, he probably did get the policy letter.

In the circumstances, she said, it could not be said he was unaware of the locked garage condition.

It was clear that had Burger abided by it, the theft might have been avoided, she said.

- SAPA