So the feeling I got from the time it happened is that the insurance were looking for an excuse NOT to pay out. At first it was an issue with the time of day, then it was trying to accuse me of not being the driver, then it was a case of was I using the car privately or for business (now unless I am a drug dealer, what the hell would I be using the car for business at 930pm??),then they tried to catch me out trying to find out if I was in Cape Town or JHB, then they tried to find discrepancies in my statements (all 5 of them), then it was a case of Brolink couldn't approve a claim of that much, then Santam appointed an investigative assessor and a loss adjustor, so they tried everything they could.
Ultimately they said my tyres were a direct cause of the accident, a DIRECT cause of the accident. In my opinion, had I gone to a traditional repairing panel beater, who would've done corrective repairs rather than rip and replace, the quote would've been around the R20k mark, and NOT R165k. So Santam can get screwed, and I would NOT recommend them to ANYONE, no matter WHAT you're insuring, because they're very quick to take my premium every month, but then find every excuse not to pay out. So for any of you insured with them, consider your options.
Also, Brolink don't have authority to approve on claims more than R100k, which means should you be in an accident where the amount is R110k, it would need to be escalated to Santam for approval. Why then would you insure a car like this if you cannot approve a claim for X amount?
So I have to pay for the repairs myself, and will be taking up the case with the Short Term Insurance Ombudsman. It cost me R11500 to get my car out from Lyndhurst ARC on Friday, a significantly large unexpected cost, and to boot they didn't put the front bumper back on properly, so my headlamp washer system and my entire PDC system is not working. That being said, the service from them has been outstanding. But it's an exceptionally frustrating experience.
As for the car, it's perfectly drivable, and if you see the damage, you can see that it's a relatively easy repair all round the car. Might require a new front bumper, but I'll probably go with an aftermarket bumper as BMW's price of R20k for a new one is a bit ridiculous. Unless it can be repaired. Rims are going to cost R6500 to repair with diamond cut, thought about doing them gloss black, but I'm too old for black rims. There are a couple of other things that will require doing, but for now the main focus will be the rims and the front bumper. Once I have completed the repairs, I am sending a LARGE bill for costs incurred to the insurers and with an accompanying letter from the Ombudsman.
Watch this space.
