Is there a guardian angel watching over you while you drive?
Driving can be risky business. Every time we climb into the driver’s seat, or passenger seat for that matter, there’s a certain amount of risk.
Potholes, rain, poor roads, hail, animals in the road, obstructions and unexpected events can all derail a safe journey. And then there’s the unpredictability of other drivers. Out on the road anything can happen.
Imagine there’s someone always keeping you safe. Imagine someone is alerted and comes to your rescue the minute you have a bumper bashing, hit a pothole or have a more serious accident in which you require late night towing, or emergency medical assistance.
This is exactly what Discovery Insure sets out to do, as one motorist found out.
“Late one afternoon when I was driving from Cape Town to Somerset West I hit a stationary car parked on the shoulder of the road,” says *Howard Kemp (42), a small business owner and Discovery Insure client. “It was raining heavily and almost dark. Visibility was poor, so I pulled into the yellow line zone so I could slow down and better see where I was driving. I didn’t see the car sitting off to the side, with no lights on, until it was too late. Luckily no one was inside. It had probably broken down and been abandoned.”
Seconds after Kemp hit the stationary car his phone rang.
“It was Discovery Insure asking if I was ok. I couldn’t believe it. They knew immediately that I’d had an accident. It was like having a guardian angel!” he says.
“I told them what had happened and they sent a tow truck and an ambulance straight away. Although I had started slowing down because of the poor weather I had skidded into the abandoned car when I hit the brakes hard. The bonnet of my Audi A4 was crumpled and smoke was coming out of it. I also hit my head hard on the steering wheel.
“The paramedics did some tests and applied a dressing to a superficial wound on my forehead. Once they were satisfied I was not seriously injured, I was driven home by the courtesy car that Discovery Insure sent for me. That was a real gift, I don’t know what I would have done without them, standing there in the pouring rain!” says Kemp.
“The consultant called me every 30 minutes to see that I was ok and I was being taken care of,” he says. “I really felt like she cared.”
A tow truck arrived at the scene shortly after and Kemp’s car was towed away for repairs. Sometimes the worst part of an accident is having to visit three panelbeaters to gather quotes, and dealing with endless calls to claims departments.
Also read: “I made the right choice” – a father tells the story of his daughter’s car accident
“I didn’t have to do any of the usual admin – Discovery Insure took care of everything. The claim was initiated right there at the scene, the consultant arranged for all the courtesy and emergency services while I was on the line and I could see the progress of my claim through the online tool called ClaimsView,” says Kemp.
“Insurance is one of those purchases you make grudgingly,” says Kemp, “but when it comes to crunch time, you are really, really glad you made the right choice. I am really grateful to have access to safety features like ImpactAlert. Even though I hope I never need the stolen vehicle tracking or the Vehicle panic button on my smartphone, I am really glad to know they’re available if I need them.
“Discovery Insure technology (DQ-Track) not only makes me safer on the road through these brilliant safety features, but also rewards me for driving well. As I earn DQ Points, I get more rewards and benefits.
“This is really the only way to insure your car, house, life and health,” says Kemp. “I can’t tell you how grateful I was to have five-star assistance in my time of need. It’s worth every cent.”
Also read: Range Rover recovered after hijacking, thanks to this emergency number
The content for the above featured story was supplied by Discovery Insure. To get car insurance that calls emergency services when you can’t, click here.