Discovery Opiniões 

Probably one of the worst banks to bank with they take weeks to reverse money charged by mistake all they are good at is giving yu their card

I was unfairly charged for their negligence & they showed no care or concern. I am never making the mistake of opening an account with this company.

I am a Discovery member on the Essential Smart Plan. While visiting my parents over the December 2025 holiday period, my glasses broke and I needed an optometry consultation. I went to my longstanding optometrist in Oudtshoorn, who is registered with Discovery, and the consultation was charged at a rate below Discovery’s tariff. Discovery nonetheless declined payment on the basis that, on my plan, optometry is effectively restricted to a single branded provider (Mellins). The nearest Mellins practice was approximately 57 km away. In plain terms, the “choice” offered is a long drive or paying out of pocket, even where the optometrist is registered and the rate is reasonable.
What made this worse was not only the decision, but the way it was handled. For a time, Discovery had no difficulty corresponding with me via my Gmail address, and the email thread shows that this address was used in the communications. When my questions became more pointed and I requested a proper written explanation grounded in the plan rules, an “email address not on our system” issue suddenly surfaced. I was told, in effect, that my query could not proceed unless I corresponded from a different email address said to be on their records. I had previously asked (via my agent) for my email address to be updated years ago, and there had been no difficulty communicating with me at this address until this point. The timing did not inspire confidence. It read less like security and more like a convenient brake pedal.
I also asked that Discovery communicate by email so that the information is properly recorded in writing, rather than pushing telephone calls. If a benefit is declined, a member is entitled to a clear, written explanation. That should be routine. Instead, I experienced generic responses and administrative hurdles, with the substantive question left sitting in the waiting room.
This is not my first encounter with this pattern. In 2023, I underwent a tonsillectomy at a network hospital (Cape Gate) and the procedure was pre-approved. Discovery initially refused to pay the anaesthetist on the basis that the doctor was “not on my network”. Only after repeated queries over a period of time did Discovery ultimately pay. Discovery appears to treat “network” as a moving target that the patient must somehow police in the middle of medical treatment. That is not realistic. It is not patient-centred. It is a paperwork trap. Discovery then later used the “wrong code” excuse, but ultimately they did pay as I did not let the issue go.
I am not asking for special treatment. I am asking for transparent, coherent rules that match real life, and for fair dealing when a member uses a registered provider at a reasonable rate. If Discovery’s model is that you must use one specific chain regardless of geography, then say so plainly — and accept that many members will experience it as a restriction designed to avoid paying legitimate claims. In my experience, Discovery has become increasingly clever with exclusions and increasingly reluctant to provide straightforward accountability when challenged.

My husband was struggling to nominate a new doctor, as our current doctor moved to Mosselbay. After calling Discovery multiple times to nominate a new GP, Lalita eventually answered his call and it was done immediately. Where it took a couple of other consultants to not be successful Lalitha did it in a blink of an eye . She is a true gem. If there were more Lalithas working for Discovery it would have been a much better medical aid to deal with! Well done Lalitha. Our experience with you were great. Your customer service was excellent!

Discovery have become too big hence standards have slipped.
Called them every day this week to have points allocated without success
Disappointing

What a horrible experience to try cancel discovery vitality. After 3 free month trial, your vitality gets automatically deducted from your account UNLESS you cancel. This is devious tactics by discovery to rip the client off. Rather let the customer decide to sign up to vitality after 3 month trial has ended and don't offer it with the sign up of medical aid, as it was never wanted in the first place. Disgusting service and business tactics. Tried to cancel over chat and email and it's not possible, get told to phone the number, but unable to do so. Do not recommend discovery.

A man reversed into my car early October. I was parked so it was entirely his fault. He submitted a claim from his insurance (Discovery). They made me jump through hoops to provide proof etc, which I did. But since then - radio silence! For 3 months now, I have emailed, phoned. Absolutely no response - radio silence from them.

I used to be with Discovery Insure many years ago and left due to excessive premiums and bad service.

No one should use discovery bank. Advisors don’t call back like they say they will. Give stupid excuse. Asked to speak to the manager and they don’t want to get on the call. They’ll probably sit till next year to assist. Bank card always declines despite having money and changing the limit. How embarrassing

They no longer have GPs in my area. They can't tell me which doctors are still on their network so I've called every single doctor on the list all the way up to six suburbs away, and not a single one is on my network. I need care, and I can't get it. Keycare Plus has become all but useless. And they can't even provide a list of healthcare providers who are actually on the network. You just have to phone 500 offices yourself. It's absurd.

If there is an option for negative star rating i would hose negative 50million. Discovery Medical Aid is a Scam. Their employees have failed at being humans. They are a bunch of thieves stealing from Citizens.

Public Complaint – Discovery Health
I’m shocked and disappointed by the conduct of Lorenzo Naidoo from Discovery Medical Aid. He has been rude, dismissive, and outright refuses to assist with my escalated claim. He stated that he is the final point of escalation — how is that even possible in a company as large as Discovery?

He refused to provide information about my claims or the decisions Discovery has made, and would not allow me to speak to anyone else who could help — claiming that I am “not a medical professional.”

Why do I need to be a medical professional in order to understand the choices Discovery has made regarding my health? We all deserve the right to speak directly to the people making decisions about our lives and health.

This kind of gatekeeping and bullying is completely unacceptable.
@Discovery_SA please investigate this urgently — clients deserve transparency, accountability, and respect, not intimidation and stonewalling.

I have been a member with Discovery for my entire adult life. Following my recent pregnancy, however, my family will regrettably be moving to another service provider. I have been left deeply disappointed by the way my case has been handled.

I received a positive pregnancy test in June 2025 and I went to the obstetrician to confirm the pregnancy on a few days later. I told the doctor that I was traveling overseas shortly after and she said that she needed to confirm that it was not an ectopic pregnancy before I went travelling. This appointment cost R2700.
Left for overseas and at this point I had only been pregnant for 13 days and the probability of miscarriage was high, so I did not register the pregnancy with Discovery.

While I was travelling I tried to register the pregnancy but I could not receive the OTP via SMS while out of the country. I tried to do so on my laptop and via the app. Failing that I tried to reach out to Discovery and was only given the option to talk to a bot.
I returned in my 12th week pregnancy and was given all standard 12 week blood tests with Lancet - on the same day of arriving home to South Africa. These tests were also not covered by discovery. These tests cost 2,931.70.

On the same day as I returned home I registered the pregnancy on Discovery.

DISCOVERY DID NOT COVER ANY OF MY APPOINTMENTS OR TESTS PRIOR TO ACTIVATING MATERNITY COVER ON ARRIVAL BACK IN SA.

The claims made prior to registering the pregnancy should be covered too, as I was pregnant at the time and had all the evidence to prove it.

I pay thousands of Rands every month for my whole family, and being a healthy family we go for months and months without claiming from Discovery. I find it hard to believe that a pregnancy is only covered from the day that the pregnancy is registered when it is clear from my doctors records that I have been pregnant since June!

They are the absolut worst with customer service, they think that their AI makes things better but all they do is irritate the crap out of you when you need to speak to a person. does not really help though as they cannot do anything for you over the phone, just refers you to the app, which also does not work. please do not insure with them, this is a warning from someone in the industry that knows how poor their service is

Took out Life cover, went through all the steps, took the questionnaire and answered all questions honestly. I then need a lifesaving operation for a dreaded disease that was part of the scope of cover. Approached the broker who sold me the policy, he sent me forms and advised to go for the operation. Post operation he asked for the post operation report.

Time went by, I was waiting for the payout. The broker stopped taking my calls, he then vetted my calls. I then found out DISCOVERY was not going to pay. I begged for answers.

Apparently, the doctor gave a report, he would not let me see the report. When I finally read the report in was not factual. In front of a witness i confronted the doctor who admitted the report was incorrect and that he would correct it. He never did.

The report said that he the specialist doctor had treated me in around 1970'S or so and that I had some sort of heart disease back then. He Put this nonsense in the report; I ASKED HIM TO SUPPLY THE PROOF AND SUPPLY THE REPORTS. Infront of a witness he said he could not and again said he would change the report. Well, he did not, he refused. Perhaps he was embarrassed.

I conveyed this to DISCOVERY who chose to side with the doctor and not payout. I sent letters and proof to back up my claim yet they simply would not budge.

I ONLY DECIDED TO GO FOR THE OPERATION AS I WAS COVERED, WHEN THE PAYOUT NEVER CAME I WAS FINANCIALLY BROKEN AS I HAD NO MONEY TO GET BY. DISCOVERY DID NOT CARE IN THE LEAST, THEY WERE HEARTLESS ABOUT IT AND VEEY MATTER OF FACT ABOUT IT.

I firmly believe the broker also had a hand in it. Who know perhaps the specialist doctor and the broker get kickbacks for claims that DISCOVERY can get out of.

I have never lost faith in humanity as much as I have now with the way companies and doctors are willing to fabricate lies and see a person suffer.

Discovery were very persuasive when getting me to change from Outsurance after 8 years of no claims and just before a 3 year outbonus.
Soon after, a lady drives into my car. I submit all the info to Discovery and they want me to pay 6k excess, REGARDLESS of the fact that I was not at fault and the lady who caused the dent was insured and had admitted liability.
Don’t get fooled by their persuasive telephone sales tactics. They don’t deliver kind or reasonable service after that.

We’ve just taken up medical aid for my dad but because he has a pre-existing condition of kidney failure, there is a 1 year waiting period. Which is understandable. He’s currently undergoing dialysis treatment and we’re paying cash. The dialysis treatment centre said they will consider giving my dad a discount for cash payment provided we submit a letter from Discovery stating about the waiting period. I am struggling to get this letter from Discovery. The agent is not replying to my emails. We’re feeling so frustrated. I don’t recommend this company to anyone. They can’t help with a simple letter..

I have had a constant battle with communication and resolution to a claim that is not even our fault.

Good luck getting anything from these people, a client of Discvoery bumped into my girlfirends car in early December 2024, they asked us to get 3 quotes we rushed to get them before the christmass break, sent it to them with months of no replies.

Eventually, in May 2025 someone responded, almost 6 months later, after countless emails and phone calls, saying its all approved, we just need to confirm a few things, none the less its end of August and still no further than we were in Decemeber with everything, all the quotes we got have all expired and probably now the repairs are more expensive to fix.

What do we do? We're stuck in a constant loop of calling them and emailing; it's not even our fault. What a waste of our time and money!! Quotes these days have to be paid to get one, we're never going to see that money back... this organisation is a JOKE!!

My mother applied for membership and this so called application process has been ongoing for 3 months now. They keep requesting further documentation and information that they already have. I am extremely disappointed that my parents have still not received any acknowledgment to the last forms they have filled out which was (once again) 4 days ago. No one provides feedback and when we have followed up countless times, only then, will they say “we still require this and that”. This is not right as the waiting period after the application should have been concluded by now but they keep on wasting our time. No one is taking this this seriously. My last review on Hello Peter was a month ago now it’s a month later and there’s just still no resolution. This is the worst service I’ve ever experienced in my life and they have absolutely no respect for people’s time. Discovery does not value their potential clients so imagine what the actual clients are going through. Definitely not recommended. Horrible service

I've signed up for a new account, transferred money into the account, and I got locked out of transacting due to FICA documentation requirements after my first transaction. I then received two emails stating that I should reply to an email that would be sent with the document requirements, but that email never arrived. I called and was told to submit my ID and Address documentation. I did that post haste, two days later I received an email to say I now need to send through employment details, which I responded to immediately. Two days later and I received an email stating that they now require my ID and Address information, even though I submitted this 4 days ago in the First round of emails? There is no clear indication of what documentation and information is required from the start, you have to guess... This process is beyond frustrating. How on earth has this not been sorted out over the many years of operating? And all this being said, your money and transacting capabilities are held ransom whilst the internal processes try and get their ducks in a row.

If you are looking into banking with Discovery, be prepared to wait; do not transfer any money into the account until this frustrating FICA process verification is completed.

I am severely disappointed by the way my claim for my extender benefits has been handled-
I have emailed and phoned numerous times, and there is always an excuse.
you explain to use the sites and check what is covered- i do this and then you reject the claims due to "incorrect billing code", then its billed correctly and then rejected again as "no notes from doctor". feels like 1 excuse after the next-
absolutely pathetic service that I pay thousands for a month, and make sure I follow the rules step for step- now I'm stuck with additional legal fees.
I will be cancelling and ensuring everyone at my workplace cancel and move over to our other provider too.