When I first started looking for car insurance years ago, I’ll admit—I didn’t really care about “customizable plans.” Back then, the cheapest monthly debit order was the only thing that caught my attention. If I’m being honest, I didn’t even read through the policies properly. I just signed, paid, and hoped nothing would happen to my car. Of course, reality taught me otherwise. A bumper bender on the M1 in Joburg, a stolen side mirror in Durban, and a flat tyre somewhere outside Potchefstroom—all these little “unplanned expenses” made me realise that cookie-cutter insurance rarely fits neatly into real life.
That’s where Auto & General’s customizable approach starts to make sense. They’re not the only ones offering flexibility in South Africa, but their pitch is clear: rather than shoving everyone into the same box, they let you shape cover around your own life. But here’s the question—does “customizable” actually mean useful, or is it just marketing gloss? Let’s unpack it.
Why customization even matters
South Africa isn’t a one-size-fits-all country. Think about it: the driving conditions in Cape Town are worlds apart from those in Limpopo. A city driver who only travels short distances might worry more about fender-benders in rush-hour traffic, while someone living in the Free State may be more concerned about potholes on long stretches of road. Then you’ve got crime risk—owning a car in Sandton comes with a very different set of anxieties compared to owning one in a small coastal town.
Insurance companies that insist on rigid plans tend to either over-insure you (you’re paying for bells and whistles you’ll never use) or under-insure you (you only find out after a claim that something crucial wasn’t covered). Auto & General appears to have recognised this gap, and their offering reflects an attempt to be a bit more “modular,” if you like.
What Auto & General puts on the table
At its core, Auto & General provides the usual suspects:
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Comprehensive car insurance for accidents, theft, and damage.
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Third-party, fire, and theft for those who don’t want the whole package.
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Third-party only for budget-conscious drivers who just need legal protection.
But the customizable element comes in with the add-ons and optional extras. Instead of being forced into a bloated premium, you can pick things like:
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Credit shortfall cover (handy if you’re financing a car and it gets written off).
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Car hire option (a lifesaver if you can’t function without wheels for work or family duties).
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Scratch and dent cover (because South African parking lots seem designed to test patience).
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Road assist services (towing, locksmith help, fuel delivery—you know, those “why me?” days).
This buffet-style approach means you can keep costs down by only paying for what you think is genuinely useful. On paper, that sounds like common sense. But let’s dig into whether the execution lives up to the promise.
The appeal: feeling in control
One of the strongest psychological levers at play here is control. With customizable plans, you feel like you’re in the driver’s seat—literally and figuratively. Instead of having a faceless insurer tell you what’s good for you, you decide whether that add-on is worth the extra R50 or R100 per month.
For someone like me, who once had to wait for hours on the side of the N12 because my car overheated and I didn’t have roadside assistance, that sense of choice matters. Back then, I would have gladly paid a small extra fee to avoid the humiliation of flagging down a passing truck driver for help.
And this is where Auto & General gets it right: they frame their customizable plans as practical choices, not luxury extras. It’s not about gold-plated coverage for prestige—it’s about preventing the specific headaches you’re most likely to encounter.
The hesitation: decision fatigue is real
But here’s the flip side. Too many choices can be overwhelming. There’s a real possibility that someone signing up could get bogged down by all the “what ifs.” What if I don’t take the car hire option and then crash next month? What if I ignore the scratch-and-dent add-on and end up paying more out of pocket later? Suddenly, the simplicity of “just give me everything” feels oddly comforting.
It’s the same feeling I get when I’m standing in the cereal aisle at Pick n Pay. Twenty different boxes stare back at me, and instead of feeling liberated, I just feel stressed. Customization can sometimes shift the burden onto the customer, and that’s a subtle critique worth keeping in mind.
Affordability and budgeting trade-offs
Let’s talk money. Customization does give you the chance to trim your premium, but there’s also the temptation to pile on extras until you’re back at square one—paying just as much as a “comprehensive all-in” policy elsewhere.
For example, a friend of mine, Sipho, went with Auto & General and started off thrilled with the lower base rate. But once he added roadside assist, credit shortfall, and car hire, his monthly debit looked a lot less attractive. Still cheaper than some rivals, yes, but not as dramatically low as he’d hoped.
The lesson? The customisation feature rewards self-awareness. If you know your lifestyle and driving risks, you’ll benefit. If you don’t, you might accidentally over-customise.
Comparing with South African rivals
Of course, Auto & General isn’t operating in a vacuum. OUTsurance, MiWay, Discovery Insure, and even Budget Insurance all offer some level of choice. The difference seems to be in how Auto & General markets the flexibility.
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OUTsurance leans heavily on cashback bonuses and rewards, which appeal to people who like the idea of getting something tangible back.
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MiWay promotes a hassle-free, “cancel anytime” vibe.
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Discovery Insure tries to merge health and lifestyle data with driving habits.
Auto & General’s “customize what you need” is, in some ways, a less flashy but more practical approach. Instead of reinventing the wheel, they’re basically saying: “We’ll give you the wheel, but you can decide how many spokes you want.”
Where it shines: life stages and lifestyles
What I appreciate about customizable insurance is how it adapts to different life stages.
Take a university student driving an older Corolla—third-party only may be more than enough, maybe with a roadside assist add-on. Contrast that with a young family juggling school runs, commutes, and road trips; suddenly, car hire and credit shortfall become essentials. And for an older couple in retirement, perhaps affordability trumps everything, so they might strip coverage back to the basics.
The point is, Auto & General’s plans allow for those shifts without forcing people to jump ship to another insurer every few years. That kind of continuity matters, especially in a country where admin fatigue is a very real thing.
The less glamorous side: claims and service
Of course, an insurance policy isn’t really tested until something goes wrong. A customizable plan is only as good as the company’s willingness to honour claims quickly and fairly.
Reviews of Auto & General are, predictably, mixed. Some customers praise their helpfulness during accidents, while others grumble about slow processing or disputes over fine print. This isn’t unusual—it’s the insurance industry in general. But it does highlight the need to carefully check what’s covered in those “extras” you select. Customisation gives flexibility, yes, but it can also introduce grey areas if you assume something’s covered when it isn’t.
For example, someone might think roadside assistance includes towing after a breakdown anywhere in the country, only to discover later that certain distance limits apply. That gap between expectation and reality is where frustration builds.
My personal takeaway
If I could rewind to my younger self fumbling through that first insurance policy, I’d tell myself to slow down and actually think about what I needed. Did I really need credit shortfall cover at that point? No, because I owned my car outright. Would roadside assistance have saved me countless headaches? Absolutely.
That’s what Auto & General’s customizable plans try to give you—the chance to tailor things upfront, rather than paying blindly and hoping the stars align. It’s not perfect, and it does require a bit of homework on your part, but the potential upside is meaningful.
Final thought
Auto & General’s customizable plans seem to hit a sweet spot for South Africans who are tired of cookie-cutter insurance. They give you options that, if chosen wisely, can save you money and spare you stress. The catch is that the freedom to choose can sometimes backfire if you’re not paying attention.
So, is it worth it? I’d say yes—provided you’re willing to spend an hour or two thinking honestly about your driving habits, your risks, and your budget. Customization isn’t magic, but it is a step toward making insurance less of a blunt instrument and more of a tool you can actually use.
And if nothing else, at least you won’t end up stranded on the N12 begging for help like I did.