More AA extortion....

Cappuccino

Hi,

Last month I attempted to cancel my AA breakdown cover and go on my wife's policy to savfe money - since we now have 1 car between 2 of us. Despite having 10 months left to run, and 7 month's on my wife's policy, the AA said they would not pay a single penny back if I cancelled my policy, and they would not allow me to be added onto my wife's policy until her renewal date. The spewed some garbage about suspending my policy and then swapping to that when my wife's is due for renewal but since they won't let me go onto her policy in the interim it's no good.
Anyway, I thought at the time that was pretty extortionate.

My wife has her car insurance with the AA. She lost her certificate of motor insurance so we thought we'd better get a duplicate from the insurer in case we have to provide proof of insurance. The AA wanted to charge her £25 for a duplicate certificate (that's like 1 piece of paper and a twenty pence stamp). So I advised my wife to see if she could get better cover elsewhere. Thankfully we've now found the certificate but it's the principal of charging £25 for 1 piece of paper which annoyed me.

She has comprehensive cover on a car which tbh is no longer worth insuring comprehensive. This costs £300 per year with the AA. So she looked at comparethemarket.com managed to find prices around £200 for fully comp and £150 for third party fire and theft.

Now my wife pays by monthly premium with the AA but somehow pays 1 month in arears. So her policy is £30 per month, and she last paid on 9/4 for 9/02 to 09/03. So I figure if she cancelled today she'd owe 1 month's premium to the 09/3 and then a few days to 15/04 means approx £35 to pay to cancel it.

Surprise surprise the AA want to charge her £69 to incorporate a "cancellation fee", which is not mentioned AT ALL in any of the documentation they have sent us.

In summary:
- Cancel breakdown cover, 10 months return premium due but AA won't be pay a single penny back
- AA want to charge £25 to issue a duplicate certificate costing them probably PENNIES
- AA want to charge £69 for £35 worth of cover even though there is NOTHING in their documentation saying they can do this
Has anyone else had any run-ins with the AA and can they seriously get away with these extortionate charges?

I am of a mind to tell my wife only to repay the actual pro-rata cover costs (e.g. £35) and tell the AA they can take us to court for the other extortionate amount, but unfortunately she is the non-confrontational type and will probably just end up paying it.

Anyone with prior experience of AA (breakdown or car insurance) charges and any luck in having these waived or lowered would be appreciated.

nomoneytoday

I agree with you on parts 1 and 2, but monthly insurance isn't prorated if you leave in year 1.

There will be setup charges, and possibly commission that AA paid in month 1, and so 2 months as a fee seems like a reasonable compromise to me.

Hintza

It is not monthly insurance. it is an annual policy on which the insured talkes out finance to cover the interest and capital cost. So whatever the finance charge was would still be chargeable plus any admin fee. So in this case £60 will be the finance charge (if I have read this correctly).

The same can be said for breakdown cover this is also an annual policy and I am sure cancelations will be covered in the small print. You really need to read that prior to taking out cover.

sassy_one

I have used the AA for car insurance and breakdown cover, and must agree that they are rather high priced.

One thing I did find with them HOWEVER was that there customer service was very good and they always went out of there way to help you.

Out of car insurance I have had, all but one year which was last year, the AA have been one of the most high priced quote I was given.

You do some good deals at the present I see with them however, such as free breakdown cover when taking out insurance with them!

wealdroam

Another ancient thread sees the light of day.

Thanks Sassy.