AA breakdown cover mis-sold / mis-selling

fredy5

I was sold AA european breakdown cover Lite (~£150). I went with them instead on Quoteline Direct (EU/UK cover, £59) or Autoaid (UK only as I decided I wanted the best (what a joke :mad:)

Just discovered EU AA cover does not cover me in the UK. This is not on the web site bullet points, or in the FAQ section for this cover. However it is in the terms and conditions pdf somewhere (up-yours! u stupid customer :cool:.)

Phoned up to complain, a very rude man spoke over the top of me :eek: and said their is no way they will refund as the T+C are clear (OK, one sentence buried in a pdf does make this clear, but it is hard to spot when skim-reading it).

I feel I have been mis-sold. Obviously I could have spent several days reading variour T+C booklets cover-to-cover from RAC, Greenflag etc, but I decided that EU included UK and that the AA would have pointed out that I need additional UK breakdown cover too. Do I have any recourse?

dunstonh

I feel I have been mis-sold.

Who sold it to you? a rep outside a shop etc or did you buy online?

Obviously I could have spent several days reading variour T+C booklets cover-to-cover from RAC, Greenflag etc, but I decided that EU included UK and that the AA would have pointed out that I need additional UK breakdown cover too. Do I have any recourse?

If you spoke to someone and they told you something wrong then you were mis-sold. If you bought it without speaking to someone then it is your responsibility to know what you are buying. AA have a requirement to make you aware of key facts in their documentation. If you choose not to read the documentation then it is your own fault. If the point is not covered in the documentation then it is something you can complain about.

You say you were sold it which suggests an individual was involved. So, you do get greater protection than had you bought it online.

I found within seconds the following link:
http://www.theaa.com/breakdown-cover/european-countries-covered.jsp

There is also this link when going through the things it does:
http://www.theaa.com/breakdown-cover/european-breakdown-cover.jsp#tabview%3Dtab2

That is pretty easy to understand and is logically located and labeled with "countries covered". Not hidden away. The policy document explains UK cover quite clearly in the geographical limits section which lists which countries are covered or not.

So, it really comes down to how you bought the policy and what you were told if you were sold it.

JimmyTheWig

Could be argued as false advertising, couldn't it?

When did you buy the cover, OP?
Have you been abroad since?
Have you broken down (in the UK or abroad) since?
How did you find out you weren't covered in the UK?

InsideInsurance

If you buy online it is fairly clear as page 2 of the form shows which "zone" you want and states that covered countries are shaded in yellow plus a list of covered countries and in every option including "all" the UK is neither shaded nor covered in the listed countries.

fredy5

Not sure where you got your map on the web page, I can't see that link: the map I can see from the European breakdown cover page has UK coloured in too, it is not white as on the one you have seen.

Nowhere in the 'key facts' document or the 'FAQ' section does it say you are not covered in the UK. That is far from crystal clear...
maybe you have time to read T+C cover to cover but most people don't and that's what the big companies like AA probably work off.

When I phone AA to complain, 2 operators said that my mistake was a very common misconception but they still refused to refund as it is in the T+C.

dunstonh

How did you buy the cover?

Until we know what method you used, we cannot really comment.

fredy5

dunstonh wrote: »

There is also this link when going through the things it does:
http://www.theaa.com/breakdown-cover/european-breakdown-cover.jsp#tabview%3Dtab2

That is pretty easy to understand and is logically located and labeled with "countries covered". Not hidden away.

It says:
"If you live in the United Kingdom, Channel Islands or Isle of Man, your cover will start when you leave home and end when you get back†. So, you’ll be covered if you need help on the way to or from the ferry or Eurotunnel terminal."

I read this as the first sentence saying 'you are covered from when you leave till you return' (logical).

But the second sentence sounds more like an added piece of friendly information, not a specific, designated rule that forbids use of the policy if you are NOT going to a port.

Can be read both ways as far as I can tell, perhaps I must be thick and therefore deserve to be ripped off.

JimmyTheWig

fredy5 wrote: »

Not sure where you got your map on the web page, I can't see that link: the map I can see from the European breakdown cover page has UK coloured in too, it is not white as on the one you have seen.

Which page are you looking at?
You may not be able to post links to this forum, so you may need to describe to us how you got there (e.g. what you googled for, what you clicked on, etc).

And dunstonh's question about how you bought it is pretty fundamental.
And how about answering my questions on post #3?

fredy5

JimmyTheWig wrote: »

Could be argued as false advertising, couldn't it?

When did you buy the cover, OP?
Have you been abroad since?
Have you broken down (in the UK or abroad) since?
How did you find out you weren't covered in the UK?

Bought cover (online) as was going to EU on hols (didn't use it tho). I was on my way to work and ran out of fuel (sorry, in T+C, go away u fool). Had to pay for tow truck (cheaper than AA cover tho!).

Phoned AA to complain and 2 people said this was a common mistake. If it is common, then that means I am not stupid. Hurray!!!!!

JimmyTheWig

JimmyTheWig wrote: »

Which page are you looking at?

This one, presumably:
http://www.theaa.com/breakdown-cover/european-breakdown-cover.jsp#tabview%3Dtab2

Yes, the UK is coloured. That's a bit naughty of them.

But, on the other hand, the sentance after the one you quoted says

Please note, however, that this is not a replacement for our UK breakdown cover.

so I think it would probably be deemed clear enough.


Might be worth talking to Trading Standards if you feel strongly about it, though probably won't help in your particular case.

InsideInsurance

On the second page of the quote form it shows a map along with a list of covered countries. In everyone UK is not listed nor shaded as covered.

For example the "All Zones" map is:



I do agree that I would "assume" that the UK is covered and I possibly wouldnt look at the map etc but that is very much user error!