AA Windshields claim

Tiberio

Hi everyone,

This is my first post and I hope I am on the right forum!

Two days ago I received quite a threatening letter from a debt recovery firm called Central Recoveries. The letter was demanding £55.20 but did not say who or what it was for (the letter also stated it was the final demand even though it was the first letter I got from them).

To cut a long story short, I googled them and they work as debt recovery for the AA. Turned out this bill was for a "free" windscreen chip repair that was carried out a year and a half ago. I was assured from two AA employees that since I have comprehensive car insurance this service would be free. As I said this was a year and a half ago and what makes it even more ironic is that the car that the service was carried out on broke down 6 days later and I sold it for scrap for £100!

Turns out that there is a loop-hole in my insurance that does not cover the chip repair. AA windscreens were not very helpful, basically I am now liable and have to pay up. I have lodged an official complaint with the AA. Not a happy chappy as I wasted a whole afternoon trying to get this sorted and a lot of that time was spent calling 0870/0845 numbers!

Any advice on what I can or cannot do would be greatly appreciated.

H

InsideInsurance

First of all sort out your telephone provider, many include 0870 and 0845 in your inclusive minutes these days - alternatively if you dont like them "out of principle" then use saynoto0870.com

Secondly, as you've said, you had two of their agents advise there was no cost then raise a formal complaint for the miss information and claim compensation for the time/ effort taken to resolve it (FOS would probably award £50)

neilmcl

I don't see this as being an issue with the AA. From what you say your insurer has decided it isn't covering the repair therefore you're issue is with them not the AA. Can you explain what this "loophole" is you're referring to?

Tiberio

Hi I couldn't find an alternative to the 0870 number but did find one for the 0845, when this was going on I was a bit flustered but I take the point about the phone numbers.

I contacted my insurer and they told me that they received no correspondence from the AA, AA said they probably sent it to the wrong division of my insurer. I insure my car with Axa, apparently Axa uk would cover this claim but I am with Axa Northern Ireland which is different and does not cover this type of claim. It would cover if I used a specific windscreen repair firm if I don't there is a £75 excess on windscreen repairs and since the repairs came to £55.20 I don't get anything!

Apparently over 99% of free windscreen repairs go through ok, I am unfortunately one of the unlucky 1%.

I get what you say about my insurer though it was not made clear to me that this could happen(more fool me I should have checked), my issue with the AA is that it took so long for this to come through and instead of contacting me directly they went to a debt recovery firm.

The_AA_Company_Representative

Hello Tiberio, we would like to help you with this, please email the details to [EMAIL="chat@theaa.com"]chat@theaa.com[/EMAIL] including reference FOR19846. We look forward to hearing from you. Regards The AA

Tiberio

Thank you, will do when I get the chance