Avoid AA Car Insurance! Warning! Do Not Use!

Blackjack_Davy

I'm having a nightmare with the AA insurance services at the moment. I received a renewal statement on the 11th of March '07. I went ahead and renewed it before the cover was due to start. Then I found a much better deal. I phoned up to cancel the cover the same day as on their policy statement it says you can cancel the cover without penalty before the policy is due to start. No problem the guy said I'll get right on to it.

Ok I thought, that the end of that. Except it wasn't. 2 weeks later I got the policy papers through the post! I checked my card statement online and found that they'd charged me the £305 anyway! It also says in the papers that you can cancel the policy so long as you do it within a set time? Guess how long? Yep thats right 14 days. So they don't send out the papers until the cancellation period has ended!!! VERY sneaky. :mad:

So I phoned them up, demanded a refund. They said as long as I could prove that I'd got insurance elsewhere i.e. send a copy of the policy from my new insurance company they'd refund me the full amount. So, I sent them the relevent copies and their policy papers they sent me. Big mistake.

2 weeks later still no refund and no contact. So I phoned them up yesterday and guess what? They say they never received the papers and would I send out another copy! This has been going on for a month now and still no resolution and no refund! I get the feeling they're just stringing me along. I've spoken to my credit card company they said I need a copy of their letter stating they'll give out a refund. But, of course, this was all done over the phone and I have no copy. In fact Morgan Stanley were about as much use as a chocolate teapot frankly.

So so far I'm £305 out of pocket and still no sign of a refund and not even any insurance statement to show for it! Reader take note! Avoid AA insurance like the plague! :mad:

lisyloo

Do you have access to a fax?

In these situations I call to ask someone to wait by the fax machine, then fax it, then call them back to check it arrived.

Alternatively you could use recorded delivery at 65p.
This requires a signature and you can prove that it was received.

If things go on then use recorded delivery and then threaten to take it to the small claims court. Your recorded delivery receipt (and on-line confirmation) will prove that they've received it.
You shouldn't have to go as far as court, but taking these steps should stop them fobbing you off.

albionrovers

Recorded delivery, spot on.
They're at it.

GeorgeI

You are lucky you weren't with morethan car insurance, otherwise you'd be alot worse off.
Joining morethan cost me more than £600.
Avoid morethan at all cost.

SusiMac_2

Too late the advise! I took out an AA policy, and opted to pay monthly. When I cancel the policy 8 months later I am told I have to pay 90% of the annual cost, and am referred to page 24 of my policy booklet, the wording of section 12, Subsection 2 "return of premium would depend on how long the insurance has been in force" apparently told me this. Grrrrrr

So I pay for something I am no longer receiving? Was I so niave to think you can trust the big companies not to rip you off ?

brazilianwax

SusiMac - almost all insurance policies work like that!

It's to stop people cancelling their policies to take something cheaper every few months.

Insurance companies aren't charities - they're businesses!

SusiMac_2

Well actually they don't. In the past I have had, and cancelled beore the end of the year, policies with Norwich Union Direct, Direct Line and Sainsbury's bank - all paid monthly, and none madfe me pay for the remainder of the year! Norwich Union Direct even repaid part of a month's premium to me - without being asked!

brazilianwax

I'd have thought someone who chops and changes their policies so regularly would read the policy documents!

SusiMac_2

I did rad the policy doc=ument. And the credit agreement. Unfortunately I am only fluent in English.

And don't jump to conclusions about people...I don't chop and change - I have been insuring cars for 30 years - and sometimes I have had to part with a car part way through the insurance year. And sometimes my insurere couldn't provide thew additional cover I needed so I had to change provider.

marbella

I am with Morethan and I have changed a couple of time from them to Esure with no problems at all. When I had to make a claim they were really quick and efficient.

NZ039926

marbella wrote: »

I am with Morethan and I have changed a couple of time from them to Esure with no problems at all. When I had to make a claim they were really quick and efficient.

Well, I had the worst service from MoreTh>n and I ended up paying £700 I couldn't afford.
I shall never user MoreTh>n again.