AA continuous payment arrangement

iainscomputer

Automatic auto renewal can be a good thing for some people, but it should be for the customer to opt in & not for the company to automatically renew all customers policys as seems to be the case now. I bought AA membership in October 2012 but paid with annual direct debit, this way I'm in charge, I cancelled the DD after they took the premium.
On my LV car insurance bought online, there is a tick box to opt in to automatic renewal, this is how all insurance companies should operate.

OddballJamie

I love the AA, last two years they've offered me 75% off because I had my first year free when buying a new car.

reeac

OddballJamie wrote: »

I love the AA, last two years they've offered me 75% off because I had my first year free when buying a new car.

I, on the other hand, left the AA earlier this year when they wanted ca. £135 as sub. - a big increase. They've been pestering me to rejoin offering £39 with £20 cash back Boots voucher.

Just shows what a jungle it is out there and for certain they want new customers more than they want to retain existing ones ....crazy!

Buzby

We're being manipulated into paying for services we have no direct control over. The refusal to accept cheques is testament to this, as he alternative payment methods (bar one) mean the supplier can take funds pretty much when they like - whether DDM or by Continuous Card Mandate.

The one exclusion to this is Faster Payments which the customer controls - but to use this a Sort Code and A/c is needed. Little wonder the bulk of firms will conceal this information or say it is 'company policy' not o accept payments by this method. This means they control the process, and you don't.

DD's can be cancelled and removed from your banking profile yourself - but card payments cannot. You remain at their mercy.

InsideInsurance

Yes a CPA can be cancelled with your bank, though some banks seem to forget this.

But cancellation of payment is NOT cancellation of services or requirement to pay for those services. You MUST cancel the service not just the payment method. Just as you'd expect to be told you are being let go rather than just not being paid on pay day.

Rhino666

I realise that not everyone sympathised with the purpose of this thread which was to highlight the AAs use of continuous payments to others and share my experience.

My advice is NOT to entertain the AA continuous payment system - you will pay more money for your breakdown cover!!

I paid £49.25 for personal cover on the basic recovery service. The AA refunded all of the money when I complained over two weeks after the cover had started.

I have just signed up for the same cover for £39. In addition to this I used quidco, so will get £15 cashback. In total I will pay £24 on the date I wanted cover. The continuous cover started over six weeks earlier when not needed at more than twice the cost.

I could not pay for this cover without signing up to the continuous payment scheme but a simple phone call to the AA Freephone number - 0800 435 980 and the continuous payment is cancelled:-)

I believe that this forum is about sharing experience, asking questions and passing on useful information. This thread has shown that there are clearly a few people who need to examine their reasons for posting.

leedsmodus

Most insurers use continuous payment renewals. They should advise of this in policy documents which few read or on the phone.

mudakid

McKneff wrote: »

Of course it was a predictable reply. It was a correct reply.

I don't consider my self particularly clever at all, just sensible to have come through life making mistakes and learning from them.

One of them is reading terms and conditions at the onset of something, then you learn that if you don't, there are repercussions.
You wont do it again. You are where most people have been. Including me, I might add.

It is the 'its everybody's elses fault' in todays society I take exception to.

If auto renew wasn't present in say 'car insurance' I wonder how many people would be running around in there cars, uninsured till they either got stopped for no insurance, or suddenly realising that their insurance has run out and they have been driving around without it. In some cases its a good thing.

Anyway, having said all that, i'm glad you got it sorted
To continue your theme; "their cars" not "there cars" (You had it correctly the second time!)

oldandhappy

With AA Gold membership meaning I have been with the AA almost forever it seems... but the last few years the cost to me has been just too much, just wish I had bothered to change before now but auto payment here also... . Just cancelled service and Direct Debit because the cost was going to be over £144.00 this time and that was relay and roadside ONLY not even cover from home and yet on line I could have got it for around £99 includimg home start cover.
Have now taken out ADAC in Germany for good European Cover which is going to suit me perfectly for my travels.... Just over £69.

shirley999

reeac wrote: »

I, on the other hand, left the AA earlier this year when they wanted ca. £135 as sub. - a big increase. They've been pestering me to rejoin offering £39 with £20 cash back Boots voucher.
...

I rejoined the AA last September using this offer but never received my £20 Boots voucher. I rang them 12th January and Derek told me he was going to chase it up for me. I've still not received them so I rang the AA again yesterday and was told there was a problem with the code (B5757) and nobody got Boots vouchers. (I've still got their letter with the code in it.) I am disappointed that the AA didn't sort this out when I first called them last month. It puts them in a very poor light. I am sure there are others who have just forgotten about the vouchers and after a search this seemed like the best place to post. I called them on the freephone number in my letter - 0800 975 7440.