AA breakdown cover - disgraceful overcharging

missedopps

I have just switched from AA to RAC for breakdown cover.

Last year AA charged me £140 for four people, driver and passenger roadside and relay cover. This was a "discount" because I phoned in after receiving my renewal notice. I am a good customer. We drive reliable cars and they have been called out once in the last nine years. This year they wanted £252 for the same cover. That is an 80% increase!

I did phone to see if they could improve their offer. They did, it was £160, which is a 14% increase. A joke, methinks.

A quick phone call to the RAC and they offered identical cover for £133. And with no haggling.

What is it with the AA? Their treatment of loyal customers is insulting. Are they trying to deliberately rip off customers who may too busy or forgetful to phone to query their renewal quotations? I regard this as appalling customer service, others may regard it as shady practice.

Johnmcl7

Sadly that's not at all unusual among many companies these days, RAC certainly do it (just had an auto-renewal from them at three times the cost of the precious year), car insurance companies do it as do warranty companies and many others. Companies treat people who are brand loyal as mugs so you need to always ensure you're on top of your renewals.

John

Iceweasel

I'm afraid loyalty counts for 'diddly-squat' these days.

The AA and the RAC ceased being clubs long ago - they are just businesses like any other now - no different from British Gas or EDF.

We swap around between the AA and the RAC getting better rates because we're 'new business' every time.

colino

I think the OPs post contained the bit that most forget, "called out once in the last nine years". All breakdown cover is, is insurance against breakdowns! Treat it as such, shop around every year and cover yourself with AutoAid. Anything else is just slathering more profits onto whichever, the non-club, AA/RAC Venture Capitalists that own them this year, before asset stripping and moving on again.