AA Underhand Sales Technique

tightasafish

When it came to renewing my house contents insurance last year I went with the AA as they gave a competitive price and good terms. They also gave me 12 months free Roadside Assistance (which I didnt need as I was covered elsewhere!!).

Fast-forward to this year when I received the customary 'you dont have to do anything to renew your insurance' letter. As expected, the premiums had jumped significantly, but they were still within acceptable limits so I probably would have let it go.

However........ I also received a separate letter from their Breakdown Cover department stating that ' you dont have to call us - we will collect your payment of £71.12 on 4th October'. !!!
I was disappointed to say the least at this underhand sales technique - so much so that not only did I decline their offer for a service that I did not need , but I have now in addition cancelled my House Contents renewal.

I was obviously asked for feedback as to why I was cancelling, but felt that my 'indignation' passed them by somewhat, and had the impression that they felt that this was a totally acceptable practice. I GUESS IT'S JUST ME THEN!!!!!

I was even told that 'well you must have ticked the box to say you had read the T&C's'.

In summary:

BEST CASE SCENARIO: They may have sneaked £70 odd quid out of me if I didnt read my mail properly.

ACTUAL SCENARIO: I will never use the AA again!!

shammyjack

The AA and RAC should be made to re-brand as they are !!!! poor money grabbing companies and not the motoring associations that they used to be and still masquerade as !

Nodding_Donkey

If you've ever renewed without questioning the price you are probably paying about twice what a new customer would pay.

Babbawah

Every experience is a learning experience & hopefully you can translate what the AA have attempted to other business's that you are also a customer of.

It makes me laff when I hear of people recommending them, although it is mostly guerilla marketing these days.

jimjames

So they offered you 12 months free cover, why did you think it was free after that?

Almost all offers are time limited teasers to get you in the door. Nothing unusual in what they've done at all.

wiogs

I may have missed it in your original post but what exactly was underhand about what was done?

AdrianC

Another "Yes, and?" from here. Did _anything_ state or even hint that the breakdown cover would be free every year you had the home policy?

marvin

You reminded me time to start looking around for a new provider it is due for renewal in October...

I have to say there was nothing clear in the deal I made last year that it would only be for a year looked to me like it was so long as you insure with us it will come as part of the deal.

But to be honest I was likely to look for a decent deal with cashback anyway and get the car cover via Tesco or something.

roonaldo

I myself have AA home insurance with the free 12 months of breakdown cover, it clearly says in the documents that it will remain in place until I cancel it and they will start charging after 12 months. You even have a reminder of this so there isnt an issue.

I too do not understand what this underhand sales practice is.

Read and understand what you sign up for!!!

tightasafish

Reply to roonaldo, AdrianC, wiogs, and jimjames.
Think you missed the point.
They gave me something free for the first year - WHICH I DID NOT NEED, DID NOT ASK FOR, AND DID NOT USE.
Twelve months later I have to pro-actively go out of my way to make sure that I am not charged for a service that I STILL DO NOT NEED, STILL DID NOT ASK FOR, AND STILL DO NOT USE.
To avoid said charge I am firstly relying on Royal Mail to get the letter to me (not always a given), then for me to actually read the small print of something which could easily be mistaken for junk mail, then to ring an 0845 number to tell them to cancel something that I DO NOT WANT, DID NOT ASK FOR, AND WILL NOT USE.

If you see nothing wrong with this practice I can only assume that you work in sales, and for that you have my commiserations.

AdrianC

tightasafish wrote: »

Think you missed the point.

I think somebody has. But I don't think it's us.