The AA failings!

redol

I have a motoring complaint that I wanted to share with you.

My elderly parents have had a terrible, disappointing experience as loyal customers of the AA. They are gold members, with something like 40 years of AA membership. Their car broke down this week and apparently did not have national recovery on their policy, which I find hard to believe considering they pay something like £140 a year. They had to add recovery to their policy at considerable expense when their car needed to be taken home.

Also, after the initial AA patrol got to them they had to call local garages to try and find someone to fix car. Why? Surely that's something the AA should do?

My father is nearly 80 yrs old and my mother is recovering from an operation. The one time they need help getting home and the AA failed miserably!!

The complaint is WHY didn't they have this cover on their Gold membership that cost £140 a year! I feel they've had terrible service from the AA and I want to make a formal complaint.
According to the AA website, a new member can join today for only £69 and gets national recovery as standard.

Quentin

If the complaint is about whether or not they had recovery cover then check their policy docs first.

No point grumbling about the cost if they chose to pay.

But a big point to complain about if they had paid for recovery cover and were refused it!

takman

If they don't ring up and challenge the renewal price and just let it auto renew them the premium will just keep getting increased each year above the price for new customers.

I don't think you have any grounds for complaint their policy documents will have clearly stated what cover they have and they will have been informed by letter each year of the renewal price and given chance to cancel.

Also the AA are a recovery company and although they aim to fix minor faults at the roadside they can't fix everything so it's inevitable that sometimes they will have to use a local garage.

You should offer to help your parents to go through all their insurance policies to make sure they are paying the best prices and have suitable cover if you think they don't do this themselves.

AylesburyDuck

There are various types of cover for various prices, buyer beware. If in doubt check things for them. Not the AA's fault.
My FIL was an AA man for 20 odd years retiring in the early 00's . Even back then with all the computer technology certain cars they couldnt even touch at the roadside.
Sign of the times i'm afraid.

Sooler

The AA they joined 40 years ago isn't the AA of today.

Car_54

redol wrote: »

Also, after the initial AA patrol got to them they had to call local garages to try and find someone to fix car. Why? Surely that's something the AA should do?

The complaint is WHY didn't they have this cover on their Gold membership that cost £140 a year! I feel they've had terrible service from the AA and I want to make a formal complaint.

Finding a garage to do repairs has never been part of the service. If they can't fix it at the roadside they'll tow it somewhere, after which their responsibility ends.

The AA will undoubtedly have sent your parents details of what's covered every year. It's hardly their fault if the customer doesn't read it.

Rain_Shadow

Looking at their website even the most basic membership includes recovery.

However, it says Roadside assistance is

24/7 cover for breakdowns over 1/4 mile from home. If we can't complete repairs at the roadside we'll take you and your vehicle to a nearby garage

and recovery is

We'll take you, your vehicle and up to 7 passengers to any single UK destination if your vehicle can't be fixed

To me that means. They come out to you and try to fix it. If they can't they take you to a local garage and only if they can't fix it do they take you home (or wherever you want to go)

ariba10

I owned a Long wheelbase White Landrover towing a caravan when I broke down on the westbound carriageway of the M4 just outside London. Gave them the nearest junction No.

It took them over an hour to get to me. (They could not find me!)

Aretnap

Rain_Shadow wrote: »

Looking at their website even the most basic membership includes recovery.

No it doesn't.

https://www.theaa.com/breakdown-cover/

The most basic package is at the bottom of the screen

Our starting level of cover for a single vehicle AA Roadside Assistance offers 24/7 cover for breakdowns over 1/4 mile from home. If we can't complete repairs at the roadside, we'll take you and your vehicle to a nearby garage.

The "popular" packages - ie the ones it tries to push you into buying - all include national recovery, but more basic packages which will only take you to a nearby garage are also available.

Quentin

Rain_Shadow wrote: »

Looking at their website even the most basic membership includes recovery.

To me that means. They come out to you and try to fix it. If they can't they take you to a local garage and only if they can't fix it do they take you home (or wherever you want to go)

No.

Recovery ( to any destination) is not included in all options.

They do recover you to a garage if roadside repairs cannot get you going

Rain_Shadow

Aretnap wrote: »

No it doesn't.

https://www.theaa.com/breakdown-cover/

The most basic package is at the bottom of the screen

The "popular" packages - ie the ones it tries to push you into buying - all include national recovery, but more basic packages which will only take you to a nearby garage are also available.

Ok I was wrong. I still don't think the OP's parents Gold membership was the absolute rock bottom basic one though.