Autoaid breakdown/no cooling off period?!

Southpaw18

Like many of you I took up the autoaid mse offer as it seemed a good deal. My breakdown doesn't renew until 27th Feb so I took it out for then.

Called rac and they matched the quote in fact the did it £11 cheaper so I took that and rang autoaid to cancel that one.

I was told they charge a £15 administration fee to cancel, even before your cover has even started. So although rac got me a better deal, they want £15 and it appears they are not privy to any form of cooling off period.

My question is, is this legal? If this is legal then why didn't mse decide to mention that in the email (by the way you will pay them to do absolutely nothing if you cancel it before it's even started)

I think this is how they will make their money but can someone clarify if this is allowed? I questioned the legality of this and they seemed to laugh it off

Quentin

Yes it's "legal"


It will be covered in the ts + cs you agreed to when taking out the policy


(Are you sure RAC were matching the policy for £11 less?? Or is it lesser cover for a cheaper price)

Southpaw18

They matched it for the cover I requested Atleast (15 months for the price of 12, personal cover for any car nationwide).

Just assumed the cooling off period was some form of legal right more than anything else. If that's the case I'll just keep the autoaid cover. Refuse to pay £15 for them to do nothing.

Live and learn!

faddy

Southpaw18 wrote: »

They matched it for the cover I requested Atleast (15 months for the price of 12, personal cover for any car nationwide).

Including nationwide recovery?

Norman_Castle

Southpaw18 wrote: »

They matched it for the cover I requested Atleast (15 months for the price of 12, personal cover for any car nationwide).

Recovery to any destination? Home start?

Southpaw18

Did do nationwide yes, didn't do home start but I wasn't hugely concerned with that one. So may not be 100% matched but ended up getting it for 25 as I called them back again and they lowered it further after I mentioned the issue.

Morale of the story. Haggle.

faddy

Southpaw18 wrote: »

Did do nationwide yes, didn't do home start but I wasn't hugely concerned with that one. So may not be 100% matched but ended up getting it for 25 as I called them back again and they lowered it further after I mentioned the issue.

Morale of the story. Haggle.

That sounds remarkably low for RAC/AA. Are you a new RAC customer or was this at renewal? Do you have it in writing yet that this includes nationwide recovery?

Southpaw18

Yeah it is very low. And it was at renewal. The guy essentially said its 25.01 to pay and I'm paying a penny for the cover, the rest was the administration fee and tax I think.

I think the fact I spoke to two different people on the same day may have helped, maybe two different managers and all. But I think this is where autoaid are going to make their money by having people pay and then try cancel. So rac took it as low as they could so I can't complain at that one!

JohnM5206

You could try the Terms and Conditions for the policy:

Cancellation “14 Days Cooling off Period” If this insurance does not meet your needs, you may cancel it, without giving reason, by declaring your requirement to cancel within 14 days of the policy start date. We will return any premium paid subject to a minimum premium of £15 (plus IPT) for the number of days for which we have provided cover. The 14-day period applies to new policies and the renewing of existing policies. “

This might help

JohnM

DoaM

If the policy hasn't started then they haven't commenced any cover. Therefore the £15 is in breach of their own T&Cs.

faddy

DoaM wrote: »

If the policy hasn't started then they haven't commenced any cover. Therefore the £15 is in breach of their own T&Cs.

They don't say that cover has to have commenced. No of days of cover = 0, so premium is £0 but that premium is subject to a £15 minimum so magically becomes £15.