Auto Aid problems 27 January at 10:49AM edited 27 January at 11:23AM in Motoring 9 replies 260 views

andyproc

I recently went to join Auto Aid, I put in the payment details which went through, I then was asked to fill in some details about my car (date bought and registered I think) I couldn't remember these and it wouldn't let me complete the apllication process as the button was greyed out. As it was a personal policy I thought this was superflous and so cancelled the application by closing the window.

I didn't receive any confirmation email so joined another service elsewhere. AutoAid then took my payment even though I hadn't completed the application and they now wont refund me without taking a £15 processing fee. They are probably the most unpleasant company I've ever had to deal with and have been hung up on twice.

They have also now refused a refund as I said I am making a complaint to the insurance Ombudsman about this.

DullGreyGuy

andyproc said:

They have also now refused a refund as I said I am making a complaint to the insurance Ombudsman about this.

To be able to go to the Financial Ombudsman (there is no insurance ombudsman) you must first have complained to the company in question and received their final response (or 8 weeks have passed).

Is Auto Aid actually an insurance policy? Some breakdown covers arent and therefore have no rights to go to the FOS

andyproc

Im not sure if its an insurance policy, if not what actually is it.

DullGreyGuy

andyproc said:

Im not sure if its an insurance policy, if not what actually is it.

Whatever they want to call it... those that deal with the breakdown of white goods like to call them service plans when they arent legally insurance.

macman

It's a personal-based breakdown policy. They don't offer vehicle-based policies.
But you still need to register your vehicle details at the start of the policy-this can then be modified online if necessary.

andyproc

I know they dont offer vehicle based policies, so why were they hassling me for details of my car?

macman

Because, as I said in my reply, the reg process requires you to enter the details of a vehicle that you are likely to use, even though you can alter this subsequently, or presumably add another vehicle.
I'm guessing that this is to prevent people 'sharing' their policy across other vehicles that they don't actually own or run.

andyproc

But it wasn't at the start of the policy. It took my card details and then started asking me questions about vehicle, i.e. day I bought it and date registered. I didn't know answer to these off the top of my head and it wouldn't let me complete the process so I closed window. No confirmation emails were sent and so an hour later I bought a policy elsewhere. Its only today after I complained and tried to get my money back that they decided to send me an email to say I was covered.

DullGreyGuy

andyproc said:

But it wasn't at the start of the policy. It took my card details and then started asking me questions about vehicle, i.e. day I bought it and date registered. I didn't know answer to these off the top of my head and it wouldn't let me complete the process so I closed window. No confirmation emails were sent and so an hour later I bought a policy elsewhere. Its only today after I complained and tried to get my money back that they decided to send me an email to say I was covered.

So sounds like you bought the policy as they had what they needed to complete the sale and after buying it they ask for some optional extra information (like sometimes after buying Car insurance they may ask when your Home insurance renewal is)

andyproc

If it was optional it would have let me complete without adding the information, it didnt so it cant have been optional and so they shouldn't have taken payment. Its strange they only sent me cover docs today after I complained, 2 days later,