The AA, Insurance etc renewal - why do we have to play these games?

[MrBadger]

I just had a laughable AA Breakdown Assistance letter. Its the same each year, why do we have to play these games just to get a renewal premium that penalises loyal customers. I thought that this was now forbidden in UK law?

Family breakdown cover for 3 people and 3 cars, incl. 'recovery' and 'at home'.

Last year, circa £250 and wasn't happy with that.
This year, circa £320 incl as discount of around £110 (so £430 before discount) - who do they think they are kidding!
Cost breakdown (see what I did there), approx £175 family roadside assistance, £70 for recovery and £75 for 'at home'

So online checked online.
Oh, ohhhh.
Family breakdown at £195 - so it has gone up. Might have a problem arguing for a discount...
So add on recovery, £120
And 'at home', £150
wtf...

Then realised these costs were cumulative and there was a 50% discount applied until Tuesday (SO ANYONE WITH AA RENEWAL SOON, CHECK ONLINE SALE)

Total cost £150, like for like vs our £320 auto renewal price...

Lets see what calling them would do, 5 minutes later, no haggling, priced matched the £150 online price. Good for the AA, if there is a positive to take from this.


Now, this is crazy. I'm not talking about the matching the 50% off sale, that was an unexpected bonus.

But getting an online quote cheaper than auto renew which included an £110 discount then having to call just to match I thought went out several years ago. So much for customer loyalty.

This use to be an annual game with any annual renewal, Breakdown, Insurance, Broadband, Mobile phone etc, but why is it continuing still? I'm guessing that AA not putting up a fight to match the online price is some indication that they know they are in the wrong.

This years home insurance with Direct Line was similar (as is typical), although not as generous as AA, including a slight policy adjustment, did manage to get circa £60 off that but still way above last years price.

 

[speedyranger74]

I had the same with Churchill Insurance!
Last year paid around £500 and the the renewal letter was around £650. Called them and matched the online quote (site like gocompare, Churchillsite quote me with around £800)... £460.
"Isn't fool who ask, is fool who accepts"

 

[Durzel]

They bank on a decent number of people either forgetting, not bothering, or not having the energy to go through the same hoops every year. I imagine many customers just assume the price they’re quoted is competitive.

It is certainly sketchy, but not illegal as far as I know, sadly.

 

[MrBadger]

It is certainly sketchy, but not illegal as far as I know, sadly.

FCA regulation? Who regulate the AA breakdown insurance.

New home and car insurance rules mean change in prices

Anyone renewing their policy will pay no more than they would as a new customer from 1 January.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Kansalis]

The quotation process for insurance is so obfuscated, they could claim any number of reasons for an increased premium at renewal time. My multi-car policy renewal with Admiral was nearly double in February this year compared to last year, until I called them to make sure they would not auto-renew. Then the quote miraculously went down to be competitive with the comparison sites. It was still more expensive than last year, but all insurance has gone through the roof the past few years.

 

[spdpsba]

The quotation process for insurance is so obfuscated, they could claim any number of reasons for an increased premium at renewal time.

Theory of probability and the law of large numbers. This will be the case till motor cars exists unless Elon succeeds in his robotaxi transport in year 2222!

 

[nufan]

Thanks for the heads up on the weirdly applied 50% sale that makes the numbers go backwards as you add things.

I’m due to make my annual nomadic pilgrimage between the RAC/AA on the 1st November and used it in conjunction with Topcashback (reduces the discount to 40%) - getting the discounted £144 with a further £44 cash-back to come in 60 days.

But to your point - it’s an annoying faff that shouldn’t be….

 

[Tony Hoyle]

I've always ignored the likes of AA because they seem so expensive. I pay £90 a year with green flag and even that's expensive compared to some out there.

 

[Roy B]

The quotation process for insurance is so obfuscated, they could claim any number of reasons for an increased premium at renewal time. My multi-car policy renewal with Admiral was nearly double in February this year compared to last year, until I called them to make sure they would not auto-renew. Then the quote miraculously went down to be competitive with the comparison sites. It was still more expensive than last year, but all insurance has gone through the roof the past few years.

I believe that their usual trick is to make some small changes to the terms of the policy each year. The exact policy that you're renewing isn't available to new customers so - they no doubt believe - there's no new customer price for that policy that they are legally obliged to match. Sooner or later this tactic will get tested in court, I guess. I expect they will lose.

 

[Pink Duck]

Given the improved reliability of EVs in general I opted for a breakdown premium of £16.93/year with £30 excess (for single vehicle, national & home, unlimited callouts, 5 Star Defaqto rated) after my limited warranty expired.

 

[Tony Hoyle]

Given the improved reliability of EVs in general I opted for a breakdown premium of £16.93/year with £30 excess (for single vehicle, national & home, unlimited callouts, 5 Star Defaqto rated) after my limited warranty expired.

Really that's all you need.. A mechanic isn't going to try to fix an EV on the roadside. If it's more complex than a blown tyre it's going to be flatbedded to Tesla anyway.

 

[Pink Duck]

Tesla changed manual advice since new so that breakdown recovery can now used a front lift plus rear wheels trollied, have yet to see it happen though.

I asked the nearby breakdown specialist chap if he has recovered many EVs? The answer: none at all, there’s been no demand.

 

[pcgtron]

Given the improved reliability of EVs in general I opted for a breakdown premium of £16.93/year with £30 excess (for single vehicle, national & home, unlimited callouts, 5 Star Defaqto rated) after my limited warranty expired.

This. Exactly what I've done, except I've paid 19 quid for the no excess policy. Includes home start as well just incase battery died. No point in paying anymore really

 

[MrBadger]

Given the improved reliability of EVs in general I opted for a breakdown premium of £16.93/year with £30 excess (for single vehicle, national & home, unlimited callouts, 5 Star Defaqto rated) after my limited warranty expired.

Thanks. Just tried them but they refuse to quote due to age of one of our vehicles.

 

[spdpsba]

Thanks. Just tried them but they refuse to quote due to age of one of our vehicles.

Try this one rescuemycar.com includes national recovery, home assistance and no excess. I’ve paid £31 for my two cars, one of them is 8 years old and the other is 32 months old Tesla.

 

[David Harvey]

I just had a laughable AA Breakdown Assistance letter. Its the same each year, why do we have to play these games just to get a renewal premium that penalises loyal customers. I thought that this was now forbidden in UK law?

Family breakdown cover for 3 people and 3 cars, incl. 'recovery' and 'at home'.

Last year, circa £250 and wasn't happy with that.
This year, circa £320 incl as discount of around £110 (so £430 before discount) - who do they think they are kidding!
Cost breakdown (see what I did there), approx £175 family roadside assistance, £70 for recovery and £75 for 'at home'

So online checked online.
Oh, ohhhh.
Family breakdown at £195 - so it has gone up. Might have a problem arguing for a discount...
So add on recovery, £120
And 'at home', £150
wtf...

Then realised these costs were cumulative and there was a 50% discount applied until Tuesday (SO ANYONE WITH AA RENEWAL SOON, CHECK ONLINE SALE)

Total cost £150, like for like vs our £320 auto renewal price...

Lets see what calling them would do, 5 minutes later, no haggling, priced matched the £150 online price. Good for the AA, if there is a positive to take from this.


Now, this is crazy. I'm not talking about the matching the 50% off sale, that was an unexpected bonus.

But getting an online quote cheaper than auto renew which included an £110 discount then having to call just to match I thought went out several years ago. So much for customer loyalty.

This use to be an annual game with any annual renewal, Breakdown, Insurance, Broadband, Mobile phone etc, but why is it continuing still? I'm guessing that AA not putting up a fight to match the online price is some indication that they know they are in the wrong.

This years home insurance with Direct Line was similar (as is typical), although not as generous as AA, including a slight policy adjustment, did manage to get circa £60 off that but still way above last years price.

I fully agree. I guess that online shopping increases the 'churn' by lowering the cost of acquiring new customers. This organisation is good value and well thought of: Home - AutoAid Breakdown

 

[MrBadger]

Thanks for those that posted alternatives to the AA - certainly something I will consider more in depth for next year.

Having tried to get a couple of quotes with some of the alternatives of which some wouldn't quote but for similar level of cover to our AA in our circumstances (3 x cars [4-2x+ years], 3 x drivers), the alternatives that did are close enough (£120 individual vs £150 family) to our AA renewal cost that its not worth jumping ship to an unknown entity when I have had only positive dealings with AA in the past (something which I value), and that's before considering the other benefits we get from AA (family cover gives same level of cover to any vehicle that family member is travelling in) that in the past has probably often covered our annual AA fees, albeit less lucrative/useful now.

I might just take one out along side AA for limited experience for our youngest driver/oldest car scenario just so that if they do need assistance, they possibly don't have to claim on my AA!

 

[MrBadger]

Try this one rescuemycar.com includes national recovery, home assistance and no excess. I’ve paid £31 for my two cars, one of them is 8 years old and the other is 32 months old Tesla.

Thanks. Having a car > 15 years old seems to be upping costs considerably or not even being quoted for. RescueMyCar was up to £120 and without specifically calling them, I think there we limitations as to who could drive what car.

I fully agree. I guess that online shopping increases the 'churn' by lowering the cost of acquiring new customers. This organisation is good value and well thought of: Home - AutoAid Breakdown

Thanks for that. Useful that they have a specific policy for older cars. Single driver with >15 year old car though is £85. Good price for that single scenario but I'm not sure on flexibility of cover for other drivers. One to look into for next year.

 

[thewishy]

Nationwide FlexPlus
- Good cover including europe, homestart, etc
- Delivered via AA currently
- £13/month * 12 = £156
- If a join account, covers both members
- No need to muck around with renewals
- Also travel insurance and mobile cover "for free" if you just came for the breakdown

 

[Medved_77]

Nationwide FlexPlus
- Good cover including europe, homestart, etc
- Delivered via AA currently
- £13/month * 12 = £156
- If a join account, covers both members
- No need to muck around with renewals
- Also travel insurance and mobile cover "for free" if you just came for the breakdown

Been using this for years and definitely got my money's worth. Higher rate of interest on current account balances as well as lost key cover too IIRC. Also, no charges for using your card abroad.

Didn't realise it was AA now, seem to remember it being GreenFlag previously.

Broke down in an old beamer just outside Calais (air suspension reservoir went pop), for ease, hobbled on to the ferry then called breakdown from Dover. Hertz came to pick me up, took me to the office and gave me a Golf to drive as a one way hire up to Scotland. Kept that for a few days whilst the beamer was transported up on a flatbed. Wasn't even my car!

Must have had 4 or 5 mobiles repaired/replaced in that time too for various family members.

Nationwide are also offering you £200 to switch at the moment so there's more than the first year of fees covered.