AA Membership. To cancel or not

scudzilla

So i've been in the AA for 6 years now, costs 16.50/month or 198 a year

Have the Home Start, Rescue Plus etc, the top package

Now i've used the service once, about 5 years ago when i had a flat battery.

With my insurance (Fully Comp) i get a free breakdown service, is it worth keeping the AA?? If i called them up to cancel would they offer me a deal to stay??

The only reason i'm wary of cancelling is that i pop over to Wales twice a year and i'm covered there with the AA but not my insurances breakdown cover.

What do you guys think? Is it worth keeping for the sake of 4euro a week??

It's worth it if you break down in Wales, other than the trips to Wales I'd see no reason to keep it. That's from someone who was an AA member for two years back in the early to mid 00s. I have never regretted putting my trust in the free insurance type breakdown cover, grand for flat batteries, running out of fuel etc.

patrickc

I had the same dilemma in May when my renewal was due. I also have breakdown with my insurance.

I rang them requesting to cancel and they said why dont I reduce to just normal membership if I cant afford full package, I said thats what my insurance company offers me, so why would I do that.

She said hold on spoke to her manager/team leader and came back to me and gave me the membership with the whole lot for the price of regular membership. definitely worth a try.

* i cover alot of miles with work etc so i know with AA I get a replacement car if needed and my car towed back to Carlow from anywhere, that appeals to me*

layviae

every year i think 'will i cancel my aa' and every year i renew just in case (then again i drive a 00 micra and called them the full 5 times last year) this year i was glad i kept it cause my car wouldnt start when i was leaving work... They came out coulnt fix it towed it to my choice of garage and paid for a rental car for 48hours and i was back on the road (in a pink 10 ford fiesta) within 4hours!!!! I have the top package too and its worth it for peace of mind and dont forget that if you pay by direct debit you get free travel insurance and if you get your car insurancee through them (and are over 25) you get no claims bonus protection!!!! I think its worth it cause when i broke down i called my insurance company and even though they covered a replacment car they said i had to be outside the county i live in to get it!!!

Idbatterim

I think its a waste unless you do alot of travel and or drive a banger! I mean its 1k over 5 years!

unkel

As patrickc said, try and negotiate. It worked for me too

AA actually try & fix the car, insurance jobbies aren't interested, they just tow. Waiting time in the greater Dublin area is typically 15-30 minutes. Expect an hour or much more from the insurance companies...

Otis Driftwood

They will no doubt slice your annual premium to try and keep ya.

Just as an FYI for anyone else.

FBD's breakdown cover extends to the British Isles as well as Ireland.As far as I know they are the only insurer that offer this as standard with an comprehensive private motor policy.

flyingsnail

I seriously thought about it when my last renewal came up. When I looked into what my insurance policy covered I found I didn't cover me if I broke down at home, no replacement car, would only tow me to a garage of my choice within a specific radius. Also my insurance policy only covers me in my car, the aa cover me in any car that I drive or am passenger.

Before you rely on the breakdown cover that comes with you insurance, look carefully into what is covers. I stuck with my aa policy.

Bens

I told them i was only prepared to pay 50% of he price they quoted me to renew. After arguing for a while they got the supervisor on and they gave it to me for half price. The next year, same story. Half price again.

johnos1984

I switched to AA Car Insurance this year as I got the best quote by far but when I went to take it out they told me AA Car Insurance has no breakdown cover included in the policy as that's the job of AA Rescue.

I had to pay an extra 80e but it's still cheap. No idea if I got the extra cover though..........I never asked:o

Still I've used them once and got my monies worth

Monty.

What's the AA response like in rural areas ?

Also what are the competition like RAC etc. like ?

johnos1984

Monty. wrote: »

What's the AA response like in rural areas ?

I was in the backside of nowhere in Armagh and they had a rescue vehicle to me in 30 minutes. They sub-contract the work out in areas that are out of the way

unkel

Monty. wrote: »

What's the AA response like in rural areas ?

They generally sub-contract the work out. Like the insurance companies. It's likely that the AA will not provide a better service than the insurance companies in rural areas...

robtri

personally I say leave the AA.. expensive cost for something used very little OP

The OP has spent 1k in last 5 years and really not used them.
better to keep the money and if u do breakdown you can ring the AA from the side of the road and join straight away and get coverage

hatetherain!

I cancelled mine 2 weeks ago and actually choose to get my insurance thru them yesterday while talking lady offered me AA breakdown service, told her it was to expensive and she sai we're doing a special today €5.75 a month instead of €16 ... Was delighted!

So if I were u I'd cancel it and rejoin at the cheaper rate!

johnos1984

hatetherain! wrote: »

she sai we're doing a special today €5.75 a month instead of €16

Same deal I got so

CiniO

scudzilla wrote: »

So i've been in the AA for 6 years now, costs 16.50/month or 198 a year

Have the Home Start, Rescue Plus etc, the top package

Now i've used the service once, about 5 years ago when i had a flat battery.

With my insurance (Fully Comp) i get a free breakdown service, is it worth keeping the AA?? If i called them up to cancel would they offer me a deal to stay??

The only reason i'm wary of cancelling is that i pop over to Wales twice a year and i'm covered there with the AA but not my insurances breakdown cover.

What do you guys think? Is it worth keeping for the sake of 4euro a week??

Think of it that way.
You paid 200 every year over last 6 years - 1200 together.
All you got back from them, was a help with flat battery.
How much would a call out to garage to help you with flat batter cost? 50 euro? 100? 150 maybe.

If you break down in Wales, how much would it cost you? AA doesn't cover cost of repair anyway. They just cover towing, alternative transport, accomodation, etc... Instead of paying above 1200 euros which you did, it would be way better to keep it in your pocket, and have it in the case of emergency. 1200 in your pocket would sort you out way better than any AA help.

scudzilla

CiniO wrote: »

Think of it that way.
You paid 200 every year over last 6 years - 1200 together.
All you got back from them, was a help with flat battery.
How much would a call out to garage to help you with flat batter cost? 50 euro? 100? 150 maybe.

If you break down in Wales, how much would it cost you? AA doesn't cover cost of repair anyway. They just cover towing, alternative transport, accomodation, etc... Instead of paying above 1200 euros which you did, it would be way better to keep it in your pocket, and have it in the case of emergency. 1200 in your pocket would sort you out way better than any AA help.

I get what you're saying but to have the 1,200 in my pocket from the savings i'd make by not paying the AA i'd have to wait 6yrs to have that amount.

And i think we all know that doesn't work, like when ya give up smoking and say you'll save the money, i always find somethin else to waste it on!!!

Anyways, i rang them and cancelled and they didn't offer me anything to stay, no reduction or anything :mad:

GalwayAnnie

I've just tried cancelling my AA policy and they say I can't until my renewal date in December. Under my new car insurance policy that I am now takng out, breakdown cover is included. So cancelling may not be an option.

keithclancy

scudzilla wrote: »

So i've been in the AA for 6 years now, costs 16.50/month or 198 a year

Have the Home Start, Rescue Plus etc, the top package

Now i've used the service once, about 5 years ago when i had a flat battery.

With my insurance (Fully Comp) i get a free breakdown service, is it worth keeping the AA?? If i called them up to cancel would they offer me a deal to stay??

The only reason i'm wary of cancelling is that i pop over to Wales twice a year and i'm covered there with the AA but not my insurances breakdown cover.

What do you guys think? Is it worth keeping for the sake of 4euro a week??

Why not just reduce the cover to what would suit ?

Homestart is a waste of money if you know how to hook up a battery charger.

12.42 a month for the basic, seems very expensive though, I pay 76 / year for full European Cover with ANWB.

I wouldn't touch the 'free' shíte that comes with Insurance, maybe its different in Ireland but they use local towing crowds which are pretty much hit and miss (Could be good or bad)

When you go abroad its good to know that with the AA your covered with the larger breakdown companies abroad.