AA Insurance: Have they lost the plot entirely?

gaiscioch

What on earth is the AA company playing at? I received a quote today for a renewal of their AA Breakdown service. They want to charge me €208 for the forthcoming year. (it was c. €80 last year)

The most bewildering part: as I have a fairly new car I never made a single request for assistance on that policy in the entire year. Not once. Surely I was handy money?

Two months ago, as I explained here, I received a renewal quote from AA for the same insurance policy they sold me last year, and they wanted to charge me €782 for a single year (the premium had been €446 for last year)

The most bewildering part: I had 9 years No Claims Bonus, zero penalty points and have one of those supposedly "safe" jobs.

I went to Blue Insurance and I bought their two-year insurance cover for €650 for two years (i.e. €325 per year, and it's a better policy that the AA Comprehensive one), and that includes a breakdown service.

What possible logic could the AA company (whom I have been with for, perhaps, 5 years) have to want to get rid of "safe" business like this? I know people will say they will lower their price, but for the insurance AA was not willing to match Blue Insurance's price - not within a country mile of it - and the €208 Breakdown price is just funny money compared to anything I have ever been charged.

Is AA Insurance in some sort of financial difficulty or something?

monkeysnapper

are you sure you rang the right AA .

jjpep

Weirdly enough I've just switched to the aa. Was with chill but they wanted double the money this year. Shopped around and aa was cheapest at just over 400.

bazz26

The AA are insurance brokers, not underwriters.

There are a million threads on here in the last few months about insurance premiums increasing, it was on the news also. Insurance companies in general have suffered bigger losses through increased claims/payouts and also through loosing money they invested poorly The only advise is like you did and take your business elsewhere. They also hope people are lazy and just renew without shopping around.

CiniO

Agree that €208 per breakdown cover is ridiculous.
I couldn't find any reasonable option for it in Ireland, so I purchased one from Polish insurer SOS-PZMOT for €75 for the whole year, which includes full breakdown cover in the whole EU (obviously including Ireland). Much better deal.

cplwhisper

CiniO wrote: »

Agree that €208 per breakdown cover is ridiculous.
I couldn't find any reasonable option for it in Ireland, so I purchased one from Polish insurer SOS-PZMOT for €75 for the whole year, which includes full breakdown cover in the whole EU (obviously including Ireland). Much better deal.[/quote

AXA do a stand alone breakdown cover and an addition euro rescue cover if needed....

macplaxton

CiniO wrote: »

Agree that €208 per breakdown cover is ridiculous

Well it's €208 per year, rather than per breakdown.

It also depends on what it covers, Home Start, Courtesy Car, etc.

Yes, it's expensive and as long as you don't buy a French car, then I guess you might be better off self-insuring and just dipping in your pocket if and when the time comes?

I haven't had AA cover since 2003. I've pulled in the odd favour or dropped a few quid for a tow, but I'm still up on the deal.

CiniO

cplwhisper wrote: »

CiniO wrote: »

Agree that €208 per breakdown cover is ridiculous.
I couldn't find any reasonable option for it in Ireland, so I purchased one from Polish insurer SOS-PZMOT for €75 for the whole year, which includes full breakdown cover in the whole EU (obviously including Ireland). Much better deal.[/quote

AXA do a stand alone breakdown cover and an addition euro rescue cover if needed....

But EU cover is limied to 31 days in any one journey and 90 days total during the policy (1 year).
Also it comes more expensive.

TallGlass

2 year insurance policy ?

Special Circumstances

TallGlass wrote: »

2 year insurance policy ?

Blues USP as far as I can tell.

9935452

gaiscioch wrote: »

What on earth is the AA company playing at? I received a quote today for a renewal of their AA Breakdown service. They want to charge me €208 for the forthcoming year. (it was c. €80 last year)

The most bewildering part: as I have a fairly new car I never made a single request for assistance on that policy in the entire year. Not once. Surely I was handy money?

Two months ago, as I explained here, I received a renewal quote from AA for the same insurance policy they sold me last year, and they wanted to charge me €782 for a single year (the premium had been €446 for last year)

The most bewildering part: I had 9 years No Claims Bonus, zero penalty points and have one of those supposedly "safe" jobs.

I went to Blue Insurance and I bought their two-year insurance cover for €650 for two years (i.e. €325 per year, and it's a better policy that the AA Comprehensive one), and that includes a breakdown service.

What possible logic could the AA company (whom I have been with for, perhaps, 5 years) have to want to get rid of "safe" business like this? I know people will say they will lower their price, but for the insurance AA was not willing to match Blue Insurance's price - not within a country mile of it - and the €208 Breakdown price is just funny money compared to anything I have ever been charged.

Is AA Insurance in some sort of financial difficulty or something?

I had a similar type of thing with them for rescue this year . Rang up and told them i wanted to cancel cause it was coming free with insurance .
The chap told me it wasnt the same cover. I asked him how did he know it wasnt the same cover . he said it normally isnt. but how did he know
I asked him how often i used it in the last 5 years , he couldnt tell me, i told him never.
I asked him if they couldnt fix the car like when the clutch went what would they do, he said tow to the nearest main dealer, i responded, my 13 year old car was never going to a main dealer.
He then asked me if he got the price down would i stay, he got it down to 95.
I let rip then, all the letters saying i was a good customer , over charging me and all it would take is a threat to leave to get it down.
No loyalty from them

bri007

I am in the exact same scenario at present. I received my renewal last Friday from the AA. My insurance was €335 last year fully comp and then my breakdown service was €99 last year. However, this years quote for my insurance is €625 and the breakdown service is €170! Absolutely ridiculous, Ive maximum no claims bonus, with AA for 4 years, no claims, driving on full licence for past 17 years in my own name. As you said already, are they trying to get rid of their safe business customers.

I must try get a quote from Blue insurance, i hear it always advertised about that two year insurance, sounds good price you got hopefully they can do something for me.

gaiscioch wrote: »

What on earth is the AA company playing at? I received a quote today for a renewal of their AA Breakdown service. They want to charge me €208 for the forthcoming year. (it was c. €80 last year)

The most bewildering part: as I have a fairly new car I never made a single request for assistance on that policy in the entire year. Not once. Surely I was handy money?

Two months ago, as I explained here, I received a renewal quote from AA for the same insurance policy they sold me last year, and they wanted to charge me €782 for a single year (the premium had been €446 for last year)

The most bewildering part: I had 9 years No Claims Bonus, zero penalty points and have one of those supposedly "safe" jobs.

I went to Blue Insurance and I bought their two-year insurance cover for €650 for two years (i.e. €325 per year, and it's a better policy that the AA Comprehensive one), and that includes a breakdown service.

What possible logic could the AA company (whom I have been with for, perhaps, 5 years) have to want to get rid of "safe" business like this? I know people will say they will lower their price, but for the insurance AA was not willing to match Blue Insurance's price - not within a country mile of it - and the €208 Breakdown price is just funny money compared to anything I have ever been charged.

Is AA Insurance in some sort of financial difficulty or something?