AA Car Insurance Rant

simbadog

simbadog

Joined
Sep 12, 2012
Posts
1,703
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Location
Wengen
Funster No
22,871
MH
A/S Broadway EL 2021
Exp
Since 2010
Car is insured through AA, also have their breakdown cover. Renewed policy in November & their quote had gone up £50 over last year, no changes, rang & said I would change insurers, they said Oh dear we will give you a £50 shopping voucher if you stay with us! I accepted that as I was about to go off on holiday & was too busy to shop around. Just called them up to change vehicles today, similar vehicle with no changes & they have stuffed me for another £61.00. :mad: I'll be switching on renewal that's for sure & changing breakdown cover. Are they the modern day highwaymen? :swear2:
 
our car ins has gone up too by £50 this year with saga ..so i am shopping around again ! I won't be renewing with saga again .
 
Saga.. I dumped them years ago as they were always the dearest after the 2nd year
Maureen used to be with the AA for car insurance.. Then it just went up and up and up !
My bike insurance stayed the same, car insurance went up £11, and we will have to see what the van insurance is in May
 
Always shop around regardless.

To be fair to the RAC I swapped a private plate that cost me £25 admin fee but they did make a note on my account not to charge me a termination fee when I swapped cars. Their quote for the new car was equal to the lowest I got from Comparing Meerkats.
 
I don’t really get the point of the rant ?

price up at renewal your choice renew or change ?

mid term change why should they do that FOC? They have admin costs

I ran a small business, even at minimum wage which I didn’t pay (I paid a lot higher?) a 7.5 hour day will cost an employee well over £100 before you give them a warm office and desk to work at

without the details of the actual change of vehicle and an understanding of the insurance market the increase could be fully justified

you could of course have rung them before you changed to check what charge you might have ?

you should maybe be as cross with yourself as your broker or insurer ?☺️

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Nothing goes up by the rate of inflation any more. Mum in laws British Gas Homecare emergency cover (no claims ever) goes up £50+ every year, house insurance £50+ every year, my car insurance £50+ every year, Sky/BT/food 20%+ every year. No one wants to make an honest profit any more, everyone wants to make a killing.
 
DavidG58 said:
I don’t really get the point of the rant ?

price up at renewal your choice renew or change ?

mid term change why should they do that FOC? They have admin costs

I ran a small business, even at minimum wage which I didn’t pay (I paid a lot higher?) a 7.5 hour day will cost an employee well over £100 before you give them a warm office and desk to work at

without the details of the actual change of vehicle and an understanding of the insurance market the increase could be fully justified

you could of course have rung them before you changed to check what charge you might have ?

you should maybe be as cross with yourself as your broker or insurer ?☺
Click to expand...

I'm obviously not as clever as you!
 
When our renewal comes round as already said by others they are always up on the previous year by a considerable amount, we phone the company as ask why the increase when we haven't made a claim and there is cheaper quotes online for new customers.
Almost every time when told ok we don't want to renew they come up with a cheaper quote, when they don't we leave, it is certainly no incentive to remain loyal these days.
 
insurance premium tax increases every year along with ongoing business costs. The insurance company set a rate to take account of these for the year ahead and not all increases are within their control

the massive increase in uninsured drivers having accidents is just one of the reasons that insurance costs so much compared to a few years ago. I think that ultimately insurance will be reformed to cover the driver for all risks like in Spain etc, then you will see high insurance costs
 
"Admin" charges are fair enough ...but they should reflect the cost of the change - not be an excuse to gouge customers

£61 to change a field in a computer screen is not reflective of the costs - but then if you change the car, not sure from the post how can you be sure they're rated the same for insurance costs ?

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simbadog said:
... Just called them up to change vehicles today, similar vehicle with no changes & they have stuffed me for another £61.00. :mad: ...
Click to expand...

HOW similar? Newer model = more expensive. Higher spec = more expensive. More engine power = more expensive. Metallic paint/alloy wheels/better infotainment system = more expensive.

Perhaps you could ring and ask them if they would agree to replace your "similar" car with a model identical to your old car, should something go wrong? One steel wheel and 3 alloys might look a bit odd, as might a flat paint panel amidst the rest being metallic etc etc but you might save a few quid. :winky:

Gordon
 
Rapido925M said:
HOW similar? Newer model = more expensive. Higher spec = more expensive. More engine power = more expensive. Metallic paint/alloy wheels/better infotainment system = more expensive.

Perhaps you could ring and ask them if they would agree to replace your "similar" car with a model identical to your old car, should something go wrong? One steel wheel and 3 alloys might look a bit odd, as might a flat paint panel amidst the rest being metallic etc etc but you might save a few quid. :winky:

Gordon
Click to expand...


Thank you for your helpful comments, they do help to explain why I don't post often on these forums nowadays! :mad:
 
I have been insuring my cars through a small family run brokers since I was 18. Whenever renewal time is due they write to me with renewal cost and whatever else they have found that may be cheaper. I follow up with a phone call, make a few tweaks and always renew with a better price. Yes, it may be a little more expensive but I value the personal service. They will also deal with any claims should they arise.
 
simbadog said:
Thank you for your helpful comments, they do help to explain why I don't post often on these forums nowadays! :mad:
Click to expand...

You chose to rant against a company BUT have not supplied any information other than the word "similar" (which is different from "identical"). Others have also pointed out that there are potential differences and potential admin/tax charges.

By all means warn us against a rip-off situation but please supply the full facts and allow us to make our choices.

Gordon

PS Two and a bit years ago I bought a brand-new SEAT Toledo. SEAT Insurance were happy to provide 5 days free cover to allow me to drive it home etc but they couldn't quote for a full-years insurance cover because "that model of car doesn't exist on our system". Funny stuff car insurance!
 
I shop around every year, nine times out of ten the present company ups their rates so I have the pleasure in saying no thank you I have already found a cheaper rate, the bit I really enjoy is when they say hold on lets see if we can match it when they then pretend to look and them come back with a matching quote I politely tell them no thanks you tried to rip me off you have no loyalty to your customers so why should I stay with you(y);)

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A wee timely reminder, a lot of "free recovery" offered with insurance is the very basic package & will very often have only 10miles of recovery.
I have a close friend who has driven recovery trucks for the whole of his adult life & he says its the main gripe they get from people who were "certain" that they were covered.
 
I have my reservations about the AA in their capacity as broker.

My house is insured via them and for the last 3 years they have placed the business with an associated AA company on the basis that they gave the best quote.

I do wonder whether conflicts of interest arise in such situations?
 
My MH renewal came up this week, with SAGA, £40 dearer than last year for the same cover. One quick phone call, £50 reduction just like that, so I took it. Never accept the first price ?
 
i have my car with the aa it was due for renewal when i was in spain so i was at a disadvantage getting quotes so said to them its too dear although it was only £10.00 dearer than last year hold on he said a couple of mins later he came back and offered a £50.00 store voucher job done

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I'm currently insured with the AA, mostly because they were the cheapest quote when I renewed last year.
Unfortunately my car was written off by a drink driver on 4th January this year and the AA insurance have been nothing short of marvellous.
A hire car arrived for my use the following day, they have kept me updated on my claims progress constantly, and they settled my claim after just 10 days by paying me more than I thought the car was worth and also waiving my excess which they will claim back from the other party.
Just speaking from my own experience, but I have nothing but praise in the way they have dealt with me (y)
 

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