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AA: Breakdown Cover reviews

Name: Breakdown Cover
Rating: 2.98 (196 reviews)

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2.51

Based on 196 reviews, last reviewed 13th Feb 2025

100% increase in 5 star reviews

in the past 90 days

50% increase in 1 star reviews

in the past 90 days

36%

16%

43%

Latest highest rating:

5

I cannot thank AA Roadside Assistance enough for the... I cannot thank AA Roadside Assistance enough for their exceptional service during my recent breakdown. Driving from Devon to London early on a Saturda... Read more Reviewed on: 17th December 2024

Latest lowest rating:

1

Nightmare to cancel Service was good when I needed, however, the price increased a lot and I have an offer for a half price with RAC. Trying to cancel it has been a night... Read more Reviewed on: 13th February 2025

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About this product

Like many drivers, breaking down is not something we want to think about! But when it happens, You'll be thankful that you're with a good breakdown cover provider. That's were our AA breakdown cover reviews come in. You can read and write YOUR AA Breakdown cover reviews. We started Smart Money People to help drivers like you to find the best breakdown cover based on our honest reviews. Together, we can make financial services work better for everyone.

AA Breakdown Cover reviews (196)

Review of the AA, Breakdown Cover:

Unfit for purpose. No regard for their customers.

Last year a major accident left my wife and I stranded in the middle of a motorway in a storm. I've always had the AA's highest level of cover as I drive a lot and worry about this exact situation occurring. I followed the AA Accident Assist advice and as soon as I'd rung the police I rang the AA. Standing on the hard shoulder shivering in the pouring rain, I listened to phone ring for over an hour. The AA never even picked up. They've clearly cut all their phone operators because they've got a fancy app, but when you're on a motorway with no data signal, and it's raining so hard your phone's touchscreen stops working it's useless. This attempt at economy puts the lives of their members at risk. My car was eventually recovered by the highways agency and when it became clear that the AA were never coming, the police took pity on us and dropped us off at the nearest service station, leaving us to find our own way home at 3am. Unfortunately, the atrocious service did not end there. When I rang to complain I was accused of wasting the AA's time and they attempted to coerce me into the not making a complaint. Then another operator told me that I couldn't make a complaint because I tried to gaslight me into thinking that I didn't have the cover that I'd paid for. That took an hour of being bounced around random departments until they finally decided to believe me. Once I'd finally lodged a complaint and waiting the required 8 weeks, I was told that the AA actually had no responsibility to attend my accident, despite having AA Accident Assist cover with all the addons. No one had answered the phone because of the bad weather and all their call handlers were busy. If only there were some way to predict the weather and adjust staffing to compensate? I was told that because the Highways Agency had recovered the car, the AA were under no obligation to do anything, despite having onward travel and hire car as part of my membership. I guess I should have asked the police to leave the M4 closed for a few more hours to give the AA time to arrive? They could also (conveniently) find no record of my phonecalls where I was advised not to make a complaint and where I was accused of having the incorrect cover. I'm sure that was just a coincidence though. I was offered compensation of £150 (a tiny fraction of my annual membership fee) which took another 8 weeks and several emails before they eventually paid. After this ordeal, my trust in the AA has been irrevocably broken. It's clear the company will do anything possible to shirk their responsibilities to their customers and as such I will never use any AA service again, and I will advise everyone else I speak to do the same. The company is not fit for purpose. Reviewed on: 18th March 2024

Nightmare to cancel

Service was good when I needed, however, the price increased a lot and I have an offer for a half price with RAC. Trying to cancel it has been a nightmare. NOT RECCOMMEND Reviewed on: 13th February 2025

TERRIBLE SERVICE DID NOT PROVIDE SERVICE PAID FOR!

Called for breakdown 1845, informed help would be there in the hour. Two females in the vehicle,one 88 years old and freezing cold. Dark and raining. Numerous text messages informing of delayed attendance the last up date was for 2150 estimated time to arrive!! Had to call a taxi to get my mother home as very frail and had to leave the car in situ. Absolutely disgusting service. Go to Greenflag if you want a professional service. Could not even get through to call centre to speak to anyone. Reviewed on: 21st January 2025

Aa have let me down and hampered my work

I have been waiting for my van to be recovered from Manchester back to Liverpool since the Aa mechanic placed an order for one at 1pm yesterday . The wheel bearing has disintegrated, and the vehicle is un- drivable. I was initially told that I would be recovered within 90 minutes. I had no word from anyone, so called the Aa, only to be told eta 4.30 pm. When no one showed up at 4.30pm, I called back, and was told that Mansfield recovery were too busy, and couldn’t give me an eta. Obviously, this was very upsetting for me, as I had been waiting since 10.30 am. It was now dark, raining and the road I was on isn’t a safe place to be at night. The Aa operator then offered to call me a taxi back to Liverpool, with the promise that, if I left my keys in the wheel arch of the van, then the Mansfield recovery truck would collect my van later that evening, and deliver it to my mechanic in liverpool. This I agreed to, as I needed to load up another vehicle for work in Manchester the next day. My van still hasn’t been recovered for me, and my mechanic had moved other jobs, so that he could fix my vehicle today, ready for me to work with tomorrow. Mansfield quite clearly don’t see Aa customers as a priority…… and the Aa operator couldn’t find anyone else to recover my van either. Which begs the question, what am I paying for? I was told I had upgrade my cover yesterday from gold membership, to cover the transit as a business vehicle. I was charged £107, only to be treated appallingly. This has caused me a great deal of stress. I have been left worrying that my van could get vandalised or stolen….. the keys are in the wheel arch, as the operator suggested. If something bad happens to my van, because the Aa hasn’t recovered it, who will be liable. I am now going to have to use another smaller van, and make two trips tomorrow…. This has messed me around, and so I would like to know how the Aa think this is a good way to treat loyal Customers? Definitely going to leave them asap, after pursuing them legally. I’m now told they will recover it at 9.15 tomorrow, but I’m not holding my breath… They have lost another loyal customer…… Reviewed on: 21st January 2025

I cannot thank AA Roadside Assistance enough for the...

I cannot thank AA Roadside Assistance enough for their exceptional service during my recent breakdown. Driving from Devon to London early on a Saturday morning, my car unexpectedly failed me. To my amazement, an ambulance passing by stopped to ensure I was safe, soon followed by the police, who kindly looked after me until the AA arrived. Mark Hammond from the AA was my first hero. While, unfortunately, he couldn’t fix the issue on the spot, Mark’s professionalism shone through as he calmly explained the situation, arranged for a loader without delay, and advised me of the next steps. His quick thinking and reassurance were a huge comfort. Ryan, the loader driver, was equally fantastic. His expertise in handling my car was clear as he swiftly got it onto the loader. Understanding my predicament, Ryan went above and beyond—dropping me at the train station to ensure I could get to London, while also liaising with the garage to manage my car repairs. Although the car remains in Devon and still needs fixing, I now feel confident knowing that with my open return ticket, I’ll soon be back behind the wheel in the New Year. Breaking down is never pleasant, but the AA’s friendly and efficient support made all the difference. Mark and Ryan turned what could have been a stressful ordeal into a well-handled, reassuring experience. Thank you, AA Roadside Assistance—you were truly a lifesaver! Highly recommended for any motorist in need. Reviewed on: 17th December 2024

They’ve had my car for 10 days!

They’ve had my car for 10 days. Won’t communicate when I can get it back as they don’t know! They’ve had the parts for 4 days apparently which is all I know. If you ever break down and they tell you you have to got to an AA approved garage tell them to leave it at the side of the road. The fresh air will probably do a better job at fixing your car than the useless ‘mechanics’ they approve to fix your car Reviewed on: 7th November 2024

Be Careful with AA terms and conditions!

Be Careful with AA terms and conditions! Last week I realised my mot had expired by a week, I booked the mot and arranged for my car to be collected on trade plates by the garage, I went to start the car on my driveway and it was just clicking so I phoned the AA to explain but even though the car was on my drive and I have home start they refused to help! I explained I’m disabled and a blue badge holder and I’m unable to fix myself if it is just the battery. I have been with the AA for over 30 years on and off and have only used them twice and that was over 10 years ago. I have now cancelled my membership and will use the RAC as I could have broken down any where and as I can’t walk properly due to my disability i can’t take the risk with the attitude of the AA after my phone call with them. Reviewed on: 18th October 2024

Excellent

Great reliable service , company been going for a very long time Reviewed on: 23rd August 2024

They have always provided help and assistance when n...

They have always provided help and assistance when needed Reviewed on: 23rd August 2024

No help at all

Disgusting experience l, called when car lost all power leaving me and my daughter locked outside of it, no way to get into vehicle. On an unlit carpark in an hnsafe area freezing and pouring down with rain. Told was a priority booking but kept getting pushed back jn the queue till almost 4 hours later was told could be another 4 hours and we weren't priority but they could book a taxi home for us. As soon as reminded money was locked in the car they said oh sorry no can't do that then but they could cancel my job because no way would they be there. If I hadn't have called could have been left over night outside. Ended up having to walk almost 5miles along an unlit main road with no footpath Reviewed on: 23rd August 2024

Avoid. They don’t help despite following their advice.

My head gasket blew a couple of weeks ago. I am an AA member so I called the breakdown department and arranged for roadside assistance. One person attended and Misdiagnosed my car stating it was a single faulty spark plug, claiming I simply had to pay The AA £300 for a service and the issue would be solved. I booked this service as advised and the mechanic turned up late, spent 45 minutes sat outside my house before knocking on my door to inform me he didn’t have time to do the service so he would have to come back the following day. He marked the job as done on the system. I called the AA back to get a refund and eventually this was processed. As the car would not run they sent out a second patrol car who told me that my head gasket has blow and that it needed a specialist mechanic to repair it. He told me to get it to a garage within the following days. I found a garage who had the ability to fix the issue (not an easy job for my car type) and they took the car the follow day and confirmed the diagnostic. It needed replacing. The garage then proceeded to hold my car for 2 weeks due to workload and not being able to complete the repair. I need the car for ongoing health treatment and appointments so need it on the road asap so I found another garage who can repair it within the next week. I called the AA to ask them to tow the vehicle to the new garage and was told they ‘had already been out once’ and ‘it’s my fault for not following their advice or attemting to get it fixed’. Neither of these are true. They asked me to provide confirmation from the first garage that they had the car from the date of the final call out so today I provided them with a letter headed document confirm such details. Despite that they are completely refusing to help in anyway stating that I have ignored their advice and ‘had my time’ and call out. The power steering warning light is also now on my light as a result of trying to drive a car with significant engine failure (AAs fault) and they won’t come out despite my cover and it being an additional issue. They are telling me to drive a car that is not road worthy and looses power continuously (not legal) as that is what their advise is on the report. I will be reporting them to the financial ombudsman in order to claim all unnecessary costs, as the level of customer service is weak, they are rude, they will not honour the policy I have and completely disregard not only my own safety, but the safety of other road users unless I want to pay an additional £99+ £4.50 per mile for something that is already covered under my policy and was advised by patrol attending Reviewed on: 29th June 2024

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