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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

Terrible organisation and service

I called this morning at 8am. Now, it is 21:18, we are a family with young kid have changed two trucks and still in middle of no where waiting for the 3rd truck to turn up,which is supposed to be here 40 mins ago. Now we have to wait 20 minutes for a taxi and our car won’t get home tonight. The whole thing is badly organised. All this for a 3 hour journey home. Reviewed on: 27th June 2021

Renewal Charges Can be reduced - Why not offer to members in the first place?!

I've been with AA now 5 years, each year the renewal comes through excessively High. I have to ring through, discuss the price and its reduced, usually by LESS THAN HALF the renewal quote. I find this infuriating, why not offer the deal to your members already??! I've done 5 years, some have done 30/40! Surely members should be offered the same as a new member or at least competitive with the companies around. No doubt many will just pay & not query but this business model seems unethical. Especially in these difficult times. AA methods should be exposed, if you're a member NEVER accept the renewal quote! Reviewed on: 17th June 2021

Disgusting service

Don't use.... disgusting service We have had family cover with the AA for more years than i care to remember and have had to use the service on just a few occasions and until now things have always been ok during what is by definition a stressful situation..... however today things have reached an unbelievable low .... my son broke down on his way to work and called for assistance at around 8.00 am... its now 5.50pm and he is still waiting ..... had many phone calls and plenty of excuses all of which are doing nothing to help get him home. It appears the AA are not fit for purpose so my advice is shop around for someone that can uphold their end of the deal.... i know we will as this disgusting service is not acceptable......... given up waiting now. My son has managed to find somewhere to secure the bike overnight and is coming home by train. I'll take the day off tomorrow and go get it myself in a van..... way to go AA. You definitely need to take a long hard look at the service you're NOT providing. ....... just had an email to say our complaint is now closed as the AA feel they have dealt with our issue in a fair way....... Well done AA you did nothing..... absolutely nothing.... i expect you will be full of apologies when it's renewal time.. well for the record we're not renewing.... 2 orher family members will not and I'm sure others will follow. Reviewed on: 11th June 2021

Poor service

I reported a breakdown with my new vehicle registration. They sent out a third party engineer with my old vehicle details. Luckily the third party engineer took photos of my vehicle registration. When the third party had taken my car to the mechanics, because it was so early they left my car outside the garage. When I got there in the morning when the garage was open, I noticed a parking ticket on the vehicle. I called the AA to ask for a report & they told me to wait 24 hours..after 4 days still no report. I called up again & they told me that the report is in my old vehicle details and that if I need it to be changed I should call up the third party to get that done. So I called up the third party company & they said only the AA can do that & that I should have the AA call them because they have evidence that it was my new vehicle that had broken down. So when I relayed the information back to the AA..the AA told me that they can call up but they are not going to put any pressure on the third party company to change the report with the correct vehicle registration. So basically I have a parking ticket because of the AA & a breakdown report in my old vehicle because of the AA. So now I can’t fight the Parking ticket. This is just awful and unacceptable!!! Reviewed on: 2nd March 2021

NHS workers beware the AA

So I’m a NHS worker and just tried to to order breakdown cover with the AA as they stated 40% off and it stated this will be calculated at payment, this is a lie, no discount was added but they took my payment and when I called to check on this they said they are not sure why this is however it I want to cancel it will be £20!!!!! What a sneaky trick they play to steal NHS workers money!!!! Reviewed on: 22nd February 2021

Insensitive and unhelpful

I paid a highly inflated price for a new car battery because the 5 year guarantee sounded like a good thing. However I just tried to claim on the warranty and it’s not worth the paper it is written on. Reviewed on: 20th February 2021

Totally useless!

When my daughter had a road traffic accident on the M5 she was told, “sorry we don’t come out to accidents, only breakdowns”. My son’s parked car was hit and left with the bumper hanging off. He was told, “sorry we can’t attend as the car is drivable”. Consequently, he drove a mile and the bumper fell off completely. Wouldn’t touch them with a barge pole! Reviewed on: 19th December 2020

No Stars - Appalling Help - Refused To Change A Faulty Battery

AA Job No - 3031 - On Date 20/11/2020 No Stars. This was the worst experience in all my years as a member of the AA, by a country mile and the first where the AA Representative attending refused or could not change over a faulty battery! The AA Representative stated a prior Medical Condition prevented him from replacing the failed battery with a new battery. Ergo, what is the point of a mechanic who cannot or will not change a car battery! The AA clearly states it carries spare batteries in their vans... Is this just for show! Hence, we were left to solve the urgent issue ourselves, with the car running and told not to switch it off, whilst the AA representative disappeared off into the distance. Thank you Kwik Fit for coming to our rescue and solving the issue. Appalling service from this AA representative. Again... No Stars! Reviewed on: 23rd November 2020

Helpful

Used a few times and have always been friendly and helpful Reviewed on: 19th September 2020

Great and good value

Excellent and great value Very well explained Definitely would recommend Reviewed on: 28th August 2020

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