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AA: Breakdown Cover reviews

Name: Breakdown Cover
Rating: 3 (192 reviews)

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2.50

Based on 192 reviews, last reviewed 7th Nov 2024

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

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

Latest lowest rating:

1

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 ... Read more Reviewed on: 7th November 2024

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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 (192)

Review of the AA, Breakdown Cover:

Can’t fault them

Never had to use breakdown services but I was with AA for a year and can’t fault it, good price as I passed with AA driving school so I had a discount, they offer decent benefits and discounts and are a very reputable and trusted company for a reason. Reviewed on: 6th March 2024

Absolutely no care for their customers

I have had an extremely bad experience with the AA on (and since) Thursday 11th January 2024 and not only have they dragged their feet to respond to numerous attempts to contact them, but they also never shown any understanding or care about the issue I have experienced. I have been a member with the AA for about 8 years now and this experience marks the end of my membership with them. Background: To cut a long story a little shorter, I (as a motorcyclist) suffered an unfixable tyre puncture, which happened after work on my way home at 5:15 pm. I was left waiting at close to freezing temperatures and was running out of places to stay warm at. I called the AA for an update at 10 pm as the goal post kept moving and was then showing after midnight for the AA to attend my incident. After I insisted that I cannot wait any longer, they dispatched immediately a third party recovery service. Why this wasn't done sooner, I do not know and I haven't had an answer from the AA either. I eventually arrived at home at midnight. I believe I am very patient and my complainted wasn't about the waiting times per se, but the disregard about their customers safety and wellbeing. My hope was for them to at least review why a motorcyclist was left waiting in the cold (~3°C) and was not considered at risk. An initial, impersonal response from the AA was a dismissive "here-is-£30,-now-we-consider-the-case-closed-and-leave-us-alone", which did not address my concerns and highlighted to me their disinterest to improve potential issues. It took a further 2(ish) months before they emailed me again suggesting that a further £20 should fix everything and still didn't show any interest or understanding of the actual issue. Just to be clear, I have not been chasing them for money, but wanted my feedback to be heard and considered for future improvements. I have tried to contact the AA so may times (phone, web chat and emails) and it is now evident to me that they clearly do not care to improve anything and have shown a complete disinterest in their customer's wellbeing. I'll take my business elsewhere and I suggest you consider it as well. Reviewed on: 28th March 2024

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

I have full AA cover and they refuse to help

I have full AA cover . I dropped my key in engine bay by mistake . I rang them and asked for help . They refused to come out . It was hardly 5 minutes job . Avoid . My friend has similar problem few years back and RAC sent help with in minutes . Avoid them they r fraud Reviewed on: 20th February 2024

Treat Loyal Customers like Rubbish

A loyal customer since I passed my test, when I needed them the most to attend an accident and recover my vehicle, the first thing they wanted was me to give credit card details even though I was in a state of shock. They also didn’t provide relevant information about a claims service I could have used, which would have saved me a lot of time and stress. Now months after the accident they are on my case for more money for the recovery. They only want your money and have no interest in helping. Reviewed on: 27th January 2024

Stuck cold and helpless

Me and my mother broke down at 12.15 pm and we immediately rung the aa as my mum has the break down cover well what we thought was break down cover. After receiving the 1st if many times the as would reach us we were hopeful they would be quick and efficient but unfortunately we would be shown how daft we were to think that. After our time was pushed back for the 4th time we rung the number thats provided and the person on the phone did not seem bothered that we could be hit by another vehicle at any point as we were next to a rather busy road. After 3 and a half hours the person finally came and told us we needed to get towed as it wasn't something they could fix at the side of the road but if we were to use this service from the aa they would charge 300-400 pounds but luckily for us we had it sorted and we're able to get it alot cheaper. My mother and I are absolutely appalled the the lack of care and compassion these people have for their customers who pay money. My mother and I were freezing cold and our toes were numb from being sat still in a cold vehicle which we didn't dare turn on. So aswell as waiting a long time to have someone come out we had to then deal with the fact it was cold. As a result of this traumatic experience we have decided to cancel the direct debit for AA and gone to green flag which hopefully is alot better as well as alot cheaper than the AA Reviewed on: 25th January 2024

AA abandoned car at services with key 3 days ago!

My brother came to see me in London for the New Year, arriving on the 29th Dec, his clutch went luckily near my house so managed to get parked up. He called the AA and and they came to see the issue. They said it would need a tow but my brother lives up north and didn't have the correct cover to get a full tow. They gave him the site and code to sign up to the correct cover which he did and arranged a tow on New Years Day. The driver arrived, and said that it would take 8 hours and 3 driver switches to get them and the car home. I gave them my car so they could get on their way. The driver got to the first stop with the car at a services, called my brother and said he didn't have the correct cover and would cost £800 for the full tow. My brother has no choice now but to pay, but the car is still at the services 3 days later with the key on the wheel!! AA can't tell him when they will collect it. Disgusting!! Reviewed on: 4th January 2024

AA redeemed!

After the AA diagnosed the problem last Saturday, I had to leave the car at home as the garage I use has no room on the street to leave overnight. Couldn't drive it at all, as the thermostat plastic housing at the end of the cylinder head had cracked, with fluid pouring out! Because I was at home, the time set for a mechanic to come out yesterday kept changing, due to others being more of an emergency/priority. Being New Year on the Monday I had to wait until yesterday, Tues to request a tow to the garage. The weather was atrocious, so I kinda understand that. but the garage had closed and they still hadn't come! So I cancelled the call out and tried again today. It left me a little miffed, but understandably there were people out there that had more priority. Unusual weather, unusual times we live in. The mechanic who came by 09:30 this morning was a very amiable guy, he not only cheered me up immensely but fixed the car for me whilst I waited, saving a lot of hanging around in bad weather for buses to and forth from the garage! And for a good price too, (cheaper than the garage I use & their prices are the best in the area!) Thankyou Dean! You made my day, you were worth the wait! In fact he redeemed the AA in my eyes after my quiet sulk from the day before Lol! Dean explained the whole process and he clearly knew his stuff, again keeping the reputation that the AA have intact! Reviewed on: 3rd January 2024

Put wrong fuel into my car

Accidentally put unleaded fuel into my diesel car. I'm a key worker, full-time care assistant, so not paid masses of money and have to work hard for it. Leah from the AA organised a technician to come this week to drain the fuel from my car, remove the contaminated fuel, clean then repopulate with correct fuel and MOST importantly arrange for a deferred payment schedule till I have the funds. I've been with the AA for a total of 33 years, and they have NEVER let me down. I would recommend them to anyone on the planet. Reviewed on: 26th December 2023

6H waiting to recovery

I've been a loyal member of AA for five years, but my recent encounter has left me utterly dissatisfied. Stranded in Sheffield from 8 pm until midnight, shivering in my car, I waited for AA's promised petrol assistance. To my dismay, upon arrival, the technician claimed it was an alternator issue and promptly left me stranded. Now, facing an additional two hours of waiting for recovery, I can't help but feel deceived and frustrated. This experience is a stark contrast to the reliable service I once knew from AA. Sadly, it seems the company has deviated from its former standards, making empty promises and providing subpar assistance. My advice: steer clear of AA to avoid falling victim to their lies and unfulfilled commitments. Reviewed on: 12th December 2023

Absolutely appalling

9 hours to be recovered 22 miles. No contact from recovery firm who wasn’t AA. The cost is insignificant, it’s the service they provide and it’s appalling. When you try and complain they totally fob you off and couldn’t give a toss. I will never use the aa EVER AGAIN. DO NOT BELIEVE THEIR ADVERT!! Reviewed on: 7th December 2023

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