RAC ripping off existing breakdown customers. sick of it

[lornemalvo]

I just received my renewal for RAC breakdown cover (pretty sure I opted out of this as I never opt in to this). It's gone up from £125 to £190.99, well over 50% increase.
I called to cancel the automatic opt in and to ask why the increase and was told I took it out with an introductory offer. I then asked why then now, after I've called, are you offering to "see what you can do" about the price? Why not give a loyal customer a decent price instead of me having to call to complain? It's an annual insurance policy, not a fking T shirt on a Tenerife market. I don't want to haggle, I just want a fair price. Current policies for newcomers are around £100 with full cover. No doubt they do it because many people just renew for the sake of convenience.

I'm absolutely fking sick of having to be constantly on the ball because companies try every sly, underhanded tactic to rip off their own customers, instead of just dealing in a straightforward, honest way. The greedy bds.

The law was changed to prevent insurance companies disadvantaging existing customers like this for car insurance and home insurance products, does it extend to breakdown insurance policies?

[Zetec-S]

Thanks for the reminder, I'd forgotten it's that time of the year when I need to call the AA about my renewal price

[supacool1]

Had the same thing with the AA when I took out for an Euro trip. Renewal came up £110 more than last year. Phoned up and spoke to a nice chap who correctly advised me I had breakdown from my bank and promptly cancelled the renewal. No fuss, but understand your annoyance and frustration.

[Dynion Araf Uchaf]

a lot of car manufacturers offer subsidised RAC cover if you get your car serviced in a dealer. I.e. its 'free' with a service.

They pay about £8 per policy to RAC ( coz volume)

so there is another way.

[richhead]

It seems being a loyal customer isnt worth it now days, im also sick of it, it seems the only way is to be on the ball now days and shop around, its a pain

[NS66]

lornemalvo said:

I just received my renewal for RAC breakdown cover (pretty sure I opted out of this as I never opt in to this). It's gone up from £125 to £190.99, well over 50% increase.
I called to cancel the automatic opt in and to ask why the increase and was told I took it out with an introductory offer. I then asked why then now, after I've called, are you offering to "see what you can do" about the price? Why not give a loyal customer a decent price instead of me having to call to complain? It's an annual insurance policy, not a fking T shirt on a Tenerife market. I don't want to haggle, I just want a fair price. Current policies for newcomers are around £100 with full cover. No doubt they do it because many people just renew for the sake of convenience.

I'm absolutely fking sick of having to be constantly on the ball because companies try every sly, underhanded tactic to rip off their own customers, instead of just dealing in a straightforward, honest way. The greedy bds.

The law was changed to prevent insurance companies disadvantaging existing customers like this for car insurance and home insurance products, does it extend to breakdown insurance policies?

You wait till you have to call them out ( hopefully not) and you will see how bad they really are!!!

[jules_s]

Zetec-S said:

Thanks for the reminder, I'd forgotten it's that time of the year when I need to call the AA about my renewal price

I forgot to do mine last year, so this years was something like £250. One call got it down to £110

Cheeky bar stewards

[Terminator X]

I should imagine 99% of their customers don't even quible so it will continue evermore.

TX.

[Megaflow]

NS66 said:

You wait till you have to call them out ( hopefully not) and you will see how bad they really are!!!

What he said. Last time I had the misfortune to use them was because of a broken gear cable, from my initial phone call to actually making it home on a recovery truck, which was inevitable, despite them sending a van first, was 5 hours!

[Dingu]

No, the new regulations don’t extend to breakdown.

[Quarterly]

lornemalvo said:

.
I'm absolutely fking sick of having to be constantly on the ball because companies try every sly, underhanded tactic to rip off their own customers, instead of just dealing in a straightforward, honest way. The greedy bds.

I share your frustration! This is the new normal and they're all at it. Fairness, honesty and loyalty to the brand is no longer important to these companies.Tricking people and hoping they don't notice the increase or can't be bothered to ring back must work or they wouldn't do it.

This year the AA increased the cost to me from £195 to 295 for two people, even though they had no callouts during the year (or the previous 10 years).

The only way to deal with it is to either phone up to get the so called 'discounts' re applied or what I prefer to do (which gives me some element of satisfaction) is to cancel without allowing them to try and offer a better deal, then wait for them or the RAC to have a 'one day online sale' (which happens a lot). In this instance, I was back with the AA a week later having paid £150 for the same level of cover.

[vikingaero]

Most people are lemmings and will grumble about the renewal price and then renew because it's something that most of us need.

Firstly, NEVER NEVER NEVER RENEW. Always be a ho and shop around. There is nothing to be gained to being a loyal customer. If you believe in AA Silver and Gold membership then more fool you. You can get decenty AutoAid cover for less than £70 for a couple which shows how much branded cover costs.

If you MUST to have RAC branded cover then buy via Quidco or Topcashback to effectively halve the cost. At renewal call up and cancel and never get involved in negotiation/discussions. Then take out a new AA policy via Quidco/TCB. Repeat every year. (Caveat - cashback can take a few months to be paid back to you and the cashback site takes a standard £5 cut).

An illustration of TCB discounts:
£130 cashback for fully paid breakdown policies with a value of £250 and over
£90 cashback for fully paid breakdown policies with a value of £200 - £249.99
£75 cashback for fully paid breakdown policies with a value of £153 - £199.99
£66.50 cashback for fully paid breakdown policies with a value of £123 - £152.99

https://www.quidco.com/rac-uk-breakdown-cover/

The RAC must be rogering the OP from behind because they have 50% off for new customers: https://www.rac.co.uk/

[Bobskirs6]

Had the same thing with the AA this year. Renewal comes through at £219 but if I sign up as a new customer for the same cover is £139. Clearly loyalty is worth nothing to some of these companies.

[paulrockliffe]

Dingu said:

No, the new regulations don’t extend to breakdown.

They don't even really extend to Insurance either, they just change the terms of the new policies in non-material ways so that they can renew your out of date policy that is no longer available to new customers at the inflated price.

[Hondashark]

Top cashback give £45.62 back on RAC policies between £77 and £122.99.

Which makes your £100 RAC cover £55.
AA is similar.

You can't be a customer within the last 4 months though so you have to swap each year. Given they give you nothing for loyalty then that doesn't matter.

[Andy665]

If any of my policies increase massively I will call them, let them offer me a better price and then turn it down - if there was a better price then they should have offered it to me at the start - refuse to give money to companies who seek to take advantage of customers not being on the ball

[jeremyh1]

vikingaero said:

Most people are lemmings and will grumble about the renewal price and then renew because it's something that most of us need.

Firstly, NEVER NEVER NEVER RENEW. Always be a ho and shop around. There is nothing to be gained to being a loyal customer. If you believe in AA Silver and Gold membership then more fool you. You can get decenty AutoAid cover for less than £70 for a couple which shows how much branded cover costs.

If you MUST to have RAC branded cover then buy via Quidco or Topcashback to effectively halve the cost. At renewal call up and cancel and never get involved in negotiation/discussions. Then take out a new AA policy via Quidco/TCB. Repeat every year. (Caveat - cashback can take a few months to be paid back to you and the cashback site takes a standard £5 cut).

An illustration of TCB discounts:
£130 cashback for fully paid breakdown policies with a value of £250 and over
£90 cashback for fully paid breakdown policies with a value of £200 - £249.99
£75 cashback for fully paid breakdown policies with a value of £153 - £199.99
£66.50 cashback for fully paid breakdown policies with a value of £123 - £152.99

https://www.quidco.com/rac-uk-breakdown-cover/

The RAC must be rogering the OP from behind because they have 50% off for new customers: https://www.rac.co.uk/

Its very easy to say this but a lot of us just don't have the time to spend Victor Meldrewing over such things
It is just easier for me to pay and enjoy what spare time I have doing the things I actually want to do .

like a lot of people on here I work hard and lots of hours for the rewards and life cant be wasted on this

[lornemalvo]

paulrockliffe said:

Dingu said:

No, the new regulations don’t extend to breakdown.

They don't even really extend to Insurance either, they just change the terms of the new policies in non-material ways so that they can renew your out of date policy that is no longer available to new customers at the inflated price.

Doesn't surprise me. I think the real scumbags in life don't wear tracksuits and string vests, they wear grey suits

[66HFM]

I must admit that it is a pain, but each year I ring up RAC to complain about the cost having gone up by X%, they then match the previous year and change the cover period to 15 months....

It is only one call and yes they all do it...

[lornemalvo]

jeremyh1 said:

vikingaero said:

Most people are lemmings and will grumble about the renewal price and then renew because it's something that most of us need.

Firstly, NEVER NEVER NEVER RENEW. Always be a ho and shop around. There is nothing to be gained to being a loyal customer. If you believe in AA Silver and Gold membership then more fool you. You can get decenty AutoAid cover for less than £70 for a couple which shows how much branded cover costs.

If you MUST to have RAC branded cover then buy via Quidco or Topcashback to effectively halve the cost. At renewal call up and cancel and never get involved in negotiation/discussions. Then take out a new AA policy via Quidco/TCB. Repeat every year. (Caveat - cashback can take a few months to be paid back to you and the cashback site takes a standard £5 cut).

An illustration of TCB discounts:
£130 cashback for fully paid breakdown policies with a value of £250 and over
£90 cashback for fully paid breakdown policies with a value of £200 - £249.99
£75 cashback for fully paid breakdown policies with a value of £153 - £199.99
£66.50 cashback for fully paid breakdown policies with a value of £123 - £152.99

https://www.quidco.com/rac-uk-breakdown-cover/

The RAC must be rogering the OP from behind because they have 50% off for new customers: https://www.rac.co.uk/

Its very easy to say this but a lot of us just don't have the time to spend Victor Meldrewing over such things
It is just easier for me to pay and enjoy what spare time I have doing the things I actually want to do .

like a lot of people on here I work hard and lots of hours for the rewards and life cant be wasted on this

Yet you have time to browse forums. I worked incredibly hard for 50 years and have the rewards to show for it, but I don't want to waste money by throwing at at greedy, global corporate tts who use sharp practices with their customers. Sometime principles count beyond pound coins.