RAC Breakdown - Renewal Overcharges
 

Had a family policy renewal quote come through the post for £214ish pounds thought i would renew until the other half intervened and said you should try double checking the online price....to my surprise £194 ish pounds.

So being a continued member for the last 3 years who has never made a claim, is being ripped off :razz:.......how pathetic.

Called the RAC and spoke to a customer service representative who confirmed that he would not be able to do anything on the renewal price for this year and that the online quote was for new customers only insisted on speaking to his manager to be told that they had a 24 hours call back policy. Recieved a return call from the sales representative and he said "I have spoken to my line manager and she has confirmed we cannot do anything on the online price".

Policy now cancelled with the RAC and will go with someone else...but i do not see why a new customer should have to pay less than existing customers who do not claim. :wonder:

The governments shafting us, petrol pumps are shafting us, insurances are shafting us and NOW the breakdown companies are shafting us.... :nono: who next :wonder: :hjtwofing


If anyone has had similar problems with the RAC would be good to hear of them. :thumb:

After the RAC left me in the middle of nowhere for nearly 12 hours and constantly lied to me, I wouldn't join them if it was free and i'd advise anyone not to join the RAC.

Absolute scum!!

One thing you could try is a premium account with your bank. We use additions plus with Barclays, though I know Halifax do a similar one. For £14 a month we get RAC breakdown for me and the wife, mobile phone insurance, decent multi-tip travel insurance and a few other things.

Had to use the RAC twice since I've had it and it's been spot on both times.

Ben will look into the account add ons maybe it is the way forward for us.

Anyone else come accross the same issue as me?

All I had to do was tell the AA that GEM could do equal cover for half the price, and they then offered me a price match deal !

Sorted !

HTH

dunx

It might not help with the RAC but I went through Quid co and joined the RAC, but you can also join the AA. If you do this you not only get the best online prices but you receive cashback as well.

get this every year with the aa
normal pay about 130 for me and partner which includes everything they offer , home start the lot,
renewal always comes in at over 200 quid she just rings them up and they have always matched the last years price

by the way we have never needed to use them in the 4 years of paying ...lol

Same here! :mad:

Fact of life I'm afraid.

New customers get a better deal to lure them in.

These days you can get breakdown cover with your bank account but it only covers you for local breakdown. I pay £53 a year for national recovery and home call with green flag its a top up of the policy with my bank account .

Im only really worried about breaking down on a motorway where you have to pay a ridicolous recovery fee, so im paying for piece of mind . my renewal came through last week and its still £53 for 12 months which I think is fair but £200 plus is abit excessive.

Get full AA recovery and relay with my bank, free!

Loads of people are doing this now: new customers pay less than loyal old ones. Moved BOTH my insurances AND my breakdown cover because of it this year.

SURELY it costs them more to attract a new customer and give a discount, than to KEEP the old ones?

Or are they banking on the old customers just paying up?

I think it's a simple cost benefit analysis for them. If they can spend X amount on advertising to attract Y amount of new customers and make a small loss on the price of advertising, and the loss of the old customer, yet return a higher net revenue with the total amount of policies they'll do it.

Loyalty in business is now an out of date concept it would seem :cry:

It's not free really. You pay with admin charges on "the upgrading" of your account to include holiday insurance, breakdown cover etc.

It's like saying I have free calls/texts on a mobile phone when your actually paying £25, £30 or more a month, so it's not free.

so £13 a month admin charge that includes holiday insurance ,mobile phone, breakdown cover ,extended warranties but its still doesnt come to £214 especially if you make use of those other benefits and I use the mobile phone insurance to cover my iphone ,travel insurance and breakdown cover so it makes sense for me.

Correct. Most corporate companies now believe that there is no such thing as brand loyalty any more, and thus as a result do not give loyalty bonuses to existing customers.

I use Autoaid its a insurance which you just claim back the cash great value

I just sacked RAC after 13 years in similar circs to the OP.
Went with Start Rescue whose T&C are a cut and paste of RAC.
Never had to use the RAC in that time either.
Paid £122 for 2x personal European cover.

RAC and home start
 

With RAC home start, if they can not fix your car they will only tow/transport your vehicle within a ten mile radius of your home. My nearest Subaru dealer or specialist is 30 plus miles away. I was a member for 17 years and used them twice. Broke down at home and they refused to take me to either a Subaru dealer or subaru specialist and just left me:nono:. Had to organise my own low loader! Slightly off topic but think people in remote areas should be aware of this.

Always with the AA now.

I have mentioned this a couple of times at RAC recruitment/signup vans - the RAC representatives always look very annoyed as the potential customers walk away! Petty I know!:thumb:

A Very valid point i'm glad i repair my own everytime.....but nevertheless for those that are dependent its a kick in the teeth. I shall remember to visit every RAC rep i see :D

Will look into the AA with my halifax account

More info on this please Lisa...i am aware thst the halifax offer the relay service (i think that is the case anyway :wonder:) not aware of any package with a bank which offers the full Shabang as you mention? :thumb:

Errr...If I don't let my current account balance drop below 4k I get no charges..so yes it's free. :cuckoo:

Lloyds Platinum account..think it also applies to Gold account.

Thanks Lisa....will look into it.