Unneeded AA policy

Jessica Investigates

I recently bought a car that came complete with breakdown cover, so I called the AA to cancel the nine months’ unexpired cover I already had with it.

The AA refused a refund as it was more than 15 days since the start of the policy.

This seems unfair given that my cover is now duplicated. JONATHON CLARK

You expected to get a proportional refund along the lines of what your insurer had given for changing from two cars to one.

You have fewer work commitments these days and find it is “greener” to have just one car. It is also better to have only one in the drive.

Two months after renewing your membership of the AA for £201, you used the service. Then, soon after this breakdown, you took delivery of the new car.

The AA says its normal 15-day “cooling-off” period

Jonathon Clark was already an AA member when he bought a car that included cover can be waived, depending on the circumstances. Given that you had used the policy to call out the AA after your renewal, the AA’s membership team, it says, took the right decision in refusing a refund.

You have been an AA member for 13 years and found its attitude on this issue disappointing.

After I approached the AA, it changed its mind on the refund. It now says that in recognition that you have been a member for many years and breakdown cover comes with your new car, it has – as a goodwill gesture – arranged for a pro-rata refund of £151.

The AA said another option would have been to suspend your membership until the cover that came with your new car expired. After that, in effect you could pick up where you left off.

You say you would have done that but you had confirmed with the manufacturer that the new car, which you envisage keeping for a long time, came with breakdown cover for as long as the car is serviced by a main dealer.