Review: AA car insurance
By
David Woodfield
Summary
The AA (the Automobile Association) was founded in 1905 by a group of motoring enthusiasts that wanted to help drivers avoid police speed traps. Now, over 100 years later, the company has grown significantly to become one of the most trusted and recognised brands in the UK, primarily offering car insurance, driving lessons and breakdown cover.
As the company grew, so did its market, and the AA now offers a range of other financial products and services, including personal loans, savings accounts and travel insurance.
You can get an AA car insurance quote on their website.
Overview of cover provided by the AA car insurance
Like most car insurance providers, the AA offers three levels of cover: third party only, third party fire and theft, and comprehensive. Different to other insurers, they also vary the terms of their cover a little, giving you more in some cases if you are an AA member.
Third party only covers liabilities to third parties – that is to say it covers damage you cause to other people’s property like the cars of other drivers. Third party fire and theft covers this plus your car if it’s stolen or damaged by fire. Third party fire and theft cover with the AA also covers up to £1,000 replacement locks and keys, and replacement child car seats, providing damage or loss is caused by fire or theft.
The most thorough level of cover is comprehensive, which includes a range of additional benefits, including accidental damage (should you damage your car yourself, with no third party involved), a courtesy car while your car is being repaired by an approved mechanic, replacement locks and keys, replacement child car seats, windscreen repair without affecting your no claims discount, up to £250 for personal belongings inside the car (£500 for AA members), personal injury cover up to £5,000 (£7,500 for AA members), medical expenses up to £400 per person (£500 for AA members) and overnight accommodation and onward travel expenses of up to £300 per person (a maximum of £500 for everyone in the vehicle).
Comprehensive policy holders will also benefit from the AA’s uninsured driver promise, which means your no claims bonus will not be affected if you’re hit by an uninsured driver, nor will you have to pay an excess.
Regardless of the policy level, all AA car insurance customers can build up a no claims discount, and enjoy up to 90 days of car insurance cover across EU countries.
The brand also offers a number of added extras for additional peace of mind, including motor legal assistance, excess protection, car hire and a motor accident plan, which pays up to £20,000 if you or a named driver are injured or die as a result of a crash.
Interested? Get an instant AA car insurance quote online.
How much does AA car insurance cost?
The cost of AA car insurance will depend on a variety of factors, including your address, age, level of cover chosen and the make and model of your vehicle.
The company also offers a range of additional benefits, such as 12 months’ free breakdown cover, money off MOTs and added perks for existing AA members, such as free no claims discount protection.
As such it is very difficult to generalise about what your car insurance might cost but you can use the AA’s online form to get a tailored AA car insurance online quote.
What do AA car insurance reviews from customers say?
According to Which?’s analysis of AA car insurance customer reviews, the service has a customer satisfaction score of 63% (this makes up part of the overall score of 70%, which is listed below), while over on money.co.uk the company has scored a ‘good’ rating of 3.9/5, with 45% of 174 reviewers saying they’d recommend the AA to their friends and family.
What do AA car insurance reviews from experts say?
The AA came 20th in Auto Express’ list of 30 top providers in 2014, but according to Which? comes 8th out of its top 30 providers, with an overall provider score of 70%. Over on Defaqto – the independent financial products reviewer – the AA’s car insurance has earned five out of five stars, making it an ‘excellent product with a comprehensive range of features and benefits’.
