My wife recently changed from her old insurance company to the AA as they gave her a much better quote for herself and me as named driver. However, it soon turned out to be not quite as attractive as it first seemed. Shortly after sending in the forms and money Alison received a call from the AA saying that there was a problem with her application and could she call a certain number to discuss. She duly did so and was told that as I had a claim against me, that they were increasing  the premium by approximately £60 per year.

This was interesting as I don’t have any claims against me at all, however, they assured my wife that this claim against me took place in 2007. I was puzzled and decided to check.

I spoke first with the AA who assured me that there was indeed a claim on the database and so Alison had no choice but to pay up the additional premium on her police (or drop me as named driver). I got as much information as I could from the telephone operator - who was very helpful just powerless to deviate from the rules she had to work under - and eventually asked for her manager. S/he wasn’t there but promised to call me back. So far,  no call back!

I then spoke to my own insurance company, Sainsburys who I highly recommend and they explained everything about this claim. I was informed that, on their database it is listed as “no fault, no claim” as it was simply noting that I had advised my insurance company of an accident in which I had been hit, while stationery, by another car. The other driver immediately admitted full liability and the whole matter was resolved with no claims being made against me and my own insurance company merely being informed of the facts.

So, a non-claim against me turned into a claim against me on the AA’s database and they flatly refuse to change it, or even speak to my own insurance company for clarification.

Next time you think you need the AA, try here or here instead - the AA’s own claims are probably as dubious as the one they think has been logged against me.

It’s not  the first time that I’ve had trouble with this organisation, they gave me a load of grief years back when I was a motorcyclist and I promised myself never to use them. I was happy with the RAC for years - until Alison had some grief with them once and changed our “contract”.

I stand by my previous decision never to become a customer of the AA. (Unless they sort their act out pretty sharpish and refund our additional expense.)

Would I recommend anyone take out insurance with the AA? In a word, no. (Other opinions are available, but they are wrong! :-))

Having said all that, I do appreciate the fact that the AA are not actually an insurance company, just a broker (or are they?) for a real insurance company located somewhere in Gibraltar and that the AA probably have to follow the rules laid down by said off-shore insurance company but does anyone actually think about these rules? I mean, how on Earth can a “no claim” be a “claim against”? Sigh.

Cheers.