Sunday, November 15, 2009

Totally unhappy with AIA’s breakdown services

Drivers, especially ladies – if you have been lulled into feeling safe with a breakdown service number on your windshield, read on.


When I renewed my car insurance with AIA last December, I was relieved that it came with breakdown services. I thought that it was something that I could depend totally on.

Unfortunately, I learnt that this is not necessarily true.

My battery died on me at 9.30 pm on Friday 13th out in SS15, Subang. Filled with pure panic, my initial reaction was to go back to the room where I had attended a talk to get help. Then I remembered the number for AIA’s breakdown services on my windshield and sighed in relief.

When I gave my car registration number to the lady on the line, she said it was not in the system. Huh? Then, get this, she asked me for my policy number. Am I supposed to be driving around armed with my car insurance policy number? Never knew that & wish someone had told me about it!

I was told to pay RM40 to the guy who would come out to jumpstart my car; extra if it involved paying for a new battery. Which worried me immensely as I did not have a lot of cash on me. As I was feeling quite terrified to be stranded out on the street at night (okay, I could have got home but i didn't want to leave my beloved old car there), I quickly agreed to the RM40. At that point there was no talk of reimbursement.

I have no problems with the actual service, as the guy was prompt and did the job well.

When I got home I called to give the same lady my policy number to be told that - yes, I am covered and that she would get the guy to return the money to me. So, why wasn’t my details in the computer system? Her rather defensive answer was something along the lines of “it has not been updated”!

A 11 month policy, for which I had already received a renewal notice, had not been updated? What were they waiting for?

What really bothered me was: what if it was something more serious and I had required urgent help in the middle of the night in a more remote area? What would AIA had done without my policy number in such a situation? Would I have been told to fork out a fat sum on the spot for urgent help? The whole experience had been unnerving.

These competing car insurance providers constantly try to up one another on services provided, leaving me wondering who is monitoring these "extra services" they provide.

Plus, I need to renew my car insurance. Anyone got any recommendations?

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