# AA Contact number



## rayhook (May 15, 2005)

I have just moved my insurance to SafeGuard and now have AA cover throughout Europe. So far so good.

In France I have a 'normal' number to dial for assistance but elsewhere in Europe I have a number starting 008000 - note TWO leading zeros. Now, this I think will work just fine via a landline but I'm wondering just what I dial from a UK mobile. Do I dial just as it is or do I strip off the leading zero and, if so, what do I replace it with - I don't know which country the call centre might be in.

I cannot be alone with this problem - does anyone have actual experience of calling the AA using a UK mobile from say, Spain or Portugal (where we're headed shortly) and if so exactly what did you dial please? Help!

Ray


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## rayhook (May 15, 2005)

*AA contact number abroad*

Phoned the AA eventually about this and have been assured that I just dial number from my mobile in the countries where the number applies.

I've had conversations like this before, being assured that 0845/0870 and 0800 numbers work when called from abroad - in some cases that's been true, in others it hasn't. Nothing beats a proper landline number! Soon as I get to Spain I'll give it a try and see what happens.

Hasn't anybody called the AA, using a UK mobile, from Spain?

Ray


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

We've used a 00800 number from both France and UK to Fiat Camper Assist. It works in exactly the same way as a UK 0800 number - ie free from a landline but charged from a mobile.

I could not make the sassy Fiat lady in Italy believe this; she insisted all calls from those numbers were free. I eventually wrote to Fiat to explain they were not free on a UK mobile and they refunded my call charges - not what I asked them to do but I'd had enough of them by then so accepted.

G


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## rayhook (May 15, 2005)

*Happier*

Grizzly,

Thanks - we'll sleep easier..............

Ray


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## zulurita (May 9, 2005)

I remember when I was with Safegard and in Germany when a lorry threw up a stone causing a large crack/hole in our windscreen.

I had an awful trouble getting through on my UK mobile and if i remember rightly the 008 bit was an issue.

I would make double sure from Safegard what the correct number is when phoning fro a EU country other than France. I know Germany was a bit of a problem.

I did eventually get through. The paper work I had at the time had more than one number and I remember writting a letter of complaint about this.

I am now with Comfort Insurance.


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## teal (Feb 23, 2009)

I tried to call but as in France i could not understand what the operator was saying on my mobile so gave up and got garage to fix problem.


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

00800 is a UIFN (Universal International Freephone Number)

Quote:

_ That is one that is free to call from almost anywhere in the world provided you call on a domestic home landline. Of course mobile phone providers will almost certainly charge you at their 0800 Freephone rate which is not free and usually excluded from bundled minutes. This number also ought to be free to call from any BT Payphone too although the fact that it doesn't require you to put money in would confirm this.

In general 00 800 Freephone numbers have the same characteristics as 0800 to call except you can also call them free from another country too and not just within the UK. The actual call centre could be located anywhere in the world since as far as the international call routing country code system is required the 800 is a country code for the country called Freephone that can in fact be anywhere in the world. As there aren't that many 00 800 numbers they only need the one code to serve them all _

G


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*00800*

I am still trying to get hold of a geographical 01, 02 number for Camper Assist.

Russell


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## rayhook (May 15, 2005)

*Here we go again*

Hi Rita and all,

Why do I get the same feeling I had a few days ago? Previous experience tells me this number may be a problem - we've been there before (not with the AA) and ended up getting a landline number to use.

As soon as we get to Spain I shall call this number and see if it works; if it doesn't (as happened in the past) it's back to SafeGuard for a landline number. I don't care about the cost etc. - I just want to know that it works if there's an emergency!

I'll post the outcome in due course but I am surprised there's nobody about who has tried to call the AA from Spain on a UK mobile.

Ray


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

*Re: Here we go again*



rayhook said:


> I'll post the outcome in due course but I am surprised there's nobody about who has tried to call the AA from Spain on a UK mobile.
> Ray


Ray, you will have no problems. The whole point of the 00 prefix is that it is universal - ie works from anywhere in the world. The only difference with using a mobile and a landline is that you are not charged from a landline and you are charged from a mobile phone. It doesn't matter if the mobile phone has a UK/ French/Spanish or American SIM in it.

The moral of this tale is that, if you break down abroad, try and do it next to a phone box rather than in the middle of no-where.

We have used 00800 numbers both from a phone box at the Station Nautique aire at Lac du Der when it was free to call Fiat, from a landline at a campsite in Verdun when it was free to call Saga and from a mobile in Spincourt France when it cost several arms and legs to call Fiat.

I used to call Fiat from my home landline almost every day for 8 months using their 00800 number and it was free.

Trust me- it works !

G


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