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AAA Car Insurance
Our Take
American car owners have long relied on AAA, a membership auto club, to come to the rescue when they have a flat tire or run out of gas. But depending on where you live, AAA either acts as a middleman for auto insurance companies, or sells its own AAA-affiliated auto insurance through three insurance groups. To qualify for AAA car insurance, you’ll need to buy a AAA auto club membership, which comes packed with services and discounts.
The three auto groups are:
- Auto Club Group
- Auto Club of Southern California Insurance Group
- CSAA Insurance Group
To find an AAA club in your location, use the AAA/CAA lookup tool at the AAA website. Keep in mind that everything we describe below (coverages, coverage limits, discounts, and endorsements) varies by insurance group and location.
- Pros & Cons
- Company Overview
- Key Takeaways
AAA membership (required) offers benefits that can replace roadside assistance or towing and labor endorsements
Higher tiers of AAA membership includes road-trip extras such as trip interruption insurance
Automobile Club Group offers particularly high-value membership benefits
Good financial ratings for all three insurers
Requires membership
AAA-affiliated insurance is only available through certain clubs in particular states
Auto Club of Southern California offers very few endorsements, restricting your ability to customize your coverage
CSAA Insurance Group doesn’t yet offer rideshare coverage, but will by mid-2021
- Several options for claim forgiveness and discounts, as well as safety, loyalty, and student discounts
- Number of other insurance products available
- Can get an online quote
- Lower-ranked customer service
AAA Car Insurance
AAA Car Insurance Coverage
Like most insurers, Auto Club of Southern California, CSAA Insurance Group, and Automobile Club Group all offer:
- Liability (bodily injury and personal property)
- Personal injury protection (PIP)
- Collision
- Comprehensive
- Medical payments
- Uninsured/underinsured motorist
However, CSAA also includes rental car reimbursement as a standard feature.
Endorsements
These optional coverages vary by state and auto club and may include the following:
| Auto Club of Southern California Insurance Group | CSAA Insurance Group | Automobile Club Group |
|---|---|---|
| Rental car reimbursement (only available with collision and comprehensive) | Glass coverage OEM Parts (available nationwide by mid-2021) Rental car reimbursement Towing and labor Loan/lease payoff (GAP) coverage New car added protection (repairs or replaces totaled new car) Special equipment Rideshare coverage (available nationwide by mid-2021) |
Enhanced total loss replacement Enhanced exterior repair (OEM exterior parts) Loan/lease Gap insurance Rideshare coverage Rental car reimbursement |
In addition, ACG offers three plans that offer more flexibility around claims:
| Essential | Advantage | Ultimate |
|---|---|---|
| Small-claim forgiveness: Premiums won’t increase due to a claim under $250 if at-fault, $750 for other claims | Small-claim forgiveness Claim forgiveness: Forgiveness if you’ve been accident-free and insured with ACG for five years | Everything in Advantage, plus: Additional claim forgiveness opportunity Claim-free cash back: 3% up to $50 back for staying claim-free per policy term Disappearing deductible: $50 off collision/comprehensive deductible per vehicle (up to $500) per term you’re claim-free |
CSAA Insurance Group now offers rideshare coverage in select states through its wholly owned commercial insurance subsidiary, Mobilitas.
AAA Car Insurance Costs
Insurers offer unique rates, depending upon individual factors, including your driving record, location, and age; your vehicle and how you use it (business, personal only); typical mileage; your credit-based insurance score; and other factors that can vary among U.S. states. The amount of insurance coverage you want to purchase also impacts your premium.
AAA Car Insurance Discounts
Like most insurers, Auto Club of Southern California, CSAA Insurance Group, and Automobile Club Group all offer discounts based on various variables. However, there are strong discounts for loyalty, and some plans also offer good student discounts. Here are some of the discounts you may see, depending on your location and policy:
| Auto Club of Southern California Insurance Group | CSAA Insurance Group | Automobile Club Group |
|---|---|---|
| Youth discounts: Good student, student away at school Loyalty discounts: Bundled, multi-vehicle, AAA membership, continuous coverage Safety discounts: Driver training, good driver, verified mileage, OnBoard telematic use, anti-theft device, airbag, garage parking Payment discounts: Paid in full, advance purchase Other: Car club membership, group or association membership, vehicle’s original owner | Youth discounts: Good student, new driver, TeenSmart (youth usage-based insurance program), distant student Loyalty discounts: AAA membership, multi-vehicle, bundling with home, continuous coverage Safety discounts: New car, theft recovery device, defensive driver course Payment discounts: Advanced shopping Other: Usage-based insurance, hybrid vehicle/alternative fuel | Youth discounts: Good student, new young driver, student away Loyalty discounts: AAA membership, multiple-car Safety discounts: AAADrive (telematic program), AAA safety inspection, defensive driver course, continuous coverage, anti-theft devices, new car, safety device Payment discounts: Advance purchase, automatic payment, bundled, paperless billing, pay in full |
AAA Car Insurance Availability
Availability of AAA car insurance varies by state and AAA club. Here are some of the coverage areas of AAA insurance groups, in general, although insurance availability will depend upon your precise location:
| Auto Club of Southern California Insurance Group | CSAA Insurance Group | Automobile Club Group |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama, Arkansas, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Texas, Vermont; parts of Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, and West Virginia; and 13 counties in Southern California: San Diego, Imperial, Riverside, Orange, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Kern, Inyo, Mono, and Tulare. | Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Montana, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington DC and Wyoming; and portions of California, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. | Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Michigan, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, South Carolina, Tennessee, and certain counties in Illinois, Indiana, and Minnesota. |
Before you can buy AAA auto insurance, you must sign up for membership. AAA offers three membership levels—Basic, Plus, and Premier—and annual fees vary by region. AAA membership costs between $55 and $130 per year, give or take, depending on which plan you choose. Please consult your local AAA office for an exact quote.
Benefits also vary by AAA insurance group and location. Most include flat tire and battery service (such as jump starts), for example, and all include discounts at hotels, restaurants, and other travel-related destinations. Some of the benefits may include:
| Auto Club of Southern California Insurance Group | CSAA Insurance Group | Automobile Club Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classic | Towing up to seven miles (four service calls per year) Emergency fuel delivery Up to $60 in auto locksmith reimbursement |
Towing up to five miles Emergency fuel delivery Up to $50 in auto locksmith reimbursement |
Towing up to five miles (four service calls/year) Emergency fuel delivery Up to $50 in lockout service Up to $600 in car travel interruption coverage (when traveling 100+ miles from home) $100,000 travel accident insurance when booked through AAA Travel Agency |
| Plus | Towing up to 100 miles (four service calls per year) Emergency fuel delivery, with free fuel Up to $100 in car locksmith services | Towing up to 100 miles Emergency fuel delivery, with free fuel Up to $100 for car locksmith services Up to $750 baggage and trip interruption coverage, within the U.S., Canada, and Mexico Up to $250 in lost baggage coverage |
Towing up to 100 miles, (four service calls per year) Emergency fuel delivery, with free fuel Up to $100 in car locksmith services Up to $1,000 in car travel interruption coverage (when traveling 100+ miles from home) $300,000 travel accident insurance when booked through AAA Travel Agency |
| Premier | One tow up to 200 miles; up to three tows of 100 miles Up to $150 in car and $100 in home locksmith service One-day rental car with qualifying tow Up to $100 in home lockout service $10,000 identity theft insurance Up to $1,500 reimbursement in trip interruption insurance when traveling within the U.S., Canada, and Mexico Up to $500 reimbursement to cover transporting your car to your home due to qualifying events (when traveling 100+ miles from home) |
One tow up to 200 miles; up to three tows of 100 miles Up to $150 locksmith service for car and home One-day rental car with qualifying tow Up to $50 for windshield repair or replacement Up to $1,500 baggage and trip interruption coverage when traveling within the U.S., Canada, and Mexico Up to $500 in lost baggage coverage Worldwide travel accident insurance ($300,000) Worldwide emergency medical transportation coverage ($25,000) |
One tow up to 200 miles; up to three tows up to 100 miles Up to $150 in car and $100 in home locksmith service One-day car rental with qualifying tow $10,000 in identity theft insurance Up to $1,500 in car travel interruption coverage (when traveling 100+ miles from home) Up to $500 reimbursement to cover transporting your car to your home due to an unexpected injury or illness (when traveling 100+ miles from home) $300,000 travel accident insurance when booked through AAA Travel Agency |
How to Get a AAA Car Insurance Quote
To avoid confusion and frustration, start by entering your zip code at AAA.com, regardless of your location. The site will redirect you to the appropriate AAA insurer’s webpage, where you can view membership and insurance product information and get a car insurance quote.
Depending on your location, you may be able to get online quotes for Auto Club of Southern California Insurance Group, CSAA, or Automobile Club Group. The online quote process is easy and quick. Enter your personal information, along with details about your car and driving history, and within just a few minutes, AAA will generate a quote.
You’ll have the options to increase or decrease coverages, drop some altogether, and/or add optional coverages. The application will automatically apply discounts for which you qualify.
If you’re not required to enter your Social Security number or automobile vehicle identification number, your quote might not be as accurate.
How to File a Claim with AAA
AAA enables you to file an auto insurance claim online with your local club, by logging into your account or calling your insurance group’s claims center. For repairs, you may be able to take advantage of the AAA Direct Repair Network—and the claim-related repair could be guaranteed for a certain time period, such as up to 24 months or as long as you own the vehicle.
After filing your claim, an adjuster will determine the amount that AAA will cover, and they will send payment.
AAA Customer Service
Overall, AAA-affiliated insurers didn’t wow customers surveyed by J.D. Power about their claims or shopping experiences or overall satisfaction. However, Auto Club of California is well regarded by its California customers, and Automobile Club Group received a high ranking in Florida, where it may be more commonly known as Auto Club South.
| Study | Auto Club of Southern California Group | CSAA Insurance Group | Automobile Club Group |
|---|---|---|---|
| J.D. Power 2020 Auto Claims Satisfaction Study | #15 out of 24 | #18 out of 24 | #20 out of 24 |
| J.D. Power 2020 Auto Insurance Satisfaction Study | #2 out of 15 in the California region #11 out of 14 in the Central region #9 out of 9 in the Texas region |
#9 out of 15 in the California region #8 out of 14 in the Mid-Atlantic region #9 out of 12 in the Southwest region |
#3 out of 12 in the Florida region #18 out of 20 in the North Central region |
| J.D. Power 2020 Insurance Shopping Study | #10 out of 12 in the mid-size insurers category | #6 out of 12 in the mid-size insurers category | #4 out of 12 in the mid-size insurers category |
Financial Stability
An insurer’s financial rating is an indicator of its ability to pay your auto insurance claim. According to AM Best, the worldwide leader in financial ratings in the insurance industry, AAA-affiliated underwriting companies have strong ratings.
| Automobile Club Group Insurance | Automobile Club Group of Southern California | CSAA Insurance Exchange |
|---|---|---|
| Most A- and above | A+ | A |
Other Insurance Provided by AAA
AAA insurance groups offer a range of insurance products, which may include:
| Automobile Club Group Insurance | Auto Club of Southern California Group | CSAA Insurance Group |
|---|---|---|
| Boat, motorcycle and RV insurance Homeowners Life insurance Pet health insurance |
Boat and collector car insurance Mexico auto insurance Homeowners Life insurance Small business Travel insurance |
Motorcycle insurance Homeowners insurance Life and medicare supplement insurance Business insurance International travel medical insurance Pet insurance Wedding insurance |
Compare Other Car Insurance Reviews
AAA auto insurance isn’t for everyone. The provider might not offer some optional coverages that some folks need, and some drivers may be turned off by the membership requirement. If AAA isn’t the right fit for you, consider one of these national carriers:
- AAA offers car insurance nationwide through its three providers.
- AAA’s optional coverages and discounts vary among insurance groups and by location.
- AAA backs its auto insurance policies with sound financial ratings.
- Buying AAA car insurance requires auto club membership, which includes fantastic roadside assistance services and savings on entertainment, hotels, restaurants, and much more.
Methodology
The Balance strives to give consumers unbiased, comprehensive reviews of auto insurance providers. To ensure that our content helps you make the right insurance decision for your needs, we review each insurance provider’s coverage options, discounts, customer service and satisfaction, and financial stability.
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