AAA Auto Insurance Review [2024]: Coverage, Cost, and Customer Service

The American Automobile Association (AAA) is a good auto insurance choice for those seeking reliable coverage with a strong reputation for customer service. It is rated an A (excellent) by A.M. Best and is rated the highest for customer satisfaction in many areas according to J.D. Power.

It provides its members with towing services, special retail and travel discounts, and deals on flights and hotel bookings. But AAA also offers several insurance products, including car insurance. Getting your roadside assistance and insurance needs from one provider may seem like an easy and obvious choice. But are there downsides?

Where AAA insurance falls short is that you need a AAA membership to get coverage. Some people won’t mind the extra charge, but it is a cost that needs to be factored in when comparing insurance companies. It is also good to be aware that AAA insurance coverage varies by region, so discount offerings and coverage options can be completely different for a New York driver versus and Montana driver.

Let’s explore what coverages and discounts AAA offers and whether its auto insurance could provide you protection while saving you money.

AAA pros and cons

Who Is AAA a good option for?

Paired with the membership, AAA is a solid auto insurance choice for those who want additional insurance perks, such as roadside assistance and discounts on travel and shopping. These perks include access to exclusive deals on hotels, rental cars, and entertainment, making it an attractive option for those who frequently travel or enjoy leisure activities.

AAA is rated A (excellent) by A.M. Best and has held the same rating since 2018. Between 2014 and 2017, AAA was rated A- (excellent); this is a good sign that the company has had a strong and consistent rating for the past decade.

Types of coverage	Coverages and options vary by location but may include: Liability protection No-fault accident coverage Collision coverage Comprehensive insurance Uninsured or underinsured motorist insurance Medical payments Car rental reimbursement Enhanced total loss replacement Loan or lease gap coverage Enhanced exterior repair Transportation network company coverage
Discounts available	Available discounts vary by location, but may include: AAA safety inspection discount New car discount Vehicle safety discount Anti-theft device discount Defensive driver discount AAADrive discount Education and occupation discounts New young driver discount Good student discount Student away discount AAA member discount Bundling discounts Advance purchase discount Discount for automatic payments Paperless discount Discount for paying the premium in full
How can you access AAA	AAA website, Android app, iOS app
Customer support	Varies based on your local club, but AAA provides an online tool to find your auto club
Availability	Available nationwide in 50 states and Washington D.C.

What insurance does AAA offer?

AAA auto insurance is available in all states. It does not offer home or renter’s insurance in New York and Louisiana, and auto insurance for Louisiana drivers is provided by ACIIE. This means New York and Louisiana drivers will miss out on the opportunity to bundle and save their insurance plans.

Depending on your location, the AAA auto insurance policy you get might be issued by the local auto club or partner auto insurance companies. That’s why coverage options may vary from one location to another.

Auto insurance options

While coverage may vary by location, you might find the following coverage types available through most AAA clubs:

• Liability protection: AAA clubs provide bodily injury and property damage liability coverage. Liability insurance helps you pay for injuries and damages you’re legally liable for when you get in an accident. Liability protection is required in most states.
• No-fault coverage: Also known as personal injury protection (PIP), this type of insurance is required in certain states. In these states, this coverage helps pay the cost of medical care regardless of who was at fault in the accident.
• Collision: Collision coverage helps you pay for vehicle repairs after getting in an accident with a stationary object or another vehicle. Collision insurance is often optional unless you’re leasing or your car is financed and your lender requires it.
• Comprehensive: Comprehensive coverage assists in paying for damage to your vehicle for reasons other than collisions, such as storm damage or theft. Comprehensive and collision are also known as full coverage and are optional unless you have leased or financed your car with a loan.
• Uninsured or underinsured motorist insurance: This coverage helps pay for damages to your vehicles caused by an uninsured or underinsured driver. Uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage pays for damages the other driver is liable for but cannot pay.
• Medical payments: Medical payment coverage works with your health insurance to help pay for medical expenses resulting from injuries in an auto accident.

Optional AAA insurance coverages

AAA has add-on insurance options you could include to your policy to customize your coverage. Depending on your regional auto club, optional coverages may include:

• Car rental reimbursement: If your car is damaged in an accident and needs to be repaired, rental car reimbursement helps pay the cost of a rental car while your vehicle is at the repair shop.
• Enhanced total loss replacement: If your car is declared a total loss after an accident, enhanced total loss replacement helps to pay for its replacement with a new model.
• Loan or lease gap coverage: Gap insurance helps to cover the difference between the current value of the car and what you owe on the loan or lease if the vehicle is a total loss after an accident.
• Enhanced exterior repair: With enhanced exterior repair protection, you would get original exterior parts from the manufacturer rather than relying on aftermarket parts. Window glass and mechanical parts are excluded from this protection.
• Transportation network company coverage: This coverage is available if you join the ridesharing market through a company like Uber or Lyft. If you get in an accident, it helps to cover the gap between what your rideshare company covers and the actual cost of the damages.

Additional AAA benefits

As a AAA policyholder, you may be eligible for additional insurance benefits. These benefits also vary depending on your local AAA club. Still, they might include:

• Claim forgiveness: AAA offers three levels of claim and accident forgiveness depending on your insurance policy, continuous coverage, and claim-free status. Insurance claim forgiveness provides no increase in your premium following a claim process. The forgiven claim size increases with each level.
• Claim-free rewards: These rewards give you cash back or a renewal credit for every claims-free policy year, up to $50.
• Disappearing deductible: This benefit offers gradually decreasing collision and comprehensive deductibles, the amount you might pay out of pocket before your insurance benefits kick in. When offering this benefit, AAA would reduce this amount with every claim-free year.

How much does AAA cost?

When I requested a quote through AAA for coverage of my 2020 Toyota Prius and 2015 Toyota Sienna in California, my quote came out to $228 per month for six months — this is $28 more per month than the current plan I have with Geico. Plus, Geico offers $45-per-day car rental coverage, and Progressive offers $35 per day. Switching would cost me $336 more per year on top of paying for a AAA membership.

However, policies and premiums vary by region and even zip code. Local differences between clubs add to other factors that affect car insurance premiums. These factors include your age, gender, vehicle use, and the make and model of your car.

Another element that affects the cost of AAA auto insurance is that you must be a member to qualify. Membership is available to the general public, but it isn’t free. Depending on your membership tier, the cost ranges from $64.99 to $124.99 per year.

AAA discounts offered

AAA has a wide range of discounts available that would reduce your premium if you qualify. Available discounts vary based on location but here are some of the most common discounts mentioned on AAA’s site:

Discount type	How to get it	Savings
Vehicle safety discount	If your vehicle has safety features such as airbags, anti-lock brakes, or stability control, you might qualify for a discount.	Not stated
Anti-theft device discount	Vehicles with anti-theft devices may be eligible for a premium reduction.	Not stated
Defensive driver discount	For drivers 55 and older who complete a Mature Driver Improvement course.	Not stated
Good driver discount	Discount based on how long you’ve been driving and your driving history.	20%
Good student discount	Be in high school or college with a 3.0 average or higher.	10% off
Student away discount	For students attending school 100 miles or more away from home while keeping their car at home.	Not stated
Multi-car	Have more than one vehicle insured with AAA	15.7%
Bundling discount	Use AAA for other insurance coverage, such as home or life insurance.	Up to 15.7% on auto insurance and up to 20% on home insurance
AAA Drive	Telematics system for user-based driving and measures your driving habits.	5% automatically and up to 25% on policy renewals

How does AAA’s quote process work?

Learning how to get car insurance through AAA doesn’t take much time. In many states, you could get a car insurance quote online. However, some local clubs may require you to speak with an agent to finalize your policy.

I was able to request a quote online without needing a AAA membership. I needed to provide my address, make and model of my vehicles, and easy details about my driving history and daily commute. Without a AAA membership or login, the website was hard to navigate since it prompted me to sign up for a membership on every page, making it hard to see the other content.

I appreciated that you were able to apply discounts at the time of your quote. Options included being a part of an alumni association with your four-year university, having an advanced degree in education, engineering, or science, or being a medical professional, lawyer, or certified public accountant (CPA). They also automatically applied a multi-car discount and good driver discount to my rate.

Once you’ve customized your car insurance coverage and are satisfied with the quote, you could finalize your coverage and make your first payment. Keep in mind that paying your policy in full may qualify you for an additional discount.

FAQs

Bottom line

If you are shopping around for car insurance and are already a AAA member, AAA auto insurance may be beneficial. The same might be true if you consider becoming a AAA member to take advantage of its roadside assistance and benefits.

AAA car insurance offers multiple coverage options and has discounts that may help reduce your premium. Depending on your specific case, this may make your premium with AAA competitive compared to other providers. However, it’s essential to account for the AAA membership cost.

If you’re unsure if AAA suits you, you could compare what it offers to the coverages and premiums the best car insurance companies may provide.