PILOT SPIN
Spin Zone => Spin Zone => Topic started by: Rush on January 05, 2019, 02:37:55 PM
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We've been a member of AAA for years. I just renewed it last fall. Now I get an invitation to join AAA Texas. I had no idea there were different AAAs. I thought there was just AAA. So I called my AAA Carolinas (first time I'd seen that on the card. No, I'm not very observant) to verify we are covered no matter what state we are in, and should I cancel and join AAA Texas?
The lady said no need to cancel, you are covered. Just wait til renewal time next year then decide if you want to switch.
So I went to AAA.com and it says AAA is a Federation of groups. It's not just one organization, it's lots, in different areas.
Are the rates different? Are the benefits different?
Last fall we paid $49 for him and $25 for me, total $74 for the Basic plan. This Texas one is offering one year for $54 for him and me free, normally the second person is $30 but they'll waive the first year. That would be $84, but maybe AAA Carolina is going to raise theirs to $84 in 2019 too.
Do different AAAs have different rates and if so what's stopping people from just joining the cheapest one if the benefits are all the same?
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I recently dumped AAA.
I had their auto/home insurance. They took great joy in increasing my rates at every renewal. No claims, no problems, but rate increases at the drop of a hat. And the threat: “We offer 10% discount for no claims”. Translation: “Dare make a claim and you will see an instant 10% increase”
Oh, and on top, you must be a “member”, so tack on another $88 for a crappy magazine subscription.
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Weird. Our AAA membership is just for the road service. It’s been the same price for years, and seems to be location neutral, just “AAA.”
And well worth it. Had a trunk full of groceries and frozen stuff one hot summer day and had a flat a few miles from home. They had it repaired and me on the way home in 45 minutes.
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I have just their road service. I called to have my car towed to a shop and called the 800 number on my card. Got AAA Missouri since that's where my membership is. But I'm now living elsewhere so they had to transfer me to a local AAA office to dispatch a local tow truck. Saves a step to move your membership to your local AAA region. But only a feature if you're calling for a tow in your local area.
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Your insurance company's don't have road service?
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Well I've learned something. No, my auto policy does not have roadside assistance, but could apparently, if I call them and ask them to add it. And I didn't know AAA offered auto coverage. Sounds like I should find out how much my auto insurance company would charge me for it, maybe it's less than $74 per year.
And username, that's what I figure, they cover you everywhere but would need to transfer you to the local office with the list of local shops for whereever you're at. If you live in another state permanently that's no different than if you're traveling across country, so probably no reason to change.
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As a guy in the business -
Keep your AAA roadside and do not add it to your auto insurance. When it is attached to your auto insurance, if you utilize the service it will be recorded as a claim, albeit small.
And yes, AAA has a very large insurance agency arm.
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As a guy in the business -
Keep your AAA roadside and do not add it to your auto insurance. When it is attached to your auto insurance, if you utilize the service it will be recorded as a claim, albeit small.
And yes, AAA has a very large insurance agency arm.
Ah, good point, thanks!
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Jesus, how often do y'all use this?
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Jesus, how often do y'all use this?
Not often but when we have, it sure came in handy. Although now that we have smart phones and can look up local tow shops, I'm starting to wonder if maybe it's not worth it anymore.
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Jesus, how often do y'all use this?
Not the point. AAA is the premier roadside assistance organization. Yes, you can add a similar service to your auto insurance (though often less robust and less responsive). Doing so might save you $30 per year. But by segmenting out this service to AAA and away from your auto insurance, you prevent a towing claim from being registered as a "loss" on your policy and showing on your C.L.U.E. report which is accessible to all auto insurance carriers. Granted, a towing loss is minor. But any chance you have to insulate your insurance and loss record from minor losses is a "good thing". Insurance carriers will review your record, including towing losses filed through your auto insurance.
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Not the point. AAA is the premier roadside assistance organization. Yes, you can add a similar service to your auto insurance (though often less robust and less responsive). Doing so might save you $30 per year. But by segmenting out this service to AAA and away from your auto insurance, you prevent a towing claim from being registered as a "loss" on your policy and showing on your C.L.U.E. report which is accessible to all auto insurance carriers. Granted, a towing loss is minor. But any chance you have to insulate your insurance and loss record from minor losses is a "good thing". Insurance carriers will review your record, including towing losses filed through your auto insurance.
Wow. I haven't even Thought about C.L.U.E. ( Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange) since I left the company that developed it. I almost hate to admit that I had a large hand in developing the network that connected all the insurance databases and State DMVs to make all that information instantly available to use against us.
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Wow. I haven't even Thought about C.L.U.E. ( Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange) since I left the company that developed it. I almost hate to admit that I had a large hand in developing the network that connected all the insurance databases and State DMVs to make all that information instantly available to use against us.
Well if it wasn't you it would have been somebody. There's no stopping the Information Age and the connecting everything together, in probably every area of our lives. There is no privacy anymore.
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Not often but when we have, it sure came in handy. Although now that we have smart phones and can look up local tow shops, I'm starting to wonder if maybe it's not worth it anymore.
It is pretty handy. Free towing for a nominal yearly fee. I could call a local tow myself, but I'm sure it would cost WAY more than AAA. Plus my local repair shop gives me a 10% AAA discount so that more than pays for the membership.
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I've never subscribed to AAA or a similar roadside service as I never go below 1/4 tank on gas, maintain my vehicles by the book, and buy top quality tires. Of course, I've now probably jinxed myself lol!
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It is pretty handy. Free towing for a nominal yearly fee. I could call a local tow myself, but I'm sure it would cost WAY more than AAA. Plus my local repair shop gives me a 10% AAA discount so that more than pays for the membership.
The AAA card also gets you discounts at certain places.
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The AAA card also gets you discounts at certain places.
I often save the AAA membership just off the discount I get when I buy eyeglasses.
I could save more on hotels, but they usually only offer the AAA discount on the cheaper rooms; not the nicer, more desirable rooms.
Several years ago, my wife's car (a 4 year old Ford Taurus) broke down (transmission ground to a halt) about 90 miles from home. AAA paid towing home. Then two week after getting our car out of the shop, it broke down again, at the same intersection (fuel pump crapped out). It just went slower and slower until she had to stop for a traffic light, then it would barely keep running.
Since my wife frequently drove that car long distances, I was sure to keep it maintained well. Tires were changed before necessary. Oil changes were done early at the dealer with their multi point inspections. Any squawk was looked at immediately. After those two breakdowns, we sold that car as soon as it came out of the shop the second time.
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Ive used it for towing a number of times, and it gave me peace of mind when my daughter drove back and forth from Wisconsin to Mississippi for vet school.
Good discounts on hotels - probably save the membership fee every year.
I think the benefit of joining your states AAA is a more geographically customized AAA magazine. That’s about it.
Funny thing. I had my daughter get maps for her trips. I taught her to pre-fold them, etc. at some point she says “Relax, Indiana Jones. I’ve got Google.”
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Ive used it for towing a number of times, and it gave me peace of mind when my daughter drove back and forth from Wisconsin to Mississippi for vet school.
Good discounts on hotels - probably save the membership fee every year.
I think the benefit of joining your states AAA is a more geographically customized AAA magazine. That’s about it.
Funny thing. I had my daughter get maps for her trips. I taught her to pre-fold them, etc. at some point she says “Relax, Indiana Jones. I’ve got Google.”
The peace of mind is the biggest thing. It's like insurance, you hope you don't need it but you have it just in case. It's nice to know you have one number to call if you break down and you don't have to worry about finding someone on your own.
It boggles the mind that today's kids have never used a paper map.
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We've had AAA for years. The purchase price for a couple years paid for towing the ancient Mazda B-something pick up on several occasions when the teenager was learning to drive. They didn't bat an eye when I had to use a non AAA tow for my motorcycle outside Weed, CA. I sent them a copy of the bill, they sent me a check. I pick up maps on a more than regular basis. I use them for currency exchange on our international trips (its free). I do have to keep RV+Plus as a minimum for the motorcycle towing, though. I get hotel and rental car discounts as well.
I think that while they are a nationwide company, they do tend to branch out, so to speak, to cater to the state that you live in. AAA Washington is mine. They tailor stuff to the PNW for the most part.