AAA Insurance Review: Auto and Home Insurance
AAA insurance is expensive, and you need a membership to buy a policy. But the company has good options for coverage and typically good service.
Find Cheap Auto Insurance Quotes in Your Area
Editor's Rating
Is AAA insurance good?
AAA insurance is usually expensive, but it might be worth it for personalized coverage. The company is made up of individual clubs across the country. So the coverage options vary depending on where you live, but AAA usually has several helpful add-ons available for auto and home insurance.
Editor's rating | |
|---|---|
| Car insurance | |
| Home insurance |
AAA pros and cons
Pros
Lots of coverage upgrades
Extra perks like travel discounts
Roadside assistance
Cons
High rates
Must buy a membership to get insurance
Customer service is poor in some places
AAA auto insurance
Is AAA car insurance good?
AAA car insurance is good, but it's expensive. If you're willing to pay more each month, you can get good coverage with AAA. But customer satisfaction depends on where you live. In some states, AAA isn't well-rated.
AAA auto insurance quotes
Full coverage from AAA costs an average of $320 per month.
Minimum coverage from AAA costs $127 per month, on average. You can usually find a cheaper policy from another company, especially since you also have to pay a small membership fee to join AAA before you can buy an insurance policy.
Full coverage
Minimum coverage
Full coverage
Minimum coverage
Find the Cheapest Car Insurance Quotes in Your Area
If you live in California, AAA could be a cheap choice for full or minimum coverage car insurance. And in Michigan, AAA is cheaper than average for full coverage. Even though AAA's auto insurance rates are usually high, it can still be helpful to get quotes and compare companies.
How does AAA compare to other auto insurance companies?
AAA auto insurance quotes vs. other companies
Full coverage
Minimum coverage
Company | Monthly rate | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Geico | $166 | |
| Progressive | $188 | |
| State Farm | $200 | |
| Allstate | $233 | |
| AAA | $320 | |
Car insurance rates are averages across AZ, CA, MI and NV. USAA is only available to military members and their families.
Full coverage
Company | Monthly rate | ||
|---|---|---|---|
|
| Geico | $166 | |
|
| Progressive | $188 | |
|
| State Farm | $200 | |
|
| Allstate | $233 | |
|
| AAA | $320 | |
Car insurance rates are averages across AZ, CA, MI and NV. USAA is only available to military members and their families.
Minimum coverage
Company | Monthly rate | ||
|---|---|---|---|
|
| Geico | $66 | |
|
| Progressive | $76 | |
|
| State Farm | $89 | |
|
| Allstate | $105 | |
|
| AAA | $127 | |
Car insurance rates are averages across AZ, CA, MI and NV. USAA is only available to military members and their families.
Although it's usually expensive, AAA is a cheap car insurance option in a few scenarios.
Rates after a speeding ticket
In California and Michigan, AAA has cheap rates for car insurance after a speeding ticket.
Rates after an accident
In California, AAA has cheap full coverage rates if you have an accident on your record.
AAA car insurance discounts
You might be able to offset AAA's high rates by taking advantage of discounts.
One of the biggest discounts you can get from AAA, and most other companies, is for bundling your auto and home insurance. AAA has discounts when you bundle an auto policy with home, condo and renters policies. It even offers a discount for bundling with a AAA life insurance policy.
Maximum insurance bundle discounts at AAA
Bundle | Car discount | Other discount |
|---|---|---|
| Car and home | 15.7% | 20% off home |
| Car and condo | 11.2% | 20% off condo |
| Car and renters | 3.7% | 10% off renters |
| Car, home and life | 19.4% | 20% off home |
Discounts are from Auto Club Exchange in southern California.
Even if you just want AAA car insurance, you can still get discounts.
You can save up to 46.7% if you insure a student who goes to school more than 100 miles from home and doesn't have a car with them.
You can save up to 27.3% on some car insurance coverages when you have more than one vehicle on a AAA policy.
AAA offers a discount of up to 20% for safe drivers.
If you agree to give AAA your odometer readings occasionally, you could save up to 19.1%.
Some professionals, like lawyers, CPAs and medical workers, can save up to 7.4%. You might also save if you're part of an alumni association.
You might save up to 5.6% if you keep your AAA policy for at least one year.
If you belong to a qualifying car club, like the Antique Automobile Club of America, the International Thunderbird Club or the Vintage Chevrolet Club of America, you could save up to 5%.
You might save up to 4.7% on certain coverages if you take an approved driving course.
The specific discounts will vary depending on where you live and which AAA company is in your area.
AAA auto insurance coverages and benefits
Because AAA is made up of smaller, local companies, the coverage available depends on where you live.
You can usually get a few common add-ons from most AAA companies.
This covers the difference in cost between your car's replacement cost and the amount you owe on your lease or loan if your car is totaled in an accident.
This pays for a rental car and might pay for ridesharing trips while your vehicle is being repaired after an accident.
And depending on where you live, you might have access to some other helpful add-ons.
This keeps your car insurance rates steady even after you've had an accident.
This pays for original manufacturer parts for the outside of your car, compared to aftermarket parts.
If you have this coverage and your car is totaled, AAA will pay to replace it with a new model.
This type of policy lets you buy car insurance even if you don't own a car.
And all AAA companies offer the basic types of car insurance coverage.
- Bodily injury and property damage liability
- Uninsured/underinsured motorist
- Collision
- Comprehensive
- Medical payments or personal injury protection
AAA auto club membership: Required and useful
To get AAA car insurance, you have to buy an AAA membership. A membership usually costs around $65 to $125 per year.
The main benefit of a AAA membership is roadside assistance.
This includes jump starts, towing, emergency fuel delivery and minor roadside repairs if your car breaks down on the side of the road.
Some AAA memberships come with other benefits, like coverage for hotel rooms and food if you're on a trip that is interrupted by car troubles.
AAA members also get discounts for things like hotels, rental car companies and airlines. This can be one of the biggest perks of AAA membership for people who travel often. If you pay for your trip through AAA, you might be covered by AAA's travel accident insurance, which covers you if you're hurt in an accident.
AAA home insurance
Is AAA home insurance good?
AAA has good cheap home insurance, depending on where you live. If you're already a member or considering a membership, it's worth it to get quotes. Most AAA companies across the country have lots of add-ons and discounts you can use to personalize your coverage.
AAA home insurance quotes
A home insurance policy from AAA costs $1,534 per year, on average, for $350,000 in dwelling coverage.
AAA's home insurance rates are typically cheap when compared to other companies.
Find Cheap Homeowners Insurance Quotes in Your Area
Even though it costs money to join AAA, you will often save enough on your home insurance to make it worth it.
AAA home insurance rates vs. competitors
Company | Annual rate | ||
|---|---|---|---|
|
| State Farm | $1,392 | |
|
| AAA | $1,534 | |
| Travelers | $1,835 | |
| American Family | $1,989 | |
|
| Allstate | $2,031 | |
Rates are averages across CA, MI, MN, MO, NV and WI. USAA is only available to military members and their families.
AAA home insurance rates by coverage amount
Home insurance rates are different based on how much coverage you need. The more expensive your home is, the more dwelling coverage you need, and the more you'll pay for home insurance.
Dwelling amount | AAA annual rate | Regional average |
|---|---|---|
| $200,000 | $967 | $1,291 |
| $350,000 | $1,534 | $1,898 |
| $500,000 | $2,133 | $2,551 |
| $1,000,000 | $4,387 | $4,702 |
Rates are averages across CA, MI, MN, MO, NV and WI.
AAA typically has cheap rates for home insurance in California, Michigan, Minnesota and Missouri. If you live in one of these states, get a quote for AAA home insurance and compare it to other companies, keeping the membership fee in mind.
In Nevada and Wisconsin, AAA's home insurance rates are usually expensive. You can probably find cheaper home insurance with another company.
AAA home insurance discounts
Just like with AAA's auto insurance discounts, the home insurance discounts you can get depend on where you live and what AAA club is in your area.
Bundling your auto and home policy with AAA is one of the best ways to save. For example, in southern California, AAA members can save up to 20% on their home or condo policy when they bundle it with an AAA auto policy. Renters can save up to 10% for also having their auto insurance with AAA.
Some other discounts from various AAA companies include:
Newer homes can save you up to 37% on your insurance because they are less likely to be damaged.
You might save up to 21% for recent renovations, such as new pipes.
If at least one person on your home insurance policy is over 50, you could save up to 12%.
You might save up to 9% for installing smoke detectors or a burglar alarm.
You might also save for not smoking in your home, not having any claims, having prior insurance and having a hail-resistant roof.
AAA homeowners insurance coverages
All AAA companies have the same basic home insurance coverage, including coverage for your house, belongings and liability.
But AAA also offers several useful home insurance add-ons.
This means you'll get the full cost to repair or rebuild your home, even if it's more than your home is insured for.
If your identity is stolen, this coverage helps pay for the costs to restore it.
If you have expensive jewelry, collectibles or artwork, you should list them individually on your policy, which is called "scheduling" them. You'll get better coverage that way.
This covers you for damage to the lines that come into your house, like electrical, water and gas lines.
If your sump pump fails or a drain line clogs and the water backs up, this coverage pays for the damage.
If your home has high-efficiency or environmentally friendly materials, this add-on gives you extra coverage to pay to replace them if they're damaged.
The coverage options will be different depending on where you live because each AAA company is independent.
AAA insurance customer service reviews and ratings
AAA's customer service quality depends on where you live.
For example, AAA car insurance in some states comes from MemberSelect Insurance. The company has about half the number of complaints expected for a company its size, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).
But another AAA company, CSAA Insurance Exchange, which is one of the largest AAA companies and sells policies in northern California, has 11% more complaints than an average company its size. AAA's home insurance complaints also change depending on location.
If you're considering AAA insurance, research the company in your area first or talk to current customers about their experience.
J.D. Power also gives varied ratings for AAA's service. In California, Florida, Texas and the Southwest region, AAA is ranked above average for its car insurance. But in the Central, Mid-Atlantic and North Central regions, AAA's car insurance is ranked below average. And the three biggest AAA companies are all ranked below average for home insurance customer service.
Frequently asked questions
Is AAA a good insurance company?
Overall yes, AAA is a good insurance company. Its rates can be expensive, especially for car insurance, but it has good coverage options and discounts. Customer satisfaction varies depending on where you live, so it's a good idea to research the AAA company in your area before buying a policy.
Why is AAA auto insurance so expensive?
AAA might charge more for insurance because of the types of coverage it offers, the number of claims it has paid or the chance of claims in the areas it sells policies. Car insurance rates are increasing in general because of repair costs increasing and accidents getting more common. But you can probably still find a cheaper policy by shopping around.
Do I need to be a member of AAA to buy insurance?
Yes. You have to be a member of AAA to buy a car or home insurance policy through AAA. Memberships usually cost between about $65 and $125 per year. And you get other perks with the membership, like discounts on hotels, restaurants, shopping and entertainment. You also get access to AAA's roadside assistance.
Methodology
Auto insurance
ValuePenguin gathered car insurance rates for AAA in ZIP codes in Arizona, California, Michigan and Nevada. Rates for other insurance companies also use only these four states to ensure a fair comparison. Average monthly rates are for a 30-year-old single man who has good credit, has no accidents or tickets, and owns a 2015 Honda Civic EX.
Full coverage rates include the following limits:
- Bodily injury liability: $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident
- Property damage liability: $25,000 per accident
- Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage: $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident
- Personal injury protection or medical payments coverage: State requirement
- Comprehensive and collision deductibles: $500
Minimum coverage rates comply with each state's minimum required coverage.
Home insurance
ValuePenguin gathered home insurance rates in ZIP codes in California, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada and Wisconsin. Rates for other insurance companies also use only these six states to ensure a fair comparison. Rates are annual and for a 45-year-old married man who has no claims. Home insurance rates use the following coverage limits:
- Dwelling coverage: $200,000, $350,000, $500,000 or $1 million
- Personal liability: $100,000
- Medical payments: $5,000
- Deductible: $1,000
Editorial Note: The content of this article is based on the author's opinions and recommendations alone. It has not been previewed, commissioned or otherwise endorsed by any of our network partners.