AAA car insurance offers some unique perks, like free roadside included with every policy. But higher-than-average rates make AAA one of the more expensive car insurance options on the market.
By
Rachael BrennanRachael BrennanSenior Editor & Licensed Insurance ExpertRachael Brennan is a licensed auto insurance expert and a former senior editor at Policygenius. Her work has also been featured in MoneyGeek, Clearsurance, Adweek, Boston Globe, The Ladders, and AutoInsurance.com.
Edited by
Anna SwartzAnna SwartzSenior Managing EditorAnna Swartz is a senior managing editor who specializes in home, auto, renters, and disability insurance at Policygenius. Previously, she was a senior staff writer at Mic and a writer at The Dodo. Her work has also appeared in Salon, HuffPost, MSN, AOL, and Heeb.
Our proprietary ratings methodology takes multiple factors into account, including customer satisfaction, cost, financial strength, and policy offerings. See the “Ratings methodology” section for more details.
3.7
AM Best rating
AM Best is a global credit rating agency that scores the financial strength of insurance companies on a scale from A++ (Superior) to D (Poor).
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Cost
Using a mix of internal and external rate data, we grade the cost of each insurance company's premiums on a scale from least expensive ($) to most expensive ($$$$$).
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The bottom line
AAA is most well known for its roadside assistance, which you can get as a standalone product, but AAA also offers its own auto insurance in all 50 states and Washington D.C. In fact, AAA is the only car insurance company we’ve found that includes roadside assistance as part of a basic car insurance package at no additional cost.
Unlike most car insurance companies, which sell insurance by state, AAA sells car insurance by region (called clubs) that may or may not include your entire state. While each AAA club is different and operates independently, they typically all offer the same types of coverage.
AAA offers some unique additional benefits, like accidental death and dismemberment, but it also has more traditional types of car insurance coverage as well, like gap insurance and rental reimbursement coverage. But AAA has some of the highest average rates for a full-coverage policy, which may be a drawback to many drivers.
Liability coverage: Required in almost every state, liability insurance covers the costs if you damage someone else's car or injure another driver in an at-fault accident.
Personal injury protection: Also known as PIP coverage, this helps cover the cost if you or your passengers are injured in an accident, no matter who is at fault. PIP is required in no-fault states.
Comprehensive coverage: Covers non-collision damage to your car, like flood, fire, vandalism, theft, and animal-related damages.
Collision coverage: Covers the cost of the damage to your car in an accident, no matter who is at fault.
Medical payments coverage: Also known as MedPay, this helps with medical costs for you and your passengers if you get into a covered accident. This is typically a low amount of coverage, somewhere between $1,000 and $10,000.
Roadside assistance: Covers fuel delivery, towing, locksmith services, battery jumpstarts, winching, and flat tires. While most companies consider roadside assistance an additional coverage that requires an extra charge, AAA offers roadside assistance coverage as a standard part of your policy.
Additional coverages offered
Accidental death and dismemberment: Covers the cost of certain injuries, like the loss of a foot or hand or complete loss of sight, or the death of the named insured or a family member that was the direct result of a covered accident.
Economic only uninsured motorist: A version of UM/UIM that only covers the actual costs of injuries to you and the occupants of your vehicle if hit by an uninsured or underinsured driver. Only available in Louisiana.
Rental reimbursement: Covers the cost of a rental car for up to 30 days while yours is being repaired after a covered incident.
Replacement cost: Vehicles less than three years old will be replaced with a new car of the same make and model for certain types of claims (it does not apply to claims for fire, theft, or larceny.)
Gap coverage: Covers the difference between what you owe on your vehicle and its actual cash value (ACV) in the event of a total loss.
Custom equipment: Covers items that were not installed by the vehicle’s original manufacturer, like stereo equipment or custom rims.
Ratings methodology
Price
3.3/5
We used data provided by Quadrant to compare the average cost of a full coverage policy from AAA (50/100/50 coverage limits and $500 deductibles for comprehensive and collision coverage) to competitor rates for the same coverage with the same driver profile (single drivers aged 30, 35, and 45 driving a 2017 Toyota Camry LE about 10,000 miles per year.)
Customer experience
3.5/5
AAA scored 847 out of 1,000 on the J.D. Power’s 2022 U.S. Auto Claims Satisfaction Study, which is lower than the industry average rate of 874. AAA also scored 680 on the J.D. Powers 2022 U.S. Insurance Digital Experience Study, which is a lower-than-average rate. However, AAA had a lower-than-average number of customer complaints in 2021, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) National Complaint Index Report.
Coverage options
2.8/5
AAA offers 11 different types of auto insurance coverage, giving it a low score when it comes to coverage options. Beyond the standard auto insurance coverage types, including liability, comprehensive, and collision coverage, AAA offers a small number of add-ons like rental reimbursement and gap coverage.
Financial strength
3.6/5
AAA has moderate financial ratings, scoring an A with AM Best, although AAA doesn’t have a rating with Moody’s or S&P. This means AAA is in a decent financial position to pay out its customers’ claims.
How much does AAA auto insurance cost?
AAA auto insurance costs an average of $178 a month, or $2,134 a year. That makes AAA car insurance one of the more expensive options in the industry for a full-coverage policy with bodily injury liability limits of $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident.
Annual insurance rate
Monthly insurance rate
AAA
$2,134
$178
National average
$1,638
$136
What discounts does AAA offer?
Good student discount: Get a discount if you have a driver under 25 on your AAA policy who is a student with a GPA of 3.0 or higher.
Low-mileage discount: If you don’t drive much you could potentially earn a discount on your AAA auto insurance.
Loyalty discount: Get a discount after one year of continuous coverage with AAA.
Multi-car discount: Get a discount on certain coverages when you insure two or more vehicles on the same policy with AAA.
Multi-policy discount: Bundle multiple AAA policies, like auto, home, or renters coverage, to save money on all your insurance.
New car discount: Purchase a new car (no more than three years old) to qualify for a discount.
Paperless discount: Get a discount by getting your insurance communication and billing electronically.
Paying-in-full discount: Save money by paying your premium in full at the beginning of your AAA policy.
Professional discount: AAA offers discounts to drivers in some professions, like engineering and accounting.
Safe driver discount: Complete an approved defensive driving course to save up to 20% on your car insurance.
Safety feature discount: Certain safety features in your vehicle, like anti-theft devices and airbags, could help you earn a discount.
Safety inspection discount: Get a safety inspection from AAA to save money on your insurance.
Student away discount: You could qualify for a discount if you have a student who is going to school at least 100 miles from home.
Teen driver training discount: Save money if a qualified student on your AAA policy successfully completes a AAA-approved driver training course.
Tracking app discount: Use the AAA tracking app (called OnBoard or AAADrive, depending on your region) to monitor your driving history and earn a discount for safe driving behavior.
AAA auto insurance state availability
AAA car insurance is available in 13 states, including:
You can buy auto insurance through AAA in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., but AAA is only an insurance carrier in the states listed above. In other states, AAA sells car insurance through other insurance providers.
Unlike other insurance companies, AAA benefits are sold by “club,” which is how AAA defines the various regions where it offers coverage.
How do AAA clubs work?
There are about 40 AAA clubs across the U.S., named after the region they serve, like:
AAA Texas
AAA Utah
AAA Washington State
But AAA clubs aren’t just broken up by state. For example, AAA South Jersey covers the southern part of New Jersey, while northern New Jersey is part of AAA Northeast. There are a variety of AAA clubs that cover a portion of a state (or more than one state), including:
AAA Northern California (which also covers Nevada and parts of Utah)
AAA Southern California
AAA Chicago
AAA Central Pennsylvania
AAA Carolina (covers both North Carolina and South Carolina)
AAA Akron
AAA Minneapolis
AAA Northeast
It can be a little tricky to figure out which AAA club services your region. For instance, the AAA club for the Northeast region offers coverage in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island. But there is a separate Northern New England region as well and the two clubs operate independently of one another. This means an agent in Connecticut won’t be able to access your benefits if you live in New Hampshire.
What to expect with AAA auto insurance
How to get a quote: The easiest way to get a quote is to use the AAA website. It uses your ZIP code to determine your region and connect you with the correct office.
Customer service options: Customers can speak to someone in person at their local AAA office, or they can call AAA directly at 800-387-8378.
How to file a claim: AAA customers can file a claim with their agent or by phone at 800-922-8228.
How to cancel your policy: You can cancel your AAA policy with your agent, by speaking with someone at your local AAA office, or by calling customer service at 800-922-8228.
AAA insurance earned a Policygenius score of 3.7. We rated auto insurance companies based on cost, coverage options, customer service, and financial stability. AAA scored lower than most of its competitors, but that doesn’t mean AAA coverage is “good” or “bad;” it is important to compare quotes from multiple car insurance companies to make sure you are getting the right coverage for your needs.
How good is AAA quality?
With an 847 out of 1,000 on J.D. Power’s 2022 U.S. Auto Claims Satisfaction Study, an A rating with A.M. Best, and higher-than-average rates, AAA car insurance earns middling scores across the board. AAA is still a decent choice for car insurance, but you’ll want to do your research and compare multiple quotes before buying car insurance.
Is AAA the same as insurance?
AAA offers multiple types of insurance, including auto insurance, homeowners insurance, and life insurance, but insurance isn’t included in a typical AAA roadside assistance membership. Buying a membership to AAA will cover your roadside assistance needs, but you’ll need to purchase auto insurance coverage separately.
What are the benefits of an AAA membership?
AAA membership comes with roadside assistance, travel planning, and a discount program that can save you money on things like movie tickets, theme park admissions, and concert tickets. AAA membership is not the same thing as AAA car insurance.
Rachael Brennan is a licensed auto insurance expert and a former senior editor at Policygenius. Her work has also been featured in MoneyGeek, Clearsurance, Adweek, Boston Globe, The Ladders, and AutoInsurance.com.
Anna Swartz is a senior managing editor who specializes in home, auto, renters, and disability insurance at Policygenius. Previously, she was a senior staff writer at Mic and a writer at The Dodo. Her work has also appeared in Salon, HuffPost, MSN, AOL, and Heeb.
