AAA Auto & Home Insurance Review: Strong Service and Decent Rates for AAA Members

AAA, primarily known for its Auto Club memberships, also offers insurance to its members in most areas of the U.S. We found, overall, that rates for auto and homeowners insurance fell on the inexpensive side, and that the offers are especially appealing for people who are already AAA Auto Club members. But because there are several companies that sell insurance under the AAA brand, the exact rates, coverages and services available vary significantly by location.

AAA Insurance: Our Thoughts

There are dozens of AAA Auto Clubs throughout the United States, and many of them offer several types of insurance, including auto, homeowners and life, among others. AAA Auto Clubs are independently run organizations with varying degrees of connection with one another, and so are their insurance arms. This means that the discounts, benefits and coverage options can vary significantly by location, and the only way to be sure of what's available in your area is to contact your local office.

In some places, Triple A simply acts as a broker, where the company collects your information and refers you to another insurer, like Progressive or State Farm, to actually sell you insurance. When AAA acts as a broker, you still receive discounts for being a AAA member. This process is especially common for homeowners insurance. However, AAA sells auto insurance directly in most places, and we found their policies to be better than average in terms of cost and benefits, with well-regarded customer service and a smooth claims process.

AAA homeowners insurance, for customers who can get it, offers affordable rates but a relatively small variety of coverage options. AAA homeowners insurance is not available in as many locations as their auto insurance policies, and in some places it is only available if you bundle it with auto coverage. Bundling these policies can lead to some significant savings on both, so it's worth getting a quote if you're already considering AAA for your car insurance.

AAA insurance policies almost always require customers to be AAA Auto Club members to purchase coverage. But in exchange, AAA insurance typically offers a discount to your policy that covers or exceeds the cost of an Auto Club membership. In this sense, you can think of AAA Auto Club membership benefits as being part of your AAA insurance policy, as many of the benefits an AAA Auto Club membership provides are sometimes provided by an automobile insurance policy. For example, AAA Auto Club members receive roadside assistance, which other insurance companies offer for an additional fee.

Auto Insurance Bottom Line: AAA auto insurance, in places where it's available, tends to be on the affordable side with good benefits. Drivers who already have or are interested in an AAA Auto Club Membership may be able to find a good rate with solid discounts from AAA insurance carriers. But people already getting similar perks from another source may find a better deal elsewhere.

Homeowners Insurance Bottom Line: AAA homeowners insurance is not as widely available nor as fully featured as AAA car insurance. Rates tend to be very competitive, but it falls short when it comes to features and benefits. Most AAA Clubs that offer homeowners insurance provide a discount on both car and homeowners insurance if you purchase them together.

AAA Auto Insurance Coverages and Benefits

There are numerous AAA Auto Clubs throughout the U.S., and many of them sell and provide insurance through different companies. For example, drivers in Northern California, Arizona and parts of Pennsylvania, among others, can buy insurance from the California State Auto Association (CSAA) Insurance Group. But AAA members in Southern California, Texas and northern New England are covered by the Auto Club Enterprise Group. This means that the exact coverages, benefits and discounts offered will vary based on your location. There are some common benefits that are widely available and some features worth noting, despite the fact that they're not available for all customers.

All AAA insurance agencies offer the most common coverages, including:

AAA has a mobile app that provides some insurance-related features, like a digital proof of insurance in case you're in an accident or pulled over. In some locations, you'll be able to get an insurance quote and pay your bill through the app as well.

There are also several noteworthy auto insurance coverages and benefits limited to particular areas. Keep in mind that these are sometimes included in a standard policy or added on for an additional fee:

AAA Auto Club Membership Benefits

AAA agencies usually require you to be an Auto Club member in order to buy insurance, so in a sense, the benefits and features of an AAA Auto Club membership are included in your car insurance. The marquee feature of an AAA membership is roadside assistance, which includes jump-starts, towing, emergency fuel delivery and minor roadside repairs. AAA members also receive extra compensation when they are in an accident more than 100 miles from home, covering the costs of a rental car, hotel room or other accommodation until they can continue on their trip.

AAA negotiates discounts on behalf of its members at thousands of businesses nationwide, including hotels, rental car companies, airlines and others. This can be one of the biggest perks of AAA membership for people who travel often. If you purchase your trip through AAA, you'll be covered by AAA's travel accident insurance, which covers you for loss of life or limb in case of an accident.

AAA Auto Insurance Discounts

The discounts available from AAA insurance vary significantly by provider, but shoppers can expect to collect most of the standard discounts available from car insurers. These include discounts for safe driving, purchasing coverage for multiple vehicles and bundling multiple policy types. And you'll usually receive a discount for being a member of AAA, regardless of whether you purchase directly through AAA or are referred to a different provider.

Drivers in some areas, including Texas, Southern California and northern New England will find that they have lots of discounts available that can bring their rates down. Discounts can include:

AAA Auto Insurance Quotes

To understand how much drivers can expect to pay for insurance from AAA, we collected quotes from AAA and several of its competitors. Overall, we found AAA's auto rates to be slightly cheaper than average. In our sample quotes, we found that drivers can expect to save between $29 and $40 per month from the average price. But we didn't find any situation in which AAA had the absolute cheapest premium, so drivers focused on getting the lowest rates above all else should shop around before committing to AAA.

Note that we did not factor in available discounts when collecting quotes. If your AAA insurance provider offers a lot of discounts, you may be able to cut down your rate significantly.

AAA Homeowners Insurance Coverages and Discounts

AAA homeowners insurance is not as widely available nor as fully featured as its automobile insurance policies. As with AAA's auto insurance policies, there are a number of insurers that sell insurance under the AAA brand. But in general, homeowners can expect to find the standard coverages associated with home insurance. This includes coverage for your home's structure and roof, your personal property, and liability coverage in case someone is injured inside your home.

Some AAA house insurance providers also offer extended coverages for an additional fee. More frequently available options include additional protection for valuables, such as jewelry and furs, umbrella insurance, coverage for living expenses if your home is uninhabitable, and insurance for natural disasters, such as earthquakes.

AAA Homeowners Discounts

The discounts available on homeowners insurance from AAA differ significantly across the country, but there were a few common ways to save. Providers usually offer a discount on your homeowners insurance premium if you are a AAA member or purchase AAA auto insurance. But keep in mind that you're often required to have AAA auto insurance to purchase AAA home insurance.

Some homeowners, including those in Southern California, Texas and northern New England may find more substantial discounts on their homeowners policies, including:

AAA Homeowners Insurance Quote Comparison

To understand what homeowners can expect to pay for homeowners insurance from AAA, we collected a range of sample quotes from AAA and three of its competitors. We found that AAA offered excellent rates for all of our sample homes in the Austin, Texas, area. Homeowners with inexpensive homes stand to save the most, as AAA's rates were 40% cheaper than average and were often the lowest rate we found overall. As coverage amounts increase, the gap narrowed, but AAA was in the top two for all of the quotes we gathered.

We also did not factor in any discounts when collecting rates, so you may be able to reduce premiums even more, depending on what discounts are available in your area.

AAA Insurance Customer Service Reviews and Ratings

AAA's service is consistently well-rated by its customers. It received a positive complaint rating of 0.55 from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, meaning that the company received fewer complaints than the average company of its size. In reviews, consumers particularly note a stress-free claims process and the speedy roadside assistance service. However, some consumers expressed concern over increasing premiums, as well as difficulty in the process of canceling their insurance policies.

AAA has highly reviewed financial stability, suggesting that consumers can depend on the company to pay out claims. AAA insurance agencies received ratings ranging from A+ (Superior) to A- (Excellent) from A.M. Best. These ratings indicate a high degree of financial stability. Insurance shoppers should not worry about AAA's ability to meet the financial demands of claims.