The American Automobile Association, commonly known as the AAA or Triple-A, covers more than 55 million members on their emergency roadside assistance plans. Different emergency plans are designed to cover members in case of an emergency on the road. However, all plans include the following services:
– emergency towing
– emergency starting
– battery service
– fuel delivery (fuel cost is paid for by the member on the Classic Plan)
– flat tire service
– locksmith service
– car travel interruption service
– onward travel planning
– winching/extrication
– free or reduced-cost passport photos
In some regions, bicycle coverage is included in all memberships, while in others, it is an optional extra.
There are 3 basic levels of plans available:
1. Classic
2. Plus
3. Premier
The benefits of these plans can be easily compared on the AAA website to determine which services are included and which are excluded from each plan. Different information based on locality is presented on different pages on the AAA site. By entering your ZIP code, you will be directed to the page applicable to your region of the country.
Some important things to notice when comparing the three plans are:
– all three plans cover members while traveling in their own vehicles as well as rentals, borrowed vehicles, or as a passenger in another vehicle.
– motorcycles are covered on all plans
– coverage for RVs and Trailers is only available on the Plus and Premier levels
– on all three plans, roadside assistance calls are limited to 4 per member per year, after which the AAA offers pre-negotiated, discounted rates at their service providers.
The AAA has a membership refund policy that allows reimbursement of fees within the first 3 months of new membership for each month that no services were provided.
Additional perks and benefits offered by the AAA through their networks are unmatched and includes discounts on:
– shopping
– dining
– motels
– prescriptions
– theme parks and other entertainment attractions
In addition, the AAA offers fax, copy and notary services at their offices nationwide; free registration with WeatherFX for severe weather alerts; and identity theft protection through ProtectMyID.
On the negative side, the towing coverage on AAA is limited to 5 miles on the Classic Plan, 100 miles on the Plus Plan, and 250 miles on the Premier Plan which makes them the least generous when compared to other emergency assistance plans on the market.
While the skimpy mileage coverage for the lowest tier of their membership plan is a disadvantage, the extraordinary level of additional benefits offered and the stellar reputation of the AAA in the industry makes them worthy of consideration.
