Photograph Credit: Microsoft Images
When I earned my driver’s license at the age of 16, my parents gave me two items: an emergency $20 bill and my own AAA card.
If I got stuck in traffic with a low gas gauge, then I was to use the $20 bill to get gas and go home. My parents took care of filling up the gas tank. (I appreciate it more now than I did then.) 😉
The AAA card provided roadside assistance. If I had a flat tire, locked the keys in the car, or the car would not start, I was to call AAA for help. Though I did not need the services of AAA, I proudly carried my card through high school, college, and into marriage.
Fast-forward a few years into our marriage when Paul and I purchased our first new vehicle. As a perk, our vehicle came with a 5-year roadside assistance package. Since our AAA membership was up for renewal and we did not need the roadside assistance, I counted the cost of keeping or losing these AAA benefits:
Maps
When we traveled, we requested the maps from AAA. With the easy to follow directions, we enjoyed our commutes to and from our destinations. Without AAA, we would not have this access. But, I could find this information within a few minutes through the Internet.
State Guides
In planning our stays, we found the state guides so helpful. With admission times and prices, we could design a trip that fit within our time frame and budget. If we dropped AAA, then we would miss the new additions to these books. With or without AAA, I could search online for entertainment in that area and find the same information, but AAA would save me time.
Discounts
By showing my AAA card, I received discounts at lots of establishments. Without my card, I would lose these savings. Though I would have to plan ahead, daily deal sites (i.e., Groupon, LivingSocial, etc.) offer savings of 50% or more which are better than the 10-20% discounts received with my AAA card.
Notary Services
With free notary services for legal or official documents, AAA signed and sealed those documents without charge for members. Though I did not use this option often, I needed it for authorizing an insurance change, selling a vehicle, and submitting a court affidavit. At the time of our decision, I was not sure if other providers we used had this service.
One day when I stopped by our State Farm insurance office, I asked our agent if they had notary services. To my surprise, they offered free notary services to their customers. Yeah! I had every area covered for which I needed AAA.
Roadside Assistance
Upon hearing that I was considering dropping AAA, our State Farm agent offered to add roadside assistance to our policy. Though I did not need it, I wanted to know more and asked for details. Discovering that this option was less than $10 annually, I filed this information away for future use.
When we purchased our second vehicle, we added the roadside assistance to that policy. We then waited to add this coverage to the new vehicle until our 5-year roadside assistance ended through the dealership. Now both of our vehicles have roadside assistance coverage through our insurance company.
Though each insurance company is different, our roadside assistance option works this way:
1. Need assistance
2. Get the help you need – call a tow truck, pay him, and get the receipt
3. Submit the receipt to my insurance agent, who immediately writes a check for the service amount
Cons
- Find your own help
- Pay up-front
- Visit the insurance office
Pros
- Get help sooner than 45 minutes to an hour
- Quick reimbursement
- Receive temporary AAA cards to entice me back into a membership
With our decision upon us, we weighed the pros and cons of our AAA membership. Realizing we could stretch our dollars further and gain similar benefits through other means, we allowed our AAA membership to lapse and did not renew. That decision occurred almost 7 years ago, and we have not regretted our decision.
Now, some insurance companies automatically offer each customer roadside assistance. If you hold a AAA card just for the roadside assistance, then check your insurance policy. You may be overprotected. In using time wisely and stretching your dollars, you might save $50-$100 by adding a roadside assistance option to your auto insurance policy and dropping your AAA membership. You have a choice.
A simple question about notary services ended up saving our family around $60. If you are looking to tighten your budget to reach your financial goals, then check your insurance policy. You might be overprotected. Happy savings!
Question: Does your auto insurance company offer a roadside assistance option?
hmmm – don’t think that is offered through my insurance company (though what they charge it SHOULD be!!!)… but i will have to look into it! thanks for the info 🙂
A simple question on an unrelated topic brought me to this information. You never know unless you ask. I understand about the high cost of insurance which is why I check the policies annually. Thanks for the comment!