I recently switched away from AAA too, but for slightly different reasons. As a student driver, my rates were already pretty high, and I noticed AAA's quotes kept creeping up every renewal. Decided to shop around and ended up with a smaller local insurer recommended by a friend. The savings weren't huge, but the customer service has been way more responsive and helpful—especially when I had questions about coverage details. Definitely worth checking out smaller companies if you're feeling squeezed by the big guys...
"The savings weren't huge, but the customer service has been way more responsive and helpful—especially when I had questions about coverage details."
Yeah, I totally get what you're saying about the smaller companies. I've been with AAA for years, mostly because it felt safe and familiar, but lately I've been noticing the same creeping-up rates you mentioned. Honestly, customer service is a huge factor for me too. Last time I called AAA with a simple question, I got bounced around between three different reps... not exactly reassuring when you're already stressed about coverage details.
I've been considering switching to a local insurer myself, but I'm a bit hesitant since I commute daily and need solid roadside assistance coverage. Have you had to use your new insurer for roadside help yet? Curious how they stack up compared to AAA in that department...
I switched from AAA to a smaller local insurer about two years ago, mostly because my premiums kept inching up every renewal. Haven't had to use roadside assistance yet (knock on wood...), but I did call them once about a weird billing question, and it was honestly refreshing to get an actual human who knew what they were talking about right away. AAA used to be great, but lately it's felt like dealing with a big cable company—lots of runaround for simple stuff.
I had a similar experience a while back. AAA was great when I first signed up years ago—responsive, easy to reach, and the prices were reasonable. But then, like you mentioned, it started feeling like dealing with Comcast or something. Every renewal, they'd bump my rates up a bit, and when I'd call to ask why, I'd get bounced around between departments.
"it was honestly refreshing to get an actual human who knew what they were talking about right away."
Exactly this. I ended up switching to a smaller regional insurer recommended by a friend who also owns a luxury car. At first I was hesitant because I thought maybe a smaller company wouldn't handle claims as smoothly, but when I had a minor fender-bender last year (totally not my fault, thankfully), everything went super smoothly. Quick response, no hassle, and my premium didn't skyrocket afterward. Sometimes going smaller really does pay off...
I get why smaller insurers seem appealing, but honestly, as someone who's had a few tickets and claims, AAA's size has actually been a plus. Smaller companies can be picky about high-risk drivers... sometimes bigger insurers have more flexibility to absorb risk without dropping you.
