Yeah, I get that. I'm shopping around for insurance right now, and honestly, predictable pricing is a big deal for me too. Surge pricing or hidden fees make me nervous—I'd rather know exactly what I'm paying upfront, even if it means waiting a bit longer. AAA might not be perfect lately, but at least you know what you're getting into... peace of mind counts for something.
Honestly, AAA's transparency is decent, but lately their customer service has been slipping. Had a flat tire last month and waited almost two hours for roadside assistance—used to be way quicker. If predictable pricing is your main thing, you might wanna check out some smaller local insurers too. I've found they often have straightforward rates without the big-company runaround. AAA isn't terrible, but it's definitely not the gold standard it once was...
"Had a flat tire last month and waited almost two hours for roadside assistance—used to be way quicker."
Yeah, I've noticed that too. A couple months back, my battery died in the grocery store parking lot. Called AAA thinking it'd be a quick fix like always, but ended up waiting nearly an hour and a half. Luckily, a guy parked nearby had jumper cables and helped me out way before AAA showed up. Kinda defeats the purpose of paying for roadside assistance, doesn't it?
I've been with AAA forever mainly because their pricing used to be pretty clear-cut, but lately I'm starting to wonder if it's worth shopping around. I've heard smaller insurers can be cheaper without sacrificing service, but honestly, I'm wary of switching and ending up worse off. Has anyone actually made the jump to a local insurer and regretted it later? Curious if the grass is really greener or just looks that way from here...
I've been wondering the same thing lately. My parents have had AAA forever, and when I started driving, they insisted I get it too. Honestly, at first it seemed great—quick responses, friendly service, and pretty straightforward pricing. But recently, I've heard more and more stories like yours. My roommate got stuck with a dead battery last winter and waited almost two hours in freezing weather before AAA finally showed up. She was pretty frustrated, especially since she pays extra for the premium membership.
I haven't personally switched yet, but I've been looking into local insurers too. A friend of mine uses a smaller regional company and swears by them—says they're cheaper and actually quicker to respond. But then again, another friend switched to a local insurer because of lower rates and ended up regretting it after an accident. Apparently, their claims process was a nightmare, and customer service wasn't exactly helpful.
I guess that's my biggest hesitation—AAA might be slower now, but at least they're predictable. With smaller companies, it feels like you're rolling the dice a bit. Has anyone here had experience specifically with roadside assistance from smaller insurers? Is it usually reliable enough to justify the switch? I'd love to hear some firsthand experiences before making any decisions...
- Had a similar experience with AAA lately—waited 90 mins for a flat tire.
- Switched to roadside through my local insurer about 6 months ago.
- Response times have been quicker (~30 mins), but coverage area seems smaller.
- Overall satisfied, but definitely research carefully before switching...
