I've had AAA for years, and honestly, they're fine for the daily driver stuff—like when my Civic got rear-ended, they handled it pretty smoothly. But when I picked up my old '72 Camaro, things got a little sketchy. I remember calling them up to ask about coverage, and the rep was clearly just reading off a screen. When I mentioned "matching numbers," there was this awkward pause, and then she asked if that was some kind of special paint code... 😅
Ended up going with Hagerty too, and the difference was night and day. The guy I spoke with there actually owned a classic himself, and we ended up chatting about restoration headaches for like 20 minutes. Felt good knowing the person on the other end actually understood what I was talking about.
AAA's still solid for regular cars, but yeah, specialty rides definitely need someone who speaks the language.
I've had AAA forever too, and honestly they've always been decent for my Corolla. Flat tires, dead batteries, fender benders...they've handled all that stuff without much fuss. But I totally get what you're saying about specialty cars. My buddy has a '68 Mustang he's been restoring since forever, and he went through a similar nightmare with AAA. They just didn't seem to get the concept of agreed-value coverage or why original parts mattered so much. He switched to Hagerty too and hasn't looked back.
For me though, since I'm just commuting daily and pinching pennies where I can, AAA still hits the sweet spot price-wise. Can't justify paying extra for specialized coverage when my car's biggest "special feature" is the coffee stains on the seats. 😂 But yeah, if I ever pick up something vintage or rare (a guy can dream...), I'd definitely go with someone who actually knows what they're talking about.
Yeah, I think you're spot-on about AAA being fine for everyday cars but shaky for anything specialized or vintage. I've stuck with them mostly because they're reliable enough for my daily driver, and their roadside assistance has bailed me out a couple times. But honestly, I've heard similar stories about them struggling with classic cars or anything custom-built. If I ever got something unique or valuable, I'd definitely shop around—no way I'd risk inadequate coverage just to save a few bucks...
Have you considered specialty insurers for classic or custom cars? AAA's fine for daily drivers, sure, but specialized vehicles often need tailored policies. Might cost a bit more upfront, but could save headaches if something goes sideways...
I've never had a classic or custom car myself (still rocking my hand-me-down Civic from high school, lol), but this conversation reminds me of something my uncle went through a couple years back. He's got this beautiful old Mustang—like, cherry red, shiny chrome, the whole nine yards. Anyway, he was always pretty loyal to AAA because they'd been good to him with his regular cars. But when he finally got the Mustang restored and road-ready, he stuck with AAA out of habit.
Long story short, someone rear-ended him at a stoplight—nothing major, thankfully—but enough damage to make him sweat bullets about repairs. He figured AAA would have his back like always. Turns out, dealing with them on a classic car was a whole different ballgame. They wanted to use generic replacement parts instead of authentic ones, and the coverage didn't quite match what he'd expected for such a specialized vehicle.
He ended up switching to one of those specialty insurers afterward and said it was night-and-day difference. Sure, he pays a bit more now, but he's way happier knowing they'll actually understand what he's talking about if something happens again.
Makes me wonder though... is it just AAA that's changed over time or is it more about how insurance companies handle specialty vehicles in general? Maybe it's just that classic cars need their own kind of attention that regular insurers aren't set up for? I dunno—just thinking out loud here. Either way, seems like if you've got something special parked in your garage, it might be worth looking into insurers who really get what you're driving.
