AAA just changed their value proposition for me

[Qwkynuf]

Received a postcard in the mail today.

I have the RV Premier membership because I get some comfort from the idea of 200 miles of towing and up to two tow vehicles. I don't really get much use out of the other benefits, though I did buy a battery for my car from them last winter.

At any rate, the front says:

Revised RV Roadside Assistance Benefits
Effective 11/1/2020

On the back it says

AAA will pay up to $500 toward services per covered motorhome, camper or trailer service call and up to a maximum of $1,000 per household per membership year for such services. members will be responsible for all other costs of service above the individual call limit and the annual aggregate limit. This changes the previous limits on RV benefits, including the tow mileage limits.

Up until this, I considered the ~$15/month fee to be cheap insurance to be able to get everything home if I had an unexpected failure with my truck (as long as I was within 200 road-miles). In my past (somewhat limited) experience with tow trucks, I'm not thinking that $500 is going to get me all that far.

So now I have a month to decide whether to drop the RV portion, cancel completely, downgrade to a standard membership (so that my kids don't call *me* when they lock their keys in the car), or ???

Maybe evaluate alternate providers? RVNet? Good Sam? We are not full-timers by a long shot, but we do take the trailer out 8-10 times per year, and usually within that 200 mile radius.

What to do....what to do....

[retired on a mountain]

Try switching to another AAA office there all different. And prices also.

[comfun1]

I have the same policy but I have not heard anything about the reduced coverage yet. Let me know if you find a similar replacement policy. I also liked the 200 mile tow feature. I will be watching my mail.

[Cidewayz]

Last memorial weekend, we broke down on our way camping with my 5th wheel in tow. We were about 130 miles from home. My daughter had the lowest AAA, which was just 5 miles. So AAA rep. said it'd be $10 per mile beyond the 5 mile for my truck ($1250) plus for the 5th wheel, it would have been $150 hr. door to door. So I was thinking atleast 7hrs on the low side which would have been another $1050. It would have been atleast $2300 to get my truck and trailer home from just 130 miles away. Luckily I had one buddy drive up to grab my 5th wheel and another with AAA to get my truck home. I signed up for AAA after that and now rethinking it if they change their plans. Maybe stack it with Good Sams.

[A2pfunk]

Originally Posted by Cidewayz

Last memorial weekend, we broke down on our way camping with my 5th wheel in tow. We were about 130 miles from home. My daughter had the lowest AAA, which was just 5 miles. So AAA rep. said it'd be $10 per mile beyond the 5 mile for my truck ($1250) plus for the 5th wheel, it would have been $150 hr. door to door. So I was thinking atleast 7hrs on the low side which would have been another $1050. It would have been atleast $2300 to get my truck and trailer home from just 130 miles away. Luckily I had one buddy drive up to grab my 5th wheel and another with AAA to get my truck home. I signed up for AAA after that and now rethinking it if they change their plans. Maybe stack it with Good Sams.

So let's say you used the low coverage to have it towed to the nearest safe parking lot (probably within 5 miles), and it took an hour. You would be out $150. Then if you called and subscribed to the AAA RV service, I wonder how long you would have to wait before you decided to use your coverage to have it towed home...

[Cidewayz]

Originally Posted by A2pfunk

So let's say you used the low coverage to have it towed to the nearest safe parking lot (probably within 5 miles), and it took an hour. You would be out $150. Then if you called and subscribed to the AAA RV service, I wonder how long you would have to wait before you decided to use your coverage to have it towed home...

2 days (48 hours). We tossed the idea around while waiting.

[A2pfunk]

Originally Posted by Cidewayz

2 days (48 hours). We tossed the idea around while waiting.

I'm sure lots of folks have signed up and immediately put in a claim!

[Qwkynuf]

Originally Posted by retired on a mountain

Try switching to another AAA office there all different. And prices also.

I thought it was regional, based on your billing address? Hell, when I go to aaa.com in my web browser, it automatically redirects me to wa.aaa.com. That has been a pain in the past, when I was traveling for work and tried to log in to renew my membership - didn't notice right away that it redirected to the Georgia version because I was sitting in a hotel outside Atlanta.

[2oldcrows]

I have been with AAA for a long time with this coverage in Texas. I was on my way home from a camping trip with my fw fuel pump went out on my truck 80 miles from home. I called Good Sams Roadside and they was willing to tow my truck and camper to closest park or repair shop. I called AAA they hooked up my truck along with my fw and towed it to my house I was very happy with this service. Remember it 200 miles maximum tow distance one time or what equals to 200 miles.

[Qwkynuf]

Here is a scan of the postcard. It does seem to be specifically from AAA Washington, so I would be interested to see if anyone else received it - especially from other regions.

[BillyBass]

i have a few questions about this. First of all I have AAA RV plus We get only 100 miles and 4 tows which is find with me. But when I brought down on I 79 and when i call triple AAA they didnt tow my boat I had to get my dad come get it .I was a 107 miles from home>They wanted to leave my boat at a rest stop I said no bc all anybody had to do is hook up to it and take off or steal everything. So I file a complaint with the main office and they reimbursed me for my dad coming after it. Then I broke down with the camper and I had to do the same thing call my dad .File another complaint and they gave me a free yr .I been a member with them 21 yrs. I was told when I sign up for it If they had to tow 2 vec. it would be charge with 2 tows which was fine with me bc I had it. Then someone told me it only covers a flat or something happens to the camper. What else can go wrong with a camper or trailer. But on a better note when I broke down without a pulling anything they was pretty good and fast. So what are you suppose to do

[mnoland30]

In the past year or so, I've paid for towing twice. Once in Utah, and once in NM. In Utah, it was the truck and boat, for a 50 mile tow to the nearest Ford dealer. $350. Covered in full by Farmer's. In NM, it was $750 for a 50 mile tow for just my Jeep Liberty. AAA would be worth it if it covers it.

[raytwntrvlr]

We live in Missouri and got the same change.

AAA customers for many years. Really paid off when we had young drivers with not so reliable cars. Still a nice feeling to know help is on the way if you have cellular coverage.

We ungraded to the RV plan when we got into a truck and TT back in 2013. Never had to use the RV portion but through the years have needed it for our cars about once a year.

We will be checking out options now.

Happy Camping to all

[jkoenig24]

FMCA has a "Roadside Rescue" add on for their members. I also have AAA's RV Premier Service (which must be renewed later this month; I have to check details for SD residents).

https://www.fmca.com/index.php/fmca-...ssistance.html

[LannyCox]

I have been a member of AAA since 1956 when my mother added me to her membership. I have always had excellent service from them and, when I moved to Texas in 1999, I upped my membership to the RV Premium because of the distances one can be faced with in Texas. My wife and I have had several "opportunities" to need a tow truck and when my wife had a roadside emergency, it has always been me to call AAA instead of her. On the last call requiring a tow, I was informed that that each of us is limited to four tows per membership year. Speaking with the agent on the phone, I was informed that the tow would be $90 because I had used up my four tows. I asked to speak to her supervisor and explained that I had made a couple of calls when my wife had had a problem and she just laughed and said her husband would probably do the same thing!

I have not received a notice regarding a change in coverage or price as outlined by the OP.

[BillyBass]

Originally Posted by LannyCox

I have been a member of AAA since 1956 when my mother added me to her membership. I have always had excellent service from them and, when I moved to Texas in 1999, I upped my membership to the RV Premium because of the distances one can be faced with in Texas. My wife and I have had several "opportunities" to need a tow truck and when my wife had a roadside emergency, it has always been me to call AAA instead of her. On the last call requiring a tow, I was informed that that each of us is limited to four tows per membership year. Speaking with the agent on the phone, I was informed that the tow would be $90 because I had used up my four tows. I asked to speak to her supervisor and explained that I had made a couple of calls when my wife had had a problem and she just laughed and said her husband would probably do the same thing!

I have not received a notice regarding a change in coverage or price as outlined by the OP.

Mind is up in Nov and i havent receive any change yet>But I will check it out when I get my bill.

[cub22908]

I got same notice in Illinois. Will be effective when/if I renew on 10/15. Fortunately I will be putting my 5er in storage for the winter on 10/15 so have all winter to explore options.

[BillyBass]

Originally Posted by cub22908

I got same notice in Illinois. Will be effective when/if I renew on 10/15. Fortunately I will be putting my 5er in storage for the winter on 10/15 so have all winter to explore options.

Got one more trip b4 shutting down for winter .then thats what I will do

[Qwkynuf]

Funny thing is, if I go to AAA WA website right now, it will let me sign up for the RV Premium plan, and it still shows the 200 mile tow benefit.

So, if I were a new member, would they take my money today and then change the benefits in a month???

[Bob_Loblaw]

Same here in TN.
There was an insert in my renewal notice laying out those exact changes to the RV Premier plan