AAA service limits

[kalynzoo]

I currently have Goods Sam, but I was an AAA member for years and don't wish to discredit their organization. Just received the Westways, AAA magazine, sent to my son, and it now has this strange subsection in Roadside Assistance: Service Outside Southern California: "Outside Southern California...Members will be required to pay the independent service provider for any service that the local AAA or CAA club does not normally provide its members (including RV and motorcycle towing and RV tire change service for those members with the Optional RV and Motorcycle Roadside Assistance). An application for reimbursement of service charges may be submitted to the Auto Club for consideration." Westways, September 2013, pp.57.
What do they mean in the last sentence: "for consideration."
I guess I really don't care anymore, as I dropped AAA some time ago. But if you are now relying on AAA for your nationwide RV travel, check your plan.
JMHO
Happy Trails, and may you never need roadside service of any kind.

[ArchHoagland]

Had a blowout inside rear dual five months ago. I have the premium card with 250 miles 0f towing. Two tow trucks came when I called CSAA.

One truck fixed the flat and the other towed me 70 miles to repair shop as a lot of damage was done. I requested a Michelin XRV 22.5 tire and that's exactly what they brought and installed.

$1,800 for replacing the tire and towing which I paid and was reimbursed a week later from CSAA.

$10,800 damage done to wiring for entire coach and exhaust system that was torn out. CSAA covered it all less $50 deductible.

This occurred in central California 15 miles east of Los Banos.

I'm very happy with CSAA!!!!!

[Born_To_Travel]

I had AAA for a few years until I took a motorcycle trip to Missouri last summer.. I was going thru western Kentucky and had a rear blowout in a construction zone.. Ran over a piece of steel.. It was dark and with all the westbound traffic in one lane and me on the berm, it was a dangerous situation. I call AAA and told them were I was and they told me that road did not exist, even though I was standing on it.. After calling back numerous times and telling them I was in a very dangerous place, They told me they would send someone from Louisville... Louisville was over 100 miles away!.. After all else failed I called 911 and they sent a towing service from 5 miles away.. I asked the tow driver why AAA had no one closer.. He told me that AAA had cut the pay rates so low that hardly anyone is signed on with them anymore and the only ones seem to be the new companies trying to get a foothold.. When I came home I cancelled my AAA...

[crasster]

I have always had good luck with good sam.... It's been a great service for our family a couple of times.

[Grillmeister]

CVD wrote:

okgc wrote:
Keep in mind that Grillmeister and CVD might have different AAA contracts.

Members belong to one of 69 individual clubs (see List of AAA regional clubs), and the clubs in turn own AAA.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Automobile_Association#List_of_AAA_regional_clubs

Good point - I was reading from the Member Guide for "Automobile Club of Southern California". Didn't realize the fine print may change from club to club.

Thanks to everyone for the info. No I can't back up my statment with documented info. This was about eight years ago and from memory. You have valid points and I guess I am only trying to say that we should all research the details of anything we buy before hand. Some times this is not so easy.
That is why this Forum is such a great resource of information. Keep up the good work!

[CVD]

okgc wrote:
Keep in mind that Grillmeister and CVD might have different AAA contracts.

Members belong to one of 69 individual clubs (see List of AAA regional clubs), and the clubs in turn own AAA.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Automobile_Association#List_of_AAA_regional_clubs

Good point - I was reading from the Member Guide for "Automobile Club of Southern California". Didn't realize the fine print may change from club to club.

[okgc]

Keep in mind that Grillmeister and CVD might have different AAA contracts.

Members belong to one of 69 individual clubs (see List of AAA regional clubs), and the clubs in turn own AAA.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Automobile_Association#List_of_AAA_regional_clubs

[CVD]

Grillmeister wrote:
Also, when I had AAA I called and pinned them down on RV service. They told me they would not tow an RV a specified distance. They said they have a dollar limit :E. And I had to be a member for a year before I would be eligible for the premium 100 mile tow for a car.
Like you say, read the fine print!

I read the policy. RV towing is up to 100 miles. No mention of a dollar limit. Here’s the paragraph:

=========================
Members who purchase Optional RV and Motorcycle Roadside Assistance are entitled to an additional four (4) Roadside Assistance service calls or reimbursements for RV or motorcycle towing or RV tire change service per household per membership year. The tow benefit for RV and Motorcycle members is up to 100 driving miles per disablement provided the calls meet the conditions described in this guide.
=========================

I also read the “conditions described in this guide”. They are things like: area not regularly traveled by private passenger vehicles (such as a beach, open field, creek bed, private logging or forest service road), towing vehicle that was inoperable when purchased, shoveling snow to get to vehicle, etc. (reasonable conditions as I read it).

Did you find anything in writing that backs up what the rep told you?

[CVD]

I was at Pete’s Road Service getting new RV tires a couple months ago. In addition to selling/installing tires, Pete’s is a So. Calif. heavy truck & RV road service provider. I asked them if there was any difference in RV road services from their perspective; E.g. is anything not covered by AAA that is covered by other roadside insurers? They said AAA RV coverage was better than some and as good as any other. I know this doesn’t deal with the “out of So. Calif” topic; but it shows me AAA coverage isn’t lacking

Regarding that clause about coverage outside So. Calif; I just reread the AAA “Member Guide” (all 11 pages). Basically is looks like they cover and pay for services in areas where they have contracts with local service providers. In areas where they don’t have arrangements with local service providers, you have to pay yourself and submit a reimbursement request. Certainly not as convenient as a service that has heavy truck/RV service contracts outside Calif., but it doesn’t seem to be any less coverage.

That is how I read it (but, I've never had to use the service). Has anyone personally used the AAA RV coverage and been disappointed or surprised at what isn’t covered? What were the circumstances?

[hershey]

Not ever having used anything other than CoachNet I'm really giving a sermon out of church.
But: After 9 years of fulltiming and never needing assistance, I broke down 90 miles from civilization and CoachNet sent a wrecker (lowboy) 90 miles to haul me back to civilization and a diesel garage who already knew I was coming and my repair took an hour and a half and back on the road again...absolutely no charge from the wrecker service.

[Grillmeister]

Also, when I had AAA I called and pinned them down on RV service. They told me they would not tow an RV a specified distance. They said they have a dollar limit :E. And I had to be a member for a year before I would be eligible for the premium 100 mile tow for a car.
Like you say, read the fine print!

[wny_pat1]

And check the services provided by the 69 local clubs. They may not honor the services provided by the club you belong to!