ComplaintsforAutomobile Club of Southern California

• Initial Complaint

  06/26/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  AAA is delaying to pay out my policy payment for an accident determined to be not my fault. I have been waiting for 8 months for the payment and they have stopped responding to all my emails. They have failed to pay out my policy within a reasonable time frame and are delaying to pay.

  Business response

  07/09/2024

  Review of this claim indicates this is a red-light dispute with conflicting facts of loss from both parties and two independent witnesses with contradicting statements as to who ran the red light. Our investigation indicates that you made the left turn against a red light and oncoming traffic.Our office was attempting to schedule your recorded statement through your attorney of record to confirm your version of the accident. With the written statements we have received, review of the scene location, and point of impacts to both vehicles, we have accepted comparative fault of 50/50 as you have some responsibility to yield to oncoming traffic prior to negotiating the left turn.On July 3, 2024, our office contacted your attorney of record to advise of our liability determination and requested a copy of the vehicle registration for your 2020 ****** to confirm if the vehicle had a lienholder. We confirmed on July 5, 2024, that your vehicle does have a lienholder with ********** By separate cover, your attorney of record will be receiving from our ********************* a two-party check made out to you and your Lienholder for the Uninsured Collision Coverage limit of $3,500.00. If you have any questions, please contact ************************* at ************ or her manager ************************* at ************.

• Initial Complaint

  06/20/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Purchased homeowners insurance in March (effective mid-May) after a one hour video inspection where the inspector made me take dozens of pictures for them to underwrite the policy. It was approved and so I purchased the policy. I just received a letter saying they are going to terminate my insurance because they have not received the photo inspection of the risk required to underwrite the policy. They said if I had any questions, contact the agent I worked with or another person they named. I contacted my original agent twice and he never returned my call; whenever I call, it goes straight to voicemail and I gave up leaving a message. The phone number for the second person is incorrect. I am seeking an explanation for this one-sided termination when I cooperated and did everything I was asked and they DO have all the pictures they need - if they needed additional pictures, they should have contacted me instead of sending a termination letter. I want an explanation of what they need so we can keep the policy in place.

  Business response

  07/09/2024

  
  You worked with our agent to start a new homeowners insurance policy. Our records indicate the agent ordered a photo inspection of your home, which you completed virtually with the assistance of a representative from our Field Inspection Team on February 6, 2024. We are also aware that your policy was later initiated on March 15, 2024, at which time the agent reviewed the characteristics of your home, the coverages afforded, and the annual premium for your policy. In agreement with the policy terms and conditions, you authorized a $2,461 payment and electronically signed the application to start your policy effective May 11, 2024. The agent then followed standard protocol and submitted your application with your inspection photos to our *********************** for review. To clarify, within 60 days of the effective date of a policy, an insurer is allowed to review applications to make corrections, acquire additional data to ensure the home is adequately insured, or notify the insured of the decision not to accept the application. In the course of their standard review of your policy, our *********************** determined that your home did not meet our underwriting acceptability guidelines, because the inspection photos obtained on February 06, 2024 were over 90 days old and not valid for a policy effective May 11, 2024, and a updated photo inspection would need to be ordered. We mailed you a Notice of Cancellation on June 14, 2024, indicating that your homeowners insurance policy would be cancelled effective July 14, 2024, unless we could obtain the required updated inspection photos. Manager, *********************************, contacted you to address the concerns outlined in your correspondence directly. He recalled informing you that he worked diligently with our *********************** to obtain an exception to our underwriting acceptability guidelines in order to use the previous inspection photos of your home in lieu of a new photo inspection. As a result, the cancellation of your homeowners insurance policy was withdrawn with no lapse in coverage. Our *********************** mailed you a Disregard Cancel Notice on June 25, 2024. Please be assured that your homeowners policy is currently active and in good standing. If you have any other questions or concerns, please contact *********************************, at ************.

  Customer response

  07/10/2024

  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me.  I will wait for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved.
  
  Regards,
  
  *****************************
  
   
  

• Initial Complaint

  06/18/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  When my renewal for car and house insurance arrived, I called AAA to find out how much the house premium would go up if I didn't renew and bundle the car. I got a quote that it would be about $300 more and based on that quote (the quote is in their records) I cancelled the car policy. When I went to pay the house insurance, they told me that it would be about $600 more. They said their agent made a mistake quoting old numbers. I did a lot of work based on their misinformation and signed up for alternative car insurance. The supervisor said she couldn't do anything - oops their mistake. I think that they should stand by their original quote to me (which they acknowledge is in their records). Instead she offered me movie tickets. If you can't count on them to supply correct information, what good are they?

  Business response

  07/08/2024

  Our records indicate that you contacted our insurance agent on May 25, 2024, to inquire how the premium for your AAA homeowners policy would be affected if you no longer received the Multi-Policy Discount due to cancelling your AAA auto insurance policy. The agent recalled that he explained that if you cancelled your auto insurance policy, your homeowners insurance premium would increase approximately $300. At that time, the quoted premium increase was based on comparing the annual premium without the Multi-Policy Discount for the current 2023-2024 term with the annual premium for your upcoming renewal effective July 7, 2024. Regrettably, the agent did not explain that the annual premium for the 2024-2025 homeowners policy renewal included a scheduled annual premium increase prior to removing the Multi-Policy Discount. The agent mistakenly did not explain that your renewal premium would increase from $1,430 to $2,020 by removing the Multi-Policy Discount. We assure you that the premium increase due to removing the Multi-Policy discount from your homeowners insurance policy was calculated in accordance with our underwriting guidelines and in compliance with our rating plan filed with and approved by the California Department of Insurance and we are unable to decrease your annual premium as requested. Our records indicate that on June 18, 2024 you requested to cancel your AAA auto insurance effective June 25, 2024. However, on June 20, 2024, you withdrew your request to cancel your auto insurance and the policy was renewed effective June 25, 2024. We have confirmed that the Multi-policy discount was not removed from the homeowners policy and the homeowners policy is scheduled to renew effective July 7, 2024. Please accept our apologies for any frustration you experienced regarding your homeowners insurance policy. If you have any questions, please contact ***************************** at ************.

• Initial Complaint

  06/17/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I was not allowed to cancel my car insurance and go with a different insurance company even after requesting it to be canceled twice. AAA charged me for leaving to get a better rate. They started sending collection notices and calls for a policy that I cancelled almost one year prior. I had another policy with another company and I sent them proof of my current policy and they are still harassing me with letters and calls. At first it was the monthly payment they wanted from the cancelled policy and now Im being sent letters for $29.88 for a cancelled policy that they will not correct. No one will respond to emails. No one will respond to phone calls. I have even emailed supervisors with no response. This is horrible customer service!!! And I am entitled to cancel a policy and go with another company anytime that I choose. I am being harassed and penalized for canceling my insurance which is my right and my choice!

  Business response

  07/08/2024

   
  
  When your AAA auto policy renewed effective July 3, 2023, the annual premium was $2,641. Our records indicate that you provided a $133.10 payment on July 3, 2023, and a $233.51 payment on August 1, 2023, for $233.51. On August 14, 2023, we mailed an updated billing statement informing you that a $233.51 minimum payment was due on September 1, 2023. Since we did not receive the required payment, a $7 late fee was assessed to your policy. Additionally, we mailed you a Notice of Cancellation for Non-payment of Premium on September 11, 2023, stating that your policy would be cancelled effective September 23, 2023, unless we received the required minimum payment. On September 23, 2023, your policy was cancelled as scheduled and we mailed you a Confirmation of Cancellation. At that time, we provided coverage as agreed upon from July 3, 2023, to September 23, 2023, and your remaining balance for that coverage period was $165.88. Since you had a remaining balance, we mailed you updated billing statements from November 8, 2023, through January 7, 2024. Each billing statement disclosed that you had a $165.88 remaining balance for the coverage provided. On May 6, 2024, you contacted our **************************** and informed our representative that you started a new policy with another insurance provider effective September 5, 2023. As a result, the cancellation of your AAA auto policy was backdated accordingly. We provided coverage as agreed upon from July 3, 2023, to September 5, 2023. The total earned premium for that coverage period was $396.49. We received $366.61 in payments that were applied toward your earned premium making your remaining balance $29.88. However, as a one-time courtesy, we have waived the $29.88 to clear your remaining balance and no additional money is owed to AAA. Please accept our apologies for any frustration you experienced regarding your auto policy. If you have any questions, please contact ************************* at ************.

• Initial Complaint

  06/17/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  On 3/25/24 I purchased home owners insurance from AAA *****************. I was helped by *********************** and ***************************. I paid $1318 and after corrections to the effective date was due to be refunded $173 via check. I submitted photo inspections that day and received a letter confirming payment and policy effective for 1 year which I provided to my mortgage company. I still have not received my refund check and in May I received a letter that my policy is being canceled by the underwriters due to no photo inspection. I spoke to supervisor ****** who confirmed photos were submitted appropriately. I was told the agent that helped me was no longer at AAA and likely failed to submit them. However several weeks have now gone by and no one at AAA is able to give me explanation about why my policy is still flagged to get terminated this month for missing photos. I have not been ablet to reach AAA manager at ********** despite multiple e-mails/voicemails. I presented to ****************** on 6/17 to try to understand why my policy is getting terminated and why I still have not received the refund check I was promised in March but no explanation could be found.I have exhausted all efforts to get an explanation and resolution with AAA. AAA not only overcharged me for a policy and has not given my refund since March but they also cannot explain to me why my policy is being terminated even though multiple managers have reviewed my case and say there should be no issues with my account. This whole situation will have devastating financial consequences for me and my family as we are now left without home owners insurance which is required for our mortgage. I would really appreciate any help from the BBB in investigate this case as I strongly feel AAA insurance is committing fraud and conducting bad business. Please let me know if there is any questions I can answer, provide any additional documents/evidence, or clarify anything that is not clear above.

• Initial Complaint

  06/13/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On My 5th I got into a car accident with another driver who has AAA. I called my insurance company and provided statement with how the accident occurred. When I asked what would be the necessary steps I was told AAA would contact me to let me know. I allowed for a week to pass by and never heard from AAA. I was told by my insurance to call ***** @************ and provide a claim number of *********. I called him left a message and allowed additional time to pass by. The following week again attempted to get of hold of ***** and his voicemail was full. I decided to wait on hold and got another AAA representative. The gentleman told me they were still waiting on the their client to get a statement. I allowed another week go back when I called back again a lady from AAA said she could not see what was going on but that ***** was available. She told me she would transfer my call to *****. When I spoke to ***** he told me point blank we are not liable for the accident. I asked him based on what evidence if no one has called me , took pictures of my vehicle. He said he was going based on what his client had told him. I then asked him when did he reach out to me to keep me posted on the claim and he said he just had too many clients. The lack of him taking any responsibility and just by going what the other passenger said to him. Is unacceptable. I asked ***** is that how he normally deals with all the claims. I then asked to speak to his manager and he told me his manager name is ******. I called ****** to share my experience with the entire claim and until this day 6/13/24. I still have not received a call back.

  Business response

  06/21/2024

  You spoke with Claims Manager ********************* on June 18th, and she advised you we re-opened our claim investigation.Since that time, we have secured your statement along with photographs of your damaged vehicle. We have now reviewed all available information and determined that **************** had crossed 80% of the way through the four-way-stop intersection when his vehicle was contacted by your vehicle, as you made a left turn. Furthermore,there are no independent witnesses, police report, or video footage which would support fault for either driver. Absent any new information, it is our position that **************** established control of the intersection after safely proceeding from a stopped position, and there is no information to support that he is responsible for your damages. Unfortunately, the denial of your property damage claim is re-affirmed. If you have any questions, please contact ********************* at ************.

• Initial Complaint

  06/11/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  The AAA of Southern California is the company that insured the 100% at fault driver in the accident that involved my vehicle while waiting at a red light. The company has done nothing to help with all my medical expenses since the accident of January 1, 2024. They do not respond to my phone calls and keep sending me repeat letters asking for information that has already been provided right after the accident.

  Business response

  06/26/2024

  Review of this claim indicates we have accepted liability and have been actively seeking to determine the totality of both injury and property damage exposures to initiate settlement discussions with you. Please understand there have been multiple and consistent calls to you and your passenger, *************************, seeking needed information to proceed with resolving your injury claim as well as other injury and property damage claims. On 6/19/24 we were able to touch base with ************************* who confirmed he was not presenting an injury claim. As such, we are now able to initiate settlement discussions regarding your injury claim. We will have the adjuster,*******************, reach out to you to seek to resolve your injury claim. Regarding your claim for rental vehicle costs this aspect of the claim is being handling by adjuster ***********************. ******************* can be reached at ************ and *********************** can be reached at ************.If you have any questions or concerns, please contact ******************* or his manager ******************* at ************.

• Initial Complaint

  06/10/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  we have membership in roadside assistance. my daughter called for tow on 5.25, after hours of waiting, then informed her they couldn't get anyone assigned. She gave up and tried again the next morning, missing work, she literally waiting all day again and still no one came to help her. She finally gave up and paid a towing company $100 to move her vehicle. I have emailed and called with no response. I would like my daughter to be reimbursed $100 since that is what we paid the membership fee for. This was in ******************* where the vehicle was located. It was not a remote area and should have been easy to get a tow truck there.

  Business response

  06/10/2024

  Please forward to ******************** at ************************************************************** for review/response. **************************************

  Thank you.

  Business response

  06/19/2024

  We extend our sincerest apologies for any inconvenience encountered on May 27, 2024, and May 28, 2024. To prevent a recurrence of this nature in the future, we have counseled both our staff and contracted servicer provider alike to prevent a recurrence. As such, we are sending a check in the amount of $100.00. This represents a reimbursement of the tow charge that your daughter paid out of pocket. If have any questions, please contact ************************************* at **************.

• Initial Complaint

  06/10/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  On 06/02, I contacted AAA and spoke to a representative regarding my car battery dying while driving and being stranded. As I asked the representative questions about whether or not my car could possibly be towed to the closest Auto zone and get the battery switched out, the representative seemed bothered by the question and responded why would we do that if its not ours. She then said Id receive a text message which I never received. I called AAA back regarding an update on when I would be receiving help and was told that the last representative never filed the claim. This caused me to wait an additional two hours and paying an additional cost to get my car to an auto zone. Ive been with AAA for many years and have never had an issue, but it seemed as though the representative purposely failed to submit the claim.

  Business response

  06/10/2024

  Please forward to ******************** at ************************************************************** for review/response. **************************************

  Thank you.

• Initial Complaint

  06/09/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I had a dead battery and needed tow service. I called AAA on June 5, 2024, on or around 9:00 pm. I had to wait over 2 hours for service. An AAA agent said they will waive any fees associated with overnight storage fees. Around midnight, service finally arrived, however, the service provider said they dont have the option of overnight storage. The driver said I should have scheduled pickup in the morning and it can be an unattended tow; all I have to do is leave the key on the front seat. I then called AAA back to schedule an unattended tow for 6:45 am. It gets worse, around 10 am I discovered my vehicle was never towed. I called AAA around 10 am and was informed the driver was unable to locate my car (even though I gave an exact and unambiguous location. I said the name of the city, and the northwest intersection; in addition, im the only vehicle parked on the corner of that intersection.) Now I missed my 7 am vehicle service appointment with the dealership. I scheduled another unattended tow while on the phone with AAA at 10 am and the most recent driver located my car quick and easy (using the same information as provided previously). I spoke to a supervisor with AAA who said he will credit me 1 additional service to make up for the inconvenience. I called AAA on June 9, 2024, and the AAA agent said I dont have any additional service added to my Premier membership. This is egregious! Please provide the additional service to my membership as promised by a AAA agent and supervisor. Otherwise, I will file a legal action for, among other things, but not limited to, the Unfair, Deceptive, Or Abusive Acts Or Practices. At this juncture, there were false and misleading statements from AAA.

  Business response

  06/26/2024

  
  We have counseled both our staff and contracted service providers alike. Please know that the necessary corrective actions have taken place to prevent recurrence of this nature. We confirm that two service calls have been credited back to your membership. Should you have any additional questions or comments, please contact *************************** at **************. 

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩