ComplaintsforAutomobile Club of Southern California

• 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 **************. 

• Initial Complaint

  06/05/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I've been a AAA customer for over 31 years. I recently moved and paid off my insurance policy before the move. I moved from a large populated city with a population of around ******, to a small, rural location with a population of 2800. I have no accidents, I've never filed claims on my policy. AAA sent a letter stating following the move my premium increased $223 due to address change. My wife's policy was raised $17 due to the address change. I called and spoke with customer service and ********************** underwriters and requested specific information detailing why the premium was increased. The company provided a universal response that the increase was "due to an address change" and refused to provide additional details. *****, customer service supervisor at *****************, stated when premiums raise it usually has to do with claims cost. He refused to provide details of claims in my old residence vs new residence and stated insurance companies will not ever be transparent with that. He stated a supervisor, *****, would call back in 48 hours. No one called back. Insurance underwriter ******* responded to an email to *********************** and stated a multitude of factors can go into a premium increase, but refused to articulate the specific factors that raised my premium. He agreed it was curious my policy raised $223 and my wife's policy only raised $17, again, he was not able to provide rationale for the numbers, increased premiums, or how AAA arrived at their premium increase. When one searches with Bankrate or other comp sites, one can see the premiums of my old area versus my new area and substantiate that the premiums in my old area are greater. This is another demonstrative example of AAA charging excessive premiums, and refusing to provide explanation of charges. I demand a response itemizing the formula AAA utilized to arrive at the premium increase they sent to me.

  Business response

  06/14/2024

  Our response explains we received a report from the National Change Of Address (NCOA) informing us of the new address and subsequently the policy was updated. This update generated an increase in premium and we sent a declaration to notify the insured. We asked our actuary to review the premium adjustment is accurate and in compliance with our filed and approved rate plan. We explain we write primarily in Southern California.We have significant historical data to set our rate in this geographical area.Our experience is limited in Northern California so the geographic claim frequency and severity factors are mostly based on industry data. We confirm our underwriter was in contact with the insured to review the details 

  Customer response

  06/17/2024

  No response was given by the company.

  Business response

  06/19/2024

  Our written response was mailed around 6-13-2024. If you do not receive the reply that was mailed to you please contact ***************************** at ************.

  Customer response

  06/24/2024

  Your company sent a letter. Your company continued to fail to explain how they arrived at a policy increase number of $223. Your company admitted they do not have precise information for Northern California zip codes. Your company did not explain how they arrived at the $223 additional dollars due for this auto insurance policy. ************* shows auto claims in the ***** zip code are lower than claims in zip code 92624.

  We called ***************************** and left a message requesting call back. Perhaps she will call back some day with an insightful answer and response as requested.

• Initial Complaint

  06/04/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  AAA refused to help with my auto registration both in person and over the phone.

  Business response

  06/12/2024

  We explained that we are not the ********** of ***** Vehicles (***) we have a limited contract with the *** that does not allow us to provide the requested document without a fee. The member made the payment to the *** via their website. We correctly advised the complainant he could pay the required *** fee or wait until 30 days after the payment to provide the requested documents. The ********* did not refuse to assist, we explained the available options following the *** requirements.

• Initial Complaint

  05/29/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I have asked AAA Automobile club of Southern California to not contact me by email or phone about any marketing attempts and they refuse to stop emailing me and calling me. I get these calls and emails from different locations which means they have shared my information with out my permission to different offices without consideration to my preferences to not be called or emailed.

  Business response

  06/07/2024

  We have stopped further calls and mailings as requested. Please allow up to 60 days to stop further mailings. Please contact us at ************ with any questions.

  Customer response

  06/10/2024

  The company has already ignored multiple previous requests to stop calling and emailing me, and must now offer a monetary remedy for the privacy violations according to the law. 

  Business response

  06/11/2024

  Again, we have stopped further calls and mailings as requested. Please allow up to 60 days to stop further mailings. We encourage you to contact us at ************ with any questions.

  Customer response

  06/11/2024

  AAA is refusing to resolve the matter.

• Initial Complaint

  05/23/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My checking account was auto-debited $186 on 5/9/2024 without my authorization. I had chosen not to continue my AAA membership since I seldom use it. For instance, in the last 10 years I've used it twice. Please credit my checking account as I did not authorize this charge.

  Business response

  06/05/2024

  ************************* spoke with ************** and processed a change on the membership. If you have any questions, please contact ************************* at ************.

• Initial Complaint

  05/20/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I called AAA to ask them why I have two open accounts as I only ever had 1 account. I told the customer service rep to cancel the second account and refund my money. He then told me it would take up to 5 business days to be refunded. I then asked for a supervisor and his employee number and was told he does not have a number and then said he is not going to transfer me to anyone and refused to give me his name as well! Nothing has been returned to me and the second account has not even been closed. I want an immediate refund of my $92.00

  Business response

  05/17/2024

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

  Thank you.

• Initial Complaint

  05/20/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I called AAA because my car battery died and was waiting for 2 hours for a technician. After I provided my car's make/model/year, AAA told me that if my battery needed to be replaced they would do that when they got there. After waiting for 2 hours, the technician arrived and stated he could not replace my battery because they "don't do" VWs. So all he did was jump start me. Fine, but then I had to go get my battery service elsewhere where they charged me over $100 in labor fees for changing the battery. I sent a reimbursement form to AAA to be reimbursed for the labor cost of the battery change and it was denied even though in their member guide it states that they reimburse for services that they were not able to provide. I spoke with multiple representatives on the phone and they were extremely unhelpful.

  Business response

  05/09/2024

  HELLO,

  ACCORDING TO THE MEMBER'S ADDRESS THEY LIVE IN ** WHICH IS NOT IN OUR JURISDICTION. PLEASE USE AAA.COM TO DETERMINE THE APPROPRIATE AUTO CLUB.

  AAA

  Business response

  05/17/2024

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

  Thank you.

  Business response

  06/06/2024

  
  As outlined in our Member Guide, the mobile battery service technician will install a new battery, if available and batteries are available for most makes and models. Upon further review, it was found that there is not a AAA battery fitment available for your 2017 ********** therefore, the service technician was unable to install a AAA battery in your vehicle. In these instances, alternate service options such as a jumpstart or tow service to a place of repair will be offered to you to choose from. Based on these findings, we must decline your request for reimbursement of the labor charge you incurred for your third-party battery purchase and installation. Please be assured that the necessary corrective actions have been taken to ensure that our independent contractors are providing a detailed explanation to our members as to why they are unable to provide a battery for purchase and install. While we are unable to reimburse the labor charge under the aforementioned reasons, as a gesture of goodwill, your service request from February 11, 2024, has been credited back to your membership account and will not count against your four (4) service call allotments for this membership term. If you have any questions, please contact ******************************* at **************.

• Initial Complaint

  05/15/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I paid 362 for insurance in November of 2023 when I knew I would not be driving due to knee replacement surgery. The agent told me hed set up automatic payments. When I began driving again in March I couldnt find the insurance cards. After being transferred to sales in the wrong state 3 times and got hung up on by their automated call-back system I went to the local office All ******************* could tell me is that some paperwork was not completed by the original agent When I asked her to apply the ************************************************************************************************************ a meeting Then she asked me for an additional $500+ as if they didnt already have 362 AND . no explanation was offered for why the same insurance is $200 higher I got up and left the ******************* in California. I reported the supervisor there, a *******************(?) to the California Insurance board as now AAA has stolen $362 of my money AND I have a gap in my insurance coverage I walked across the street and got insurance from ALL STATE in 15 minutes no signatures, no nothing needed from me as I have no tickets, no problems on my record at all UNTIL NOW thanks to AAA Theres no excuse for this

  Business response

  05/07/2024

  HELLO,
  

  ACCORDING TO THE MEMBER'S ADDRESS THEY LIVE IN ** WHICH IS NOT IN OUR JURISDICTION. PLEASE USE AAA.COM TO DETERMINE THE APPROPRIATE AUTO CLUB.
  

  AAA

  Business response

  05/15/2024

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

  Thank you.

• Initial Complaint

  05/10/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  In 2019 I received a tow from AAA for my motorcycle at no charge. When asking for the same exact service for the same exact vehicle on May 4,2024 I was informed 2019 was an error and I would be charged for the tow and inelligble for the motorcycle add on as it required a 7 day grace ******* I needed the tow that day. As the consumer, the 2019 incident led me to believe that this tow for the same vehicle was included in my membership, I wasn't informed of the glitch back in 2019 until May 4, 2024. I was unable to avoid the penalty of paying 228 dollars for the tow, as I couldn't add the addon service, i needed the tow that day, and I thought I was covered based off the 2019 interaction with no follow up from AAA describing the glitch or error. If I would have canceled the tow, I would have had to leave the vehicle and not get it safely back as it quit running.

  Business response

  05/29/2024

  The optional RV and Motorcycle Roadside Assistance dues are required to receive the Optional RV and Motorcycle Roadside Assistance benefits, as applicable. Regarding the motorcycle tow service call in 2019 that you referenced in your BBB correspondence, we have reviewed the service call and found that you received RV/motorcycle service in error as you did not have the appropriate membership coverage. However, under your service request on May 4, 2024, once it was discovered that you did not have the RV/motorcycle benefit under your membership, you were provided with a proper policy explanation prior to the service providers arrival to the breakdown location. You requested to be reimbursed $228.00 for the motorcycle tow that you received. This charge would not qualify for reimbursement as it was found you were adequately informed prior to rendering roadside assistance that you did not have the coverage necessary to obtain a motorcycle tow. If you have any questions, please contact *************************************, at **************.

  Customer response

  05/29/2024

  due to the 2019 experience and not being informed, I was unable to add the motorcycle insurance as I didn't find out about the 2019 error until the day of the 2024 tow. At that point I couldn't add the optional service as I had to wait 7 days after activation to use it. Had I known 2019 was an error, I would have added the service 7 days before the tow, to avoid the 228 charge. This is where I was unable to avoid the 228 penalty, I couldn't add the service to get the tow, I was led to believe the tow was included due to the precedent set in 2019 and not follow up from AAA afterward explaining the error, until it was too late to add the service and avoid the tow charge. I couldn't leave the motorcycle at the place it needed a tow from, therefore I had to pay the extra tow charge.

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