Auto Club Group Auto Insurance Review 2023

Company Overview

Auto Club Group is a member of AAA, a leading insurance company in the U.S. today, with national headquarters in Heathrow, Florida. Founded in 1902, AAA began with just 1,500 members. By 1940, membership had grown to 1 million members, with 60 million members by 2019. AAA’s membership includes 25% of U.S. households. More than 28% of passenger vehicles in North America belong to AAA members, and its roadside assistance program services almost 33 million motorists.Not all AAA members are insurance customers.

Auto Club Group is the second-largest of AAA’s 25 clubs and is one of the underwriters for AAA car insurance. It provides over 9.8 million people with car insurance, financial services, travel assistance, and more. You must be a AAA member to purchase auto insurance and benefit from its services or join at the time of purchasing. Auto Club Group is available in 11 states and two U.S. territories— Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands; most of Illinois and Minnesota; and a portion of Indiana.

Pros Explained

• Tons of membership benefits: When you have an AAA membership, you receive exclusive access to all sorts of member benefits, including auto repair discounts, travel perks, and online shopping savings.
• Mobile app: Not all insurance companies have a mobile app, but Auto Club Group has one that is compatible with both iPhone and Android systems. 
• Regional coverage: Auto Club Group services different areas through its regional companies like Auto Club South Insurance Company and Auto Club Insurance Company of Florida.

Cons Explained

• Must be a member of AAA: You must be a member to purchase auto insurance from Auto Club Group.
• Limited service area: Auto Club Group is limited to just 11 states and two U.S. territories.
• Poor customer satisfaction: Auto Club Group rates poorly in J.D. Power's 2021 U.S. Auto Insurance Study with a below-average score in multiple regions.
  

Types of Coverage

Auto Club Group insures a variety of vehicles, including motorcycles, RVs, campers, and boats. For its auto insurance, it offers its members several types of coverage. Take note that coverage types may vary depending on your state of residence.

Liability

If you are found at fault for an accident, liability coverage will help pay for expenses. Bodily injury liability provides compensation for bodily injury to passengers of the other vehicle, while property damage liability covers physical damage to the other vehicle. 

Personal Injury Protection (PIP) 

Personal injury protection (PIP) is also known as no-fault insurance, which means that medical expenses and lost wages are covered regardless of who caused the accident.

Collision

Collision coverage pays for property damages resulting from a vehicle collision.

Comprehensive 

Comprehensive coverage handles damages related to non-collision events, such as fire, theft, vandalism, and glass breakage.

Medical Payments

Medical payments coverage reimburses medical expenses resulting from an auto accident.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist

If you happen to be involved in an accident with a driver who has little or no car insurance, you may not receive compensation for your damages. However, uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage accounts for this risk, providing added protection in case the other driver cannot pay for your damages.

Gap Insurance

Cars begin to depreciate the minute you leave the lot, so if you total your car, you could end up owing more to your lender than the balance of your lease or loan. Also called New Car Replacement coverage, this is a way to ensure you are not financially responsible for any differences between your policy coverage and the remaining loan or lease.

Custom, Electronic, or Extra Equipment Coverage

If you have after-factory upgrades to your vehicle, Auto Club Group offers Custom, Electronic, or Extra Equipment Coverage. This provides higher limits for certain non-factory installed items attached to your vehicle.

Car Rental Coverage

Car rental coverage will pay for your car rental if your vehicle requires more than 24 hours of repair. It applies to any losses incurred by your collision or comprehensive coverage.

Discounts 

There are several ways to save on an auto insurance policy from Auto Club Group.

Participatory Discounts

• AAA Membership Discount: A discount that rewards you based on the number of years you've been an AAA member.
• Paperless Discount: Receive your documents electronically and save. This is required for the Essentials plan.
• Advanced Purchase Discount: Save money for purchasing your insurance a certain number of days in advance of the start date.
• Pay in Full Discount: Get a discount for paying your whole premium within seven days of the policy going into effect.
• Automatic Payment Deduction: Save money for enrolling in automatic payment deductions.
• AAA Safety Inspection Discount: Save if your vehicle has passed an AAA safety inspection.
• AAADrive Discount: Earn a discount for letting them track your driving through your phone.
• Multiple-Product Discount: Save money when you insure something else with AAA, such as a home.
• Deductible Savings: Select a higher deductible to save money.

Household/Driver Discounts

• Multiple-Car Savings: Save when you insure more than one vehicle.
• Education/Occupation Discount: Based on your attained education level and occupation.
• New Young Driver Discount: On existing policies when you add a new driver under 20 to the policy.
• Good Student Discount: For students who maintain a B (3.0) or better grade point average.
• Student Away Discount: A discount for when students are living away at school without a vehicle.
• Prior Insurance Tenure: When you switch to AAA and had no lapse in coverage with your prior carrier.

Vehicle Discounts

• Vehicle Safety Discount: For vehicles that have certain factory-installed safety devices.
• Anti-Theft Discount: For vehicles equipped with a theft prevention or theft recovery device.

Payment Options

Billing options include phone, mail, and online payments. AAA’s convenience billing program allows you to automatically renew your AAA membership from year to year using a credit card on file. Similarly, you can use autopay for your insurance coverage too.

Auto Club Group covers many regions, and the mailing addresses and phone numbers for payment vary by region and other factors. Online payments are the simplest, but if you need to mail or call in a payment, refer to your regional AAA website for the proper contact information.

Loss Ratio

A company’s loss ratio is a great indicator of fair pricing. When a company has a lower loss ratio, it should offer lower prices to correspond with those savings. Auto Club Group has a 76.78% loss ratio, which is about on par with the rest of the industry. 

Other Features

With your membership, you have access to AAA Approved Auto Repair facilities, plus AAA roadside assistance. Other benefits include access to exclusive itineraries through AAA Vacations, plus special discounts and AAA Dollars with more than 2,000 retailers. AAA even offers free career assistance. 

Customer Service

There are several departments to help with your Auto Club Group policy and AAA membership. Take note that certain contact numbers and hours of operation may be region-specific, and you may need to reroute to your own region. If you’re unsure, call the number for new or existing AAA membership services.

Ratings

Financial Strength Rating

Auto Club Group’s AM Best rating shows financial strength and stability. The higher the rating, the more reliable the company typically is in paying claims. Auto Club Group has an A (Excellent) rating, showing that this company is financially strong and reliable. 

Satisfaction Ratings

J.D. Power is another popular ratings provider that assesses insurers based on customer satisfaction. Its 2021 U.S. Auto Insurance Study only includes Auto Club Group in a few regions. In Florida and the North Central region, Auto Club Group received last place.

In J.D. Power’s 2021 U.S. Insurance Digital Experience Study, Auto Club Group received well-below-average scores and ranked near the bottom for both service and shopping experience.

Complaint Index

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) tracks the number of customer complaints that an insurance company receives each year and assigns a complaint index using a baseline score of 1.00 for all providers.

Auto Club Group had far below the industry average for complaints in 2019 with an index of 0.29. However, since then, things have not gone much better for the company. In 2020, they received an above-average number of complaints and had an index of 1.71. In 2021, their index got even worse and skyrocketed to 2.0. This means they have been receiving far more complaints than is average for a company of their size.

Account Management

Your Auto Club Group account is available online via AAA. This is where you can make changes to your policy information, review coverage details, and file claims. You can also get in touch with an Auto Club Group representative for help with questions or issues.

Account management is made much easier with the addition of the AAA Mobile app. It not only lets you access account information, but it also helps with 24/7 claims support, roadside assistance, nearby discounts, and travel exclusives. It is available for download from both the App Store and Google Play. 

How Auto Club Group Compares to Other Auto Insurance Companies

Our internal 2021 study found that Auto Club Group holds 11th place in national market share rankings among large insurance companies. The average cost of car insurance premiums from Auto Club Group is $3,906 per year, putting it at the higher end of its competitors. It is far more expensive than USAA, Alfa, Erie, and Auto-Owners. However, it is cheaper than Mercury and CSAA Insurance. 

Final Verdict

Auto Club Group is an excellent choice if you want to benefit from the many advantages that come with a AAA membership. Coverage varies by region, but there are many local agents available to help you find the right protection for your family. However, though Auto Club Group is financially solid, its customer satisfaction ratings have been less than impressive because it has received poor rankings by J.D. Power and a high complaint index from the NAIC.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Does ACG Mean for AAA?

ACG is an initialism for Auto Club Group, which is the second largest of AAA’s 25 member clubs and is one of the underwriters for AAA car insurance. It provides over 9.8 million people with car insurance, financial services, travel assistance, and more. However, it is only available in 11 states and two U.S. territories— Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands; most of Illinois and Minnesota; and a portion of Indiana.

How Much Is the Cheapest AAA Membership?

AAA Classic costs $61 per year and is AAA's cheapest membership option.

Is AAA the Same as Auto Club Group?

No. Auto Club Group is one of AAA's 25 member clubs and underwrites AAA's car insurance offerings.

Who Owns Auto Club Group?

AAA does, and it's also worth noting that no other entity owns AAA.

Methodology 

All of our reviews of auto insurance companies are based on extensive research and analysis of each company’s coverage, customer service, pricing, years in business, accreditation, and more. To rate providers, we developed an auto insurance review methodology that compares the auto insurance coverage types, additional features, discounts, account management, and reported customer experiences to help us provide insights into things like customer service and the strength of each company’s offerings.