For those not familiar with the custom, here in the US of A it’s not uncommon for people to get a membership with the AAA (American Automobile Association). For your modest annual dues you get access to basic roadside assistance if you have car trouble (jumpstarting, towing, etc) as well as various discounted insurance and travel services.
I’ve had a membership for years and only used a few services, but it gives me a warm fuzzy feeling to know I have it if I need it.
The one funny thing is that AAA isn’t a single organization, but a federation of many different regional clubs. My membership is with the Automobile Club of Southern California; when I moved to Florida I just renewed it rather than trying to switch to the Auto Club South, in part because I wasn’t sure how long I’d be here.
And sure enough, it looks like I’ll be moving back to California next year — but to San Francisco, which is in the California State Automobile Association‘s territory (Utah, Nevada, and Northern California).
The question that I’ve had surprisingly little luck googling or searching FAQs is — is there any benefit to switching my membership to the local club? Would I lose access to insurance I already have through AAA if I did? Would I have trouble getting new insurance if I’m living outside their main territory?
I guess I should call them and ask. Bah. I hate the telephone.