Photo by Mr.Thomas on Flickr.

Are you a AAA member? If so, most likely you joined for the roadside assistance, as opposed to the relentless lobbying against transit or walkable streets. But did you also know you can probably get the same service from your insurance company?

I was recently updating my auto insurance and found out that my insurance company, which uses a lizard mascot, would charge me $7.40 per 6 months, or $14.80 per year, for their towing and lockout service. That compares to $65.50 for one person or $104.00 for two in a household for a AAA basic membership.

AAA also has discounts of various types and other services, but most people just join for the peace of mind that they won’t be stranded on the road. With an insurance plan, you can have that confidence and also the security to know you aren’t paying an organization to fight against any pedestrian, bike, or transit programs being a part of the federal transportation reauthorization, as AAA is doing.

If you want the discounts and the extra services, there’s Better World Auto Club, a direct alternative to AAA. If you join using this link, WABA will get a small donation from them, so you’re doing good twice over.

Some articles from several years ago online warn against using the insurers’ plans because some companies have used the information to raise people’s rates after they use the service. However, my insurer and several other leading ones said they stopped doing that years ago. I called and they confirmed that this does not happen. The service is limited to 4 uses per year, just like AAA.

Tagged: aaa, roads

David Alpert created Greater Greater Washington in 2008 and was its executive director until 2020. He formerly worked in tech and has lived in the Boston, San Francisco Bay, and New York metro areas in addition to Washington, DC. He lives with his wife and two children in Dupont Circle.