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Topic: Emergency Road Service for RV's thru AAA (Read 2 times) previous topic - next topic
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Emergency Road Service for RV's thru AAA
Yahoo Message Number: 99997
Thanks to Joan's encouragement to make sure that our Irish RV Exchange family and we are covered for ERS, I called Good Sam's and AAA.  Good Sam's was no help in covering us abroad or them here.
 Did you know that you can add a $30 Plus/RV waiver to your AAA policy and that covers towing of your RV?
 I thought that was significantly less than Good Sam's.  And when we had the difficulty with the fuel problem coming out of Mexico, anyone with a computer and Google could have provided more help than Good Sam's. Annoying!
 AAA ERS covers 100 miles of RV towing, battery, flat tire, lock out, etc.  Of course you also get all the AAA discounts (like 10% on repair bills at facilities, which has saved me a bundle with Ciao).
 It also covers us in their RV in Europe in all AAA's reciprocal countries, which include:

*ARC Europe Clubs (33): Armenia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain & Northern Ireland, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland (Republic of), Israel, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Netherlands (2), Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia-Montenegro, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland
 I'll also make sure my Irish friends add the Plus/RV waiver to their European ARC (AAA) policy so they have the ERS benefits here in my RV.
 Am I missing something or should I just cancel my Good Sam's since the RV is now on AAA?  I liked having Good Sam's coverage in Canada and Mexico, but now I don't see the point.

Thanks for the help, Tessa in TX
Re: Emergency Road Service for RV's thru AAA
Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 100001
Thats interesting. Just today i opened some mail from Good Sam and with a 30 dollar discount I could get GS towing services for only 79.95. Being a AAA member for 5 years I gave them a call and for 37 dollars extra I am going to receive RV towing AND morotcycle tow. Works for me! John O. in the ol 85.
Re: Emergency Road Service for RV's thru AAA
Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 100002
Interesting... when I just called AAA, he said it would cost $37, but when I finally gave my credit card number, the price changed.

It ended up costing only $5 until my policy ends
Re: Emergency Road Service for RV's thru AAA
Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 100006
Oh, maybe the AAA Rep had assumed I had Ned covered, but I don't.  Ha!
 Maybe I should add him...I think his car has ERS with it, so maybe not.  I'll check.

Thanks, Tessa
Re: Emergency Road Service for RV's thru AAA
Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 100007
"Did you know that you can add a $30 Plus/RV waiver to your AAA policy and that covers towing of your RV? Am I missing something or should I just cancel my Good Sam's since the RV is now on AAA?"
 Tessa, we've talked about this before, so you might want to check the archives for AAA-related posts. In a nutshell, the consensus is that in many cases, AAA contractors are ill-equipped to deal with anything larger than an SUV or minivan. I've read many AAA horror stories--some of them posted here--that confirm that. Oh, you can sign up for what they call RV coverage... but when a 1 1/2 ton AAA wrecker shows up to tow your 7-ton RV, you're not going to be happy.
 By contrast, RV road service companies such as CoachNet and Good Sam use contractors who routinely tow buses and 18-wheelers, and will have no trouble with your motorhome. The same applies to changing flat tires and other tasks. All too often, AAA crews are woefully unprepared to deal with a disabled RV. Accounts tell of personnel who didn't have adequate jacks, had never worked on a vehicle with dual rear wheels, and so on.
 The moral is: don't drop your good Sam account... and don't count on AAA for anything but cars.

Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/
Andy Baird
2021 Ford Ranger towing 2019 Airstream 19CB
Previously: 1985 LD Twin/King "Gertie"; 2003 LD Midbath "Skylark"
Re: Emergency Road Service for RV's thru AAA
Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 100011
wrote: we've talked about this before, so you might want to check the archives for AAA-related posts. In a nutshell, the consensus is that in many cases, AAA contractors are ill-equipped to deal with anything larger than an SUV or minivan. I've read many AAA horror stories--some of them posted here--that confirm that. Oh, you can sign up for what they call RV coverage... but when a 1 1/2 ton AAA wrecker shows up to tow your 7-ton RV, you're not going to be happy.
--- I just sent Tessa a caveat-laden email on this very topic! Not *necessarily* showing up with the appropriate equipment, knowledge, and/or experience to do a job is only one of the potential problems with using AAA  even with "RV Plus" emergency road service coverage.  Another is that emergency road service coverage *for RVs*, i.e., RV Plus, isn't offered in many AAA districts across the U.S.  One's rig might well be covered for a tow and/or other service when traveling within one's "home district" or in another district where RV Plus is honored, but what happens if the RVer needs emergency road service coverage in an AAA district which doesn't offer the service and has no contracted wreckers/tow trucks to do the job?
 Before signing up with AAA RV Plus for *emergency road service coverage* and assuming that it will cover you anywhere, anytime, I suggest reading the policy's fine print for "exclusions" and discussing the "where, when, and what" coverages very candidly with the selling agent.  AAA is great for car-related services and for maps; for emergency road service for an RV, I'l stick with a service designed for RVs.  YMMV.

Joan
2003 TK has a new home
Re: Emergency Road Service for RV's thru AAA
Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 100015
I got both, just to be safe. I hate the idea of getting stuck without ERS, and the cost was OK.
 When I called AAA to add it to my auto account I asked for the Plus/RV and they said that's only
Re: Emergency Road Service for RV's thru AAA
Reply #8 –
Yahoo Message Number: 100029
Alrighty!  Here's what we have:
 For us in Europe, we have the RV Plus added to our AAA.  With reciprocal service overseas, we have emergency road service if we need it.  Overseas, we will need to pay at time of service and request reimbursement later.  The policy follows the card-holder.  This is the only ERS for their RV that we can get in Europe that I could find.  AAA RV annual ERS cost:  $30
 Our Irish exchange friends have roadside assistance on Ciao through our RV Progressive insurance policy.  They are also authorized drivers on my policy.  The policy follows the RV.  Progressive annual ERS cost:  $30
 Good info on AAA.  Some on RV.net have found them sufficient, but reviews are mixed. No service is perfect, even Good Sam's wasn't last time we called them.
 Since we cannot insure every circumstance, we just have to be confident of our ability to handle the situation. That's the "adventure" part of it!
 Fortunately, in 40,000 miles (knock on wood), we've never had to be towed.  I hope preventive maintenance helps keep our Irish friends safe.

Thanks for the help, Tessa '92 MB
Re: Emergency Road Service for RV's thru AAA
Reply #9 –
Yahoo Message Number: 100032
Quote
...
When I called AAA to add it to my auto account I asked for the Plus/RV and they said that's only in some states and not CA. Anyone else get AAA RV?
When I bought my Lazy Daze 4 years ago (can it really be that long ago?), I had a real "Who's on first?" type of discussion with the AAA rep.  She had no idea what I was talking about.  I think she might not have known what an RV was. I learned that AAA of Southern New England is one of the regions that doesn't offer any RV coverage, so try not to break down around here!
 One advantage of AAA is that the membership is attached to the family members, not to the vehicles.  To get coverage for rentals and borrowed vehicles from Good Sam, you have to upgrade to their Platinum membership; otherwise, their ES covers only vehicles that you own. This is a consideration for RVers who rent cars for getting around town rather than towing a toad. Also, AAA has a huge range of benefits and discounts as well as maps and tour guides.

Joanne in Boston NE-44
Re: Emergency Road Service for RV's thru AAA
Reply #10 –
Yahoo Message Number: 100042
At 05:33 PM 3/5/2009, you wrote:

Quote
When I called AAA to add it to my auto account I asked for the Plus/RV and they said that's only in some states and not CA. Anyone else get AAA RV?
We live in CA, and have the RV coverage through AAA. Have used it a couple of times, once to get towed 50 miles. Don't ask...

Sonsie
Re: Emergency Road Service for RV's thru AAA
Reply #11 –
Yahoo Message Number: 100048
Quote
AAA ERS covers 100 miles of RV towing, battery, flat tire, lock out, etc.
Of course you also get all the AAA discounts (like 10% on repair bills at facilities, which has saved me a bundle with Ciao).

 From what I know about AAA's ERS for RVs is that they don't offer it in all areas of the country.  So what happens if you have a breakdown in an area where they don't provide the service?  Do you have to get someone out to help you on your own, pay out of your own pocket and then try to seek reimbursement?

Obviously, they're a good choice for you and your European trip.
Personally, I wouldn't count on them for coverage in the U.S.  I have Good Sam's ERS and have had excellent service from them the 2 times that we've had to use them.  I'd also recommend CoachNet's ERS...although we've never had their service, I've heard a lot of good things about them.

Linda Hylton http://map.datastormusers.com/user1.cfm?user=1167 http://earl-linda.blogspot.com/
Linda Hylton
 
Re: Emergency Road Service for RV's thru AAA
Reply #12 –
Yahoo Message Number: 100050
Sonsie Conroy  wrote: We live in CA, and have the RV coverage through AAA.
--- Sonsie, I believe that you live in SLO, and that's part of "The Automobile Club of Southern California".  AFAIK, the SoCal AAA district does offer RV Plus, but "CSAA", the "California State Automobile Association", is the AAA district that covers northern California, Utah, and Nevada, and, unless something has changed recently, CSAA *in northern CA* doesn't offer RV Plus.  I have no idea whether Utah and/or Nevada does.

This statement is from the AAA website:
 "AAA (the American Automobile Association, Inc.) is a federation of affiliated automobile clubs. Each AAA club is an independent, not-for-profit organization, chartered and incorporated in its own state and controlled by its own Board of Directors. In order to be affiliated with AAA, each club agrees to provide certain standard services to its own members, as well as members of other AAA clubs. The individual club owns the territory in which it resides, and membership is based on residence. Exact dues and services will vary slightly between clubs."
 It's that "exact ....services will vary...." that is the kicker.  I'm just suggesting that if Lazy Dazers (or any RVers) purchased RV Plus emergency road service coverage in their AAA home district, they should check the terms of that coverage carefully to verify that RV emergency road service coverage will be available wherever and whenever it's needed, not just in their home district or in districts which may have reciprocal agreements.

Joan
2003 TK has a new home