Automobile Club of Southern California

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Susan of Huntington Beach CA (02/18/09)
I have been a member for nearly twenty years of AAA and have primarily paid the annual fee to be a member to take advantage of Roadside Assistance when necessary. I estimate that my husband and I have used Roadside Assistance less than 10 times in those 20 years. On December 22nd, 2008, our family went to the Balboa Peninsula in Newport Beach. When we returned to our car at 9:00 pm, the battery would not turn over. Because we had left our cell phones at home, my husband walked several blocks to a store to use a phone to contact Roadside Assistance while my kids and I huddled in the car (they are 10 and 12). It was very cold that night I believe in the low 50s. My husband gave Roadside Assistance the cross streets of Medina and Balboa Blvd. He returned after a few minutes and told us a tow truck would be there by 9:30 pm.

He waited outside the car with the hood of the car up and the kids and I stayed in the car. Neither my husband nor I ever saw a tow truck. Finally at 10 pm, a man living in an apartment building near where we were parked offered to let us use his phone. My husband again called Roadside Assistance and this time gave the exact address on E. Balboa Blvd. of his apartment. Roadside Assistance told us that the tow truck would be there in 8 minutes. At 10:20 pm, another man in the neighborhood offered to jump our battery and did so. When we left the area, our clock said 10:25 pm. We never saw a tow truck of any kind and had been waiting in the cold for nearly 1- hours, with our kids!

When we returned home that evening we called AAA again and told them what happened and this time the person at Roadside Assistance had the gall to argue with my husband implying that it was our fault and saying that the tow truck driver was there at 10:06 pm and that no one was in the area. Mind you, we had been parked with the hood up so even if he did not see us, he should have spotted a car with its hood up. If indeed the tow truck driver said he was there at 10:06 then he was lying.

I called Roadside Assistance the next day (December 23rd) and filed a complaint. The person on the line was nice and said it would be investigated by AAA and that someone would contact me in 5-7 business days. Finally, on January 12th, I wrote a letter to Auto Club of So. Cal, detailing the above info. In the mean time, the company continued to send me reminders to renew my membership along with the questionnaire from AAA Insurance to renew our auto insurance with them. I asked them in the letter: why would I continue to pay 71.00 for roadside assistance, which provided no assistance, and for lousy service from the company? Why would I continue to use them for our auto insurance (approx. 1000 per year for my husband and me) when there are all kinds of companies willing to give us a lower price? I always felt as if AAA was at least trustworthy and reputable and so I willingly gave them our business but I no longer feel that way.

In the letter, I told them I wanted the following: 1. Someone from the company (a manager or higher) to call and discuss this issue with me and to apologize for the lousy service. 2. In addition, I wish to be refunded my membership fee for 2008 since I did not get what I paid for or for 2009 to be given to us for free. Approximately a week later, a customer service manager called and apologized but said that was all they could do- she was unable to refund or credit anything. I asked her then to please do me the favor of stopping all the communications that they have been sending out to renew our membership and to renew our insurance. Yesterday, Feb. 17th, I go another one in the mail. What is wrong with these people? I am currently looking for new auto insurance with roadside assistance included.

Very cold evening for our family waiting for help; loss of 71 in benefits I paid for. Loss of time in searching for a new company.

Patricia of Apple Valley, CA December 30, 2008

Patricia of Apple Valley CA (12/30/08)
I talked to so many people on this I don't remember all the names - Leon T. was the supervisor that was suppose to call me back but never did. On Friday night, December 26th I had my Suburban towed to my home instead of the repair shop 47 miles away because it was 1 a.m. before they could get to me. I waited 3 hours. On Saturday, I called to have it towed into the shop and was told that the tow company would call me back in 10 minutes. No call. 2 hours later I called again, same story 10 minutes - no call. Made repeated calls throughout the day.

Called all day Sunday, AAA said no truck was available. Asked them to call another neighboring city - which they had done before - refused. Called Monday morning, Monday afternoon, Monday evening finally a driver called to tell me a pick-up was scheduled at 4:25 p.m. - no show. Called AAA two more times asking for a supervisor. Her excuse was it was snowing. Asked her how she knew it was snowing if she didn't live there because I was standing on my deck and there was plenty of stars above without a cloud in the sky. Our roads are clear, the school buses are traveling up and down this mountain without a problem along with several other tow trucks. I drive this road every day to work and the rep at AAA pretty much called me a liar.

So 4 days later my car is still parked on my driveway - my 3 boys have had to walk to work and now my daughter needs to leave for the airport to return to U.C. Davis and I am without a car because of their incompetence. All I got was excuses - too busy - snow. I have been a member for 18 years and have never been treated like this.

My husband has now lost 2 days of work. My kids have to walk to work at the ski resort - not exactly a short distance. The repair shop stayed open for me on Saturday and then again on Monday and now we have a holiday on Thursday. My daughter has to be at the airport at 5 a.m. Saturday morning Jan.3 and I have to go rent a car.

Youngji of Cypress, CA December 29, 2008

ji of Cypress CA (12/29/08)
I recently got in a minor accident and had Anna R. as my claims representative. She was not only rude and abrupt each time we spoke, but she was incompetent in her job. One example of her behavior: without going to the accident scene, she argued with me (even though she is working for me) about how the lines were single yellow and that you could make a left turn, when I told her that you are not allowed to make a left turn because they were double yellow lines. I went to double check, and I was right they are double yellow, she had no idea what she was talking about, so why throw out the attitude and be rude about it.

I was so appalled by her behavior, that I wrote a formal letter of complaint and asked to have a new representative, only to have her supervisor call and speak to me with the same type of attitude. No apologies, no attempt to rectify the situation, or let me know that Ms. R. would be reprimanded, instead was just as abrupt and rude. I understand that they work together and probably have a close relationship, but customer service is still customer service.

Because of this experience, I will no longer be a member of AAA as soon as my year is up. It is frusterating because AAA is such a huge corporation that they probably do not care about small matters as these, and their employees can continue to treat their insurers any way they wish. I am not one to complain about such things, nor have I ever written a letter about such situations, but I felt that my treatment at AAA- Long Beach was bad enough where I felt it necessary.

Hillary of Fortuna, CA November 12, 2008

Hillary of Fortuna CA (11/12/08)
I have had AAA for probably about a year. I am VERY disgusted with the service that i have recently had. About a month ago i was involved in an accident. My first accident ever. I called the claims department and made my claim. My car had been sitting on the side of the road next to my house because my starter had went out and it was hit. I told the lady (Joyce Staton) what was going on. well, she told me that i would have to wait two weeks to get a full police report and for us to go any further with the situation.

i waited my two weeks and no one called me. so i called her back,checking up on my situation. She received the police report and she said she had taken care of everything. A rental car was not covered but she had faxed the shop and repairs would start shortly. Well i call the shop before taking it down there and they didnt recieve anything from [AAA].

i waited about a day and checked again... NOTHING... so i called back and talked to someone else. They said that the guy who hit me (also a AAA member)) was in a different division and i would have to talk to them. so they transfered me. i explained my situation and they told me a rental car was covered. I told the person that the other lady said it wasnt covered but they reassured me it was. So they faxed the Hertz car place and i recieved my car.

They also said they faxed the body shop but again i waited and had to call again to get it faxed. now i have a lady from the claims department telling me that the car was not covered because the car was not running. i expected AAA claims to walk me through the situation and instead i was thrown around and confused about what was going on.

i was told numerous different things and i feel i was lied to. i had the rental car for about a month waiting for my car to be done and AAA is only coverng 15 days. i am furious and i believe they are a horrible insurance company!

Cynthia of Sacramento, CA September 24, 2008

Cynthia of Sacramento CA (09/24/08)
I am a home owner in Sacramento that experiences a home burglary on July 7, 2008. I have been paying for home owner coverage though triples A insurance company and have not been compensated I believe due to my race and demographics of my home. It has been over 90 days and I and my children have been sleeping on my couch do to the smell of the break in and have called my the company numbers time for resolution. I have been moved to over 3 adjuster, and now I have been told that they now have moved my case to a lawyer. I just want to get back to normal and feel I am being treated unfairly.

I am low income, African American single parent/ College student, who currently reside in a low income area due to the montage crisis. I have informed then that the damage cause to my home is very unbearable due to defecation/spray paint/ dirty and smoke fumes which have not been address. The property damage has rendered me from feeding my family and I have lost days of work trying to reach a resolution.

All my funds have been redirected in replacement for windows my family is not effected by whether conditions and due to triple A failure bad faith. I have lost out on new job opportunity due to not being able to pay all utilities bills including telephone and cellular phone cost, so I may I could afford second hand clothes for me and my children.

Carlos of Los Angeles, CA August 19, 2008

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