AAA Rental Car Insurance Review: How good is the coverage in 2024?

Does auto insurance cover roadside assistance? It depends, but with AAA, you can add it to your policy since they also sell car insurance.

You can buy everything from your state’s minimum insurance requirements to full coverage with a AAA membership. AAA offers many benefits. But does AAA membership cover rental car insurance?

You can learn more about your options below, from AAA car rental insurance to rental car deals and whether you can buy non-owner auto insurance coverage with AAA. Then, compare rates with as many companies as possible to find the coverage you need for rental cars.

Does AAA cover rental car insurance?

When you rent a car, the company usually lets you buy temporary auto insurance to cover the vehicle while you have it. This insurance ensures you won’t be stuck with a hefty bill if something happens while the car is in your care.

Your personal insurance policy probably extends coverage to a short-term rental car. While AAA rental car insurance doesn’t exist, an AAA policy probably extends to a rental car while you’re driving it. So you can probably skip signing up for extra coverage or one-day auto insurance at the rental company.

Although AAA covers rental cars, your insurance doesn’t cover the price of renting one in most situations. When you rent a car for a vacation or business trip, you’ll have to pay for it yourself.

However, you can add rental reimbursement to your policy. Rental reimbursement covers the price of a rental car while your car is awaiting repairs. Your plan will limit how long and much AAA will pay for your rental, so check before picking a rental car.

Does AAA offer discounts on rental cars?

While it might not pay for car rentals, AAA has deals to help you save money. They currently offer military and veteran auto insurance discounts, among others. You can get car rental discounts from Dollar, Hertz, and Thrifty with a AAA membership.

AAA Hertz rental discounts include:

• Discount of up to 20% on the base price of vehicles
• One free car seat or booster seat
• Fee for young renters between 20 and 24 waived
• Additional drivers are free if they’re AAA members
• Unlimited mileage on most AAA auto rentals
• 10% discount on international or prepaid U.S. rentals

Members get the following AAA car rental discounts for Dollar:

• Discount of up to 10% on the base price of vehicles
• One free car seat or booster seat
• Additional AAA drivers are free
• 10% discount on prepaid fuel
• Unlimited mileage on most rentals

Discounts for Thrifty cars are similar to Dollar and include:

• Discount of up to 8% on the base price of vehicles
• One free car seat or booster seat
• Additional AAA drivers are free
• 10% discount on prepaid fuel
• Unlimited mileage on most rentals

If you have AAA insurance, your policy doesn’t cover a rental car. However, you can find excellent discounts at some of the largest car rental companies in the U.S. For instance, if you’re a nurse, you can probably find and buy cheap auto insurance for nurses. If you take advantage of AAA insurance rental discounts, you could save a significant amount of money.

AAA Insurance Rental Car Coverage

AAA insurance might be a great coverage option for you if you’re a person who frequently rents a car. You get great deals on car rentals, and AAA insurance comes with a long list of other benefits.

To start, AAA offers the following standard options you’ll find at most companies:

• Liability. Liability insurance pays for damages you cause in an accident but doesn’t repair your car. Most states require drivers to carry a minimum amount of liability.
• Collision. You’ll need collision insurance coverage if you want help fixing your car after an accident. Collision insurance covers your car even when you’re at fault.
• Comprehensive. There’s comprehensive coverage for all the unexpected things that can damage your car. This insurance covers damage from weather, fire, animal contact, vandalism, and theft.
• Uninsured/underinsured motorist. Although most states require insurance, not all drivers follow the law. Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage protects you if a driver with inadequate or no insurance hits you.
• Medical payments. Medical payments cover bills when you or your passengers are injured after an accident, no matter who is at fault.

Although these are the basics, AAA offers many other options to increase your policy’s value, including:

• Rental reimbursement
• New car coverage
• Accidental death

You can also bundle other policies, like home, motorcycle, and life insurance, and buy GAP insurance coverage from AAA.

Keep in mind that only AAA members are eligible to purchase insurance. So if you’re interested in an AAA car insurance policy, you’ll need to become a member first.

How much does AAA insurance cost?

AAA offers competitive rates for car insurance as one of the perks of membership. While many factors determine your insurance rates, you’ll need to buy a membership. You can also use an auto insurance calculator to help you.

There are three tiers of AAA membership:

• Classic membership. $52 to $74 per year
• Plus membership. $85 to $124 per year
• Premier membership. $118 to $170 per year

AAA membership comes with many perks, including AAA discounts on rental cars, comprehensive roadside assistance, and deals on electronics and movie tickets.

Once you’ve secured your membership, the next step is to look at car insurance rates. AAA will look at various factors to determine your rates, but you can get an idea of what you’ll pay below and by checking out average auto insurance rates by age.

Read more: AAA Auto Insurance Review: Should you buy?

AAA car insurance rates are lower than the national average, but you’ll also have to pay for your membership. AAA also considers age, location, and driving history to craft your quote.

Does AAA offer car insurance discounts?

While you can save money on car rentals, does AAA offer discounts on car insurance?                                                                                                                                    

As it turns out, AAA offers one of the best selections of discounts in the car insurance market. While there are many, here are some of the most commonly used:

• Multi-car. Earn this discount by adding more than one car to your policy.
• New car. New cars usually include safety features and typically have lower repair costs. AAA will lower your rates if your car is only a few years old.
• Safety and anti-theft devices. AAA will give you a discount if you install devices that keep you safe on the road or your car out of the hands of thieves.
• Paid in full. When you sign up for a policy, you can split your bill into monthly payments. You can earn a small discount by paying for your policy with one payment instead.
• Defensive driver. AAA wants to support safe drivers and the safe driving habits of its customers. You’ll see lower rates if you take an approved defensive driving class.
• Occupation. AAA offers discounts for several professions. When you sign up for a policy, ask if your job qualifies for savings.
• Good student. You can buy cheap auto insurance for students from AAA if you’re a full-time student with a 3.5 GPA.
• AAADrive app. AAADrive is AAA’s monitoring app. You’ll probably lower your rate if you allow it to monitor you while driving.

The above list doesn’t include all of AAA’s discounts, so ask an insurance representative if you’re eligible for other discounts.

Summing Up AAA Membership Rental Car Insurance

Although AAA doesn’t pay for rental cars, it offers its members excellent discounts at some of the best rental companies. AAA also offers rental reimbursement if you can’t drive your vehicle after an accident.

While you can purchase coverage when renting a car, your private insurance will likely cover you. AAA insurance is generally affordable, but you should always compare quotes to find the best rates.

Read more: Buying Rental Car Insurance: What You Need To Know