AAA Automobile Club of Southern California car insurance review 2026: 2.4 out of 5 stars

Learn more: Minimum car insurance requirements in all 50 U.S. states

AAA Automobile Club of Southern California car insurance discounts

California drivers could unlock several discounts with AAA Auto Club of Southern California car insurance.

• Multi-policy discount: For when you bundle your auto insurance policy with other qualifying AAA policies.

• Multi-vehicle discount: For insuring two or more vehicles.

• Select professional or alumni discount: For those who are a part of a qualifying profession or association.

• Loyalty discount: For drivers who maintain continuous coverage with AAA’s exchange.

• Good driver discount: For anyone who has gone a designated period without accidents or violations.

• Verified mileage discount: For those who provide odometer readings proving they drive fewer miles.

• Student away discount: For policyholders with students who live at least 100 miles from home without a car.

• Good student discount: For full-time students with strong grades.

• Driver training discount: For anyone who completes an approved driver education course.

• Car club discount: For those who belong to a qualifying car club.

Learn more: Car insurance discounts: 17 ways to save

How to file a claim with AAA Automobile Club of Southern California

With AAA Automobile Club of Southern California, the easiest way to file a car insurance claim is online. The basic process generally looks like this:

1. Gather key details: Have your policy number, a brief description of what happened, contact information for anyone involved, and photos of the scene or damage if you can safely get them.

2. File your claim: Log into your AAA account, use the mobile app, or call the claims number to report the incident. A representative will set up your claim file and explain the next steps.

3. Get your claim number and adjuster: AAA will assign a claim number and a representative who will be your main point of contact.

4. Share documents and estimates: Your representative may ask for repair estimates, police reports, or additional photos. You can usually upload these online or through the app.

5. Review and payment: Once your claims service representative confirms coverage and the final estimate, AAA issues payment based on your policy limits and deductible.

Learn more: How to file a car insurance claim

How long do I have to submit claims to AAA Automobile Club of Southern California?

AAA doesn’t advertise a strict claim deadline, but it’s best to file as soon as you can after an accident.

How fast does AAA Automobile Club of Southern California pay auto insurance claims?

AAA doesn’t list a timeline on its website. But generally, smaller or more cut-and-dry claims will receive payouts faster than more complicated cases.

AAA Automobile Club of Southern California’s mobile app

AAA’s mobile app lets you manage your policy, request roadside assistance, view digital ID cards, and track claims from your phone. You can also use it for membership services, like planning trips or finding discounts.

AAA Automobile Club of Southern California mobile app ratings

• App Store: 4.8 out of 5 stars

• Google Play Store: 4.8 out of 5 stars

AAA Automobile Club of Southern California auto insurance FAQs

Is the Automobile Club of Southern California the same as AAA?

AAA is made up of a network of independent regional clubs, and AAA Automobile Club of Southern California is one of those clubs. It primarily serves members in Southern California.

How much is AAA membership in Southern California?

AAA membership in Southern California typically costs between $65 and $133 per year, depending on the level you choose. This membership is separate from auto insurance, although many drivers bundle both.

Learn more: Bundle home and auto insurance: Be sure it’s the best deal

What is the best auto insurance in California?

There’s no single “best” company for auto insurance in California. It really depends on what you value most. Some insurers stand out for low prices, others for customer satisfaction, and others for extras like roadside assistance or accident forgiveness. AAA Automobile of Southern California auto insurance can be a strong option for current members in the area who want bundled membership perks and solid service.

Tim Manni edited this article.

Methodology

Auto insurance ratings

We researched the coverage details and prices for 20 auto insurance plans. We then weighted categories, and each auto insurer was scored relative to the others to find the best auto insurance companies. Here are the factors we incorporated.

Coverage types: 20% of score. We examined all the coverage options available, and assessed whether each insurer offered the following: new car replacement (5%), GAP insurance (5%), accident forgiveness (5%), and diminishing deductible (5%).

Average cost: 40% of score. The average cost was generated by Savvy Insurance Solutions in-house machine learning models based on over 3 million data points, and includes more than 20 of the largest insurance companies in Savvy's nationwide data set. These estimates are for policies with full coverage for the average policyholder who owns one car. Average policyholder here is defined as a 48-year-old driver, driving a 13-year-old car, in an average-income ZIP code with full coverage.

Customer satisfaction: 20% of score. We factored in information from two major sources: 1) National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) complaints (10%), in which we took the total number of complaints each company had over a three-year period (2022-2024) and 2) CRASH scores (10%) from the Crash Network which share how well each company ensures quality repairs and customer service.

Discounts: 10% of score. We gave points for each type of discount that each auto insurer offers.

App ratings: 10% of score. We included the average ratings for each company's apps across both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. All app ratings were accurate at the time of publication.

Auto insurance pricing data

Unless stated otherwise, the estimates above are provided by Savvy Insurance Solutions (“Savvy”). Savvy operates a marketplace for home and auto insurance, plus an agency licensed in all 50 states. Estimates are generated using Savvy’s in-house machine learning models based on over 3 million data points, and include more than 15 of the largest insurance companies in Savvy’s nationwide data set. This includes data from more than 2 million insurance accounts connected through Trellis Connect, an in-house technology allowing consumers to “link” their insurance accounts before searching for insurance, and tens of thousands of policies bound by Savvy’s own agents. It takes into account a myriad of factors to create predictions, such as:

• Policyholder age

• Number of vehicles

• ZIP code

• Vehicle age

• Insurer

• …and more

Savvy creates estimates by running models against multiple inputs to the parameters of interest. For instance, the “teen driver” estimates were created by adjusting the policyholder age input into the pricing model while keeping all other variables steady from the baseline for “full coverage.” The models enable hyper-personalized estimates that take into account a plethora of user attribute permutations (e.g., teen drivers in specific states, teen drivers with new vehicles, teen drivers in specific states with new vehicles) to provide individuals with a unique and tailored experience. The charts above are a subset of the kinds of personalization Savvy can do.

Definitions

The following are definitions used by Savvy when providing its rate estimates for various types of coverage.

Full coverage car insurance: A policy with comprehensive, collision, and liability coverage.

Average policyholder: A 48-year-old driver who owns a 13-year-old vehicle and lives in an average-income ZIP code.

Senior driver: A 70-year-old policyholder with full coverage car insurance.

Good driver: Drivers across all coverage types, vehicle types, and locations who have no tickets, accidents, or DUIs.