AAA vs. State Farm: Car Insurance Quotes and Coverage
State Farm offers cheaper car insurance rates than AAA, along with more consistent customer service and coverage options across the country.
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Drivers across the country will likely find better rates and more reliable customer service with State Farm than with AAA. A full-coverage policy from State Farm costs $1,540 per year, which is $1,376 cheaper than the same policy from AAA.
State Farm also has cheaper insurance for young drivers and those with prior incidents on their record.
Best for | AAA | State Farm |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ||
| Coverage | ||
| Discounts | ||
| Customer service | ||
| Editor's rating | ||
| Our full review | AAA review | State Farm review |
Unlike State Farm, which is a single company, AAA is made up of many independent subsidiaries. The AAA subsidiary that you buy a policy from depends on where you live. While all State Farm policyholders have access to the same customer service experience, the level of service you receive from AAA depends on the auto club's subsidiary in your area.
AAA's coverage options also fluctuate quite a bit depending on where you live.
For that reason, it's even more important to compare quotes from both companies to find the best policy for you.
AAA vs. State Farm car insurance quotes
Car insurance from State Farm is cheaper across every category we looked at. Drivers who choose State Farm over AAA can save between 37% and 54%, on average.
Cheapest for most drivers: State Farm
State Farm offers cheaper auto insurance rates than AAA for most drivers. A minimum-coverage policy from State Farm costs $585 per year on average, which is $382 less expensive than a policy from AAA, and $200 cheaper than the average cost nationally.
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A full-coverage policy from State Farm also costs less — at $1,540 per year, it's 47% cheaper than a policy from AAA.
Annual car insurance rates: AAA vs State Farm
Coverage | AAA | State Farm |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum coverage | $967 | $585 |
| Full coverage | $2,916 | $1,540 |
Cheapest rates for drivers with prior incidents: State Farm
State Farm also offers better rates for drivers with a recent speeding ticket, accident or DUI on their record.
Drivers with a speeding ticket pay $1,925 per year for a full-coverage policy from State Farm, which is $1,871 cheaper than AAA's rate. At $4,848 per year, AAA's rate for drivers involved in an accident is $2,585 more expensive than the same policy from State Farm. Those with a DUI can expect to pay $2,625 more for car insurance from AAA than from State Farm.
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Drivers insured with AAA can expect a greater rate increase after receiving a traffic violation. The company raises rates by 30% after a speeding ticket, 66% after an at-fault accident and 83% after a DUI citation, on average. In comparison, State Farm raises rates by 25%, 47% and 76% respectively.
Car insurance rates for drivers with prior incidents: AAA vs. State Farm
Incident | AAA | State Farm |
|---|---|---|
| Ticket | $3,796 | $1,925 |
| Accident | $4,848 | $2,263 |
| DUI | $5,341 | $2,716 |
Drivers almost always pay higher rates after a traffic violation because they are statistically more likely to cause an accident in the future. Every insurer calculates rates differently, which is why you should always compare car insurance quotes after a ticket or accident.
State Farm and AAA both offer accident forgiveness programs for an additional fee.
To become eligible for the accident forgiveness program, drivers insured with State Farm must have a policy with the company for nine years and remain accident-free for the same length of time.
The details of AAA's accident forgiveness program vary depending on where you live, and it's not offered in every state.
Cheapest car insurance rates for young drivers: State Farm
State Farm offers cheaper car insurance rates than AAA for young drivers across the board. A minimum-coverage policy from State Farm costs $1,032 less per year for an 18-year old driver than one from AAA, and full-coverage costs $3,535 less.
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Young drivers with a ticket or accident on their record can also find cheaper rates with State Farm. Minimum-coverage insurance for an 18-year-old with a single speeding ticket is 46% cheaper with State Farm, and a policy is 54% cheaper after an at-fault accident.
Average car insurance rates for young drivers: AAA vs. State Farm
AAA | State Farm | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum coverage | $2,784 | $1,752 |
| Ticket | $3,861 | $2,089 |
| Accident | $4,991 | $2,273 |
| Full coverage | $7,456 | $3,921 |
For more affordable rates, young drivers should consider joining their parents' car insurance policy. Although your parents' rates will increase, having a family policy is usually cheaper than purchasing a policy on your own.
AAA vs. State Farm auto insurance coverage
Both AAA and State Farm offer standard car insurance coverages like property damage liability and medical payments coverage. In addition, they each offer a few optional coverage add-ons.
Coverage | AAA | State Farm |
|---|---|---|
| Comprehensive and collision insurance | ||
| Roadside assistance | ||
| Rental reimbursement | ||
| Accident forgiveness | Availability varies by state | Limited availability |
| Non-owners insurance | Availability varies by state | |
| Rideshare insurance | Availability varies by state | |
| Gap insurance | Availability varies by state |
AAA car insurance coverage options
AAA offers a few additional coverages that you can use to customize your policy. However, many of these options are only available in certain states.
Coverage | Description |
|---|---|
| *Accident forgiveness | Protects your rate from increasing after an at-fault accident. |
| *Gap coverage | Pays the difference between the current value of your car and the balance on your loan or lease if your vehicle is totalled in a covered loss . |
| *Non-owners coverage | Provides liability coverage for drivers who don't own a car, but regularly drive someone else's. |
| *Pet coverage | Pays for your pet's medical costs if they're injured in an accident. |
| Rental car reimbursement | Covers the cost of a rental car while your vehicle is being repaired after a covered loss. |
| *Rideshare coverage | Provides insurance coverage for people who drive for a rideshare service, like Uber or Lyft. This coverage bridges the gap between your regular car insurance coverage and a policy through your rideshare company. |
*Coverage availability varies by state.
State Farm car insurance coverage options
State Farm also offers accident forgiveness, non-owners coverage, rental car reimbursement and rideshare coverage. The main differences between State Farm's offerings and those from AAA are:
- State Farm's coverages are available to all drivers, regardless of where you live.
- Rental car reimbursement from State Farm also covers certain travel expenses if your car is damaged while you're away from home.
State Farm roadside assistance vs. AAA
State Farm and AAA both offer roadside assistance programs.
State Farm's roadside assistance is inexpensive and available to policyholders as a coverage add-on. It costs around $5.64 per year to add roadside assistance to a minimum-coverage policy.
AAA also offers roadside assistance as a basic policy add-on, but it is very limited. It only covers towing, jumpstarts and tire changes, and cost a sample driver $12 per year. However, AAA offers more comprehensive roadside assistance as part of its membership programs. Membership programs cost around $54 per year, and can include additional perks like travel planning and identity theft protection.
Coverage | AAA | State Farm |
|---|---|---|
| 24/7 service | ||
| Delivery of batteries or gas | ||
| Delivery of oil or tires | ||
| Jumpstart | ||
| Labor | ||
| Locksmith | ||
| Tire change | ||
| Towing | ||
| Winching |
Some of the main differentiators are that State Farm will deliver oil and gas, while AAA will only replace your flat tire with your own spare, since they do not deliver tires. AAA will make minor repairs that don't require parts, while State Farm offers up to one hour of labor for fluid leaks (excluding fuel), electrical problems, transmission issues and other mechanical problems.
Lastly, AAA will help move your car if it's stuck due to mud, snow or ice, and can be safely reached from a normally-traveled road. State Farm doesn't offer this service.
AAA vs. State Farm auto insurance discounts
AAA and State Farm both offer the basic car insurance discounts that you would expect from a major insurer, like good driver and multi-policy discounts. In addition, each has a handful of unique discounts available.
Discount | AAA | State Farm |
|---|---|---|
| Defensive driving | ||
| Good driver | ||
| Good student | ||
| Multi-policy | ||
| Multi-car | ||
| Usage-based insurance | ||
| Accident-free |
AAA auto insurance discounts
One of AAA's largest discounts is its low-mileage discount. Policyholders can periodically provide odometer readings to receive up to 19.1% off their auto insurance rate. Drivers who belong to a professional organization or alumni association can save up to 7.4%, and a car club membership can save you up to 5%.
After you've been insured with AAA for one year, you're also eligible for its loyalty discount, which can save you up to 5.6%.
State Farm auto insurance discounts
State Farm's Drive Safe & Save program offers drivers a usage-based discount of up to 30%. The company tracks your annual mileage and driving habits using your vehicle's OnStar system or your mobile phone via the Drive Safe & Save app to determine your overall discount.
Drivers under 25 years old can take advantage of State Farm's Steer Clear driver program, which offers a discount of up to 15%. The program requires you to complete course training, practice driving and mentoring with an older driver. To qualify, drivers have to be free of moving violations and at-fault accidents for three years.
AAA vs. State Farm customer service ratings
We recommend State Farm over AAA when it comes to customer service because drivers nationwide have a more reliable experience there.
State Farm offers excellent customer service across the country. The company receives fewer complaints than competitors of a similar size, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). State Farm's satisfied customers have also helped earn it an above-average score from J.D. Power.
AAA's customer service experience is harder to judge. The company is broken up into over 40 independent subsidiaries, so a driver in California could have a vastly different experience dealing with AAA than one in Florida.
For example, J.D. Power included three of AAA's major subsidiaries in its most recent auto insurance study. Auto Club of Southern California received one of the top scores for customer satisfaction. AAA's other subsidiaries, CSAA Insurance Group and Automobile Club Group, received some of the lowest scores.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need AAA if I have State Farm?
State Farm offers roadside assistance as an optional coverage add-on, so policyholders can purchase this coverage instead of buying a AAA membership, and will get most of the same benefits.
Does AAA have home insurance?
Some AAA subsidiaries offer homeowners insurance, but it's not available in all states.
Is AAA insurance cheaper than State Farm?
We found AAA car insurance to be more expensive than State Farm across the board. State Farm customers pay 37% to 54% less for auto insurance than AAA customers.
Does State Farm cover towing and flat tires?
State Farm's roadside assistance program does cover towing, tire changes and tire delivery. However, roadside assistance is not included in a standard policy, so you have to pay extra for coverage.
Is State Farm roadside assistance as good as AAA?
State Farm and AAA offer many of the same coverage features when it comes to roadside assistance. State Farm includes delivery of oil and tires, which isn't offered by AAA. Conversely, AAA includes winching if your car is stuck in mud or snow, and State Farm does not.
Methodology
We used car insurance quotes from thousands of ZIP codes across four states to compare AAA and State Farm's pricing. Our sample driver was a 30-year-old man driving a 2015 Honda Civic EX.
All quotes are based on a full-coverage policy and clean driving record unless otherwise noted. Full-coverage auto insurance quotes include the following limits:
Coverage | Limits |
|---|---|
| Bodily injury liability | $50,000 per person/$100,000 per accident |
| Property damage liability | $25,000 per accident |
| Uninsured/underinsured motorist bodily injury | $50,000 per person/$100,000 per accident |
| Comprehensive and collision | $500 deductible |
| Personal injury protection (PIP) | Minimum, when required by state |
For our minimum-coverage policy, we referenced the minimum required limits in each state. Young driver, ticket and accident quotes were obtained using minimum-coverage limits.
ValuePenguin's analysis used insurance rate data from Quadrant Information Services. These rates were publicly sourced from insurer filings and should be used for comparative purposes only — your own quotes may be different.
To determine the cost of roadside assistance, we gathered quotes for a sample driver living in Arizona from State Farm and Auto Club Arizona, AAA's Arizona subsidiary.