Under AAA membership, emergency roadside service will be provided without charge from the nearest available AAA contracted provider. Your service call will include a trip to the disabled vehicle where the service operator will attempt to make your vehicle operable. If your vehicle cannot be made operable, it will be towed to your choice of repair facilities. The following provisions define the scope and extent of AAA Ohio Auto Club’s emergency roadside service. When in an area served by a AAA affiliate other than AAA Ohio Auto Club, the affiliate’s service regulations will apply. Rules and rates may vary throughout the country. Please take the time to study these provisions so that you are familiar with your club’s service and its limitations before an emergency arises.

AAA service is available to a member who is driving or riding in a qualified vehicle that becomes disabled. The member will be required to present a valid membership card or dues receipt and qualified identification in his/her name at the time AAA service is rendered. When upgrading to a different membership level the benefits go into effect at the next disablement.

 

When a valid membership identification is not presented at the time of service, the member may be required to pay to the independent contract station the commercial rate for services rendered. A receipt in the name of the individual being serviced must be presented to the club for adjustment consideration.

 

Each Classic, Plus, or Plus RV member is entitled to four service calls per membership year. Each Premier member is entitled to five service calls per membership year. Use of this service is carefully monitored by the club. After the fourth service call is used, no further service calls will be authorized under your membership benefits. Service can still be provided after four calls, but the member must absorb the cost at the time of service. Other membership benefits are still available.

Services are normally provided by independent businesses (not employees or agents of the club) under contract with AAA Ohio Auto Club to provide emergency roadside service as described herein. While the club is not responsible for the acts or omissions of these independent contractors, the club will assist members in resolving reports that may arise as a result of damage or unsatisfactory service. The member is expected to be with the vehicle at the time service is rendered. AAA Ohio Auto Club and its contract facilities cannot be expected to assume the responsibility and potential liabilities for servicing an unattended vehicle. AAA Ohio Auto Club may make exceptions during extreme situations when personal safety is compromised.

The club shall provide service to the following:

Four-wheeled motor-driven vehicles of the passenger, pleasure or recreational type (vans, campers and motor homes), regardless of license plate designation, if those services can be serviced with standard equipment.

 

Dual-wheel campers/motor homes will be provided all services but may exclude towing, extrication/recovery and tire service due to size. Dual-wheel unloaded pickup trucks are provided all services except tire service when special equipment is needed. There may an additional charge for extended cab pickups to be towed with medium duty equipment. AAA Plus RV provides the full package of Classic emergency road services, as well as Plus extended benefits, for motor homes, pickup trucks with campers and motorcycles.

 

Rented passenger vehicles are eligible for service.

 

Commercial vehicles are eligible for service with the exclusion of livery vehicles (taxi, limousine, bus), hauling vehicles (e.g. dump truck) or any other vehicle that would exceed Department of Transportation specifications for transport with standard towing equipment. In certain instances the weight or height of the vehicle will preclude AAA from providing service.

Mechanical First Aid

This service includes minor adjustments that may safely be made by the contractor’s service driver at the disabled vehicle to place it in an operable condition, enabling it to be safely driven to a place of repair. The reliability of such adjustments cannot be guaranteed, and members are advised to immediately proceed to a place of repair and to consult a service technician.

 

Battery Service

An attempt will be made to start the vehicle with a booster battery or other available means. Battery charging is not a service provided. In most geographic areas AAA provides battery testing and the sale and installation of a replacement battery for an additional fee. Availability of this service varies by geographic area.

 

Towing

Emergency service towing is towing a properly licensed disabled vehicle, or a vehicle involved in an accident that cannot be started and/or placed in a safe operating condition. A member is entitled to one tow per disablement from the place of disablement without charge to:

1. The contract station rendering the service, or
2. Any point within three (3) miles from the point of breakdown.

Members who request to be towed to other locations will be charged the current AAA preferred rate, plus tax, for each mile and portion thereof that exceeds the three-mile limit. The AAA preferred rate will not exceed the standard commercial rate, and these additional charges are not refundable. AAA Plus/AAA Plus RV/AAA Premier/AAA Premier RV extends present AAA membership towing benefits (one tow per disablement) by providing up to 100 miles of towing in any direction from the point of disablement to a destination of the member’s choice. Premier members may utilize one tow of up to 200 miles from the point of disablement. This is limited to one per household per membership year.

 

Extended-distance towing may be subject to delay, as the independent contract stations are required to maintain sufficient equipment and personnel to provide an acceptable level of service in their primary areas of responsibility.

 

The AAA Towing and Service Manual contains manufacturer-recommended towing procedures and will be followed when providing this service.

 

Tire Service

In case of a flat tire, the member’s inflated spare tire will be installed on the vehicle. If no inflated spare is available, the member may have the vehicle towed in accordance with the towing provisions. AAA Plus RV provides replacing the tire with the vehicle’s mounted spare. A tire with a puncture may be plugged, when applicable, for an additional fee. If either service fails to make the vehicle operable, the extended towing benefit will apply. Tire plugs are considered a temporary repair.

 

Fuel Delivery

An emergency supply of fuel will be delivered, enabling the member to reach the nearest service station. Specific brands/octanes cannot be guaranteed. The member will be charged for fuel at current pump prices. If necessary, towing service will be provided, in accordance with club policy, to a facility where fuel is available. AAA Plus/AAA Plus RV/AAA Premier/AAA Premier RV provides, at no additional cost, a sufficient amount of fuel to enable the member to reach the nearest service station. If this service fails to make the vehicle operable, the extended towing benefit will apply.

 

Lockout Service

If your keys are locked inside the vehicle, service will be sent in an attempt to gain access. If your keys are lost, broken or the service provider cannot gain access to your vehicle, AAA will attempt to provide locksmith service or reimbursement up to $50 with the submission of a paid receipt. In cases where the vehicle cannot be made operable, towing services will be provided in accordance with AAA Ohio Auto Club towing provisions. AAA Plus/AAA Plus RV extends this service to provide for reimbursement up to a total of $100 in parts and labor for lock and key service. AAA Premier/AAA Premier RV extends this service to provide for reimbursements up to a total of $150.

 

Extrication/Winching

When your vehicle is stuck, it will be extricated/winched if it can be reached safely from a firm surface, driveway, etc. This is typically within 100-125 feet. If special equipment, extra manpower or vehicles are required, the associated cost will be at the members expense. AAA Plus/AAA Plus RV/AAA Premier/AAA Premier RV extends coverage to include the delivery of services by a second truck and operator for up to one (1) hour at the scene of disablement. If the vehicle is unable to be operated after extrication, the extended towing benefit will apply.

 

Bicycle Service

If you experience a mechanical breakdown while riding your bicycle, AAA will provide towing for you and your bicycle to a destination of your choice: vehicle, home, place of repair. You must be at a trail head or accessible by a regularly traveled and maintained public roadway.

Service will not be rendered when the disabled vehicle cannot be safely reached and properly serviced without damage to either vehicle. Service will not be provided if doing so exceeds Department of Transportation limits or towing specifications.

 

The following services are specifically not covered:

1. Vehicles not accessible from a regularly traveled and maintained public roadway.
2. Shoveling snow from around the vehicle or clearing a road or driveway.
3. Storage, impound charges or towing from impound lot (police-directed tow for violation of law or ordinance.)
4. Freight charges or special trips for the delivery of parts.
5. Cost of shop labor or parts.
6. The removal of accessories (i.e. fog lights to accommodate towing and prevent damage. We assume no responsibility where fog lights need to be removed for towing).
7. Vehicles for hire (i.e. taxi, bus, limousine).
8. AAA does not cover boat, utility or livestock trailers under your membership benefits.
9. Modified vehicles (lowered, lifted, oversize tire, etc) in ways that inhibit service.
10. Towing or reimbursement for vehicles that are not disabled and/or are removed or impounded from private property.
11. Any vehicle that is submerged in water.
12. Towing abandoned, unlicensed, unregistered illegally parked, damaged, recovered stolen vehicles, or towing to a disposal facility or to any other location where the intent is to sell or dispose of the vehicle.
13. Winching which requires the vehicle to be lifted to clear obstacles requires special equipment and is deemed a “recovery” that is not covered under normal service guidelines.

Plus RV and Premier RV may entitle you to additional coverage if the vehicle requiring service is registered as a recreational vehicle. The vehicle must contain a sleeping quarters to be covered under AAA membership benefits. The club does not guarantee the availability of repairs. For a list of Approved Auto Repair facilities, contact your local AAA office or go to AAA.com.

The club always attempts to provide prompt assistance, but circumstances beyond our control may cause a delay in service. Heavy demands for service during unusual conditions are sometimes unavoidable. Extreme weather conditions-snow, rain, ice, heat, wind, fog, etc.- result in service requests far beyond the normal and create extraordinary traffic which may slow service response. During these times, the club reserves the right to render service on a priority basis, providing service to vehicles on streets and highways first. As equipment becomes available, service will be provided to vehicles at home or parked off the street.

If the procedure outlined to obtain emergency road service was followed, and AAA service is not available, or AAA contractor access is restricted (toll roads, limited access highways), the club will provide reimbursement for covered service at the prevailing contracted rate for the region. Reimbursement on restricted access roads may be limited to the cost of towing the vehicle to the nearest exit or responding garage, at the member’s discretion.

 

A valid original receipt in the name of the member with the vehicle, outlining service rendered, must be presented at any AAA Ohio Auto Club store within 60 days of the date of service. Members also have the option to download the reimbursement application form and send the receipt and completed application via mail to Lynn Cantor, Field Operations, 90 E Wilson Bridge Rd., Worthington, OH 43085.

 

AAA Plus/AAA Plus RV/AAA Premier/AAA Premier RV coverage extends your protection to include reimbursement at prevailing contracted rates for service.

 

This may be obtained from a commercial facility nearest your location. The reimbursement benefit will apply to all emergency road services except lock and key service, which is covered up to $100 under the AAA Plus/AAA Plus RV and up to $150 under the AAA Premier/AAA Premier RV Lock and Key Service Benefit.

 

When AAA was not contacted and service was obtained from a non-contract station, reimbursement is limited to the amount the club would have paid a contract station to render the service.

Your personal check for up to $250 will be accepted by any independent contract facility providing emergency services or repairs for AAA members. A valid membership card and identification must be presented at the time of payment. The name on the check must match the member’s name.

1. Be sure to carry your AAA membership card and identification at all times when motoring. Additionally, you should download the AAA app to ensure you always have access to your membership information.  Without this evidence of current membership, you will be required to pay for service rendered at commercial rates. You are required to be with your vehicle to receive AAA services.
2. Look for the AAA Emergency Road Service emblem. Accept service only from trucks displaying the emblem. Many firms not under contract to the club will tell you that “we do lots of towing (or service) for the auto club, and they will reimburse you for my charges.” This or a similar statement, is not true! If you accept service from one of these cruising truck drivers, the maximum refund you can expect will be the amount your club’s emergency service would have paid the contract garage in that area. This is particularly true in cases of freeway breakdowns.

The club reserves the right to change these service policies and procedures without notice.