Does AAA Have Good SR-22 Coverage?
Last Updated on August 9, 2022
AAA offers SR-22 coverage across the United States, helping high-risk drivers get the car insurance they need to continue driving.
AAA, like other large insurers, is a good choice for drivers who want competitive SR-22 insurance prices and the convenience of a large firm.
Keep reading to discover everything you need to know about AAA’s SR-22 coverage and how it works.
Table of Contents:
- How AAA’s SR-22 Coverage Works
- Who Needs SR-22 Insurance?
- How Long Do SR-22 Requirements Last?
- What Makes AAA’s SR-22 Coverage Unique?
- AAA SR-22 Insurance Reviews: What Do Customers Say?
How AAA’s SR-22 Coverage Works
AAA offers SR-22 insurance across the United States. Although AAA operates different subsidiaries in different states and subregions, the company is known for strong claims satisfaction and customer service – even if its prices tend to be slightly higher than many competitors.
AAA charges a filing fee of $15 to $35, depending on your state. This is the price you pay AAA to file the SR-22 certificate on your behalf. Technically, the SR-22 is a certificate verifying you have insurance – it’s not technically insurance.
AAA SR-22 Insurance Cost
If you need SR-22 coverage, then you’ll pay higher auto insurance premiums. Drivers requiring SR-22 insurance tend to pay around 110% higher insurance premiums with AAA than drivers who do not require SR-22 insurance. Instead of paying around $1,400 per year for full coverage car insurance, you could pay around $2,900 per year for AAA SR-22 insurance.
Who Needs SR-22 Insurance?
Certain high-risk drivers require SR-22 insurance. If you have been convicted of a driving violation or have multiple offenses on your record, you may need to obtain SR-22 insurance.
Some of the drivers who need SR-22 insurance include:
- Drivers convicted of driving under the influence (DWI/DUI)
- Drivers who have had their license suspended or revoked
- Drivers who let car insurance lapse or were ticketed for driving without insurance
- Drivers who were at fault for a serious accident that caused significant injuries
- Drivers with too many points on their record
- Other drivers with high-risk driving history, including one serious offense or multiple smaller offenses
The court will notify you of your SR-22 requirement when handling your driving violation. Alternatively, your state DMV may notify you of SR-22 requirements. For example, you may need to submit the SR-22 certificate to the DMV before they reinstate your license and driving privileges.
How Long Do SR-22 Requirements Last?
On average, SR-22 requirements last three to five years.
You may be considered a high-risk driver for three to five years, which means you pay higher car insurance premiums and must file the SR-22 certificate annually for three to five years.
However, as long as you maintain a clean driving record, you should pay lower and lower insurance premiums each year. Eventually, you can resume buying car insurance from the ordinary marketplace.
What Makes AAA’s SR-22 Coverage Unique?
AAA has several features that make its SR-22 coverage unique.
Strong Financial Rating: CSAA Insurance Group has a financial strength rating of A+ (Excellent) from A.M. Best. That means AAA and its subsidiary companies should have no problem covering their financial and insurance obligations in the near future. In comparison, some smaller insurance companies that specialize in insuring high-risk drivers have a worse financial rating and could declare bankruptcy, leaving SR-22 policyholders with limited recourse.
Roadside Assistance: Your SR-22 requirements do not prevent you from buying roadside assistance. AAA is known for its roadside assistance coverage. If you buy car insurance from AAA, you may get discounted rates on roadside assistance.
Amenities & Convenience of a Larger Firm: AAA offers the amenities and convenience of a larger firm. The company has a good mobile app and website, 24/7 customer service, plenty of reviews online, and a well-established SR-22 insurance handling process.
Below Average Claims Satisfaction Scores: AAA had below-average claims satisfaction scores on the latest J.D. Power rankings. That indicates customers were less happy with AAA’s handling of their claim than they were with competing providers, on average. However, AAA was only large enough to appear on the rankings for two subregions or states (J.D. Power only tracks each region’s largest insurers). AAA may score higher in other states and subregions.
Available for Drivers with Low to High-Risk Profiles: AAA does not insure all drivers. Some drivers may be too risky for AAA to insure, so they must buy insurance from specialized, high-risk insurers. However, AAA could insure drivers with all levels of risk. Regardless of whether you have one major accident, multiple smaller accidents, or multiple DUIs on your driving record, you may be able to buy the SR-22 insurance you need through AAA.
AAA SR-22 Insurance Reviews: What Do Customers Say?
AAA has average ratings from customers and consumer ratings organizations alike. Although AAA may not be the cheapest insurer in most states or subregions, the company has a reputation for providing high-quality insurance at a competitive price. Nevertheless, AAA has below-average ratings in certain states and subregions, indicating some SR-22 policyholders are unhappy with how AAA handled their claims.
J.D. Power ranks America’s largest insurance companies each year, separating companies by state and subregions. CSAA, which is a AAA company, was large enough to appear on two subregion rankings: the company scored below average in the Southwest subregion and in California.
In California, CSAA Insurance Group scored 807 on a 1,000-point scale, which was slightly less than the regional average of 816. Overall, CSAA placed 9th out of 13 insurance companies listed. CSAA scored 800 points on a 1,000-point scale in the Southwest subregion, which was lower than the regional average of 832. CSAA scored 10th out of 11 insurance companies, trailing only Travelers in terms of claims satisfaction.
To compile these rankings, J.D. Power contacts policyholders who have recently made a claim. Although J.D. Power does not specifically track SR-22 insurance ratings, the company does track overall insurance experiences. Based on these reviews, AAA and CSAA may provide below-average SR-22 insurance compared to competing providers in the Southwest subregion and California.
A.M. Best, which assesses the financial strength of insurance companies based on their assets and liabilities, has awarded CSAA (a AAA company) with a rating of A+ (Excellent). That means AAA and related companies should have little trouble covering their financial and insurance obligations.
Final Word on AAA’s SR-22 Insurance
AAA has average to below-average SR-22 insurance coverage compared to other major providers in the United States.
Although AAA offers a larger firm’s financial strength and amenities, the company tends to have slightly lower claims satisfaction ratings than its larger competitors.
Nevertheless, AAA is one of the largest insurers in the United States offering SR-22 coverage, and many drivers are happy with their SR-22 coverage from AAA and how it works.
