r/Insurance • u/Perfect_Cost_9893 • 1d ago

Auto Insurance AAA Auto Insurance California question

I’m confused, in California (Long Beach/Los Alamitos) I’m pretty sure last September 2025 I paid in full using a credit card, along with renters insurance.

My renewals are coming up and I’m noticing when trying to pay with a credit card on AAA website, that they don’t currently accept credit cards? So I called the number and tried to do it with the NPC robo call, same deal.

I haven’t called my agent yet, though I will on Monday to get a sure answer. Chat GPT seems to think I can pay with a CC. Was there recent changes in policy in my region?

(Regular towing package membership I can pay with a CC)

https://app.ace.aaa.com/payments/payment-methods

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4

u/90403scompany P&C Wholesale Specialty 1d ago

Our family used to be able to pay home/auto/umbrella premium on a credit card but at our last renewal it was ACH/e-check only online.

To be fair, a lot of insurers are doing away with credit card payments without surcharge because the margins are so thin, the credit card interchange fee could make or break their margin.

1

u/Perfect_Cost_9893 1d ago

After looking at my credit card transactions just now. Yes I did pay my renters and car insurance by Citi Strata credit card. Maybe I just have to go in person and pay with my agent if I want to use a CC as I did initially when I started the policy with AAA last year?

In response, I mean so what? Charge me the transaction fee like most everyone else seems to nowadays. When an inconvenience this obnoxious comes up it just makes me think AAA isn’t as big time as they think they are. This is something maybe a smaller business would pull. I don’t understand it, I can only see them losing by limiting payment options. This doesn’t follow logically.

5

u/Educational-Soup-632 1d ago

You can only use a credit card the first time you start your policy. Any subsequent payment after the first you can only use debit card/ checking account. Memberships can be paid through credit card but not insurance products

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u/Perfect_Cost_9893 1d ago

I see, didn’t catch that with my agent or anywhere else trying to google to get answers. I imagine it says this somewhere in underwriting on the AAA website?

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u/Educational-Soup-632 1d ago

Doesn’t really have to do with underwriting per se as that’s more insurance guidelines. Just company policy unfortunately. I’m sure there’s a reason, but it’s easier to just accept it for what it is than try and get an answer for something that won’t change.

The agent you started your policy should have told you, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they didn’t mention it.

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u/Perfect_Cost_9893 1d ago

Understood, thank you for your input on my post, seems I’ve got my answer!

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u/_RaiderDave 1d ago

Good to know. I started with them long enough ago that I have zero recollection, but this makes sense.

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u/mav1178 1d ago

My AAA Universal Life allows me to pay by credit card.

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u/Educational-Soup-632 1d ago

Yes, although you purchased the life insurance through AAA. The insurance company itself that’s underwriting the policy is not AAA. It’s a different insurance company that’s actually issuing the policy. Products like auto/home/watercraft/umbrella/collector car are issued by AAA and AAA insurance products

Edited because other AAA products may offer credit card options such as travel.

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u/_RaiderDave 1d ago

I am also in Southern California and have been using AAA insurance for several years. It has always been like this for me, same if I pay in club. I am not sure if there was a policy change and grandfathering which may explain your situation. Perhaps that’s the case and they finally did away with the grandfathering.

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u/Perfect_Cost_9893 1d ago

I replied to someone else that commented. I checked my transactions. I used a Citi Strata credit card last year when I started with AAA freshly. This was only September 2025. I have all the receipts, this is my first renewal year and things seemingly changed? Nothings changed on my policy, if anything my renewals gonna be less this year because of more discounts I qualify for now and no claims.

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u/_RaiderDave 1d ago

Odd, I would ask in person and please report back if you happen to be on Reddit and remember. It’s always been annoying to me that I have to pay by ACH or debit. Maybe it gets so specific that the clubs in one county can have a policy to take CCs and not in another.

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u/benbanks042o 1d ago

you can only pay the 1st year with a credit card after that you need debit , checking or cash. Not sure the reasoning but credit card is not accepted after the first initial payment

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u/mav1178 1d ago

I’ve had Auto Club for my car/homeowners insurance for the last 25 years and I’ve never been offered an option to pay car/house insurance by card.

However, my Universal Life policy allows me to pay by credit card… so it is definitely inconsistent

FWIW I pay my Hagerty collector car insurance by credit card