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Emergency Road Service Guidelines

These guidelines explain how AAA Roadside Emergency Assistance works, including what vehicles are eligible, how to request service, what to expect during extreme weather conditions, coverage when you are outside Washington state, how to obtain alternate service and when we will reimburse you for your out-of-pocket expenses.

Coverage

AAA privileges are granted to the member, not the vehicle. If you are riding in or driving an eligible vehicle that becomes disabled, call AAA Emergency Road Service. Because road service privileges are granted to you, not the vehicle, it's important to always carry your membership card.

Eligible Vehicles

AAA Washington/Inland basic Emergency Road Service applies to passenger, pleasure or recreational four-wheel, motor-driven vehicles; service must be provided by normal automobile servicing equipment.

We also provide service to RVs and motorcycles through other membership options.

You may incur additional charges for vehicle towing or servicing when post-factory modifications cause the vehicle to require special procedures or prevent it from being towed with ordinary automobile servicing equipment.

Extreme Weather

Extreme weather conditions may result in service demands that exceed all available resources. These special situations may result in slower service response times or may limit the types of calls that can be serviced.

Natural disasters, civil disorder, hazardous material spills, fire, telephone or communications system failures, and other unusual circumstances also may result in service delays.

Alternate Services

If you purchase emergency service independent of AAA, you may be eligible for reimbursement if Emergency Road Service is not available and you have followed the procedures outlined in these guidelines. Send us the original receipt within 180 days for reimbursement consideration .

When Emergency Road Service is available and you chose not to use AAA services or when you use AAA service but your membership can not be verified, our reimbursement is limited to the amount we would have paid the nearest AAA station to provide your service.

Reimbursement

Please print and complete the Application for Reimbursement (html or pdf) and mail it to AAA along with the original paid receipt that documents your out-of-pocket expenses for roadside assistance. Please mail to the following address:

AAA Washington/Inland

Attn: Automotive Services

1717 West 4th Avenue

Spokane, WA 99204-1795

Emergency Check Acceptance

Present a valid AAA card to pay for Emergency Road Service and by AAA Approved Auto Repair by check for amounts up to $250. Checks must be for the exact amount; additional identification may be required.

Checks are accepted as payment only for emergency service, repairs, and parts necessary to return the member's vehicle to a safe operating condition.

How to Obtain Service

Call 1-800-CALL-AAA, the 24-hour Emergency Road Service phone number that is printed on the back of your membership card.

In the Seattle metro-area, you can call 425-462-2001. Elsewhere in Washington state, call 1-800-AAA-HELP (1.800.222.4357).

If you need assistance outside of Washington state, we are still only a phone call away anywhere in the United States and Canada at 1-800-AAA-HELP (1.800.222.4357).

Be prepared to give the operator your name, membership number, club code, expiration date, type of car, license plate number, nature of the problem, exact location of the car, and tow destination so that service can be provided as soon as possible.

Comments

AAA's goal is to provide you with the best Emergency Road Service possible. Please let us know how we are doing. You may e-mail comments to webmaster@aaawa.com or mail comments to:

Emergency Road Service

AAA Washington/Inland

1745 114th Ave. S.E.

Bellevue, WA 98004.

Emergency Road Service Details

AAA membership provides basic Emergency Road Service response at no charge from the nearest contract station to the location of the eligible vehicle that you were driving or where you were a passenger at the time of disablement. You need to be present at the time of disablement and service with a valid membership card and picture identification (unless being present would jeopardize your personal safety).

Service is intended to enable the vehicle to operate under its own power or to move the vehicle to a safe place and is not a towing service as such. Emergency Road Service is normally available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, anywhere in the United States and Canada.

When you need road service outside of AAA Washington/Inland's territory, it is provided according to the rules and regulations of the AAA or CAA club where the disablement occurs.

AAA selects contractors for their ability to handle service calls, not for their ability to make major repairs. We do not guarantee that these facilities can repair every vehicle or that they have the equipment needed to make every type of repair. Parts and labor costs are the your responsibility.

The service outlets listed in directories or provided by AAA are independent contractors who have agreed to render service to AAA members. AAA does not control, supervise or assume any responsibility for the performance or methods of operation of the service outlets.

If damage results from a negligent tow, repair, or attempt to open locked vehicles, AAA is not liable; however, we will help you seek a proper adjustment when appropriate. Responsibility for loss, damage or unsatisfactory workmanship remains with the contract station providing the service.

In most cases, contract stations are independent businesses and are not employees of AAA, the American Automobile Association, or its affiliates.

Emergency Road Service is not a substitute for proper vehicle maintenance.

You may request ERS as often as needed. During each membership year, we will provide up to four service calls at no charge, except for expenses that are not covered under AAA membership. See Service guidelines for more information on what is and is not covered.

After four service calls in your membership year, you will pay the responding service driver if you need additional service; you will receive a special, reduced member rate.

We maintain computerized records of each membership, enabling us to track the number of road service calls. We will notify you after your fourth Emergency Road Service call during a membership year. After the fourth Emergency Road Service call, we will tell you the estimated cost of your service when you phone with a service request.

You automatically return to normal road service status and are again eligible for up to four service calls at no charge at the beginning of your next membership year upon payment of your annual dues.

The Fine Print

1. Members must be present at the time of the disablement and service with a valid membership card and picture identification unless being present would jeopardize their personal safety.
2. Members need to pre-arrange transportation to or from the disabled vehicle if necessary, and inform the AAA operator of any unusual passenger requirements when requesting service. (Service vehicles normally can transport only one or two passengers.)
3. Members must accompany the vehicle to the repair facility if it is closed or if the repair facility is unaware the vehicle is coming. Service on an unattended vehicle or service on a vehicle that could be safely driven is not covered under AAA Emergency Road Service.
4. Your vehicle's disablement must have occurred on a public thoroughfare, street, highway, road, public or private parking lot, boat launching ramp or campground open on an unrestricted basis at the time of the disablement. Service on logging roads, beaches, barricaded or construction areas, creek beds and restricted forest service roads is not covered under Emergency Road Service. Vehicles that become disabled as a result of being driven on roads or in areas that are dangerous or inadvisable, including forest service roads, are not covered. Suitability of road or area will be determined by the Club.
5. The service vehicle must be able to reach your vehicle without having to break a path through snow. Service will be provided except when it is too dangerous for the service vehicle to operate because of prevailing weather or road conditions. Towing or winching of a vehicle that has lost traction solely due to snow or ice while operating on a public highway, road, street, thoroughfare, or public or private driveway, boat ramp or parking lot is not covered under Emergency Road Service. Shoveling snow, extricating vehicles from snow or ice in driveways or parking lots, pulling vehicles up or down driveways or streets because of lack of traction due to snow or ice, is not covered under Emergency Road Service.
6. Coverage will be provided for vehicles that have become mechanically disabled and impounded. The cost of the impoundment and any storage costs are the member's responsibility. A release must be obtained by the member prior to receiving service.
7. Towing abandoned, recovered stolen vehicles or damaged vehicles to a disposal facility or to any other location where the intent is to sell or dispose of the vehicle is not covered.
8. Repair costs, battery charging, tire repair, tire rotation and the installation or removal of chains are not covered.
9. The cost for the use of more than one service person or vehicle is not covered.
10. Ferry, bridge or toll road charges for the member's vehicles are the responsibility of the member.
11. All services provided must be within the limits and capabilities of normal light duty automobile servicing equipment.
12. AAA Plus and AAA Plus RV members must have current annual dues paid to be eligible for extended emergency road services. Members may not upgrade to, and new members may not sign up for, AAA Plus or AAA Plus RV to cover a pre-existing breakdown. Upgrades will apply to future breakdowns.
13. Standard automobile servicing equipment is towing equipment capable of safely providing towing service for passenger automobiles, pickup trucks, sport utility vehicles (SUV's) and vans up to 3/4-ton. AAA Emergency Road Service Guidelines are subject to change and revision periodically. AAA reserves the right to cancel membership for nonpayment of dues or fees.