How CSAA Insurance Group Became the Largest Insurer of AAA Members

If you are not currently an AAA member, consider becoming one by purchasing an AAA Plus membership. This membership provides coverage to your household’s automobiles in addition to providing other benefits.

The AAA Plus membership will give you discounted rates on your auto insurance, which will result in additional savings. If you are looking for additional savings and discounts on products that you already use and enjoy, then the AAA Plus membership may be right for you! The additional benefits that come with an AAA Plus membership are virtually limitless! Find out how the AAA Plus membership can benefit you by reading further!

Who We Are

For more than 100 years, The California State Automobile Association (CSAA) has been recognized as a leader in automobile insurance and other personal lines products and services. From humble beginnings to today's highly diversified organization, we are still locally owned and operated. CSAA Insurance Group replaces the name California State Auto Group.

With nearly $2 billion in total assets, we are now the largest insurer of AAA members in North America with operations that include 477 branch offices in 23 states and DC, one of only two major insurance companies rated A+ (the highest rating possible) by A.M. Best Co., through partnerships with AAA clubs across North America that operate a network of 111 full-service offices to serve its members who are principally from middle-income families.

We offer homeowners, renters, boats & motorcycles, mobile homes & trailers and other personal lines coverage. And for those living outside the US or Canada our website offers 24/7 worldwide travel assistance available in eight languages: English, Spanish, Chinese (Mandarin), Japanese, Korean , Hindi , Vietnamese and Arabic .

Our Partnership With AAA

CSAA began its partnership with AAA in 1932. One year later, in 1933, we began to offer insurance products to our members and they've had auto and homeowners coverage ever since. In 2000, we offered personal lines coverage for things like home warranty, boat, motorcycle and personal umbrella protection. Today, more than 700 people at CSAA are dedicated exclusively to servicing AAA members throughout the country.

We have been growing steadily thanks to our many partnerships with local Automobile Associations (AAA clubs) across America and look forward to continuing this relationship well into the future! We're proud to be the largest insurer of AAA members as a result of these collaborations.

CSAA is honored to serve you and thank you for your business!

Our Vision

CSAA's vision is to be recognized as a leading national insurer. This organization also has a mission to provide best-in-class products and services to enhance member lives, with a continued focus on acting in responsible stewardship with our shareholders, employees, partners and communities. This company was created by what were two different companies:

The first company was California State Automobile Association which began when an entrepreneur named Oren Pollet saw an opportunity to start a car club that would help reduce repair costs by teaching members how to maintain their own cars. In 1928, he established the California State Automobile Association with 5 other people who met in Los Angeles at his residence. He operated this club out of his garage for 8 years before selling it because it became too big for him to manage alone.

What We Do

AAA clubs partner with providers to provide members access to exclusive offers from companies like Hertz, Budget, Enterprise Rent-A-Car etc. These partnerships ensure that no matter where you are traveling, AAA has great rates and offers for our members. With more than 1.8 million corporate and business members nationwide as well as nearly 58 million household or individual members, one in every eight U.S. households is an AAA member! And the name change? After changing its name to California State Automobile Association in 1917, it shortened its name again to CSAA in 1970 when most of its business was conducted by mail. Today it is officially known as CSAA Insurance Group which also replaces the name California State Auto Group.

Who Benefits From These Services?

Automobile insurance customers enjoy many benefits with CSAA Insurance Group including quicker payment processing, simple and easy online payments, three different auto insurance plans to choose from and personalized auto coverage based on the needs of each individual customer. This includes a wide variety of coverage options in two levels: Budget or Ultimate. And all with a price matching service that will match rates for people who may have cheaper rates but aren't members of AAA.

Homeowners can also enjoy peace-of-mind when they hear about how CSAA Insurance Group is providing protection with home owner's protection which includes additional coverages that range from sewer backup to water damage and more. All while saving on homeowners insurance through adding only what they need. Even though this company offers automobile, homeowners and other personal lines of insurance to AAA members, there are other services available as well such as business owner's protection and rental car coverage.

What sets CSAA Insurance Group apart from others is their ability to provide policies at an affordable rate without sacrificing quality care.

The growth of CSAA Insurance Group was helped by their commitment to offer quality products at competitive prices as well as their large scale marketing campaign which has been running since 2003. The campaign strives to inform consumers about the services offered by CSAA Insurance Group along with discount offers available for everyone no matter where they live.

The Future Of CSAA Insurance Group

Over the next few years, there are several things that will shape the future of CSAA Insurance Group. First, if interstate mergers and acquisitions do not go through, in 10-20 years there will be significant consolidation among auto insurers. This could mean that one company may dominate a region or some may exit their business altogether.

Second, emerging technologies like autonomous vehicles could lead to more variability in car insurance and premiums as companies adjust to be more competitive in these new markets. As a result, it's possible that we may need to focus our attention on other insurance products such as homeowners or personal lines for added business and protection needs.

Lastly, our success with AAA members is due to partnerships with AAA clubs in 23 states and the District of Columbia. The CSAA Insurance Group wants to continue developing this partnership by ensuring that CSAA Clubs have enough resources from both CSAA Inc. and its independent agents.

Awards & Accolades

CSAA Insurance Group became the largest insurer of AAA members after obtaining an exclusive license from AAA to use their name. They also have partnerships with car clubs in 23 states and the District of Columbia, which provide them with about 75% of their business. Last year, they made a profit for every dollar earned before taxes. In 2008, when it faced debt as a result of trying to grow too quickly during unfavorable economic conditions, they sold assets and then implemented stricter guidelines for using credit to finance future growth. After that, they entered into transactions that re-capitalized themselves.

They were profitable throughout 2009 and 2010 as well. Their strategy of utilizing lower-cost capital led to a better financial position while providing service at competitive rates. Their success is largely due to their approach of offering protection against loss while allowing customers to save money by not buying full coverage policies or paying large deductibles.

They offer coverage for the time your vehicle is being repaired if you are unable to get another vehicle because of an accident or theft, so drivers don't need comprehensive insurance. A unique aspect of CSAA's Right Choice program is that all customers pay upfront premiums, regardless of whether they drive 10 miles per day or 10,000 miles per day - which keeps rates lower than many other providers who offer similar programs.