By Jim McCafferty

AAA Carolinas has formed its own insurance company called The Members Insurance Company (TMIC) to provide direct coverage to members wanting to insure their vehicles.

At the same time, AAA Carolinas agents will also represent other insurance companies to ensure that members always get the best possible insurance coverage at the best price for their homes, boats or businesses.

The insurance business can be tough, considering the impact of hurricanes such as Katrina, surprise hailstorms, flood-producing thunderstorms, accident scam artists and insurance regulations so plentiful an essay on nuclear physics might seem an easier read.

But operating with the philosophy that the member always comes first, AAA Carolinas is proud of its award-winning activities in selling insurance to members the past four years.

• Top producing North Carolina agent for Progressive Insurance Company in 2003 and 2004
• An Encompass Charter Select Agent in 2004, 2005 and 2006
  (Only 100 are selected nationwide each year)
• The fastest growing agent in the nation in 2006 selling Kemper Insurance
  Traveler’s Insurance Agent of the year in 2005 (out of 13,000 agents nationwide)
• A private ranking of the best insurance agencies in the nation by Insurance Journal placed AAA Carolinas 189 out of 33,000, despite its short history
  TMIC offers members discounts based on how long they have been loyal customers.

That loyalty becomes more valuable after 10 years, when the customer receives a total peace-of-mind accident forgiveness. That means those members don’t have to worry about their rates going up in their first accident. TMIC will also waive the deductible in that accident if the TMIC insured driver is not at fault.

• TMIC will not add a surcharge to a member’s premium if they are involved in an accident when the insured is not at fault. Why should someone have to pay more money for something that wasn’t his or her fault?
• Windshield repair service does not require the insurer’s deductible to kick in.
• There are discounts for the length of time you have lived at your current residence and discounts for having both your home and vehicle insured with AAA.

The Members Insurance Company is a strong believer in traffic safety and driver education to help keep our roads safe and, in the big picture, helping to keep insurance premiums down.

Another way you can count on AAA is to use the national network of Approved Auto Repair garages and the AAA AutoMark Car Care Centers in North and South Carolina.