EnCompass®
The AAA Companion

Know AAA

Insurance & Financial Services

AAA Colorado's independent insurance agency offers auto, home, life, umbrella and long-term care products from several highly rated national insurers, as well as a new, exclusive brand, “AAA Insurance.” To obtain a competitive quote, call 866-399-9836, or click on “Insurance” at www.aaa.com.

AAA Colorado also offers various financial ser-vices that include the “AAA Visa” card, certificates of deposit (CDs) and money market deposits. To learn more about the AAA Visa card, or to apply, call 303-753-8800 or click on “Financial” at www.aaa.com.

For information on AAA's deposit products, call 800-526-7120.

Help your teen become a safer driver and save money, too!

Car insurance through “AAA Insurance”—a new insurance exclusive to AAA members—offers a New Driver Discount and a AAA SMART Driver Discount that can lower your teen's six-month insurance premium by as much as 30%.

To qualify for the New Driver Discount, drivers must be between 16 and 18, maintain a clean driving record, review “Critical Information for Teenage Drivers and their Parents,” and complete a driver education course conducted by an instructor certified by the State Department of Education or other responsible educational agency.

To qualify for the AAA SMART Driver Discount, the teen driver must successfully complete the teenSMART driver training course, developed by Advanced Drivers Education Products & Training (ADEPT). Picking up where basic driver's education leaves off, teenSMART is designed to give licensed teen drivers the advanced, real-world skills they need to drive safely and avoid accidents. It consists of a student workbook, parent guide, videotape, six CD-ROM set, certification test results diskette and return diskette mailer.

The course is bought directly from ADEPT (800-737-7890) and normally costs $119.95, but AAA members pay $69.95. Additional copies of the program sent to the same address (multiple teens in the same home) cost $49.95.

For complete details on these teen driver discounts, call 866-399-9836, click on “Insurance” at www.aaa.com, or visit a AAA office.

Reviewing your life insurance needs

We all hope to live to a ripe old age. Unfortunately, illness and accidents do happen. If your life is cut short, will your family be able to pay their bills? Will your aging parents be secure, or your children's college tuition? There are two basic types of life insurance:

1. Term life insurance provides for a specific amount of time—usually one to 30 years. Premiums are initially lower and increase as one gets older. This product is often favored by those on a limited budget.

2. Permanent life insurance offers lifetime protection. Premiums are initially more expensive, but do not increase with age, and the policy's cash value can be borrowed.

No matter which kind of insurance is chosen, the amount of coverage should reflect your family's financial needs. Generally, it should be enough to cover funeral expenses, pay any debts, make up for your lost income and provide for future needs such as your children's education or your spouse's retirement.

When should you review your coverage?

It's a good idea to review your policies every year, or whenever a big event happens in your life, such as:

• Beginning or ending a relationship
• A new child
• Purchasing a home
• Other family changes

Home insurance gets hairy

Did you know Rover might be affecting your home insurance premiums?

Dog bites account for nearly one quarter of all homeowner's and renter's insurance liability claims—and the average cost of such a claim is $16,600. Colorado law makes dog owners liable for any serious bodily injury their dog causes, regardless of the dog's history and likelihood of being vicious.

Dog owners need to be aware of what they're covered for if their pet bites someone—it's far too easy to have someone bite back with a lawsuit. Your policy will normally cover dog bite liability, provided you inform the company that you have a dog when buying your policy.

Some companies consider the history of the individual dog; others will not sell you a homeowner's policy at all if you own a breed of dog that's on their exclusionary list. It's wise to check with your agent when getting a new dog: if your fuzzy friend is considered high-risk, your home insurance coverage could be dropped or the premiums could go up.

AAA Travel

While most members have come to rely on AAA TourBooks, maps and TripTiks, AAA Travel is much more than that. AAA Auto Travel Counselors are knowledgeable about the open road and can plan any type of road trip. AAA Travel Professionals understand national and international travel and can ensure the best vacation possible, whether it's a guided tour or independent adventure. AAA Colorado's travel store (in most offices and online) contains guidebooks, atlases, luggage and other travel-related items.

Protection for your drive vacation

Family road trips remain a staple of American travel. For such important drive vacations, AAA is not only there with roadside assistance, it also offers AAA TripAssist Drive protection—comprehensive insurance for drive vacations. Coverage comes in a standard plan and enhanced plan and includes such items as deductible gaps in auto and medical policies, and protection of non-refundable payments on hotels, tickets and other prepaid expenses.

For compete details, contact your local AAA Travel professional , call 866-235-7070, or click on www.aaa.com.

State champion to compete in AAA national finals

Earlier this year saw the start of the third annual AAA Travel Challenge, a three-stage competition offering more than $100,000 in college scholarship funds. Open to high school students, the first stage was an online test, with the top five scorers from each state moving on to the second stage—a proctored, written exam.

This year, 63,884 students registered for the online test, including 1,127 from Colorado. The five Colorado finalists who took the proctored test were: Brian Baumgarten, Louisville, grade 12, Monarch High School; Pratyush Buddiga, Colorado Springs, grade 10, Rampart High School; Wyatt Duea, Boulder, grade 12, Fairview High School; Winifrid Leung, Parker, grade 12, Ponderosa High School; Geri Weinstein, Highlands Ranch, grade 12, Highlands Ranch High School.

For a second year in a row, Pratyush Buddiga (pictured above) was declared the state champion. He also won an all-expenses-paid trip for two (himself and a chaperone) to compete for one of three first-place $25,000 scholarships in the national finals, held May 7–10.

For more information on this program go to www.aaa.com/travelchallenge.

Tips on renting a car overseas

If you're planning to drive during your overseas trip, here are a few pointers.

Familiarize yourself with available car models. Cheaper models are likely to be smaller than American subcompacts, so always tell the rental agent your passenger and luggage requirements.

Cars with automatic transmissions are not as prevalent and usually cost more. Air conditioning is often not standard. If these amenities are important, tell your agent. Also check the car thoroughly before driving away—differences might not be noticeable at first, such as the gas and brake pedals, which may be closer together than on U.S. vehicles.

Except in major cities, airport rental counters don't have 24-hour service, may have restricted weekend hours and may close for lunch.

Availability of roadside assistance varies by country; check before leaving the rental agency. Also review relevant local laws, road rules, foreign terms and measurements with your rental agent.

If you'll be changing gears with the other hand, allow yourself practice time. And always drive defensively, taking special care at intersections.

2005 Four Diamond Designations

Each year more than 65 AAA tourism editors visit more than 55,000 lodgings, campgrounds, restaurants and attractions throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. They conduct unannounced evaluations, scrutinizing such areas as cleanliness, safety, ambiance, amenities and service. Only 3.25% of the estimated 31,000 AAA rated lodgings and 3.21% of the estimated 19,100 restaurants are awarded Four Diamond designations each year.

For those who make the grade, the Four Diamond symbol is included with each facility's listing in the 2005 AAA Colorado/Utah TourBook. Following are the 27 lodgings and 22 restaurants that have earned the coveted Four Diamond Award:

Properties

Aspen: Hotel Jerome; The St. Regis Aspen

Avon: The Ritz Carlton, Bachelor Gulch; Park Hyatt Beaver Creek Resort and Spa

Broomfield: Renaissance Boulder Suites

Hotel at Flatiron; Omni Interlocken Resort

Colorado Springs: Old Town GuestHouse

Denver: Brown Palace Hotel; Hotel Monaco; Hotel Teatro; Loews Denver Hotel; The Westin Tabor Center Denver; JW Marriott Denver at Cherry Creek

Durango: Apple Orchard Inn; General Palmer Hotel

Edwards: The Lodge & Spa at Cordillera

Englewood: Inverness Hotel & Conference Center

Keystone: Keystone Lodge

Manitou Springs: The Cliff House at

Pikes Peak; Rockledge Country Inn

Sedalia: Lost Valley Ranch

Steamboat Springs: Steamboat Grand Resort Hotel & Conference Center

Telluride: Wyndham Peaks Resort and Golden Door Spa

Vail: Vail Marriott Mountain Resort and Spa; Sonnenalp Resort at Vail; Vail Cascade Resort & Spa

Westminster: The Westin Westminster

Restaurants

Aspen: Syzygy; Range; Montagna

Avon: Beano's Cabin

Beaver Creek: Mirabelle at Beaver Creek

Boulder: The Flagstaff House Restaurant

Colorado Springs: Charles Court; The Penrose Room

Denver: Adega Restaurant and Wine Bar; Palace

Arms; Restaurant Kevin Taylor; Tante Louise; Mirepoix

Edwards: Grouse Mountain Grill

Englewood: The Swan

Keystone: Alpenglow Stube; Keystone Ranch Restaurant

Manitou Springs: The Cliff House Restaurant

Ouray: Tundra Restaurant

Vail: Sweet Basil; The Left Bank; Ludwig's Restaurant

Automotive

AAA Colorado offers a wealth of automotive services, beginning with AAA's famous roadside assistance program that follows the member, not the vehicle. Other services include Approved Auto Repair facilities, numerous automotive-related products at AAA Colorado offices, and auto sales and leasing through AutoSource . All services can be accessed through www.aaa.com, including AutoManager, which manages the maintenance of your vehicle.

Did You Know?

Helping you find that perfect vehicle

All the member surveys we conduct and all the feedback we receive indicate that most members don't fully realize the variety of services and products AAA Colorado has to offer. That's why we've developed this “Did You Know?” column—to highlight specific AAA services that aren't as well known as our famous roadside assistance.

This is the case with AutoSource—AAA Colorado's auto buying service. With none of the hassles usually associated with car dealers, AutoSource works like this: members simply tell an AutoSource consultant what kind of vehicle they're looking for. AutoSource searches for appropriate vehicles, negotiates the best deal, then brings the ones you want to see to your home or office for review and test driving. AutoSource handles trade-ins, offers financing, and pricing is competitive. Best of all, the entire transaction is backed by AAA's trusted name.

For more information, stop by a AAA office, call 877-244-9790, or click on www.aaa.com.

How to Obtain Roadside Assistance

Metro Denver: 303-753-8800.

Elsewhere in Colorado and throughout the United States:

1-800-AAA-HELP (1-800-222-4357), Also Available Online

Your Roadside Assistance Benefits

Outlined on these two pages are the benefits of AAA Colorado's Roadside Assistance service—the most frequently requested member benefit. It's important to understand this service so in the event of an auto breakdown you'll know just what to do and what your coverage does and does not include.

Roadside Assistance is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and is designed to assist you when the eligible vehicle you are either driving or riding in becomes disabled. A key point is that the benefits of Roadside Assistance go with the member, not the car—meaning you are covered in an eligible vehicle that you are riding in even if it's not yours. AAA Colorado membership entitles you to up to four (4) service events each membership year.

The member must be with the vehicle at the time of disablement. For identification purposes, it is recommended that the member be with the vehicle when the service vehicle arrives. A valid membership card and identification will be required, and benefits are nontransferable.

If fees are necessary, your personal check for up to $250 will be accepted by any independent contract facility providing services or repairs for AAA members. A valid membership card and identification must be presented at the time of payment. The name on the check must match the member name.

Scope of service

As part of your membership, AAA Roadside Assistance will be provided from the nearest available AAA contract facility. Your service call will include a trip to the disabled vehicle, where the service operator will attempt to make your vehicle operable. Your vehicle must be safely reachable from a normally traveled road or established thoroughfare, such as a county-maintained road. AAA Colorado selects facilities for their ability to handle service calls but cannot guarantee these facilities will always have the parts and equipment to make repairs.

When your vehicle cannot be made operable upon providing the services listed here, AAA Colorado will assist you in finding the nearest open place of repair. If a repair facility cannot be located, AAA Colorado will assist you in obtaining lodging or alternative transportation.

Charges for services that exceed the benefits listed will be at the prevailing hourly or mileage rate of the region where service is provided.

Roadside Assistance facilities are independent businesses and are not employees of AAA Colorado or its affiliates. Responsibility for loss, damage or unsatisfactory workmanship remains with the facility providing the service. AAA Colorado will assist by mediating unresolved issues.

Number of service calls

In fairness to all members, AAA Roadside Assistance is not to be used as a substitute for proper vehicle maintenance. Except for charges required of the member for certain services (as explained in these guidelines), AAA provides up to four (4) service calls for primary members and associate members during a membership year. After four (4) service calls, the member will pay at the scene for each additional call. Upon notification of service events beyond the four allotted, members will be billed accordingly. Members who do not pay this bill may become ineligible for benefits and subject their membership to nonrenewal or cancellation.

Eligible Vehicles

Four-wheeled motor vehicles—includes passenger, pleasure or recreational vehicles (vans, campers and motor homes) regardless of license plate designation, if those services can be safely delivered.

Dual-wheeled campers/ motor homes— for all services except towing, extrication/winching and tire services. Dual-wheeled unloaded pickups are eligible for all services except tire service.

Rented passenger vehicles and commercial vehicles— with the exception of taxis and limousines.

Roadside Assistance Services

The following services will be provided to place your vehicle in a drivable condition. If these attempts are unsuccessful after a reasonable effort by the service provider, the towing service provision will apply. Snow removal is not included in your membership. Roads that are not maintained by the city, county or state are excluded.

Mechanical Adjustments—Minor/temporary adjustments will be made in an attempt to enable your vehicle to operate safely under its own power.

Battery Boost—A battery boost will be provided in an attempt to start your vehicle.

Flat Tire—If your vehicle's spare is inflated and serviceable, it will be installed to replace a flat tire. If no inflated spare is available, the vehicle will be towed in accordance with the towing benefit. AAA Plus RV extends present AAA Basic or Plus benefits to include motor homes, pickup trucks with campers, travel trailers and motorcycles.

Fuel Delivery—A limited supply of fuel will be delivered to your disabled vehicle to enable you to reach the nearest open service station. Specific brands or octane ratings cannot be promised. You will be charged the current pump price for fuel. The towing benefit applies to diesel vehicles. AAA Plus provides, at no additional cost, a sufficient amount of fuel to enable you to reach the nearest service station. AAA Plus RV extends present AAA Plus benefits to include motor homes, pickup trucks with campers, travel trailers and motorcycles.

Lockout Service—If your keys are locked inside the vehicle, service will be sent to gain entry. If the key that operates the vehicle or provides access to the passenger compartment is lost, broken or the service provider cannot gain entry to your vehicle, locksmith service up to $50 or reimbursement for commercial locksmith service up to $50 will be provided. In cases where the vehicle cannot be made operable, the towing benefit will apply. AAA Plus provides added coverage or reimbursement up to $100 in parts and labor for locksmith service, if such service is required to unlock your vehicle or make it operable. AAA Plus RV extends present AAA Plus benefits to include motor homes, pickup trucks with campers, travel trailers and motorcycles.

Extricating/Winching—Your vehicle will be extricated/winched when it can be safely reached from a normally traveled or established thoroughfare. If special equipment, more than one truck, more than one person or more than 30 minutes are required, the associated costs may be at your expense. AAA Plus provides coverage to include the delivery of services by a second truck and operator for up to one (1) hour at the scene. AAA Plus RV extends present AAA Plus benefits to include motor homes, pickup trucks with campers, travel trailers and motorcycles. Horse trailers, boat trailers, motorcycle trailers, lawn mowing equipment trailers, sports cars, racing cars and snowmobile trailers are excluded.

Towing Services—When your vehicle cannot be safely driven after attempting any of the listed roadside services, your vehicle will be towed to the contract facility rendering the service, or a maximum of four (4) miles in any direction from the point of disablement, at no charge. Service for your trailer may be provided at your expense.

AAA Plus provides up to 100 miles of towing in any direction from the point of disablement. AAA Plus RV extends present AAA Plus benefits to include motor homes, pickup trucks with campers, travel trailers and motorcycles. Horse trailers, boat trailers, motorcycle trailers, lawn mowing equipment trailers, sports cars, racing cars and snowmobile trailers are excluded.

Alternate Service

If AAA service is not available, or AAA contractor access is restricted (toll roads, limited-access highways), AAA will provide reimbursement for covered services at the prevailing commercial rate for the region. Reimbursement on restricted-access roads may be limited to the cost of towing the vehicle to the nearest exit or responding garage, at the member's discretion.

If AAA service was available, but not requested, reimbursement may be limited to the amount the club would normally have paid for the covered service.

AAA Plus provides reimbursement at prevailing commercial rates for covered AAA Plus and Plus RV benefits, respectively, if service is requested but is not available.

To request reimbursement for Roadside Assistance, submit the original receipt within 90 days of service for consideration. AAA may adjust or deny reimbursement for service provided by individuals or companies not normally engaged in providing roadside service.

A glovebox-size brochure outlining AAA Colorado's Roadside Assistance policies and all other member benefits is available at all 14 AAA Colorado offices and at www.aaa.com.

Show Your Card & Save Program

This is the member savings program of AAA. It's better than coupons because to save money you simply show your AAA membership card when you make a purchase at any of hundreds of national, international and local retail and service shops, travel-related companies, lodging establishments and automotive facilities. Various restrictions apply; for details visit your local AAA office, click on “Member Savings” at www.aaa.com, call 866-AAA-SAVE.

Member savings in May and June

Member Savings—The Show Your Card & Save program brings you these special offers in May and June:

• A free tank of gas with a Hertz Leisure Weekly Rental of premium and above cars, including the Hertz Prestige Collection. Some conditions/restrictions apply. Call your local AAA office, the Hertz/AAA desk at 800-654-3080, or visit www.aaa.com.

• Save an extra 10% with Hickory Farms during May, for a total saving of 25%. Shop online at www.aaa.com/hickoryfarms or by phone at 800-222-GIFT.

• FTD.COM's Laura Ashley Bouquet is 30% off for AAA members from May 1–8 at www.ftd.com/aaa.

• Save 10% on books and other Barnes & Noble products at www.aaa.com/barnesandnoble, from June 5–18—double your normal discount.

• An international phone card with a $5 credit when you purchase a AAA Visa TravelMoney card during June.

• A free night at Best Western when you stay four nights.

To find out more about AAA's Show Your Card & Save program, call 866-AAA-SAVE, see pages 12 and 13, or visit www.aaa.com and click on “Savings.”

Learn how to SAVE more at second annual Spring Expo

Member Savings—In 2004 alone, AAA Colorado members saved $5 million through the AAA Show Your Card & Save Program. Were you one of those members?

Come to our second annual Spring Expo to learn more about this program and how you can save more than the price of your membership. Talk with Show Your Card & Save partners about savings, whether it's on car maintenance, home security systems, RV rentals, dining out or shoes. Take advantage of available options ranging from home glass, to airport parking, to hotel and car rental discounts.

Look for the big yellow Hertz bus, visit partner tables and register for door prizes. The Spring Expo is on Saturday, May 7 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the AAA Denver office, 4100 East Arkansas Ave.

An Additional Member Benefit

In conjunction with the Expo, AAA Colorado will also offer a free visual automotive inspection, conducted by one of four certified technicians. While you wait, your hood will be popped and 20 items will be visually checked, from wiper blades and brake lights to transmission fluid and anti-freeze. Any recommendations given should be verified by a repair facility. Sign up for your free inspection when you arrive at the Expo, and the next available technician will accompany you to your parked car for the 20-item check. No prior reservations; first come, first served.

EnCompass & www.aaa.com

AAA Colorado membership not only brings with it six issues of EnCompass magazine a year, but AAA Colorado's website. Online you'll find a 24-hour/seven-days-a-week virtual office that provides member-only benefit information such as travel vacation specials, TripTik maps and directions, insurance and auto information, car sales and leasing, and the member savings program, Show Your Card & Save.

Improvements to AAA TripTiks

AAA's Enhanced TripTik continues to evolve with periodic new developments. Recent improvements include:

• Kilometers can be provided for trips into Canada.

• Hotels and/or attractions along the way can be added to a map and printed out as part of your TripTik.

• The TripTik's overview map and narrative can be emailed to your computer, and the narrative can be emailed at no charge to a cell phone or PDA that has such capability.

• More than 200 military installations are now part of the drop-down destination menu.

You can pick up a TripTik at any AAA office (see page 11 for locations), receive one through the mail by calling 877-244-9790, or go online to www.aaa.com and create your own, which can be mailed to you or printed out on your own computer. Please note: To fully access all features of the online TripTik (including printing), you will need to disable your ad/popup blockers.

Internet hotel ratings: are they accurate?

The vast amount of information that makes the internet so attractive to travelers can sometimes cause confusion when it comes to choosing a lodging.

“With nearly everyone using a star to designate a ranking level,” said Michael Petrone, director, AAA tourism information development, “consumers often can't distinguish one system's star from another, making it nearly impossible to know whether the ratings are impartial or a marketing ploy.”

As head of AAA's Diamond rating program, Petrone leads a group of professional evaluators who physically inspect hotels in North America. AAA's team of 65 full-time evaluators collectively travel more than a million miles per year to inspect more than 55,000 lodgings and restaurants. AAA began inspections in 1937 and the Diamond ratings were introduced in 1976.

AAA offers these tips when searching for a hotel online:

*Determine whether the site rates hotels, or uses ratings supplied by others. If they provide ratings, look for a description of the rating process. If the ratings are supplied by the hotels listed—or others with a direct financial interest in the property—double-check the ratings at another website.

*Ask how long the rating organization has been evaluating properties, how many properties are rated each year, whether there is a financial obligation between the rating organization and the listed properties, and whether the rating criteria or guidelines are published.

*Find out how the ratings are assigned. Does an evaluator visit the property or does the hotel determine its own rating? How often are properties reviewed?

AAA Diamond ratings for lodgings and restaurants throughout North America appear online at www.aaa.com in the Online TourBook, as part of the Internet TripTik, at AAAmaps.com, and in AAA TourBook guides, which are available to members at no cost.