AUTOMOBILE club members are provided with benefits that go beyond the essential roadside assistance when their vehicles are stranded, says Emile Spence, business and research executive at Jamaica National Building Society, with responsibility for the Jamaica Automobile Association (JAA).

At a time when many Jamaicans are facing economic challenges, Spence says membership in the JAA can provide drivers with added benefits, including savings on motor vehicle maintenance, as well as other products and services that they and their families can access on a regular basis.

“Show your JAA membership card at any of our 250 merchants across the island and you can gain access to discounts from 10 to 20 per cent,” Spence informs.

“Those discounts mean a lot in these harsh economic times when every dollar counts.”

The impact of the global economic conditions has already forced thousands of Jamaicans out of their jobs and reduced the spending power of the average consumer.

“Given the circumstances, people need confidence not only when they drive,” Spence says.

“But wherever they shop and travel they need to be confident that they can still maintain their quality of life.”

Discounts are accessible from a cross-section of merchants locally and worldwide. Club members can save when spending at auto shops and auto service providers, car rental agencies, hardwares, hotels, pharmacies, spas, beauty salons, gyms and a host of other businesses.

Some membership categories offer added benefits, he says. To access Platinum membership benefits, members pay $7,000 for two free tows per year with a maximum of $5,000 for each. They also get one free valet service and two free taxi service options per year in addition to discounts, accident and breakdown assistance and registration renewal, which are available to both Platinum and Gold JAA members.

For $4,100, Gold members can access one free tow per year and one free vehicle entry by a locksmith in addition to regular services.

All JAA members can access roadside services and assistance from qualified and competent technicians as well as discount services anywhere in the world, Spence says.

“Through our relationship with the American Automobile Association (AAA), our members are entitled to the benefits of other AAA members from 150,000 merchants around the world,” the JAA executive says.

The AAA connection provides JAA members with emergency roadside assistance, road maps and route planning when overseas, among other services.

“We continue to improve our service, negotiate value-added benefits, and enhance the performance of our team, so that members can be assured of the best quality products and services from the association even in these difficult times,” Spence states.