The Secret Costco Service That Shoppers Need To Know About

Shopping at Costco is like bulk buying paradise. You can find large quantities of food items, like cereal, soups, and yummy snacks that you might not be able to get anywhere else. But if you're only buying products that you're finding as you're perusing the aisles, you might be missing out on some of the biggest deals that the retail giant offers. So what is the secret Costco service that shoppers need to know about? It'll get your engine revving.

That's right, in addition to Costco selling gasoline at a cheap price, the discount chain also offers auto and home insurance, too. It's called CONNECT, and it's powered through American Family Insurance (via Costco). But this isn't a new concept — Costco has been bundling auto, home, and umbrella insurance for 20 years (via Conect By AMFAM).

There are a bevy of benefits that come with having CONNECT. Costco Executive Members (who pay $60 additional annually) can reap some major rewards by having the insurance plan. For starters, when it comes to home insurance, you can get 24/7 service in case you lock yourself out of your house or lose your keys. Kid sent a baseball flying through your window? No problem — the insurance will reimburse you for the repair cost (via Costco).

If your home suffers a power outage (and you just recently stocked up on some fab food finds at Costco), you won't have to cry over, um, spoiled milk. With the included food spoilage protection, your groceries will be covered, up to $500 in value, due to a power failure.

And when it comes time to hit the road, Costco has you covered. Roadside Assistance means that you'll be safe even if you get a flat tire, your car battery dies, or if your gas tank suddenly shows an "E." The insurance will cover up to $75 per incident to get your engine going again. You might even be able to get a discount if you have to park your car overnight in a garage, if you insure more than one car, or even if you take a driving refresher course through your local DMV (via Connect By AMFAM).

There are additional discounts, such as those for being a good student, if your child is going to school more than 100 miles away from your home, plus a plethora of home discounts, too. And if you bundle your insurance (say auto/home, or auto/umbrella), you can save big. Costco estimates that members who switched to their insurance saved, on average, $607.57 during their first year of coverage (via Costco).

Seems like Costco is serving up delish croissants — and awesome insurance coverage.