Auto-Owners Auto Insurance Review

Name: Auto-Owners Auto Insurance Review
Item: Auto-Owners Auto Insurance
Rating: 9

Written By:

Last Updated:Mar 12, 2024

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The only downside to using Auto-Owners auto insurance is having to work with an agent (which may be a positive depending on your point of view).

9/10

Cost

9/10

Features

8/10

Ease of use

8.5/10

Services

8/10

Auto-Owners is a well-established auto insurance carrier offering you an array of insurance products for auto, home, life, or your business and farm. If the wide range of insurance products isn’t enough to pique your interest, you might be intrigued by the number of strong customer service ratings and the extraordinary financial strength of Auto-Owners.

In this article

What is Auto-Owners?

Headquartered in Lansing, Michigan, Auto-Owners Insurance Group offers a wide range of insurance products, including auto, homeowners, and life insurance. Having been in operation since 1916, Auto-Owners is dedicated to using an agent network. With over 48,000 independent agents across 26 states, Auto-Owners continues to rely solely on its insurance agents for quotes and policy writing.

Auto-Owners may not be as well known as other car insurance carriers we see daily on television screens, but don’t let this fool you. Auto-Owners is one of the largest insurance providers in the U.S. Its financial strength is equally notable—Auto-Owners has an A++ (Superior) rating with A.M. Best and is a Fortune 500 company as well.

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How does Auto-Owners work?

Like all other insurers, you need to obtain a quote before finalizing your policy. Auto-Owners works through an exclusive agency network, so you can only finalize the details of your policy and premiums with your local agent. There is no option to buy online or directly with customer service.

Auto-Owners insurance company offers the standard auto insurance policy coverages, including:

Collision
Comprehensive
Bodily injury and property damage liability
Medical payments
Personal injury protection (PIP)
Uninsured and underinsured motorist

To complete your policy, you can add optional coverages, such as rental car reimbursement and road trouble service.

How much does Auto-Owners insurance cost?

Auto-Owners doesn’t provide any quote information online or if you reach out directly to their customer service representatives. You need to work with an agent for your customized quote.

Remember, your premiums depend on many factors, including insurance coverage options, deductibles, and demographics. Be ready to get a quote based on the following:

Age
Gender
Marital status
Location
Driving history
Credit score
Vehicle type
Deductible amounts
Coverage amounts

When you work with an agent, ask about all available discounts. Auto-Owners offers many discounts—more than most other auto insurance carriers—allowing you to reduce your premiums further.

According to Bankrate, you can expect to pay $137 monthly with Auto-Owners for full coverage and $31 for minimum coverage.

Features of Auto-Owners

Auto-Owners has many features that customers have been taking advantage of for years.

Specialty coverage options

If you want to customize your policy, you might like the number of specialized coverage options.

GAP coverage pays the difference in amounts if you purchase a new car and owe more than it is worth after it’s totaled in an accident.
Additional expense. This includes a rental car and other costs associated with not having your car due to an accident.
Road trouble service. Emergency services include lockout, dead battery, or towing.
Personal Automobile Plus Package. This extra package includes ten additional coverages at a reduced rate. Additional coverages include options such as identity theft protection and cell phone replacement.
Diminished value. If your car is in an accident, it can diminish the resale value. This coverage pays you to make sure you’re fully compensated for the true value.

Multiple discounts available

One of the best perks of being an Auto-Owner’s policyholder is the access to numerous discounts. With as many available, you should be able to align your policy with your budget. The discounts available are:

Multi-policy
Multi-car
Life-multi policy, if you have a life insurance policy with them as well
Payment discount if you’ve paid on time for at least 36 months
Paid-in-full if you pay your annual premium at once
Paperless enrollment
Advance quote
Safety features such as anti-theft and anti-lock brake system
Favorable loss history
Good student discount

You can use a common loss deductible if you have comprehensive coverage for your auto policy and a homeowner’s policy through Auto-Owners. This is used when your car and house are damaged due to the same event, such as a hail storm or fire. Auto-Owners reduce the auto deductible by the amount of the personal property deductible. The deductible may be waived completely if the auto deductible is less than the personal property deductible.

Enhanced collision coverage

Another feature that is truly unique to Auto-Owners is your collision deductible is waived if you’re in an accident with another Auto-Owner’s policyholder. Additionally, if your car is damaged due to an animal (like a deer running in front of your car), Auto-Owners either pay for your collision or comprehensive coverage — whichever benefits you more. These are both enhancements you typically can’t find with other insurance companies.

Auto-Owners vs. competitors

How does Auto-Owners stack up against all the other big names we are so familiar with?

Carrier	J.D. Power 2023 auto claims satisfaction score	Average monthly premium for minimum coverage*
Auto-Owners	888/1,000	$31
Amica Mutual	909/1,000	$54
State Farm	891/1,000	$56
Geico	871/1,000	$39
USAA	Not rated	$36
Progressive	870/1,000	$49
The Hartford	877/1,000	$57
Erie	902/1,000	$47
Nationwide	875/1,000	$62
Farmers	878/1,000	$76
Allstate	882/1,000	$56
Liberty Mutual	866/1,000	N/A

* Data collected by Bankrate

Click on the links to read full reviews on its competitors.

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Who is Auto-Owners insurance for?

If you’re shopping for auto insurance, you should seriously consider Auto-Owners, especially if you:

Prefer working with an agent

If you like someone walking you through all your options and policy details, then you’ll like the strong agent network Auto-Owners uses.

You want a company with strong customer service ratings

Auto-Owners scores well in several areas related to customer service. Here are a handful of their impressive customer service ratings:

NAIC Consumer Complaint Index is almost non-existent for several complaints.
Auto-Owners is accredited by the BBB and has earned a stellar A+ rating.

You like digital assets

Although you can’t get a quote online or via an app, Auto-Owners does have an app to manage your policy. You can easily check your claim status, pay your bill, and even request roadside assistance. You can use the website for all these tasks as well.

Who shouldn’t use Auto-Owners

Auto-Owners might not be appropriate for everyone. Here’s who should look elsewhere for their auto insurance policy:

If you don’t live in one of the 26 states serviced.

Auto-Owners is only available in 26 states. Auto-Owners write policies in the following locations: AL, AR, AZ, CO, FL, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, MA, ME, MI, MN, MO, NC, ND, NE, NH, OH, PA, SC, SD, TN, UT, VA, VT, WI.

Pros and cons

Auto-Owners has strong customer service ratings and strong financial strength. The only drawbacks to working with Auto-Owners are that you’re limited to 26 states and forced to work with an agent for almost everything.

FAQs

Is Auto-Owners a good insurance company?

All indications are Auto-Owners has an exceptional reputation and the financial strength to match. Because of the wide variety of coverage options and discounts, it’s worth taking a serious look at Auto-Owners — assuming you live in a state where the coverage is offered.

My quote is still a little high, how can I lower my premiums?

If you can’t get your premiums to a level you’re comfortable with, then you still have a few options. Make sure you: Review coverage options and remove extra ones that are only for convenience; review every discount available line by line to ensure you’re considered for every discount available' and consider raising your deductible. The lower the deductible, the higher your premiums. The only word of caution is to have the money in savings so you can cover your deductible amount.

The bottom line

When it comes to auto insurance, you’ll be hard-pressed to find another company with as solid financial and customer ratings as Auto-Owners. The only downside to using this company is working with an agent (which may be a positive, depending on your point of view). Not to mention its limited availability across the nation. But if these are two obstacles you can overcome, Auto-Owners should be added to the top of your list for consideration as you purchase an auto insurance policy.

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Sara Coleman is a former corporate gal turned creative entrepreneur. She began writing professionally several years ago and now contributes to multiple websites, blogs, and magazines. She’s also an avid reader and can’t resist a great historical fiction novel. Sara holds a BA in journalism from the University of Georgia and can be found supporting her Bulldogs every chance she has. She resides in Charlotte, North Carolina, with her wonderfully supportive husband and three children. When she’s not ushering her kids to sports and dance lessons, she can be found creating content for her own website, TheProperPen.com.

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