Safeco Auto Insurance Review

Safeco’s coverage options are fairly standard within the car insurance industry. The company offers liability, collision, uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, and personal injury protection. These policies are advertised as comprehensive and collision. Other popular coverage options through Safeco include roadside assistance and rental car reimbursement. Add-ons, on the other hand, are a bit more unique, with such options as CD and DVD replacement, audio-visual and custom equipment coverage, pet coverage, and electronic key and lock replacement, among others. Unlike other auto insurance companies in the industry, Safeco allows policyholders to build their own coverage with the help of a local independent agent. Although this feature could be of better value if customers were able to personalize coverage on their own in the company’s website, it remains an excellent feature for those wanting a policy tailored to their needs.

According to our extensive search, one of the most important factors to consumers shopping around for auto insurance is the overall customer experience a company can offer them. This encompasses such elements as the insurance company’s consumer rating with the Better Business Bureau and the complaints lodged against it with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). According to the NAIC’s Consumer Information Source database, Safeco Insurance Company of America’s complaint ratio for their private passenger insurance in 2017 was 1.10, only slightly average than the national median of 1.00. As part of the Liberty Mutual family, Safeco shares a Better Business Bureau rating of B+ with its parent company. This rating reflects a Customer Review score of one out of five stars and 1,167 complaints as of the date of this review. Although the NAIC complaint ratio and the BBB rating are fairly standard, especially for such a large insurance company, customers are advised to read consumer reviews to ensure they're opting for a company that will meet their service standards.

When comparing insurance companies, it’s important to look beyond coverage options and rates to ensure the product being purchased will be worth the investment. Consumers are advised to look at a company’s financial ratings to ascertain whether or not it will be able to uphold its obligations to its customers. As a subsidiary of Liberty Mutual, one of the largest corporations in the United States, Safeco offers outstanding financial strength and stability, making its insurance products as reliable as they are diverse. In this case, Liberty Mutual’s A, A2, and A+ ratings, from Standard & Poor, Moody, and AM Best, respectively, lend Safeco some additional legitimacy and offer the company’s customers the peace of mind that comes from knowing their covered claims will be paid out.

Compared to its competitors, Safeco offers a good variety of discounts, including those for vehicles, policies, and users. One savings opportunity that sets the company apart from other leading insurance companies is the “Own Your Own Home” discount for policyholders who own a primary residence in either a single family home, a mobile home, condo or townhouse. With Safeco, drivers can save up to 15% by combining their auto insurance policies with homeowners. Other discounts include the Safety Rewards and Teen Safety Rewards for good driving habits, a three-year discount for taking a defensive driver course, and low mileage discount, a multi-car discount, a safety equipment discount, and an anti-lock brakes discount. Safeco also states that one of the best ways to lower the cost of auto insurance is to increase the deductible amount under the policy. By assuming some of the risks of insuring their vehicles outright, policyholders can see a substantial decrease in their monthly premium payment. For more coverage options check out our review of the Top 10 Best Car Insurance Companies of 2019.