Auto-Owners Insurance review 2024
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At a glance
BEST BUDGET AUTO INSURANCE COMPANY
Score breakdown
Auto
4.3
Cost & ratings
4.7
Coverage
4.0
Support
3.8
Home
4.6
Cost & ratings
4.8
Coverage
4.3
Support
4.5
About Bankrate Score
Auto-Owners could be a good fit if you are looking for insurance policies that can be highly personalized to your needs. Coverage is only available in 26 states, though, so it’s not an option for everyone.
Who Auto-Owners may be good for: Auto-Owners operates through a network of local licensed agents and could be a good match for those looking for more personalized customer service.
Who Auto-Owners may not be good for: Auto-Owners lacks a bit in digital tools, so it may not be the best insurer for those who prefer to manage their policies completely online.
We want to know what you think about Auto-Owners
Do you have experience with Auto-Owners? Let us know your thoughts.
Auto-Owners car insurance
Auto-Owners car insurance may be appealing to drivers looking for highly customizable coverage and plenty of discount options. Policies are available in 26 states and the company operates via a network of independent agents. Auto-Owners offers standard auto insurance coverage types as well as several endorsement options. To personalize your coverage, you can choose additional protections, such as road trouble service, additional expense coverage, loan/lease gap and diminished value coverage.
If you’re within its service area, Auto-Owners could be one of the best car insurance companies available, and our unique Bankrate Score model reflects that. The company’s auto Score is impacted by limited state availability and lower-than-average J.D. Power scores, but bolstered by robust and unique offerings.
Why Auto-Owners won
Auto-Owners' annual premium for full coverage car insurance is $1,361 — 36% lower than the national average. Additionally, Auto-Owners has lower than average customer complaints and offers personal service and various discounts and customization options which is why it tied with Geico for Bankrate’s Best Budget Auto Insurance Company award.
Pros and cons of Auto-Owners car insurance
If you’re shopping for new coverage, you may be gathering car insurance quotes and comparing auto insurance rates. While price is important — we discuss Auto-Owners’ average premiums below — other factors can be impactful as well. Below are some pros and cons of Auto-Owners car insurance based on our assessment:
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Robust endorsement offerings
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Several discounts
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Local agents available
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Only available in 26 states
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Lower-than-average J.D. Power claims satisfaction score
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Lower-than-average J.D. Power customer satisfaction score in most regions
Auto-Owners car insurance cost
On average, car insurance from Auto-Owners costs an average of $1,696 per year for full coverage and $440 per year for minimum coverage, according to Bankrate’s study of quoted annual premiums. Comparatively, the national average cost of car insurance is $2,278 per year for full coverage and $621 per year for minimum coverage. Below, we showcase Auto-Owners’ average premiums compared to the national average for a range of driver profiles.
Auto-Owners car insurance rates by driving history
If you’re looking for cheap car insurance, you should understand how your driving record impacts your insurance rates. Drivers with tickets, at-fault accidents or DUIs tend to pay higher rates because they are viewed as being more likely to file a claim. Bankrate has tracked average rates by driving record for several years, and you can see our analysis for Auto-Owners auto insurance in the table below. Be aware that coverage may not be extended after a DUI in all cases, so it’s important to speak with a licensed agent to discuss eligibility.
| Auto-Owners full coverage premium | National full coverage premium | |
|---|---|---|
| Clean driving history | $1,696 | $2,311 |
| Speeding ticket conviction | $1,981 | $2,789 |
| At-fault accident | $2,272 | $3,299 |
| DUI conviction | $3,656 | $4,426 |
Auto-Owners car insurance quotes by age
Your age and the ages of any other drivers on your policy are also a big factor in how much you’ll pay for car insurance (in states that permit age as a rating factor). Younger drivers are more likely to get into accidents — and thus cost the insurance company money in the form of a claim payout — so they tend to pay higher rates. This is especially true for teen drivers. Keeping young drivers on their parents’ policy can help mitigate some of the cost. The average rates below are for drivers with clean driving records across several ages.
Average cost of car insurance for drivers on their parents’ policy
| Auto-Owners full coverage premium | National full coverage premium | |
|---|---|---|
| Age 16 | $4,022 | $4,974 |
| Age 17 | $3,307 | $4,603 |
| Age 18 | $3,037 | $4,280 |
| Age 19 | $2,846 | $3,739 |
| Age 20 | $2,728 | $3,529 |
Average cost of car insurance for drivers on their own policy
Auto-Owners car insurance discounts
Auto-Owners offers drivers plenty of ways to save on car insurance. Some standout discounts from Auto-Owners include:
Auto-Owners home insurance
Our Auto-Owners Insurance review revealed that the company could be a great home insurance option for those who are looking for endorsements to build personalized coverage. Auto-Owners offers plenty of coverage types to help you create the policy that fits your needs. On top of standard coverage types like dwelling, other structures and liability coverage, you may also have the option to add extras like identity theft coverage, home cyber protection, guaranteed home replacement, sewer backup coverage and equipment breakdown. Auto-Owners also offers a Homeowners Plus endorsement which adds several add-ons, such as coverage for damage to your property caused by household appliances, with one endorsement.
Auto-Owners has a decent Bankrate Score for home insurance, but the rating is pulled down by the company’s lack of national availability, as well as its lack of credit ratings from Standard and Poor’s (S&P) and Moody’s.
Pros and cons of Auto-Owners home insurance
When you’re looking for the best home insurance company for your needs, analyzing a range of metrics can be helpful. Comparing home insurance quotes from several companies and looking at factors in addition to price can be a good strategy to make sure a company meets your needs. Here are some of the pros and cons of Auto-Owners home insurance that we identified in our review:
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Numerous coverage options and discounts available
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Much lower-than-average NAIC complaint index
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Local agents available to help you choose appropriate coverage
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Not available nationwide
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Digital tools aren’t as robust as those from some competitors
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Lower-than-average J.D. Power rating for property claims satisfaction
Auto-Owners home insurance cost
On average, home insurance from Auto-Owners costs $1,544 per year for a policy with $300,000 in dwelling coverage. For context, the national average cost of home insurance is $2,230 annually for the same coverage amount. Your rates will vary based on your unique situation, including how much coverage you need. Below, you can see Auto-Owners’ average premiums compared to the national averages for a range of dwelling coverage limits.
| Dwelling coverage limit | Auto-Owners average premium | National average premium |
|---|---|---|
| $150K dwelling | $1,074 | $1,354 |
| $300K dwelling | $1,544 | $2,230 |
| $350K dwelling | $1,720 | $2,490 |
| $450K dwelling | $2,080 | $3,020 |
| $750K dwelling | $3,070 | $4,451 |
Auto-Owners home insurance discounts
If you’re searching for a cheap home insurance policy, Auto-Owners offers several ways to save on home insurance. If you’re looking to lower your rate, check if you’re eligible for any home discounts from Auto-Owners, including these relatively uncommon options:
Auto-Owners life insurance
Auto-Owners life insurance could be a good fit for policyholders who need coverage and already have their home or auto insured with the company. Auto-Owners offers a life multi-policy discount, which could earn you some additional savings on your auto or home policy if you also have an Auto-Owners’ life insurance policy. While quotes from different life insurance companies don’t vary as much as auto or home insurance for similar policy types, shopping around and comparing life insurance quotes could still help you find additional policy types or perks best fit your financial planning needs.
Auto-Owners offers several types of life insurance, including term life, whole life and universal life insurance policies, which means that there are multiple options for finding the right policy type for your needs.
Pros and cons of Auto-Owners life insurance
Some shoppers simply want the cheapest life insurance they can find, and price is always an important factor. There are a few other things you should consider about a life insurance company, though, like if it offers endorsements that you need and what kinds of coverage it offers. Here, we’ve identified some perks and drawbacks of Auto-Owners life insurance:
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Having a policy may qualify you for auto or home insurance savings
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Several types of life insurance available
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Licensed local agents can guide you through the life insurance process
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No online quotes available
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No endorsements advertised online
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Does not advertise a no-medical-exam option
Auto-Owners life insurance endorsements
Auto-Owners does not list specific life insurance endorsements on its website. However, the carrier does note that endorsements are available for each policy type. The best way to know which life insurance options can be added to your policy is to talk with an independent Auto-Owners agent. Remember that adding endorsements to your policy will likely increase the cost of your life insurance, but it will also mean you have broader coverage.
Compare life insurance providers quickly and easily
See which provider is right for you.
Whole life insurance combines life insurance with an investment component.
- Coverage for life
- Tax-deferred savings benefit if premiums are paid
- 3 variations of permanent insurance: whole life, universal life and variable life include investment component
Term life insurance is precisely what the name implies: an insurance policy that is good for a specific term of time.
- Fixed premium over term
- No savings benefits
- Outliving policy or policy cancellation results in no money back
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Compare Auto-Owners with other insurers
Shopping for insurance usually means getting quotes from a few different home and car insurance companies. This allows you to compare rates, coverage offerings, discount options and third-party agency ratings for things like financial strength or customer satisfaction. If you’re interested in Auto-Owners, these companies may also be worth including in your quote comparison:
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Featured
Auto-Owners
4.5
Bankrate scores primarily reflect a weighted rank of industry standard ratings for financial strength and customer experience, in addition to average quoted rates. A secondary assessment of each provider's online and mobile resources and policy management options also contributed to overall ratings
Cost & ratings 4.8Coverage 4.2Support 4.2 |
AAA
3.8
Bankrate scores primarily reflect a weighted rank of industry standard ratings for financial strength and customer experience, in addition to average quoted rates. A secondary assessment of each provider's online and mobile resources and policy management options also contributed to overall ratings
Cost & ratings 3.8Coverage 3.4Support 4.2 |
Erie
4.2
Bankrate scores primarily reflect a weighted rank of industry standard ratings for financial strength and customer experience, in addition to average quoted rates. A secondary assessment of each provider's online and mobile resources and policy management options also contributed to overall ratings
Cost & ratings 4.6Coverage 3.9Support 3.8 |
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OVERVIEW
Bankrate identified key carrier features, coverage offerings, discounts and more
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Auto-Owners could be a good fit if you are looking for insurance policies that can be highly personalized to your needs. Coverage is only available in 26 states, though, so it’s not an option for everyone.
Read More
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AAA may be better known for its roadside assistance packages and membership perks, but the company also offers solid home and auto insurance options and a long list of discounts. Membership is required though, so if you’d rather not commit to a membership, Auto-Owners might be the better insurance option.
Read More
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If you prefer working with a local independent agent, Erie may offer the personalized customer experience you’re looking for. Like Auto-Owners, Erie’s policies offer robust coverage options. Coverage is only available in 12 states and Washington, D.C., though, so Auto-Owners might be better if you live outside of Erie’s coverage area.
Read More
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STANDOUT FEATURES
These features are some of the carrier’s most impressive
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Offers diminished value coverage
Discounts for young drivers
Bundling discount options
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Local agents available
Geographic-focused coverage options
Additional AAA perks
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Erie Rate Lock stabilizes rates
Includes pet coverage
Roadside assistance and rental reimbursement
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AVG FULL COV. AUTO RATE
Average national annual cost of a full coverage auto insurance policy
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$1,696 |
$2,246 | $1,901 |
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J.D. POWER AUTO SCORE
J.D. Power’s Auto Claims Satisfaction Study assesses customer satisfaction with the claims experience on a 1,000-point scale
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| 865/1000 | 847/1000 |
893/1000 |
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AVG HOME RATE
Average national annual cost of a home insurance policy with $300K in dwelling coverage
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$1,544 |
$1,845 | $1,827 |
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J.D. POWER HOME SCORE
J.D. Power’s Property Claims Satisfaction Study assesses customer satisfaction with the claims experience on a 1,000-point scale
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| 834/1000 | 808/1000 |
856/1000 |
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AM BEST RATING
AM Best ratings assess companies’ financial strength based on historical ability to pay out claims, among other financial obligations
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A++(Superior) |
A(Excellent) | A+(Superior) |
Is Auto-Owners Insurance a good insurance company?
Auto-Owners may be a good company if you want to work with local agents, bundle multiple types of coverage with one company and personalize your policies to your specific needs. The company stands out for its broad range of endorsements and discount offerings. Auto-Owners doesn’t have the best customer satisfaction ratings though, so it may be a good idea to talk with current policyholders before buying a policy.
Auto-Owners customer satisfaction
Understanding how to assess the overall level of policyholder satisfaction with a company can be an important tool as you search for the best insurer for you. To analyze satisfaction, we look at third-party scores from companies like J.D. Power, which reviews overall customer, digital experience and claims satisfaction. We also review AM Best financial strength ratings to get a sense of a company’s historical ability to pay claims. Auto-Owners has an A++ (Superior) financial strength rating — the highest level available — from AM Best. This means that, historically, Auto-Owners has been financially strong enough to pay claims, even in situations where many claims are filed simultaneously.
| Study or Rating agency | Auto-Owners | Industry average |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 J.D. Power Digital Experience Study - Service | 688/1,000 | 702/1,000 |
| 2023 J.D. Power Digital Experience Study - Shopping | 507/1,000 | 521/1,000 |
| AM Best rating | A++ (Superior) | N/A |
The 2023 J.D. Power U.S. Auto Insurance Study ranked companies in 11 regions by analyzing satisfaction across five categories, including billing processes, general interaction and policy offerings. Auto-Owners isn’t a national company and was only ranked in five regions, but in three of those five, it scored below the industry average. However, the company ranked above average for claims satisfaction in the J.D. Power 2023 U.S. Auto Claims Satisfaction Study.
Auto-Owners customer complaints
Bankrate also evaluated complaint indexes from the National Association of Commissioners (NAIC) in our Auto-Owners insurance review. The NAIC Complaint Index is an extremely helpful metric when comparing insurance companies. It tracks the number of complaints policyholders file against their insurance provider and assigns each insurance product line a score. It uses 1.00 as its benchmark. Complaint indexes higher than 1.00 mean a company receives more complaints than expected, while a score less than 1.00 means it receives fewer.
When looking at complaints filed with the NAIC, Auto-Owners performed better than average. Its lower index indicates better satisfaction with the company than other companies of a similar size. Regardless, it may be helpful to talk to current policyholders before committing to Auto-Owners based on its service level as indicated by J.D. Power.
Auto-Owners’ NAIC Complaint Index for home insurance is also better than average. This indicates that very few policyholders are filing formal complaints about the company. Like with its auto insurance policies, it may be helpful to speak with active Auto-Owners home customers to get a better grasp on its customer service, though, since the company’s low complaint index seems in opposition to its lower-than-average J.D. Power customer satisfaction scores.
Other Auto-Owners tools and benefits
In addition to auto, home and life insurance, Auto-Owners offers several other insurance solutions and other benefits. If you like to keep all your insurance needs with one carrier, Auto-Owners might have additional coverage types of interest to you. Besides the products already listed, Auto-Owners may be helpful for the following:
- Purchase price guarantee: To avoid depreciation being factored into your vehicle’s valuation, Auto-Owners offers this option to ensure your coverage is based on its original purchase price.
- Rental dwelling: If you own and rent properties, you may need landlord insurance.
- Renters insurance: A renters insurance policy from Auto-Owners can help protect your personal property, provide additional living expenses and add a layer of personal liability coverage.
- Umbrella: Umbrella insurance provides extra liability coverage to protect your finances.
- Condominium: Auto-Owners offers HO-6 insurance policies to help protect policyholders living in condos.
- Flood insurance: Auto-Owners can help facilitate the purchase of a National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) flood insurance policy, which provides coverage for damages caused by flooding.
- Boat: If you have a boat, jet ski or other watercraft, Auto-Owners might have an insurance solution for you.
- Motorcycle insurance: If your vehicle has two wheels instead of four, Auto-Owners may be able to help you insure your motorcycle.
- ATV/off-road vehicle: Auto-Owners’ ATV and off-road vehicle policies are similar to its car insurance ones — with additional coverage for helmets, boots and other safety gear.
- Motorhome & RV: Many of the discounts available for car insurance may also apply to motorhome and RV insurance.
- Trailer: Auto-Owners offers options to insure utility trailers.
- Business: If you own a business, Auto-Owners could be a good option. The company offers several business insurance products, including commercial auto, commercial umbrella, bonds and workers compensation.
- Farm insurance: With Auto-Owners, you can purchase coverage for your farming equipment. This coverage can also add financial protection in case of pollution spills. However, farm insurance is not available in all states where Auto-Owners does business.
- Pet insurance: Auto-Owners partners with Figo to provide pet insurance, which is essentially a health insurance policy for your animal.
Keep in mind that coverage options may vary by state, so talking with an agent or representative of the company can help you determine what’s available in your area.
Frequently asked questions about Auto-Owners Insurance
Methodology
Auto
Bankrate utilizes Quadrant Information Services to analyze July 2024 rates for all ZIP codes and carriers in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Rates are weighted based on the population density in each geographic region. Quoted rates are based on a 40-year-old male and female homeowners with a clean claims and incidents history, good credit and the following coverage limits:
- $100,000 bodily injury liability per person
- $300,000 bodily injury liability per accident
- $50,000 property damage liability per accident
- $100,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury per person
- $300,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury per accident
- $500 collision deductible
- $500 comprehensive deductible
To determine minimum coverage limits, Bankrate used minimum coverage that meets each state’s requirements. Our base profile drivers own a 2021 Toyota Camry, commute five days a week and drive 12,000 miles annually.
These are sample rates and should only be used for comparative purposes.
Age: Rates were calculated by evaluating our base profile with the ages 16-60 (base: 40 years) applied. Depending on age, drivers may be a renter or homeowner. Age is not a contributing rating factor in Hawaii and Massachusetts.
The rates for drivers ages 16-20 added to their parents' policy reflect the good student and driver's training discounts applied. The rates for drivers aged 16-20 on their own policy do not include the good student and driver's training discounts. Additionally, 25-year-old rates are based on the driver as a renter and 30+ on the driver as a homeowner.
Incidents: Rates were calculated by evaluating our base profile with the following incidents applied: clean record (base), single speeding ticket and single at-fault accident.
Homeowners
- Coverage A, Dwelling: $150,000, $300,000, $350,000, $450,000, $750,000
- Coverage B, Other Structures: $15,000, $30,000, $35,000, $45,000, $75,000
- Coverage C, Personal Property: $75,000, $150,000, $175,000, $225,000, $375,000
- Coverage D, Loss of Use: $30,000, $60,000, $70,000, $90,000, $150,000
- Coverage E, Liability: $500,000
- Coverage F, Medical Payments: $1,000
The homeowners also have a $1,000 deductible, a $500 hail deductible and a 2 percent hurricane deductible (or the next closest deductible amounts that are available) where separate deductibles apply.
These are sample rates and should be used for comparative purposes only. Your quotes will differ.
Bankrate Scores
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Cost & ratings 50%
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Coverage & savings 30%
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Support 20%
