Auto-Owners Auto Insurance Review (2023)

What You Should Know About Auto-Owners Insurance Group

With excellent interactions, financial ratings, and low rates, Auto-Owners is one of the top insurance companies in the country. Auto-Owners sets itself apart by using local agents for most needs, including quotes and policy changes. Many other top insurers allow customers to get quotes and make changes online.

Auto-Owners also offers drivers multiple insurance options and numerous auto insurance discounts. As a result, many drivers may find the company meets all their insurance needs.

However, Auto-Owners requires you to use a local agent for most needs. While you can pay your bill online or through the app, your agent must give you quotes and help with any insurance needs, like a policy change or filing a claim.

Our Auto-Owners auto insurance review finds that the insurer is a good fit for drivers who like face-to-face service and need multiple insurance products, such as auto and homeowners coverage. However, the company isn’t a good fit for drivers who want to do everything online.

Where to Get Affordable Auto-Owners Auto Insurance

Auto-Owners is only available in 26 states, and rates vary by driver and state. Here is a list of the states where Auto-Owners insurance is available:

While rates are typically below average, some states like Colorado see higher than average Auto-Owners rates.

Auto-Owners Auto Insurance Review and Company Ratings

While insurance rates are vital, so are ratings. It’s important to know your insurer is there when you need it. Fortunately, Auto-Owners has low rates and excellent ratings.

A.M. Best rates insurance companies on financial stability. Auto-Owners received an A+ rating, showing a superior ability to meet financial obligations.

A loss ratio also shows how an insurance company is doing financially — it shows that a company takes in more money than it pays out. The Auto-Owners loss ratio is just over 60%, which is average and means the company isn’t in financial danger.

The Better Business Bureau rates companies on how well it interacts with its customers. Auto-Owners received an A+ rating and accreditation. However, Auto-Owners customer satisfaction ratings are below average. According to J.D. Power, the company earned a 4.2/5 rating. 

Auto-Owners Insurance Group Insurance Coverage Options

Auto-Owners offers all the typical car insurance coverages, allowing drivers to customize their policy with preferred coverages.

Car insurance coverages offered by Auto-Owners include:

• Liability. Liability auto insurance pays for bodily injuries and property damage to others.
• Collision. Collision auto insurance covers damages to your vehicle from an accident.
• Comprehensive. Comprehensive auto insurance pays for damages to your car unrelated to an accident, like fire, theft, and acts of nature.
• Uninsured/underinsured motorist. Uninsured Motorist Coverage (UIM) Auto Insurance pays for damages if the at-fault driver has little or no insurance.
• Medical payments. Medical payments coverage pays for medical costs, such as doctor bills and prescriptions, after an accident.
• Personal injury protection. Personal injury protection insurance pays for related expenses after an accident, such as lost wages and child care.

While your state typically only requires liability coverage, you can gain more protection for yourself, your passengers, and your vehicle by adding some of the above coverages.

Specialty Auto-Owners Auto Insurance Coverage Options

In addition to traditional car insurance, Auto-Owners offers other coverages and features drivers may add to their policy.

Additional coverages include:

• Roadside assistance. With one of the best roadside assistance plans, you can get a jump-start, fuel delivery, locksmith services, or towing.
• Glass and windshield repair. Full glass coverage is one option. Glass and windshield repair pays for repairs or replacement if the glass in your vehicle gets damaged.
• Gap coverage. Gap insurance pays the difference between what you owe on your vehicle and its worth.
• Additional expense. This coverage pays for a rental car, lodging, and fuel if your vehicle gets damaged on a trip. Rental car reimbursement pays for you to have a rental car while your car is being repaired.
• Diminished value. Diminished value pays the difference between what your car was worth before and after an accident.
• Personal automobile plus. This package contains ten coverages, including identity theft protection and rekeying locks.
• Accident forgiveness. Accident forgiveness won’t raise your rates for your first at-fault accident. See the best accident forgiveness auto insurance companies in our article.
• Classic car coverage. Classic car auto insurance coverage takes care of repairs and replacement of classic cars with different needs.
• Modified vehicle coverage. Modified vehicle coverage insures modifications such as a wheelchair ramp. Find out more about auto insurance companies that insure modified cars in our article.

Auto-Owners also provides TrueRide, a usage-based auto insurance program that monitors safe driving habits, such as phone usage, and offers a discount based on your driving. Fortunately, your rates won’t increase if you drive poorly.

Other Types of Insurance from Auto-Owners

Despite the name, Auto-Owners offers more than just auto insurance, including other insurance and financial products.

Insurance products offered by Auto-Owners included:

• Homeowners
• Renters
• Condo
• Life
• Pet
• Motorcycle
• Boat
• RV
• Business

Auto-Owners offers robust coverage, especially for your home. It also covers injuries to anyone on your property, personal possessions, and lodging if policyholders need to stay elsewhere.

Auto-Owners also offers several life insurance products, such as whole, universal, and term life. Policyholders also get discounts for bundling life, home, and auto policies.

In addition, Auto-Owners offers financial products, including annuities and disability income. Drivers looking for multiple policies and financial products may find everything they’re looking for with Auto-Owners.

Auto-Owners Auto Insurance App Review

Through the Auto-Owners insurance app, drivers can access insurance information, make a payment, and request roadside assistance. However, while drivers can check the status of their claim with the app, they can’t file a claim.

The Auto-Owners app isn’t as robust as other insurance company apps, which generally allow drivers to file claims and change coverages. The Auto-Owners app received a 3.2/5 rating in the Google Play Store and a 3/5 rating in the Apple App Store.

Auto-Owners Insurance Group Insurance Rates Breakdown

Many factors, like age, driving record, and location, affect your auto insurance rates. Every company weighs your factors differently and offers different rates. Coverage amount also affects your rates. While most states only require liability auto insurance, it doesn’t provide any protection for your vehicle. However, liability-only rates are the lowest.

Fortunately, Auto-Owners car insurance rates are lower than average but vary by driver. This table shows average auto insurance rates by state.

While full coverage is more expensive, it typically includes liability, collision, comprehensive, and other mandatory coverages. In addition, full coverage requires the lowest out-of-pocket expenses if your vehicle gets in an accident.

Remember, your location also plays a part in car insurance rates. Every state creates its own rules and regulations that may cause your rates to be higher than average.

How Age and Gender Impact Auto-Owner Auto Insurance Rates

It’s no secret that young drivers pay much higher auto insurance rates since they lack experience behind the wheel. However, you might not know that married drivers generally have much lower rates since they tend to be less risky to cover.

On the other hand, male drivers statistically are more risky drivers and tend to be in more accidents. Men pay more for auto insurance than women.  Young male drivers can expect the highest rates of all.

Check out this table to see how your age and gender and affect Auto-Owners car insurance rates.

Even though Auto-Owners rates are low, young drivers still pay almost double what older, more experienced drivers pay. Auto insurance for a 16-year-old is more expensive than for a young or older adult.

How Driving Records Impact Auto-Owner Auto Insurance Rates

Your driving record is one of the most significant factors determining your car insurance rates. It lets your auto insurance company predict if you’re a risk to insure and likely to cost it money.

Drivers with tickets, accidents, and DUIs spend significantly more on auto insurance than drivers with clean driving records. Insurance companies check driving records which can affect your car insurance rates.

For comparison, look at this table showing average Auto-Owners rates based on driving history with a speeding ticket.

In addition, here are the rates for drivers with an accident on their record at Auto-Owners.

Finding auto insurance with a DUI on your record can be more difficult. Read our article to learn "What is a DUI?" And for Auto-Owners drivers with a DUI, take a look at the table below to get a better idea of how much your rates will increase.

Although Auto-Owners rates don’t increase drastically after an accident or ticket, multiple infractions will significantly raise your rates. Additionally, you may be required to buy high-risk auto insurance at more expensive rates if you’re very risky to insure.

Auto-Owners Insurance Group Discounts Available

Auto insurance discounts are a great way to lower rates, and Auto-Owners offers multiple discounts based on the driver, policy, and vehicle. For example, drivers may qualify for safe driver, paid in full, and anti-theft device discounts.

There are also discounts for good students, away student discounts, and other savings if the young driver uses telematics to monitor driving. However, Auto-Owners auto insurance rates for young drivers aren’t costly, as discounts lower rates significantly.

Since Auto-Owners offers so many insurance products, drivers can bundle multiple policies for the most savings on top of car insurance discounts.