Unitrin Direct Auto Insurance Review (2023)

What You Should Know About Unitrin Direct

Unitrin Direct Auto Insurance was discovered under the direction of CEO and company president Donald Southwell of Unitrin, Inc., and Timothy Bruns, Vice President of Unitrin Direct in the year 2000.

Although this is the date of its formal inception, the company combines over 80 years of experience under its two headquarters and offices in Vista, CA, Scranton and Plymouth, PA, Meridan, CT and Tampa, FL.

Unitrin Direct services its customers through the internet, and its 25 offices spread about the country. This business conglomerate has over 6 million policyholders and over 9 billion in company assets. According to A.M. Best, Unitrin Direct has an “A-, “which means the company is stable and has a superior ability to meet obligations to customers.

Unitrin Direct Auto Insurance Underwriters

Unitrin underwrites its policies through Unitrin Direct Property and Casualty Company, Home State Mutual Insurance Company, and Unitrin Direct Insurance Companies.

Its subsidiaries and affiliates are under numerous names and include:

• Warner Insurance
• Valley Insurance
• Valley Property and Casualty
• Trinity Universal Insurance
• Mutual Savings Fire
• National Merit
• Alpha Property and Casualty
• Charter Indemnity
• Financial Indemnity

There are many under the various Unitrin and Response Insurance names.

The company recently purchased eKemper Insurance Company in 2002.

The Kemper name was formally a registered name of Lumbermen’s Mutual Group. Trinity Universal purchased the Merastar Insurance Company in 2007 to expand its services.

The Unitrin Direct Marketing Concept

The company also recently revamped its marketing concept by merging the importance of customer service and technology in today’s insurance industry.

They identify this new concept as “iMingle.” Unitrin Direct recognized the needs of the new generation of policyholders and implemented this service idea in November of 2010.

Personal insurance is offered through a volunteer employer-sponsored benefit program.

The idea is to make insurance available directly to the public. Unitrin Direct is licensed in 48 states to offer policies on the company website or through the call center.

Unitrin Direct Preferred Insurance

The Merastar acquisition allows Unitrin Direct to capitalize on the group auto insurance market. Merastar has provided this type of auto insurance group coverage for over 30 years.

Under the Unitrin Direct name, it continues to provide Merastar’s elite group expertise. Every group representative is a licensed agent who is qualified to do business according to your company’s standards.

Your employees may take advantage of the benefits associated with pay-deducted premiums. The volunteer-employer-sponsored benefits program allows them to make payments painless and easy through payroll deductions.

They can go to your company website and link to Unitrin Direct to manage their accounts and track auto insurance claims.

This service requires no cost to you, the employer. It is a good plan for attracting recruits to your company. Deductions are scheduled around your payroll dates and coordinated with your administrator.

Unitrin Direct Specialty Division

The Unitrin Direct Specialty division is headquartered in Dallas with branches in Woodland Hills, CA and Salem, OR. This team of experts combines over 60 years of experience.

If you have an antique, classic car, muscle car, limousine fleet, or any vehicles that qualify for specialty coverage, you may be serviced by any of the company’s 8,500 independent brokers and agents in 23 states.

Unitrin Direct Insurance Claims Processing

Claims processing is the backbone of Unitrin Direct and its affiliates. Therefore, if you file a claim, you can rest assured that Unitrin Direct will provide you or your company with the resources it needs to make submission easy.

Watch this video on what you should do if you’re in an accident.

You can report claims around the clock for your convenience. Representatives are standing by to take the pertinent information necessary to process your claim quickly.

When you call to report an accident, have a windshield repaired, or damage to your parked vehicle, you will need the following information:

• Date of the incident
• Location of the incident
• People involved
• Vehicles involved
• Any injuries

Complete details are essential to the initial submission process. This will prepare the agent in offering guidance from that point on.

You will be given information on the company’s Gold Standard Repair Program if Unitrin Direct is to pay for the repairs. This can also be done on the Unitrin website with a zip code. They will locate a shop within a 25-mile radius of your home or office.

Unitrin Direct Career Opportunities

This outfit is continuously looking for new agents and other dedicated professionals to help improve Unitrin services. With $9 billion in assets, qualified individuals are bound to find a good fit. Some of the benefits this company offers its employees are:

• Eight holidays yearly
• 401K plans
• Pension plans
• A choice of two dental plans
• Vision coverage
• Flexible spending accounts
• Education reimbursement

There is an opportunity for growth for all employees. The company claims to hire without discrimination to any of the protected groups of people.

Unitrin Direct Customer Reviews

Many reported customer reviews are horror stories from people who are former and current policyholders. One customer said he was not allowed to cancel an auto insurance policy his ex-wife established when they divorced.

Another claimed they signed up for a six-month single payment policy, and the company renewed it without permission.

Many online auto insurance reviews are from individuals who were involved in auto accidents with Unitrin policyholders. Unitrin refused to pay their claims for various reasons.

Other frustrated reviewers complained about the customer service that they received when they finally made contact with a real person. Satisfied customer reviews are sprinkled in these lists of comments.

Unitrin Direct Insurance Rates Breakdown

Since Unitrin Direct is a subsidiary of Kemper Direct, it will be available in all the areas where Kemper Direct conducts business.

Kemper Direct is in the top 25 auto insurance companies in the auto insurance industry.

Looking for Unitrin Direct Auto Insurance quotes? Unitrin Direct and Kemper Direct don’t post much about their auto insurance rates because they want potential customers to get a personalized quote from them.

However, we can show you the average auto insurance cost by coverage rate. Keep in mind that these rates will change based on the company you’re with, the vehicle you drive, where you live, how old you are, driving record, and your credit score.

For now, let’s look at the average insurance cost based on the latest research from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).

The base auto insurance rates are affordable. When auto insurance companies start factoring in different parts to determine auto insurance, your auto insurance quote will increase.

Are you looking to buy Unitrin Direct auto insurance?  You can find great auto insurance rates from top auto insurance companies in your local area now! Just enter your ZIP code in the FREE comparison tool!

Unitrin Direct Discounts Available

Discounts are crucial to Unitrin Direct policyholders, and Unitrin recognizes this need. Although the company claims that new policyholders save approximately $574 per year in comparison to other major carriers, additional auto insurance discounts may be available.

Some of those savings worth mentioning include:

• Advanced premium payments
• Larger deductibles
• Safe driver discounts
• Club and organization discounts (i.e., AARP)
• Multiple car discounts

Unitrin agents will guide you in personalizing your policy to help you identify every savings you deserve. Existing policyholders can also make changes to their policy at any time.

And you won’t know your savings with any of the best auto insurance companies unless you get quotes and ask about those discounts!