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Safeco Car Insurance Review

Customizable coverage through independent agent service ​
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Car repair guarantees
Robust mobile app
One deductible when bundling home and auto

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Reviews Report

  • Reviews.com scores Safeco auto insurance with a 4.4 out of 5 of all the best carriers, based on the carrier’s financial stability, coverage options, and customer reviews.
  • Safeco provides unique add-ons such as first aid reimbursement, electronic key replacement, and custom vehicle equipment insurance.
  • Backed by Liberty Mutual Insurance, Safeco is the sixth-largest insurance provider in the country. 

Seattle-based Safeco car insurance offers quality vehicle and home insurance that can be bundled for the ultimate in savings. The carrier’s line is available through independent agents nationwide and features a new and improved mobile app that can help you with basic insurance needs after hours. We looked at Safeco auto insurance reviews, ratings from independent studies, the company’s insurance options, and discounts available for our Safeco auto insurance review. If you are in an area covered by it, consider a Safeco auto insurance quote to see how much you’ll pay for the following features.

Safeco Car Insurance Overview

Reviews.com Score:
4.4
In business since:
1923
AM Best: AM Best rates insurance providers creditworthiness. Ratings are based on the provider’s ability to follow through with a payout when a consumer files a claim.
A
J.D. Power: J.D. Power scores are based on surveys for customer satisfaction and product quality.
826*
States served:
50 + D.C.

Safeco’s optional coverages such as rideshare, pet coverage, and custom vehicle equipment insurance make it popular among younger drivers. YouGov claims the carrier is more popular with millennials than any other group. 

Other Safeco auto insurance reviews include a score from customers of 870 out of 1,000 from J.D. Power’s auto claims satisfaction study and an average score of 826 out of 1,000 across all regions. Respondents rated Safeco based on its claims service, as well as its repair and reimbursement process. The easiest way to file a claim is through the website or mobile app which lets customers contact an agent, find a repair shop nearby, request a rental vehicle, and even take photos of vehicle damage in just a few taps using the guided process.

PROS

  • Guaranteed repair: Safeco offers customers a guarantee on car repairs done at in-network repair shops.
  • Nationwide availability: Safeco auto insurance is available in all states and is sold through independent agents nationwide.
  • Digital presence: The mobile app was recently redesigned and updated to handle many insurance needs.
  • Save with bundles: Drivers can buy car and home, condo, or renters insurance together for maximum service and savings.

CONS

  • Mixed Safeco auto insurance reviews: Although the carrier scores well in J.D. Power’s studies, it has a higher than average NAIC complaint index.
  • No online purchasing: Customers can get started with a Safeco quote online but need to complete it through an agent.
  • Limited discounts: Safeco only advertises a small handful of discounts on its website.

Safeco Car Insurance Highlights

Coverage
Customer Experience
Discounts & Add-ons
Claims

You will find the minimum amount of insurance your state requires to legally drive with Safeco. The options, which vary according to your state’s requirements include: 

  • Bodily injury liability
  • Property damage liability
  • Uninsured/underinsured motorist
  • Medical payments
  • Personal injury protection (PIP)

Most states only expect you to carry liability insurance. However, liability insurance only covers damages and losses you cause to third parties. To include coverage for your vehicle and property, full car insurance is available by adding comprehensive and collision insurance.

Safeco auto insurance reviews from the top independent agencies are mixed. Policyholder respondents in the J.D. Power claims and overall customer satisfaction studies are positive. Safeco scores 826 and 870 out of 1,000 in the auto insurance satisfaction and auto claims satisfaction studies, respectively. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners keeps a database of customer complaints and Safeco logged 152 complaints in 2020 while also indexing higher than average in customer complaints.

Safeco’s optional coverages and discounts are two areas where the carrier stands out. Safeco’s add-ons include:

  • New vehicle replacement
  • Rental car reimbursement
  • Claims-free cash back
  • Diminishing deductible
  • Guaranteed repairs
  • Roadside assistance
  • Rideshare coverage

Safeco advertises the following car insurance discounts:

  • Safety features such as anti-theft devices and anti-lock brakes
  • Safe driver
  • Multi-vehicle coverage
  • RightTrack safe driving program

The RightTrack program tracks customers’ driving through the mobile app to determine safe habits and discount premiums accordingly. The safer someone drives, the more they will save.

Filing a claim is one of Safeco’s strengths. Although an independent agent and the 24-hour hotline of 1-800-332-3226 is available to help, the simplest way is to use the mobile app or website to file a claim. The mobile app’s new functionality even guides users through the photo-taking process to ensure they get the most accurate estimate if a repair is necessary or an estimator needs to review them.

Safeco’s Car Insurance Bundling Discounts for Cheaper Insurance

Safeco’s car insurance and home insurance bundling is a great way to save on insurance. Not only is having home, condo, or renters insurance necessary to protect personal property and/or belongings, but most insurance companies offer a discount when customers buy car insurance and home insurance under the same account.

The Safeco Package not only offers 15% off premiums when customers bundle home and auto insurance, but if the home or vehicle are damaged in the same incident, like a weather disaster, customers will only have to pay one deductible to cover both losses.

Safeco Car Insurance vs. The Competition 

ProviderReviews.com ScoreJ.D. Power Customer Satisfaction*AM BestDiscounts
Safeco4.4826A4
Liberty Mutual4.4827A+17
Root4.6N/AN/A3
SafeAuto4.3N/AN/A3

Information accurate as of June 2021

*J.D. Power’s 2021 Auto Insurance Satisfaction Study. Based on a 1,000-point scale.

Safeco vs. Liberty Mutual

Safeco is a subsidiary of the larger parent company, Liberty Mutual. They both share the same financial rating of A for stability. However, you will find far more discounts with Liberty Mutual, as it advertises 17 discounts on its site compared to Safeco’s four. Additionally, both carriers share the RightTrack program, which tracks driving habits to discount you substantially based on safe driving skills.

Safeco vs. Root

Root uses a telematics-based mobile app that tracks drivers’ habits and sets car insurance premiums based on the data, and it’s a relatively new company. On the other hand, Safeco offers a drive-tracking app, but not to set premiums, only to determine possible discounts available for safe driving. Furthermore, Safeco and Root have a similar amount of discounts for drivers advertised, around three or four. 

Safeco vs. SafeAuto

Both insurance companies have names that are similar enough to cause some confusion. SafeAuto offers car insurance for high-risk drivers requiring SR-22s or affordable rates for coverage. Safeco car insurance, a subsidiary of Liberty Mutual, offers insurance to safer drivers who can take advantage of discounts such as diminishing deductibles and claims-free cash back.

Safeco Car Insurance FAQ

Methodology

We evaluated Safeco car insurance based on discounts, coverage, online resources, financial strength, and customer satisfaction to determine Reviews.com scores and create our best car insurance reviews. To compare car insurance companies with other providers across the board, we calculate each Reviews.com score based on the following:

  • Discounts: Auto insurance companies that advertised more discounts received higher scores in our methodology.
  • Financial Stability: Reviews.com utilized AM Best ratings to assign a score based on each car insurance company’s financial stability.
  • Customer Satisfaction: J.D. Power ranks car insurance companies by customer satisfaction, so we used its 2021 Auto Insurance Satisfaction Study to compare the average rating of insurers across all regions.
  • Coverage: Car insurance companies were awarded higher scores for advertised coverages beyond the body liability, property liability, collision, and personal injury protection.
  • Online Resources: We reviewed the digital resources of each car insurance company and awarded higher scores to insurers with mobile claim estimates, digital insurance cards, and more.

About the Authors

Cynthia Paez Bowman is a contributing writer for Reviews.com. Over the last two years, she has covered insurance, home security and more. She has been featured in MSN, Bankrate, Coverage.com, The Simple Dollar and GOBankingRates. She has dual bachelors degrees in International Business and Journalism from American University in Washington, D.C. “Is It Getting Harder to Get Home Insurance in High-Risk Areas?” is Cynthia’s favorite story on Reviews.com.

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