Over more than nine decades, Safeco Insurance has sold personal auto, homeowners and specialty insurance products. Safeco’s parent company, Liberty Mutual Group, is an insurance giant — the seventh-largest auto insurance seller, according to A.M. Best.
Where Safeco shines
- With auto insurance policies, Safeco reduces your collision deductible at your annual policy renewal time if you don’t make a claim (up to $500).
- With equipment breakdown coverage on homeowner policies, if an appliance breaks down, Safeco pays to replace it with an energy-efficient appliance of similar quality.
Where Safeco falls short
- The company scores only average for customer satisfaction for both auto and home insurance claims.
- You can file a claim only by phone; however, you can track the claim online.
at a glance
- A.M. Best financial strength rating: A (excellent) for parent Liberty Mutual.
- Consumer complaints: Safeco has more complaints against it than the industry median for a company of its size.
In this article
Homeowners insurance
Other insurance
Website and apps
Customer service and ratings
Next steps
Safeco has been offering personal insurance since 1923, when it was the General Insurance Co. of America in Seattle and known as The General. In 1953, General Insurance created a subsidiary called Selective Auto and Fire Insurance Co. of America. In 2008, Safeco became a part of Boston-based Liberty Mutual Insurance. Safeco policies are sold online and by more than 10,000 independent insurance agents across the country. Customer and claims service is available 24 hours a day.
» COMPARE: NerdWallet’s car insurance comparison tool
Safeco auto insurance
Safeco offers standard choices such as liability, collision and comprehensive, personal injury protection, medical payments and uninsured motorist coverage. Insurance options and requirements vary by state. Safeco policies include a few unusual features that set it apart from most insurers. These include:
- All policies include up to $10,000 of reimbursement for first aid the policyholder administers to others after an accident.
- You can score accident forgiveness after a certain number of years, based on your level of coverage, for having no car accidents or violations.
- If you don’t make a car insurance claim, Safeco will reduce your collision deductible each year by $100, up to $500.
In addition, you can choose these coverage options:
- When you insure your home and car with Safeco, you can pay only one deductible if both are damaged or lost in the same event, such as a tree falling on your garage.
- Rental reimbursement helps pay for a rental car while yours is being repaired after an accident.
- Roadside assistance covers towing to a qualified repair shop and helps you in case of a flat tire or dead battery, or if you’re locked out of your car.
Auto insurance discounts
Safeco’s discount options and amounts vary by state. Here are some of them:
- Bundling: Save up to 15% when you combine your auto and home insurance.
- Safe driver: If you have a good driving record, drive a safe car or take an accident-prevention course, you can qualify for discounts and other perks.
- Accident-prevention course: Older drivers — that means at least age 55 in most states — may qualify for a discount lasting three years by completing an approved accident-prevention course.
- Drive less: Save up to 20% with Safeco’s low mileage discount.
- Anti-theft devices: You can qualify for a discount if your car is equipped with an alarm or a device that disables the fuel or ignition system.
- Anti-lock brakes: In some states, you can qualify for a discount if your car has a factory-installed, four-wheel, anti-lock braking system.
Safeco homeowners insurance
Safeco home insurance policies can protect your home, personal belongings and other structures on your property. Liability coverage pays out if someone else is injured in your home and, in some cases, if you’re held legally responsible for damage caused to someone else’s property.
Additional living expenses coverage helps pay the cost of housing and living expenses for up to 24 months while your home is being repaired or rebuilt after a covered loss.
In addition, customers can choose to buy additional options such as:
- Identity recovery: If you’re the victim of identity theft, this will reimburse you for expenses related to restoring your identity, such as lost wages for time spent handling the problem, up to $25,000.
- Valuable articles protection: Covers jewelry, fine art, antiques, collectibles and valuable items that you specify, up to an agreed dollar amount. There’s no deductible.
- Equipment breakdown coverage: Replaces an appliance with an Energy Star-rated appliance of “like kind and quality” if it suffers an unexpected mechanical or electrical breakdown that’s not caused by normal use.
- Personal property replacement cost: Helps to pay for new items to replace your belongings that were damaged, lost or stolen, regardless of their age or condition.
Homeowners insurance discounts
Safeco home insurance discounts are available if:
- Your house was built within the past 10 years.
- You have a home burglar alarm or a sprinkler system in your home.
- You insure your home and car with Safeco.
- You live close to a fire station.
- You add coverage for your motorcycle, boat or RV.
Other insurance
Safeco also offers insurance for condos, renters, motorcycles, classic cars, RVs and boats. Umbrella insurance and landlord-protection insurance are also available.
Customer service and ratings
Safeco was ranked “about average” for customer satisfaction for both auto insurance and home insurance claims, according to 2015 studies by J.D. Power.
Liberty Mutual enjoys an A (excellent) rating for financial strength from A.M. Best, giving Safeco the benefit of sound financial security.
Website and apps
Safeco’s website is easy to navigate and allows you to track a claim, get a quote, pay your bill, view or download your policy documents and more. If you prefer the personal touch of an agent, Safeco has a network of thousands of insurance agents who can help. You can find one via the Safeco website.
Safeco has a free Home Inventory App that helps you create an inventory of your belongings and their value.
Next steps
If you’re looking for an experienced insurer with a broad line of insurance products, Safeco is worth a look. When comparing auto insurance quotes, NerdWallet’s comparison tool can help.
Juan Castillo is a staff writer at NerdWallet, a personal finance website. Email: jcastillo@nerdwallet.com. Twitter: @JCastilloNerd.
from NerdWallet
https://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/insurance/safeco-insurance-review/
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