Safeco Insurance Reviews 2024
Trusted Choice's Safeco Insurance Score
4.5 Stars
Trusted Choice awards Safeco Insurance Company an overall rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars. The insurance company has been around for almost a century, which is remarkable within the insurance industry. It seems the carrier has used this time to their advantage. Safeco still specializes in providing customizable coverage paired with the expert advice of independent agents.
Safeco has received high ratings through AM Best and the BBB, and they are accredited through the latter organization. Coverage is offered in 45 states and they have many insurance options to choose from. The insurance company provides 24/7 claims reporting via phone and online, plus online or via phone bill pay, yet does not list its business hours for the customer service department anyplace.
There's a lot of information available about the carrier’s different coverage options on their official website. However, no claims response time frame promise or outline of their claims process are available. Although it was difficult to find a lot of customer feedback about Safeco online, there are a few really good reviews available if you know where to look. Fortunately, it is easy to say many positive things about this carrier.
Therefore, our recommendation is that if you're in the market for home or auto insurance, survey your options for trusted carriers with your independent insurance agent and look into how Safeco can help you out with home or auto insurance.
Safeco Insurance Company at a Glance:
Safeco offers coverage for affordable rates in most states across the US. Safeco insurance ratings are also very high from organizations like AM Best and the Better Business Bureau (BBB).
However, Safeco's customers don't rate the company nearly as high. From many Safeco insurance reviews, a high volume of customer dissatisfaction and complaints to websites like the BBB demonstrate that policyholders aren't being granted the coverage they were promised.
- Founded in 1923
- Backed by the financial strength of Liberty Mutual Insurance
- File and track online claims 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
- Free online quotes
- Low premium rates
- Coverage available in 45 states
- “A” (excellent) rating by AM Best
- “A+” (excellent) rating by Better Business Bureau (BBB)
Safeco Insurance Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Well-established carrier
- Nearly a century of experience in the insurance industry
- Highly rated by AM Best and the BBB
- 24/7 claims reporting
- Strong financial stability
- Coverage available in 45 states
Cons:
- Customer reviews are primarily negative
- No product reviews on the official website
- Coverage not available in every state
What Types of Insurance Does Safeco Offer?
Safeco is a specialized insurance company with a focus on coverage for auto and home. Safeco offers the following insurance products:
Safeco Auto & Vehicle Insurance
- Car & SUV
- Motorcycle
- Boat and watercraft
- Classic car
- RV/trailer/motorhome
- ATV and off-road vehicle
- Snowmobile
- Golf cart and low-speed vehicle
Safeco's car insurance is available for customers through local independent insurance agents, who can help them customize their policies with ease, so their coverage is a good choice for customers who want more control over their policies. The carrier offers the standard auto coverages you'd expect, such as medical payments, property damage, collision, and comprehensive. But the carrier also offers bonus coverages of rental car reimbursement and new vehicle replacement, which can reimburse for the cost of a comparable new car for customers who are a vehicle's original owner and have their vehicle stolen or totaled within one year or 15,000 miles.
Safeco's auto insurance received below-average scores from J.D. Power in the claims satisfaction department. However, the carrier has been rated "A" by AM Best and "A+" by the BBB, which is excellent. But financial -strength may not make up for the fact that Safeco also has a higher-than-average complaint index through the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) for its auto insurance.
Safeco auto insurance discounts
Safeco offers accident-free discounts, accident prevention course discounts, and vehicle safety features discounts. They also offer bundling discounts for customers who buy more than one type of coverage through Safeco, such as auto and home insurance.
Safeco Auto Insurance Reviews
- BBB Safeco auto insurance reviews: While the BBB's official rating for Safeco is an "A+," customer reviews for the carrier's coverage are an average of only 1.11 out of 5.
- J.D. Power Safeco car insurance reviews: J.D. Power awarded Safeco's auto insurance an average rating for claims satisfaction in 2021.
- AM Best Safeco auto insurance reviews: AM Best rated Safeco an "A" or "excellent" in terms of financial strength in 2022.
- NAIC Safeco car insurance reviews: The NAIC displays an above-average volume of complaints about Safeco's insurance since 2020.
Safeco Auto Insurance Rates
For more information about Safeco's auto insurance rates or to get a quote for local coverage, work with an independent insurance agent in your area. Safeco does not advertise its auto insurance rates on the official website, and rates vary depending on your location.
Safeco Auto Insurance Coverage Options
Medical payments
This coverage can reimburse drivers for the cost of treatment for their own injuries, or their passengers' injuries, after an accident.
Property damage
This coverage can reimburse for costs of property damage you cause others with your vehicle, such as striking someone's mailbox.
Collision
This coverage can reimburse for repairs to your vehicle if it gets damaged in an accident.
Comprehensive
This coverage can reimburse for damage to your car caused by disasters other than collision, such as fire, hail, etc. It can also reimburse for vehicle theft, if you hit a large animal, your windshield breaks, etc.
Rental car reimbursement
This coverage can reimburse for the cost of a rental car while yours is in the shop after a covered disaster.
New vehicle replacement
This coverage can reimburse the cost of a comparable new car for customers who are a vehicle's original owner and have their vehicle stolen or totaled within one year or 15,000 miles.
Safeco Homeowners & Property Insurance
- Homeowners
- Renters
- Condo
- Landlord
- Home warranty
- Valuable articles
Since Safeco also offers its home insurance through local independent insurance agents, this coverage can be a good match for folks that need more customization and control over their policies. Policies are further customizable thanks to Safeco's optional coverage endorsements. Customers can also add equipment breakdown coverage and identity theft coverage to their home insurance for a much fuller picture of protection.
Despite Safeco's high ratings from AM Best and the BBB, J.D. Power's customer satisfaction score for the carrier's home insurance returned lower-than-average results. Further, the NAIC's customer complaint index demonstrates that Safeco has a below-average score in that department.
Safeco home insurance discounts
Safeco's home insurance customers can save money on their premiums with the carrier's bundling discount, as well as their protective devices discount or the advanced quote discount.
Safeco Home Insurance Reviews
- AM Best Safeco home insurance reviews: AM Best rated Safeco an "A," or "excellent," in terms of financial strength in 2022.
- BBB Safeco home insurance reviews: The BBB awards Safeco an "A+" or excellent rating, but its customer reviews for Safeco's home insurance coverage average only 1.11 out of 5 stars.
- NAIC Safeco homeowners insurance reviews: The NAIC displays an above-average volume of complaints about Safeco's home insurance since 2020.
- J.D. Power Safeco homeowners insurance reviews: J.D. Power awarded Safeco's home insurance an average rating for claims satisfaction in 2021.
Safeco Home Insurance Rates
For more information about Safeco's homeowners insurance rates or to get a quote for local coverage, work with an independent insurance agent in your area. Safeco does not advertise its home insurance rates on the official website, and rates vary depending on your location.
Safeco Home Insurance Coverage Options
Personal property coverage
This coverage can reimburse for repairing or replacing personal property like clothing, furniture, etc. after a covered incident like a fire causes damage or destruction.
Personal liability coverage
This coverage can reimburse for your legal costs if you get sued by a third party for claims of personal property damage or bodily injury.
Dwelling coverage
This coverage can reimburse for the repair or rebuilding of your home's structure after a covered loss like a fire causes damage or destruction.
Valuable articles coverage
Endorsements are available to extend your coverage for particularly valuable items that may exceed your personal property coverage's limits, such as jewelry, fine art, furs, etc.
Equipment breakdown coverage
This optional add-on coverage can help repair or replace household equipment after an electrical or mechanical breakdown, which otherwise wouldn't be covered by your home insurance policy.
Other Safeco Insurance Offerings
- Umbrella
- Pet health insurance
- Identity recovery coverage
Your independent insurance agent can help you find more information about the coverage offered by Safeco and help you decide if this insurance company is right for you.
What Discounts Does Safeco Offer?
Safeco offers a lot of discounts for you to take advantage of, including:
- Bundling home and auto discount: Customers who bundle both home and auto will save 15%. You can qualify for significant savings on your auto insurance when you own and primarily reside in a single-family home, townhouse, condominium, or mobile home.
- Safeco’s Safety Rewards discount: A collection of benefits, rewards, and discounts available to safe drivers who have a clean driving record, drive a safe car, or take an accident prevention course.
- Teen Safety Rewards™: Provides a collection of tools, benefits, and discounts to help your teen become a safer driver and to help you manage the cost of adding a teen driver to your auto policy.
- Drive less, pay less discount: Save up to 20% with the Safeco low mileage discount if your car is in the driveway more than it is on the road.
- Multi-car discount: You can get a discount when you insure multiple cars on the same policy.
- Anti-theft devices discount: You can get this discount when your car is equipped with an audible alarm or a disabling device that renders the fuel, ignition, or starting system inoperative.
- Anti-lock brake discount: This discount is available in some states for cars equipped with a factory-installed four-wheel anti-lock braking system (ABS).
An independent insurance agent can provide more exact discount information and premium quotes for coverage through Safeco. When it comes to coverage, independent insurance agents work hard to help to get you the most bang for your buck.
Safeco Customer Service
Safeco offers 24/7 phone and online claims reporting, tracking, and management for its policyholders. The carrier also provides the following customer service options:
- Phone, mail, or online payments
- Phone or online account management
- Roadside assistance 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
- Customer service availability: Customer service is available 24/7 by phone or online.
Hours | |||
Monday-Friday | 24/7 | ||
Saturday | 24/7 | ||
Sunday | 24/7 |
The best way to ensure a smooth customer service experience is to work with an independent insurance agent. Independent insurance agents can help handle claims and other concerns for you, so you can relax and enjoy your coverage.
What to Know about Safeco Insurance
Safeco was founded in 1923, giving the carrier almost a century of experience in the insurance industry. The principles first set out by founder H.K. Dent focused on competitive pricing and disciplined underwriting combined with automated technology tools. Safeco specializes in providing customizable coverage paired with the expert advice of independent agents.
Today, Safeco still focuses on providing multiple insurance solutions for its clients when in need. Coverage is offered in 45 states across the country. The insurance company's LinkedIn profile states that Safeco has between 1,001 and 5,000 employees, with 2,611 of them found on the social media platform. As far as financial size, AM Best places the carrier in the $2 billion or greater category.
Established in 1899, AM Best is one of the oldest rating companies in the world. Reviews from AM Best indicate an insurance company’s financial strength and creditworthiness and are based on comprehensive evaluations of the company’s operating performance, business profile, and balance sheet.
Thanks to its long history, wide reach, and financial strength, Safeco has earned a reputation as an excellent insurance company with a stable outlook for the future. AM Best, the leading global credit rating agency monitoring the insurance industry, gives Safeco an “A” rating, implying the carrier is an excellent choice for insurance customers. High ratings from AM Best assure customers that Safeco can offer guaranteed, secure coverage from a financially sound carrier.
For customers who are not very familiar with insurance companies’ reputations, AM Best’s rating system allows them to make an informed decision about who they can trust to meet their needs in the short term and to remain a strong, financially sound company in the long term.
Safeco Customer Reviews
BBB |
“[Safeco] Liberty Mutual is the best company I've had so far out of Geico, Progressive, and USAA! I just had a claim and they paid it right away! My rental experience was super easy with Enterprise too!" |
BBB |
"I need to give a shout-out for the excellent customer service given by Kevin *****. My husband and I recently moved and Kevin was outstanding in providing help and support. He also helped us straighten out an issue with our car insurance. I just can't say enough about his professionalism, knowledge, and kindness. It's employees like Kevin ***** which will keep me and my husband as a lifelong ************** customers." |
BBB |
"I've also found them helpful and they lowered my policy a lot when I asked them for advice." |
Consumer Affairs |
"I haven't had to file a claim yet but was very happy with the details laid out in the claims description and how it was explained by the agent. It was fair terms and a good value for the money spent. I was extremely pleased with the customer service. They were fast and effective. Every agent I spoke to was very friendly, helpful and professional. Always willing to help and never rude or unprofessional. I thought the options presented in the policy were very fair and a good value. Great coverage if anything should happen and a great price. A few options to choose from as well so you could pay for the coverage you wanted. I was extremely pleased with the coverage that was offered to me. You obviously could choose the plan you wanted so the coverage varies by price and plan but it was fairly priced and they covered most scenarios you could think of." |
Consumer Affairs |
"I've had my insurance for three years now. I have never felt so safe, so covered and so unworried about being in an accident and if I was going to be covered. My first and only claim was smooth sailing. I was taken care of, contacted every step of the way and always knew the next step. There's no better insurance. Customer service is especially fantastic. They are trustworthy and reliable. They contact you right back or always have someone on the line without all the... "Please hold while I transfer you." |
Safeco Insurance FAQs
Safeco offers claims reporting through a couple of mediums, via online or by phone. However, the insurance company does not provide an official claims response time frame promise. Safeco does encourage customers to file claims immediately.
Safeco allows customers to file claims over the phone or online 24/7. Their hotline for customer service inquiries does not specify business hours on their official website, social media pages, or when calling the carrier. The carrier’s social media presence extends across Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, which makes them a tad more accessible to customers.
Safeco offers a couple of options for claims reporting. However, the insurance company does not detail their claims process on their official website or social media platforms. If customers have questions about filing or the claims process itself, they can contact Safeco via phone or online or get in touch with an independent insurance agent.
Safeco’s official website makes it easy to find the insurance options you're looking for in a policy. The carrier does not provide much information about their claims process or detail a claims response time frame. Online bill pay is available, as is 24/7 claims reporting via phone or online, which are great modern customer service features. Thus, while Safeco is not the worst in terms of user-friendliness, it could stand to update its procedures in a couple of areas.
https://www.safeco.com/
https://ratings.ambest.com/DisclosurePDF.aspx?AMBNum=2448
https://www.bbb.org/us/ma/boston/profile/insurance-companies/liberty-mutual-group-0021-89/customer-reviews