West Coast Insurance Company Review

West Coast Insurance Company at a Glance

West Coast pros: Reputable carrier with more than two centuries’ worth of experience in the insurance industry. Highly rated by A.M. Best and the BBB. 24/7 claims reporting via online. Strong financial stability. Coverage available in all 50 states.

West Coast cons: Not BBB accredited. Difficult to find customer feedback. There are a few negative customer reviews.

What Type of Insurance Does West Coast Offer?

West Coast is a specialized insurance company, with a focus on coverage for life insurance and annuities. Their insurance product offered are as follows.

Your independent insurance agent can help you find more information about the coverage offered by West Coast and Protective Life, and help you decide if this insurance company is right for you.

What to Know about West Coast

West Coast was founded in 1906, giving the carrier more than a century’s worth of experience in the insurance industry. West Coast’s reputation is based in part on these leading values: quickness to respond, quality, serving their people, and growth. West Coast was acquired in 1997 and is a subsidiary of Protective Life and a nationwide provider of insurance solutions including life insurance products and annuities.

Today, West Coast still focuses its efforts on providing life insurance and annuity solutions for its policyholders. Coverage is offered in all 50 states. The insurance company's LinkedIn profile states that West Coast has between 1,001 and 5,000 employees, with nearly 2,800 of them found on the social media platform. As far as financial size, A.M. Best places the carrier in the $2 billion or greater category.

Giving merit to its long history, expansive reach, and financial strength, West Coast has earned a reputation as a stable insurance company with a positive outlook for the future. A.M. Best, the leading global credit rating agency monitoring the insurance industry, gives West Coast an “A+” rating, indicating the carrier is a superior choice for insurance customers. High ratings from A.M. Best assure customers that West Coast can offer secured, reliable coverage from a financially sound carrier.

Established in 1899, A.M. Best is one of the oldest rating companies in the world. Reviews from A.M. 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. For those consumers who are not as familiar with insurance companies’ respective reputations, A.M. Best’s ratings system allows companies to make an educated decision about who they can trust to meet their needs in the short term, and who will remain a strong, financially sound company in the long term.

What Discounts Does West Coast Offer?

West Coast makes information about their specific discounts readily available. These discounts include the following.

An independent insurance agent can provide better discount information and premium quotes for coverage through West Coast. When it comes to coverage, independent insurance agents work hard to help you get the most out of your money.

West Coast Customer Service

West Coast offers claims reporting for its policyholders, either 24/7 online or by phone during business hours. The carrier also provides the following customer service options.

• Online bill pay
• Email contact option

Working with an independent insurance agent is the best way to make sure you have a great customer service experience. Independent insurance agents can help handle claims and other concerns for you, so you can relax and enjoy your coverage.

West Coast FAQ

What is West Coast's average claim response time frame?

West Coast offers claims reporting through a couple of channels. The claims process normally takes two to three weeks; however, the insurance company cannot promise an exact timeline.

What is West Coast's customer service availability?

West Coast allows customers to file claims online 24/7 or by phone during business hours. Their customer service department specifies business hours on the carrier’s official website. The carrier’s social media presence extends across Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, which makes them more accessible to customers.

What is West Coast's claims process?

To submit a claim with West Coast, you will need to complete the application and submit it online or by mail. The following are the correct steps to file a claim.

1. Notify them of the death of the insured/annuitant via their website or by phone.
2. They will then verify the beneficiaries.
3. They will reach out to beneficiaries and ask them to complete a claim packet and provide any necessary documents.
4. Once all documents and forms are returned, they will review the claim.
5. After review, they will either process the claim or contact the beneficiary for any additional information needed.

If customers have any questions about filing or the claims process itself, they can contact the carrier via phone, online form, or get in touch with their independent insurance agent.

Does West Coast's insurance create a user-friendly experience for customers?

West Coast’s official website is pretty user-friendly. The carrier provides a lot information about their claims process and they detail a claims response time frame. They also list a lot of information about their coverage. Online bill pay is available, as is 24/7 claims reporting via online form or by phone during business hours, which are nice, modern customer service features. West Coast is actually pretty good in terms of user-friendliness.

West Coast Customer Reviews

www.freeadvice.com

“Reliable company. Wonder if unsatisfied did their part and read & understood policy before signing.” —Anonymous

www.freeadvice.com

“This company, West Coast Life, does not mail us renewal notices despite having to call for them every year. They insist that they are mailed but we never get them. Then they pressure you to pay by phone. Just one of the ways sneaky insurance companies get you to drop your policy or they drop you for non payment when they don't send a bill.” —Anonymous

www.freeadvice.com

“The customer service department does not appear to be very responsive and provided the wrong information as to which forms to file and how to fill them out. The result is that it took three tries (wrong forms) and three months (slow or no response) to do a simple change of beneficiaries. Then, the manager in the customer service department seemed to imply that they had done everything right…” —Anonymous

www.freeadvice.com

“West Coast Life Insurance has really bad complaint records. They do not pay legitimate claims. Just look at their complaint records in California. They were ranked 37th in 2009 by the State of California. The Better Business Bureau in San Francisco gave them a rating of “F”.” —Anonymous

www.freeadvice.com

“Bait and switch tactics. Unethical premium structure. Caveat Emptor especially if you are a senior citizen.” —Anonymous

TrustedChoice.com's Final Review

We award West Coast Insurance Company a final rating of 2.4 out of 5 stars. The insurance company has been around for more than a century now, which is notable within the insurance industry. However, it seems the carrier has not used this time to their advantage. Though West Coast has received high ratings through A.M. Best and the BBB, they have not been accredited through the latter organization. Coverage is offered in all 50 states, their catalog is extremely generous, with a focus on life insurance and annuities. The insurance company provides 24/7 claims reporting online or during business hours by phone and online bill pay, and they list their business hours for the customer service department on their official website. There is also plenty of information about the carrier’s coverage on their official website, there is a claims response time frame, and an outline of their claims process. It is challenging to find any customer feedback about the insurance company online, but the few reviews available are mostly negative. Unfortunately, currently it is difficult to say many positive things about this carrier. So, our recommendation is that if you are in the market for life insurance or annuities, review your other options for trusted carriers with your independent insurance agent, and perhaps skip looking into West Coast altogether.