Does Auto-Owners have good car insurance?

Yes, Auto-Owners insurance is a good option for many drivers. Based on our analysis of the best car insurance companies, Auto-Owners offers competitive rates for most drivers, including those with a collision on their record. However, drivers with poor credit may want to look elsewhere, as rates are less competitive when compared to other insurers we evaluated. 

Auto-Owners also offers a range of coverage options and features, such as accident forgiveness, diminishing deductibles and new car replacement. It does not offer SR-22s, so Auto-Owners is not a good option for drivers who need proof of insurance after a DUI or other major traffic violation. 

Auto-Owners has a very low number of consumer complaints when compared to other insurers we analyzed, which can indicate overall satisfaction among policyholders. It also has a strong claims processing score from CRASH Network. 

Coverage through Auto-Owners is limited to only 26 states: 

• Alabama.
• Arizona.
• Arkansas.
• Colorado.
• Florida.
• Georgia.
• Idaho.
• Illinois.
• Indiana.
• Iowa.
• Kansas.
• Kentucky.
• Michigan.
• Minnesota.
• Missouri.
• Nebraska.
• North Carolina.
• North Dakota.
• Ohio.
• Pennsylvania.
• South Carolina.
• South Dakota.
• Tennessee.
• Utah.
• Virginia.
• Wisconsin. 

Auto-Owners compared to other top car insurance companies

Types of car insurance coverage offered by Auto-Owners

Auto-Owners offers a wide variety of coverage options, including:

Types sold:

• Liability insurance.
• Collision and comprehensive car insurance.
• Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage.
• Gap insurance.
• Nonowners insurance.
• Accident forgiveness.
• New car replacement.
• Vanishing deductible.
• Usage-based insurance.
• Medical payments.
• Personal injury protection.
• Additional expensive coverage (rental reimbursement).
• Road trouble assistance.
• Diminished value coverage.

Other insurance products from Auto-Owners

In addition to car insurance, Auto-Owners offers a variety of other insurance products, including: 

Auto-Owners car insurance reviews

Auto-Owners Insurance has a very low level of customer complaints according to data provided by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). NAIC complaints often stem from claims issues, including how long it takes to resolve a claim, claim denials and unsatisfactory settlements. A low level of customer complaints can indicate a higher satisfaction level among customers. 

Auto-Owners also ranked 16 out of 29 on the CRASH Network’s 2023 Honor Roll. The CRASH Network evaluates and grades 86 car insurance companies by asking collision repair professionals a series of questions about a company’s claims handling policies, payment practices, quality repairs and customer service.

Methodology

Our insurance experts evaluated top car insurance companies in the nation to determine which offer the best auto insurance based on average rates, coverage features, collision claims process and consumer complaints. 

Each car insurance company was eligible for up to 100 points, based on its performance in the following key categories:

Cost: 50 points. We analyzed rates from Quadrant Information Services based on seven driver profiles for a policy with 100/300/100 in liability coverage, uninsured motorist coverage and comprehensive and collision coverage. We awarded up to 50 points based on insurers’ average rates for: 

• Drivers in various age groups.
• Drivers with bad credit. 
• Good drivers.
• Drivers with infractions, such as speeding tickets, an accident or a DUI on their record. 

Consumer complaints: 30 points. We collected complaint data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, which shows the volume of car insurance consumer complaints against each company. When a consumer lodges a complaint to their state’s department of insurance — often about an insurance company’s claims process, delays, denials or settlements — these complaints are logged and tracked.

Car insurance coverage features: 15 points. Car insurance policy features can help make coverage more affordable both before and after an accident or covered incident. We evaluated car insurance policies offered by each insurer and awarded points to insurers that offered these valuable benefits:

• Accident forgiveness (5 points).
• New car replacement (5 points). 
• Vanishing deductible (5 points). 

SR-22 availability: 5 points. After a major traffic violation, some drivers must provide proof that they have the type and amount of coverage required by their state. Proof of coverage is obtained through an SR-22 filing, but not all insurers offer SR-22. Insurance companies that offer SR-22s were awarded points. 

Why some companies didn’t make the cut

Insurance companies with rates significantly higher than the national average, or with a substantial number of customer complaints, did not make our list of the best car insurance companies. 

Car insurance companies with a lack of policy options, such as new car replacement or accident forgiveness, may also have been excluded, depending on how well they scored in other categories.