Allstate 2019 Car Insurance Review: Rates, Claims Satisfaction, and Coverage

BravoDollar Editor rating:

Summary:  

The nation’s fourth largest auto insurance company offers the usual types of auto insurance coverage and discounts. It has a large network of agents, with an estimated 15,000+ agents. With the other types of insurance that it offers, it is an accessible one-stop insurance company to fit all a consumer’s insurance needs. However, Allstate has a lower than average claims satisfaction in comparison to other large providers.

Pros:

  • Offers a wide range of financial services and products.
  • A large network of local agents.
  • Significant financial strength to support claims.
  • Offers a variety of discounts for which consumers may qualify.

Cons:

  • Customer satisfaction ratings range from average or below average.
  • Below the industry average in the J.D. Power Overall Customer Satisfaction Index.  Rating from its 2018 U.S. Auto Claims Satisfaction Study.
  • Premium costs slightly above industry average.

As the fourth largest U.S. automobile insurance company, Allstate has a massive work force with many local agents who can assist its customers with the wide variety of products and financial services that it offers. Therefore, this car insurance company is a good choice for people who want all their insurance needs fulfilled through the same insurance company.

Allstate tends to offer the usual car insurance coverage options and discounts that you will find with most large car insurance agencies.  However, it does offer some additional features which you can add on to your car insurance package for an additional fee. These features include: accident forgiveness, a safe driving bonus, deductible rewards, new car replacement, three options for roadside assistance, a claim satisfaction guarantee, Drivewise tech app discounts, and rideshare insurance for drivers of Uber, Lyft and similar services.

The Value Equation ($$$)

When examining the overall value of Allstate car insurance, you must examine the cost of the Allstate premium alongside other car insurance companies offering similar policies.  Like other car insurance companies, your premium will depend on your age, coverage choices, driving history, location, and the type of vehicle among other factors. Your credit score is also an important factor in determining your premium. Nevertheless, Allstate tends to be more expensive that other auto insurance companies of its size in almost all categories.

You can get a quote from Allstate online or over the phone.  On its website, you can find out the minimum requirements for insurance that you must have in your state. Furthermore, you can find out about coverage, policies, and discounts as well as be connected to an agent.  

You can also get a side by side comparison of insurance premiums for Allstate and other similar sized auto insurance companies.  It may be wise, however, to compare quotes and other factors such as reputation and service quality with 2-3 other insurance companies before making the final choice.

When doing the price comparison, you will see that Allstate may be slightly to significantly more expensive that other auto insurance companies.

State Farm AllstateGeico
Drivers in ~20s$2,372$2,628$1,434
Drivers in ~30s$1,579$2,627$1,214
Drivers in ~40s$1,581$1,904$1,184
Drivers with DUI$3,835$3,619$2,537
Drivers with speeding ticket$1,971$2,242$1,387
Drivers with at-fault accident$1,513$2,274$1,569

Discounts

Allstate have many of the discounts that are common to car insurance companies and they fall into these categories:

  • Good student discount
  • Customer loyalty discounts – discounts for having multiple policies such as home, life, and auto; and discounts for multiple cars
  • Driver history and education discounts – good driver discount and defensive driver discount
  • New car discount
  • Green car discount
  • Accident forgiveness
  • Telematics device discount – cars with Drivewise monitoring device receive discounts for good driving.

Like other auto insurance companies, you must remain qualified throughout the time that you are insured by the company to continue to receive discounts.  

>>MORE: AllState Pet Insurance Review

Claims Satisfaction

Many consumers look for an auto insurance company that has a rather high level of claim satisfaction.   According to the aforementioned study conducted by J.D. Powers, Allstate’s auto insurance claims satisfaction rating is above average.

How easy is it to file a claim with Allstate?

  • Log in to your account on Allstate’s website and file a claim
  • File a claim through their mobile app
  • Call your insurance agent
  • Call their claims Department: 1-800-ALLSTATE

What is the average consumer experience and satisfaction with Allstate?

Each year, J.D. Powers surveys an estimated 10,000 consumers who have file a claim in the last six months. Insurance providers are ranked on a 1000-point scale based on the results of this survey.  Allstate falls slightly below the national average with a score of 857/1000 with the industry average at 861.

In comparison, other nationwide providers like State Farm scored 864/1000 and Farmer’s Insurance scored 874/1000. Complaints include occasional premium increases for some customers and the overall premium prices tend to be more expensive than other insurance companies of a similar size.

Coverage Options

Allstate, the third largest insurance provider in the nation, offers a wide variety of automobile insurance options. These options include:

  • Bodily Injury Liability
  • Property Damage Liability
  • Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist
  • Collision Coverage
  • Comprehensive Coverage
  • Automobile Medical Payments
  • Towing & Labor Costs
  • Rental Reimbursement
  • Sound System Coverage

Website Experience

Allstate’s website is comprehensive and includes the ability to download your ID card, pay your bill, file and view the status of a claim, and manage your coverage. In addition, Allstate also offers a mobile app that features QuickFoto claim to allow you to file your claim by simply submitting a photo with your mobile device.  Using their app, you can also pay your premium and get roadside assistance.

The Bottom Line

  • Allstate’s wide selection of financial products and services makes it a good choice for people trying to obtain auto, life, home and more through the same company.  
  • It also features a large network of local agents for people who prefer to human interaction to online fulfillment.
  • However, Allstate’s consumer satisfaction is slightly below industry average and its premium costs are slightly higher.


Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Pinterest

Leave a comment

Leave a Reply

Discover more from BravoDollar.com

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading