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Allstate Car Insurance Review 2020 - Investopedia

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Pros Explained

  • Large network of agents – Allstate boasts a network of 10,800 agents in all 50 states, which means customers will easily be able to find an agent who can help them get the exact coverage they need.
  • Many discounts and perks – The company offers customers a number of ways to reduce their costs, including multiple policy, new car, and pay-in-full discounts, and perks such as accident forgiveness and a safe driver bonus.
  • Easy-to-file claims – There are multiple options for filing a claim quickly and easily, including the mobile app, online, and over the phone by either calling your agent directly or Allstate’s toll-free number.

Cons Explained

  • High rates compared with other insurers – Allstate’s rates are reportedly higher than its competitors, despite the numerous options for discounts and other rate reductions.
  • Insurance only sold in six-month terms – Though auto insurance is typically sold in 12-month terms, Allstate generally has a six-month period for its auto coverage. This means the insurer has more opportunities to raise your rates upon renewal than do insurers with 12-month policies.

In April, May, and June 2020, Allstate automatically offered a COVID-19 assistance program, Shelter-in-Place Payback, which provided a 15% payback to personal auto insurance customers. In addition, any customers experiencing financial hardship can ask for a special payment plan that delays payments without penalty.

Allstate Car Insurance Coverage

Allstate’s personal auto insurance includes the following types of coverage:

Liability Coverage

The Allstate liability coverages are:

  • Bodily Injury Liability – This kind of coverage will pay for the bodily injury or death of someone who is hurt in an accident for which you are at fault. It can help pay for the costs associated with emergency medical aid at the scene, medical expenses, lost wages for the injured party, funeral expenses, and legal defense fees.
  • Property Damage Liability – If you cause property damage in an accident where you are at fault, this kind of coverage will pay for the repair or replacement of the damaged property. The coverage can help pay for the damages to structures such as homes and storefronts, the repair or replacement of stationary objects, and vehicle repair or replacement.

Liability coverage is required by law in every state except New Hampshire.

Collision Coverage

This type of coverage will pay for damages to your car as a result of an accident, regardless of who is at fault. Once you have met your deductible, your collision coverage can help pay to repair or replace your car if you hit another car or stationary object, or if your car is damaged in a parking lot.

Comprehensive Coverage

Comprehensive coverage will pay for damage to your car from causes other than accidents. The coverage may pay for repair or replacement if your car is damaged for reasons such as:

  • Storms or Natural Disasters
  • Vandalism or Theft
  • Broken Windows
  • Animal Damage
  • Falling Objects

Medical Payment Coverage

This pays for the medical expenses of an insured driver and their passengers if any are injured because of an accident, no matter who is at fault in the accident. This kind of coverage can also potentially pay for medical expenses of the insured or their family members if they are injured as a pedestrian or as a passenger in someone else’s car.

Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage

Allstate’s uninsured motorist coverage and underinsured motorist coverage can help you pay for property damage or medical expenses that are a result of an accident where an uninsured or underinsured motorist is at fault. Nineteen states and the District of Columbia require coverage for uninsured motorists, but only a handful require underinsured coverage.

Personal Injury Protection (PIP)

PIP can help you pay for medical bills, hospital bills, and costs not covered by your health insurance if you are in an accident, including:

  • Income Continuation
  • Loss of Services
  • Funeral Expenses
  • Childcare Expenses

PIP is a legal requirement in 17 states.

Personal Umbrella Policy

Umbrella coverage can protect you if you are facing a liability claim that is higher than your liability coverage limits. A personal umbrella policy is an optional addition to your other coverage.

Roadside Coverage

This optional policy addition can help cover the costs of roadside assistance. Allstate roadside coverage pays for the following:

  • Towing
  • Jump Starts
  • Tire Changes
  • Getting Locked Out
  • Delivery of Fuel

Rental Reimbursement Coverage

If your car is damaged in an accident or needs to go to the shop for repairs, this can help you pay for your rental car while you’re waiting for your repairs to be completed. It is entirely optional.

Sound System Insurance

This coverage, which is not commonly found with all auto insurers, offers funds to replace stolen or damaged equipment, speakers, and speaker components in your car.

Allstate Car Insurance Discounts

Allstate offers customers a number of different discounts to help you lower your premiums and deductibles.

Payment Discounts

  • Multiple Policy DiscountBundling your auto insurance policy with any of Allstate’s other insurance offerings can save you money on all of your policies.
  • Early Signing Discount – If you sign your policy seven or more days before it becomes effective, you earn a discount.
  • Responsible Payer Discount – Customers who have not received a cancellation notice for nonpayment in the past year earn a discount.
  • EZ Pay Plan Discount – Allstate gives this discount if you set up an automatic withdrawal of your premiums.
  • Allstate eSmart Discount – If you sign up for the paperless ePolicy, which allows you to view your insurance policies and paperwork online, then you receive a discount on your premiums.
  • Pay-in-Full Discount – Pay in full instead of making monthly payments and Allstate will give you a discount.

Driving Habits and History

  • Smart Student Discount – Unmarried drivers under the age of 25 are eligible for this discount. To qualify, you must have at least a B- average (a GPA of 2.7 or above), have successfully completed the teenSMART driver education program, or go to school more than 100 miles away from where your car is garaged.
  • Safe Driving Bonus – Every six months that Allstate drivers go without an accident, they will receive this bonus.
  • Deductible Rewards – Each year that drivers are collision free, Allstate takes $100 off their deductible, up to a cap of $500.
  • Drivewise – Signing up for and remaining active with Allstate’s Drivewise program will give you a discount on your premium. It is a personalized driving program that measures your safe driving via the Allstate mobile app. In addition to the premium discount, using Drivewise can also earn you cash back every time you make 50 safe drives.

Vehicle Equipment

  • New Car Discount – Drivers who purchase a new car that is either the current model year or one year prior and who are the first owner qualify for the new car discount.
  • Antilock Brake Discount – Drivers whose cars are equipped with antilock brakes qualify for this discount.
  • Anti-Theft Device Discount – Drivers whose cars are equipped with an anti-theft device qualify for this discount.

Allstate Car Insurance Availability

Allstate offers car insurance in every state in the nation, as well as the District of Columbia. In addition, Allstate has insurance agents available in every state, so you should be able to find a local agent who can serve your needs.

Allstate Customer Service

Allstate’s advertising emphasizes its purportedly excellent customer service and generally seems to deliver a number of methods for customers to get the care they need.

The insurer offers customers a mobile app that not only works as a digital insurance ID card and policy document repository; it also offers accessibility to on-demand roadside assistance, allows drivers to take smartphone photos to quick start a claim, lets you pay your bill, and gives instant access to an agent. The app is available on both iOS and Android, and has a 4.8 out of five star rating on iOS and a 4.1 out of five star rating on Android. 

Allstate’s website also has robust tools to make it easy for users to handle all of their insurance paperwork, claims processes, bill paying, and other tasks. Finally, customers can call 800-255-7828 (800-ALLSTATE) to speak to a representative 24/7.

Satisfaction Ratings

Though Allstate has worked to make it easy to purchase insurance and make a claim with them, customers are not entirely satisfied. According to the 2020 J.D. Power Insurance Shopping Study, Allstate scored 858 out of a 1,000 point scale in customer satisfaction for insurance shopping. This is two points below the industry average of 860. Additionally, in the 2019 J.D. Power Auto Claims Satisfaction Study (which is the most current study available), Allstate scored only an 853 out of 1,000, well below the industry average of 868.

An additional customer service concern is the financial stability of an insurer, as customers want to feel confident that their insurance company will be solvent when they need to make a claim. AM Best rates insurers on financial strength, giving a Financial Strength Rating represented by a letter. Allstate enjoys an AM Best rating of A+ (Superior), which is only a single step down from Best’s highest rating of A++, as reported by Yahoo! Finance.

Complaint Index

Finally, it’s also useful to have a sense of how many complaints are lodged against an insurer. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) compiles consumer complaints about insurers, and compares the information to the industry average. NAIC sets the industry average complaints at 1.0, meaning a company with a score of 2.0 has twice the number of complaints as the average. Allstate has an overall score of 2.01.

Other Insurance Provided by Allstate

In addition to auto insurance, Allstate offers a long menu of other insurance products for its customers. These include:

How to Make a Car Insurance Claim With Allstate

Allstate customers have a number of options for filing claims. If you wish to reach out to your agent directly, you can call them, but note that your agent may only be available during normal business hours. If you would like to speak directly to a live representative, you can call 800-255-7828 (800-ALLSTATE ) to file and track claims over the phone. This 24/7 toll-free phone line is easy to remember and makes it simple to file a claim even if you do not have your agent’s contact information or access to the web or mobile app.

You may also file your claim using either the Allstate online portal or mobile app. The app includes the QuickFoto Claim feature, which allows you to snap pictures with your smartphone and upload them to the app to quickly get a claim started. Customers can file and track their claims from either the mobile app or their account with Allstate’s online portal.

In general, Allstate customers can expect their claims to follow these steps:

  1. File your claim, and receive a claim number to track the progress
  2. Receive a damage evaluation and/or repair estimate
  3. Review your estimate and claim settlement
  4. Get your car repaired (anywhere you wish, though Allstate does recommend repair shops via its Good Hands Repair Network)
  5. Receive your claim settlement (either paid directly to the shop or reimbursed to you)

Allstate Insurance Cancellation Policy

To cancel your Allstate policy, the insurer requires you to directly contact your agent, who may ask you to make a written request for cancellation.

Get an Allstate Car Insurance Quote

Allstate makes it easy to get a quote via its online quote generator. This tool allows you to determine if you are eligible for Allstate auto insurance and get an idea of your costs in just a couple of minutes. If you’d prefer to work directly with an agent, you can also do a search on the website for an agent near you.

Whichever method you prefer, come prepared with the following information to get the most accurate quote:

  • Name
  • Date of Birth
  • Marital Status
  • Vehicle Information Number (VIN)
  • Insurance History
  • Accident History

Applying for insurance with a spouse or domestic partner who will also be on the insurance policy? Don’t forget to also provide their personal information and insurance history.

Compare Other Car Insurance Reviews

Insurance shopping is an important part of determining which insurer will be the right one for your needs. That’s because the underwriting process may be slightly different from one insurer to the next, meaning your premiums may vary from one insurer to the next. The best way to find the right auto insurance carrier for you is to generate multiple quotes and find the one that will give you the best value for your specific car insurance needs.

Verdict

Allstate is a giant in the auto insurance industry, and as such it is able to offer a number of easy-to-use tools as well as many different discounts. With a nationwide footprint and a network of 10,800 agents, Allstate is easily available to nearly every driver in the country.

However, despite its ubiquity, Allstate does not necessarily offer the best prices compared with its competitors, and its customer service satisfaction ratings are below average. Allstate is a good option for a driver who would like mobile and digital tools and easy access to a large network of agents and reputable repair shops. It will not be as good a fit for a cost-conscious driver or one looking for the highest level of customer service available.

Methodology

Investopedia is dedicated to furnishing consumers with unbiased, comprehensive reviews of car insurance providers. We reviewed each insurance provider’s coverage options, available discounts, customer services, and satisfaction ratings to ensure that our content helps users make the right insurance decision for their needs.

Article Sources

Investopedia requires writers to use primary sources to support their work. These include white papers, government data, original reporting, and interviews with industry experts. We also reference original research from other reputable publishers where appropriate. You can learn more about the standards we follow in producing accurate, unbiased content in our editorial policy .
  1. National Association of Insurance Commissioners. "Uninsured Motorists." Accessed Sept. 18, 2020.

  2. Insurance Information Institute. "Background on: Compulsory Auto/Uninsured Motorists: Other Solutions to the Uninsured Motorist Problem." Accessed Sept. 18, 2020.

  3. Insurance Information Institute. "Background on: Compulsory Auto/Uninsured Motorists: Automobile Financial Responsibility Limits By State (As of September 2020)." Accessed Sept. 18, 2020.

  4. Apple.com. "Allstate Mobile." Accessed Sept. 18, 2020.

  5. Google.com. "Allstate Mobile." Accessed Sept. 18, 2020.

  6. J.D. Power. "J.D. Power 2020 U.S. Insurance Shopping Study." Accessed Sept. 18, 2020.

  7. J.D. Power. "J.D. Power 2019 Auto Claims Satisfaction Study." Accessed Sept. 18, 2020.

  8. National Association of Insurance Commissioners. "Allstate Ins Co

    National Complaint Index Report." Accessed Sept. 18, 2020.

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