Allstate Insurance is one of the giants in the Auto Insurance Industry. It is actually the 3rd largest auto insurer in this country. They offer the traditional coverage and extras like Your Choice Auto. This is an optional upgrade which offers many perks such as accident forgiveness. This means that your rates won’t increase because of just one accident, and that includes even if it is your fault. A second perk of Your Choice Auto is that for every 6 months of accident-free driving, you can earn up to 5% of your premiums back. A third advantage of Your Choice Auto is that when you sign up, Allstate takes $100 off your collision deductible. Also, if you total a new car within the first 3 model years, you can get reimbursed for a new car, not just your car’s depreciated value.
Great Perks Such As:
Claims Satisfaction Guarantee – Allstate will issue up to a 6 month credit on your car insurance premium if you are not satisfied with how your claim was handled. This is not available in all states. This guarantee comes included and free with all standard polices.
Drivewise: This feature means that Allstate will reward you with up to a 3% discount just for using its Drivewise app. The app analyzes your speed and braking behavior, in addition to what time of day you drive. If you are a safe driver, you can earn rewards in the form of a check, policy credit, or points toward shopping discounts.
Safe Driving Bonus Check: You will receive a check of up to 5% of your previous 6-month premium cost for every 6 months that you do not have an accident.
Deductible Rewards: Allstate will take off $100 from your collision deductible when you sign up. They also take an additional $100 every year you’re accident-free for up to $500 total.
New Car Replacement: If you bought your new car in or after 2012, and it got totaled within its first three model years, Allstate will send the main policyholder a check at the vehicle’s purchase price. This is good language because it is opposed to the depreciated value which can be significantly lower.
Pros and Cons of Allstate Insurance
Pros:
Your Choice Auto – Great perks with this program such as accident forgiveness and more.
Many Discounts On Insurance Premiums
Cons:
Expensive – Allstate is more expensive than most auto insurances.
What Other People Are Saying
After reviewing 9 other auto insurance programs, it’s hard to find a consistent answer to a question like who has the best customer service and who doesn’t. I’ve read some bad feedback left for each company, and also some great feedback. Allstate seemed to be right about in the middle and average in comparison to what they were saying about the other companies. I will quote 1 positive and 1 negative customer response that I felt represented a topic others were praising or complaining about.
Let’s start with a positive feedback:
“I have never had to file a claim in the 17 years of driving, of course it is very stressful when an accident happens. Over the weekend, during snow, I wrecked my van into a stump that was on the edge of the road, the agent was very prompt, he looked at my van after 3 days and approved the repair. He followed up with a phone call and was very professional, and kind. He made a stressful situation go smoothly. I would highly recommend Allstate Insurance to my family and friends.”
And a negative:
“I was in a store parking lot on Christmas Eve when a driver backed into me without looking. I was already in the lane getting ready to drive forward. Allstate says since I didn’t remember having the car in drive that I was partially at fault for this truck running into me and the liability is 50/50. The police report stated the truck was at fault, the driver of the truck stated he was at fault. They didn’t even call the driver to get a statement from him. It so happens his insurance is with Allstate as well. Imagine that.”
Cost/Process to Join
After reviewing 9 other auto insurance companies, I found that Allstate is relatively more expensive than most of the others. Joining is simple, as are the other auto insurance programs that I’ve reviewed. For Allstate, simply go to their website and get a quote. Then you can sign up on the website or call the number on the website to speak with an Allstate representative. Once you are signed up online, you will be assigned a local agent who will contact you.
One of the positive attributes to Allstate is that they are available in all of the states. Many of the other auto insurance companies do not serve each state.
Customer Service
Complaints against Allstate involving auto insurance are about average with the other auto insurers. I’ve read studies that have shown that their customer service ratings are below the average, but more research has shown that they are right about average in customer service ratings. One of the advantages to Allstate is that they are a big company and employ a lot more customer service people to deal with customer concerns and claims.
My Conclusion
Allstate is the 3rd largest auto insurance company in the United States. It has some great perks such as claims satisfaction guarantee, discounts for using their apps, accident forgiveness, deductive rewards, new car replacement, and my favorite which is a safe driving bonus check. If you haven’t had an accident in 6 months, you will receive a bonus check that is 5% off your previous 6 month’s premiums. One major drawback of having Allstate is that it is more expensive than most of the other auto insurers. Allstate is financially stable and a giant in the auto insurance industry. This stability and how well they are known, are why many people choose Allstate over smaller and lesser known insurance agencies. I think it would be wise and wouldn’t hurt to get a quote from Allstate so that you have all the information that you need to decide if Allstate is right for you or not.
For more reviews and information, check out our Top Ten Auto Insurance Companies of 2018.
