Auto-Owners Auto Insurance Review

Auto-Owners is ideal for drivers who prefer working directly with independent agents and who have good driving records to take advantage of Auto-Owners’ lower-than-average rates.

Auto-Owners Is Best for Those Who:

• Like working with an independent agent for personalized recommendations
• Have a young driver(s) in the household
• Are looking to bundle auto insurance with other policy types, such as home and life insurance
• Need to insure alternative vehicles, such as RVs, boats or trailers

Auto-Owners Is Not Best for Those Who:

• Prefer to get quotes and and manage their policies online
• Live in one of the 24 states where the company does not operate

Auto-Owners sells auto policies in the following 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, and Wisconsin.

According to the aggregated data we analyzed, Auto-Owners rates for auto insurance tend to be below average. The average annual rate for a full coverage policy from Auto-Owners is $1,643, compared to the national average of $1,924. Meanwhile, a minimum coverage policy costs an average of $386 per year from Auto-Owners, which is also less than the national average of $547.

Auto insurance rates vary greatly based on different factors, such as location, driving record, age and even gender, so your quoted rate may be higher or lower than these rates. However, these averages indicate that Auto-Owners policies tend to be on the more affordable side.

Although Auto-Owners tends to have decent rates to begin with, it also offers many discount opportunities to further reduce your premium.

Highlighted Discount: Teen Driver Monitoring

Auto-Owners doesn’t have a usage-based insurance program available to all drivers, which is a popular offering from many major insurers. However, it does have a teen driver monitoring discount, which new teen drivers can take advantage of. This works just like any other telematics discount program but is available only to teens.

In order to qualify, the young driver must have a GPS permanently installed in the vehicle they drive most often or be enrolled in an eligible mobile app. Auto-Owners doesn’t advertise how much of a discount you can get from this program, so be sure to ask an agent for details if you have a teen on your policy.

Auto-Owners prides itself on working exclusively with independent local agents, so it doesn’t provide quotes or the ability to purchase policies online. If you live in one of the 26 states where Auto-Owners operates, you can go to its website and click on “Find an Agent” to input your ZIP code and find a local agent in your area.

A local agent will take down your information (and that of any other drivers you’re looking to add to your policy) as well as details about your vehicle. They will be able to give you personalized coverage suggestions and can help you purchase your policy if you’re ready to move ahead.

Auto-Owners standard insurance coverages, including liability coverage, collision and comprehensive coverage (referred to as full coverage), medical payments, personal injury protection and uninsured motorist coverage.

In addition to these basic coverage options, Auto-Owners also offers the following optional add-on coverages so you can customize your policy to fit your needs:

Auto-Owners scores highly in most of the customer satisfaction metrics I looked at, which means you can generally expect a good customer experience if you choose to insure with them.

Starting with the less positive, Auto-Owners ranked slightly below-average on the J.D. Power 2024 Claims Satisfaction Study, with a score of 692 out of 1,000 (the average was 697). The claims process includes filing a claim, the estimate process, getting a payout, and the repair process.

However, the company scored highly on CRASH Network’s 2024 Insurer Report Card, making the “Honor Roll” in 17th place out of 88 with a rating of B. This means that auto repair shops generally find the insurer easy to work with when making repairs for covered incidents, which likely translates to a smoother experience for customers.

When considering financial stability, Auto-Owners is very reliable, with an A++ rating from AM Best, which is the highest available. This means you can trust the company to pay out settlements when you file a claim for a covered repair.

Auto-Owners ranked a few points above average in the J.D. Power 2024 U.S. Insurance Shopping Study, with a score of 679 out of 1,000. This study evaluates customer satisfaction with the insurance purchase experience, so this ranking may be related to the company’s agent-exclusive buying process. The company ranked above average in the Central and Southwest regions, and number one in Florida after USAA (which is only available to military members, veterans, and their families) on J.D. Power’s 2024 Auto Insurance Study. This study evaluates satisfaction with an insurance carrier among existing customers.¹

If you need to file a claim with Auto-Owners, you’ll need to do so through your local agent. The company also provides a number you can call (1-888-252-4626) after hours. If you have a glass claim, you can also file it online.

Once you report a claim, you can track its progress on the company’s online portal or mobile app. Auto-Owners doesn’t give an expected timeframe for claims resolution as every claim is different, but it does note that it provides 24-hour claim service, so you can reach someone to report a loss at any time.

Once the settlement is approved, you can also expect a quick payment by choosing an electronic payment method, including a direct deposit into your bank account, Venmo or PayPal.

We assess companies on the following:

• Pricing (40%): We analyze average rates for minimum and full coverage for various drivers. This includes those with clean records, at-fault accidents, speeding tickets, DUIs, low credit, and households with teens. We also look at available discounts, which can help customers save even more. Full coverage averages use the following limits:
  • Bodily injury liability: $100,000 per person/$300,000 per accident
  • Property damage liability: $50,000 per accident
  • Uninsured and underinsured motorist bodily injury: $50,000 per person/$100,000 per accident
  • Comprehensive and collision: $500 deductible
• Customer Experience (25%): We leverage third-party data alongside our personal experiences as auto insurance customers to provide insights into the shopping journey and the ease of engaging with providers. We also test digital tools firsthand and review customer feedback to evaluate the usability of websites, mobile apps, and online account management features.
• Claims Handling (25%): Since claim fulfillment is a core function of an insurance company, our assessment involves analyzing claims processes using data from sources such as AM Best, CRASH Network, and J.D. Power, as well as customer feedback and our own experiences.
• Coverage (10%): We prioritize companies that offer additional protections like gap coverage, rideshare, roadside assistance, classic car coverage, accident forgiveness, and more.

Read more about our ratings and methodology.