Connect Car Insurance Review 2024

Connect Is Best for Those Who:

• Are looking for cheap car insurance rates
• Only want standard coverages on their policies
• Recently purchased a new vehicle and need GAP coverage
• Own a home or condo and prefer to bundle insurance policies
• Have a Costco membership and want to save extra on auto insurance

Connect Is Not Best for Those Who:

• Prefer to manage their insurance through an app
• Drive for Uber or Lyft, since Connect doesn’t provide rideshare coverage
• Have a DUI or are considered high-risk drivers, as Connect may not offer coverage

Data on Connect’s average rates is limited; however, Connect is a subsidiary of American Family, which costs an average of $1,785 annually for full coverage and $713 annually for minimum coverage — about 7 percent below the national average.

If you have a Costco membership, you may get lower rates by opting for a policy from Connect instead of American Family. On its website, Costco mentions that customers reported savings of an average of $595.86 during the first year they switched their car insurance to Connect. I’ll discuss this discount in more detail later, but the bottom line is that your Connect premium will most likely be affordable.

Below, you can compare American Family, Connect’s parent company, to other providers:

Connect offers a plethora of auto insurance discounts to customers. To see exactly how much you’ll save you’ll need to get a quote.

Drivers receive discounts for the following:

• Being a good driver (only available to existing customers in California)
• Having a clean driving record for the past four years
• Taking a defensive driving course
• Having a college degree
• Installing safety features in your vehicle, including:
  • Anti-theft devices
  • Automatic seatbelts
  • Airbags
  • Anti-lock brakes
• Parking your vehicle overnight in a garage
• Being a full-time student with good grades
• Going to school 100 miles from the location of the insured vehicle
• Bundling your policy with home, renters, or umbrella insurance

Unfortunately, Connect is no longer selling new policies to potential customers in my state (California), so I can’t personally speak to the entire quote process. This is a recent development, as Connect previously offered coverage to California drivers — now, they only serve drivers in that state who already have policies with them.

Based on my experience as far as I could get in the quote process, I can say that Connect allows potential customers to select certain discounts upfront, including ones for being a good student, taking a defensive driving course, and having a college degree. It also looks like you can purchase your policy directly from their website. If you’re a Costco member, I’d recommend getting your quote through the Costco website to ensure you receive their exclusive member discounts.

Connect provides your typical car insurance coverages, including liability, collision, comprehensive, uninsured/underinsured motorist, PIP, and medical payments.

When deciding on your coverages, I always recommend getting more than the state minimum requirements. If you get into an accident, higher coverage limits ensure that you won’t have to pay out-of-pocket for damages. You can consider your situation and choose coverage accordingly: for example, if you have a long commute for work and drive often, it makes sense to up your coverage limits for collision, bodily injury, and property damage. Or, if you live in an area prone to vandalism or natural disasters, it’s better to choose a policy with comprehensive coverage and lower deductibles.

In addition to the standard coverages, Connect offers roadside assistance, rental reimbursement, and GAP coverage. Both roadside assistance and rental reimbursements are useful to have and usually don’t add a significant amount to your monthly premium. Meanwhile,  it’s best to opt for GAP coverage if you’ve recently purchased a new car.

Since there isn’t much customer satisfaction data available from third-party sources for Connect, we referred to ratings for American Family. As Connect’s parent company, American Family’s ratings can give you an idea of what to expect as a potential Connect customer.

American Family is financially stable, so you can expect Connect to follow through on claims payouts.

The parent company received mixed scores in terms of customer satisfaction. American Family scored above average in claims satisfaction and customer satisfaction ratings from J.D. Power. However, its complaint index score from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners is 3.82, meaning that it received nearly four times more complaints than a company of a similar size.

Overall, customers can rely on Connect since it’s backed by a major provider. Its customer experience will differ from American Family, though you can count on its dependability at more affordable rates.

If you need to file a claim, you can do it online on Connect’s website, or call its claims number.

Before filing your claim, make sure you have the following information ready:

• Your policy number
• Vehicle information
• Details about the incident
• Any related police reports
• Contact and insurance information of the other party

Connect mentions on its site that its claims adjusters will reach out within one business day after you file your claim. Customers report that Connect doesn’t let them view the status of their claims online, so you’ll need to call your adjuster for updates. The insurer also doesn’t provide a general estimate of how long it takes to process claims, saying that it depends on the complexity of the case.

Connect offers fewer digital tools than most major insurers — which is important to consider if you prefer to manage your policy through an app. Connect doesn’t have a mobile app, so customers can manage their policies and claims on the website or over the phone.

We evaluate companies using the following methodologies:

1. Cost and coverage: We look at the competitiveness, discounts, and value in relation to the offered coverage.
2. Customer experience: As auto insurance customers ourselves, we use our own experiences to evaluate the shopping process and ease of customer experiences.
3. Claims handling: An insurance company’s main job is claim fulfillment. We break down claims processes using third-party data, our personal experiences, and customer feedback.
4. Industry ratings and reviews: We analyze from trusted third-party agencies to assess insurers on factors like financial strength and customer satisfaction.
5. Digital tools and technology: We evaluate the user experience of digital tools, including websites, mobile apps, and online account management features.