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Foremost policies are available exclusively through local agents, and its rates tend to be higher than average
Foremost Insurance Co. started as America’s first mobile home insurer in 1952 and was acquired by the Farmers Insurance Group in 2000. Seven years later, Farmers acquired Bristol West, an auto insurance company specializing in high-risk drivers, which allowed Foremost to launch an auto insurance product.
Today, Foremost sells insurance policies for homes and a variety of vehicles, including cars, boats, motorcycles and ATVs. We named Foremost one of the best auto insurance companies for motorcycles, and it was our top overall pick for the best RV insurance.
Foremost auto insurance is only available for quotes and purchase through independent agents, which may be a benefit or a downside, depending on how you prefer to shop for insurance. Its rates are on the expensive side, with its average full coverage rates around 31 percent higher than the national average, though this makes sense as most of its policies (underwritten by Bristol West) cater to high-risk drivers.
I’m a senior editor and analyst at AutoInsurance.com, and although I’m a State Farm customer (check out my full State Farm review), I pulled together industry research and customer reviews to break down Foremost’s coverages, costs, discounts and more and help you as you shop for car insurance.
Wide range of coverage options, including rental car reimbursement and worldwide liability
Plenty of bundling options — since Foremost is a member of the Farmers Insurance Group, you can also get life insurance and pet insurance through related companies and save
Available in all 50 states and Washington, D.C.
High average rates
Quotes and policies only available through an independent agent
Foremost may be a good choice for those who prefer working directly with an agent to purchase insurance policies.
Based on our aggregated data, the average cost of Foremost car insurance is $2,514 per year for a full coverage policy and $786 per year for a minimum coverage policy, which is significantly more expensive than the national average of $1,924 per year and $547 per year, respectively.
Keep in mind that these are only averages, so the rate that you get yourself could be very different. If you’ve got a spotless driving record, your rate could be much lower, but if you’re a teenager, have gotten into a bunch of accidents, or have a DUI, it could be a lot higher.
In its capacity as a broker, Foremost also sells Bristol West policies tailored to high-risk drivers, which drive up its average policy cost. If you have a clean driving record, it’s worth getting a quote from Foremost as it is likely to be much more affordable.
You can see how Foremost’s average premium compares to major national insurers in the table below:
Company | Average annual premium for full coverage | Average annual premium for minimum coverage |
---|---|---|
Allstate | $2,639 | $597 |
American Family | $1,785 | $713 |
Farmers | $2,320 | $634 |
Foremost | $2,514 | $786 |
GEICO | $1,572 | $413 |
The General | $3,069 | $1,606 |
The Hartford (AARP) | $2,316 | $735 |
Nationwide | $1,805 | $613 |
Progressive | $1,891 | $481 |
State Farm | $1,697 | $482 |
Travelers | $1,630 | $530 |
USAA | $1,322 | $356 |
Foremost offers several discounts, but not as many as other companies — there’s no telematics discount for tracking safe driving habits, for example, which is pretty common among most insurers. That said, there are still ways to save with Foremost.
Most comprehensive and collision insurance policies have deductibles, which is the amount of money you need to pay before your coverage kicks in. For example, imagine that you get into an accident that results in $1,000 of damage, and it’s covered by your policy. If you have a $750 collision deductible, that means that even though the damage is covered, you’ll need to pay $750 out of pocket first to meet your deductible, and then your insurer will cover the remaining $250.
Typically, the lower your deductible, the higher your premiums. However, Foremost offers another way to lower your deductible. With Foremost’s diminishing deductible add-on, your deductible lowers each year that you don’t make a claim on your comprehensive or collision insurance policies. After a few years, you can lower your deductible by up to $500 just for not getting into any accidents or making any claims.
For example: imagine that your deductible is $1,000 when you start your policy. In your first year, you need to pay $1,000 out of pocket for a covered claim before your insurance kicks in. But in the second year, your deductible would automatically drop down to $900 if you didn’t make any claims the prior year. Then, if you still don’t make a claim in your second year, your deductible would drop down to $800 in the third year, and so on, until it drops to $500.
In addition to the diminishing deductible, Foremost offers the following ways to save:
To get a quote from Foremost, you’ll need to speak with an independent agent. The agent will ask you basic questions about your vehicle, driving history and other important factors to help them calculate a quote.
Agents work for insurance carriers and can complete insurance transactions. Brokers help you shop with multiple companies, but can’t actually sell you a policy. Learn more about the difference between agents vs. brokers.
To start the process, you can use Foremost’s website to find a local agent. Just input your ZIP code, and Foremost will provide you with a list of local agents you can contact to get your quote. When you’re ready to purchase a policy, you’ll do so through the agent as well.
I inputted different cities across the country and found numerous agents in each.
Foremost offers all the standard types of insurance coverage, like liability coverage, collision and comprehensive coverage, medical payments/personal injury protection and uninsured motorist coverage.
I personally have higher liability limits and full coverage, which I opted for to get additional financial protection. If you can afford it, it’s generally a good idea to get more than the minimum coverage required by your state.
Foremost offers some unique add-on coverages, including worldwide liability, auto extra, and a safety glass deductible waiver. It also offers the following optional coverages:
Coverage | What it covers |
---|---|
Loan/Lease | If you’re leasing your vehicle or paying it off via a loan, then in the case of a total loss, this coverage will pay the difference between what you owe and what your car is worth. For example, if you owe $50,000 on your vehicle, and your regular insurance will pay $30,000 (the car’s value), this coverage will pay an additional $20,000 so you can pay off your loan. |
New Vehicle Replacement | If you buy a new vehicle and it’s deemed a total loss after an accident, this insurance will pay for a replacement vehicle of the same class, size, and body type. |
Rental Car Reimbursement | This insurance covers the cost of a rental car if you need to rent one as a result of a covered claim. |
Towing and Roadside Service | This covers the cost of towing and roadside assistance, such as gas or oil delivery, on a covered vehicle. |
Rideshare coverage | If you work as a driver for Uber, Lyft, or another ridesharing service, this insurance will cover you in case you get in an accident while on the job. |
Classic Car Coverage | Foremost offers coverage on classic and collectible cars through its partnership with J.C. Taylor. |
If you have a violation on your record, here are some of the best insurance options for high-risk drivers.
As a subsidiary of Farmers Insurance, Foremost has an Excellent AM Best Financial Strength Rating, which indicates that it can reliably pay out its claims. That means that you likely won’t get stuck waiting on a payout that never comes.
Foremost doesn’t do as well in the customer complaint department. According to the NAIC Customer Complaint Index, which ranks how often customers file complaints about different insurers, Foremost has a score of 1.47, which means that it receives 1.47 times as many complaints as the average. That said, I’ve seen insurers with even greater customer complaint indices—as high as nine or ten times the average—which puts Foremost’s rank into perspective and makes it seem a little more modest.
Category | Foremost score |
---|---|
NAIC Customer Complaint Index1 | 1.47 – more complaints than average |
AM Best Financial Strength Rating2 | A (Excellent) |
You can file a claim with Foremost through the website, mobile app, or by calling the company directly. You’ll need to provide details about yourself and the incident, including your name and address, policy number, date of the loss and a description of what happened.
The company notes that every claim is different, so processing times can vary depending on the complexity. Some claims may be resolved within a few days, while others can take weeks or months to be paid out. Since Foremost is sold through agents, you can speak to your agent about a claim; while agents usually can’t file a claim directly on your behalf, they can answer questions or concerns and help you throughout the process if needed.
Foremost customers can create an online account on the company’s website, which they can use to pay their bills, sign up for automatic payments and paperless communication to receive a discount, access ID cards and other policy documents and file and track a claim.
The company also has a mobile app for both iOS and Android devices that offers the same functionality as the online portal in addition to requesting roadside assistance and contacting their agent. The app was first released in 2021, making Foremost a relatively new participant in the world of on-the-go availability.
I downloaded the app to check out the home page, and it has a clean and clear user interface. You can log in for access to all the features, or get roadside assistance, file a claim and contact the company without needing to log in.
Customers on both app stores report that the app is often glitchy and practically unusable. When it does work, however, customers tend to be happy with it. Overall, iOS users may have a better experience than Android users, given its higher App Store rating.
App Version | Rating (out of 5) |
---|---|
iPhone (App Store) | 4.3 stars |
Android (Google Play) | 3.8 stars |
If you are already a Foremost auto insurance customer and you buy a new car, you have up to 30 days to add the new vehicle to your policy.
No, Foremost itself does not sell life insurance, but Foremost customers can save by bundling their auto insurance with life insurance from Farmers Insurance, Foremost’s parent company.
No, MetLife does not own Farmers. In 2021, Farmers bought MetLife Auto and Home.
We assess companies on the following:
Consumer Insight. National Association of Insurance Commissioners. (2024).
https://content.naic.org/article/how-file-complaint-and-research-complaints-against-insurance-carriers