The first thing you should ask when considering getting insurance from Auto-Owners is this: what does Auto-Owners actually cover? The company offers more than just standard motor insurance since it has a variety of policies available for homeowners, renters, people who want life insurance, business owners, motorcycle riders, boat owners, RV owners, and for other kinds of insurance as well. Concerning drivers, the auto insurance provided by Auto-Owners includes the normal liability, collision, and comprehensive coverages, as well as a number of optional protections which may be useful depending on the type of vehicle you have and your own individual situation.
The exact coverage available, together with the limits, eligibility requirements, and prices, can vary from state to state and will depend on your particular situation. Moreover, since Auto-Owners also offers insurance through independent agents, the policies you are able to obtain will depend on where you live and on the specific policy in question.
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What Auto-Owners Auto Insurance Covers
Auto-Owners provides a variety of different kinds of motor insurance, some of which are mandated by state law and the others are optional.
Liability Coverage
Liability insurance will cover any injuries or damage to property which you cause to another person in an accident for which you are legally responsible.
Auto-Owners offers coverage for both bodily injury liability and property damage liability. It can be used to pay for the damages caused to other people as a result of an accident, and the property damage liability part pays for the damage that you cause to another person’s property. Moreover, the liability coverage also includes legal defence if you are sued in connection with a covered accident.
For example, if you accidentally collide with another driver and this causes them to be injured, the bodily injury liability coverage in your insurance policy could be used to pay for the costs involved up to the amount of the policy’s coverage.
The minimum amount of liability insurance that you are obliged to have is determined by your state, but these minimum requirements may not provide sufficient protection for all drivers. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners notes that the requirements differ from state to state and that many drivers choose to obtain coverage that goes beyond the legal minimum.
Collision Coverage
If your vehicle is damaged in a covered collision, the collision coverage will pay for the repair or replacement of the vehicle.
It could include hitting another vehicle or an object. Usually, the collision coverage has a deductible, which is the amount that you have to pay yourself before the insurance company pays its share of the claim.
Normally state law does not require a collision policy, but a lender or a leasing company can make it a requirement in the case where you are financing or leasing a vehicle.
Comprehensive Coverage
The policy includes coverage for a wide range of vehicle damages as long as they are not the result of a collision.
Auto-Owners specifically lists events such as:
- Theft
- Fire
- Vandalism
- Weather-related damage
- Hitting an animal
The NAIC also states that comprehensive insurance includes coverage for non-collision damage, for example, damage resulting from theft, hail, windstorms, fire, flooding, and collisions with animals.
For instance, if a branch breaks off from a tree and falls on your car while the car is parked during a storm, the comprehensive cover would apply, provided that the terms of the policy and the deductible are considered.
Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage
It is false that every driver has enough insurance to cover the damage they cause, and it is possible that some drivers have no insurance at all.
Auto-Owners offers coverage for uninsured and underinsured motorists, and this type of coverage may be helpful to you if you’re injured or if you suffer covered damage as a result of an accident involving a driver who has no insurance or one who has inadequate liability limits. The exact protection available will depend on state law and the policy.
It is particularly important to have this kind of coverage since simply being involved in an accident with an uninsured driver does not mean that your losses will disappear; your own policy might provide protection in view of the particular circumstances.
Medical Payments and Personal Injury Protection
Among the auto coverage options offered by Auto-Owners are medical payments and personal injury protection (PIP).
These types of coverage can be used to meet the medical costs that arise out of an accident, including those connected with hospitalization and rehabilitation; the particular coverage that applies and the way it functions depend very much on the state in which the policy is issued.
In states with no-fault insurance systems PIP is especially important since the injured driver’s own insurance will cover certain injury-related costs even if it is not known who was at fault for the accident. The types of coverage available or required are decided by the state insurance rules.
Road Trouble Service
Auto-Owners provides a Road Trouble Service which is intended for use in cases such as having a flat tyre, being unable to get the keys to open the car, running out of fuel, having a dead battery, or encountering certain minor mechanical issues.
It’s just like the roadside assistance provided by the other insurance companies and can be useful should you not already have such assistance through some other service.
Auto-Owners states that customers who have this coverage can get help around the clock, every day of the week, in all 50 states and in Canada. However, the coverage terms and service conditions remain dependent on the policy.
Rental Car and Additional Expense Coverage
Losing your car as a result of an accident can lead to another issue—getting to work, school, appointments, or other ordinary activities.
Auto-Owners provides extra coverage for expenses, which can assist with the cost of hiring a rental car when your vehicle is unable to be used due to a covered accident. The company also includes coverage for certain food, accommodation, and other incidental expenses when you are left away from home.
It might be worth looking into this kind of coverage if you depend a great deal on your car and have no other reasonable means of transportation.
Loan or Lease Gap Coverage
A car may lose its value more quickly than the loan balance decreases. In the event that your car is declared a total loss, you might end up owing more on the loan than the vehicle is worth.
Auto-Owners provides loan or lease gap coverage as an extra feature. This type of coverage will pay the difference between the current value of the vehicle and the amount still owed on a covered loan or lease, on the conditions set out in the policy.
For example, if the value of your vehicle is $20,000 after taking into account depreciation but you still have a debt of $24,000, and there is no gap protection in place, you might have to pay the $4,000 difference after the insurer has settled the loss in accordance with the policy.
Diminished Value Coverage
A vehicle which has been repaired could end up being worth less even if the repairs had been carried out properly.
Auto-Owners provides diminished value coverage, the purpose of which is to offer compensation for the decrease in the vehicle’s value after an accident, on the condition that the relevant policy provisions are met.
It is not the same as collision coverage since collision coverage mainly deals with the repair or replacement of the physical damage to the vehicle, whereas diminished value takes into account the possible decrease in the vehicle’s value following an accident.
Accident Forgiveness
Auto-Owners also provides a benefit known as at-fault accident forgiveness.
The company says that if this benefit is bought, the accident surcharge will be waived in the case of the first at-fault accident that occurs after the benefit has been purchased. It states that to be eligible it is necessary to have had neither any at-fault claims nor any major violations in the previous 36 months.
It is not included in all policies and availability and eligibility may differ.
Other Auto-Owners Insurance Products
Auto-Owners’ insurance business includes auto insurance.
The company offers several other policy types, including:
- Homeowners insurance
- Renters insurance
- Condo insurance
- Rental dwelling insurance
- Mobile home insurance
- Motorcycle insurance
- Boat insurance
- RV and motorhome insurance
- Life insurance
- Business insurance
- Commercial auto insurance
- Umbrella insurance
- Flood insurance
- Pet insurance
- Farm insurance
It could be advantageous for a person who wishes to have different kinds of insurance managed by the same insurer, though whether or not this is financially sensible will depend on the quotes and coverage that are available to you.
What Does the Auto-Owners Homeowners Insurance Policy Cover?
If your interests go beyond auto insurance, Auto-Owners will also offer homeowners’ coverage.
Homeowners’ policies may provide coverage for the dwelling, for other structures, for personal property, for personal liability, for medical payments to others, and for additional living expenses following a covered loss.
The company also offers optional types of coverage including water backup, equipment breakdown, special personal property coverage, ordinance or law coverage, identity theft expense coverage, and home cyber protection; furthermore, some of the policies may include extra protection regarding rebuilding costs or specific flood risks.
For instance, if a covered fire makes your home temporarily unsafe, your additional living expense coverage could help pay for eligible costs during the time that you are unable to live in it.
Does Auto-Owners Offer Discounts?
Auto-Owners gives a number of ways in which customers might reduce the cost of their insurance, such as through multi-policy discounts, payment discounts, advance-quote discounts, discounts for the use of protective devices, and other possibilities. The availability and eligibility of these options differ from state to state and according to the particular policy.
You should not assume that a discount that is listed will be applied to your policy; it’s necessary to ask the agent what discounts you are eligible for and by how much each one will reduce the premium.
This situation is also true of the total cost of Auto-Owners insurance; the amount of your premium may vary according to factors such as the coverage and limits you select, your place of residence, driving record, the vehicle you have, your claims history, and other underwriting factors.
What is the procedure for purchasing Auto-Owners insurance?
An important aspect of Auto-Owners is that it offers its insurance through independent agents rather than depending entirely on direct online sales, the company stating that its independent agents assist customers in choosing the right coverage and can give them quotes.
That means the buying experience may be different from an insurer that lets you complete the entire process directly online.
Is Auto-Owners Insurance a good choice? where customers can view policy information, make payments, obtain proof of insurance, access claim information, and request Road Trouble Service.
Is Auto-Owners Insurance a Good Choice?
Auto-Owners may be worth considering if you want a broad selection of insurance products and prefer working with an independent insurance agent.
The range of auto insurance offered includes more than just basic liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage. Drivers have the opportunity to choose from various options such as uninsured/underinsured motorist protection, roadside assistance, rental-related coverage, gap coverage, diminished value coverage, and accident forgiveness in order to customise their policy.
Yet there is no one Auto-Owners policy that suits all customers. The availability of coverage depends on the state and the price you get may be very different from that of another driver’s quote.
The best way to compare the policies is not just to look at the monthly premium; you should also consider the liability limits, the deductibles, the optional coverage, the exclusions, the discounts, and the amount you would really have to pay following a claim.
Pros and Cons of Auto-Owners Insurance
Possible advantages:
- Broad selection of auto coverage options
- Independent agents can help customize policies
- Multiple types of personal and business insurance are available
- Optional protections such as gap and diminished value coverage
- Online access regarding policies, payments, proof of insurance, and claims
Likely drawbacks:
- Availability and coverage options vary by state
- You generally work through an independent agent rather than buying directly from the company
- Optional coverage can increase the premium
- A policy that works well for one driver may not be the best fit for another
What I’m discussing here are the practical matters rather than carrying out a general assessment of the company; the conditions of the quotation you obtain are more important than an overall collection of advantages and disadvantages.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Auto-Owners offer insurance exclusively for cars?
Auto-Owners offers auto insurance as well as homeowners, renters, condo, life, business, motorcycle, boat, RV, umbrella, flood, and other kinds of insurance. Yet the range of these services varies from state to state.
Does Auto-Owners offer full car insurance coverage?
Along with offering liability coverage, Auto-Owners also provides collision and comprehensive coverage. It is important to note that the expression ‘full coverage’ does not mean that it refers to a specific type of policy, and the exact coverages you need will depend on your own circumstances and the requirements of your state.
Does Auto-Owners have roadside assistance?
Yes, Auto-Owners calls this coverage Road Trouble Service and it will provide assistance with problems such as flat tyres, locked keys, running out of fuel, dead batteries, and certain minor mechanical issues, provided the terms of the policy are observed.
Can a company called Auto-Owners provide insurance for a car that has been financed?
Auto-Owners does provide collision and comprehensive coverages and also lists loan or lease gap coverage as one of the available endorsements. However, your lender might have its own insurance requirements.
Does Auto-Owners sell insurance directly online?
Auto-Owners says it offers insurance through independent agents. Customers can use its online services to manage policy information and perform certain tasks after obtaining coverage.
The Bottom Line
Auto-Owners Insurance offers a wide range of coverage, with its auto policies extending well beyond basic liability insurance. Drivers can choose from collision, comprehensive, uninsured/underinsured motorist, medical-related coverage, roadside assistance, rental-related protection, gap coverage, and other options.
The important part is choosing coverage based on your vehicle, finances, driving situation, and state requirements—not simply choosing the insurer with the lowest quoted premium. Because Auto-Owners coverage, eligibility, discounts, and pricing can vary by state and individual circumstances, compare the actual policy details and quote before making a decision.
