Safeco offers a decent variety of coverage at a low rate and has excellent digital tools for online claims and customer service, making it a good option for car insurance.
By
Rachael BrennanRachael BrennanSenior Editor & Licensed Insurance ExpertRachael Brennan is a licensed auto insurance expert and a former senior editor at Policygenius. Her work has also been featured in MoneyGeek, Clearsurance, Adweek, Boston Globe, The Ladders, and AutoInsurance.com.
Edited by
Anna SwartzAnna SwartzSenior Managing EditorAnna Swartz is a senior managing editor who specializes in home, auto, renters, and disability insurance at Policygenius. Previously, she was a senior staff writer at Mic and a writer at The Dodo. Her work has also appeared in Salon, HuffPost, MSN, AOL, and Heeb.
Our proprietary ratings methodology takes multiple factors into account, including customer satisfaction, cost, financial strength, and policy offerings. See the “Ratings methodology” section for more details.
3.7
AM Best rating
AM Best is a global credit rating agency that scores the financial strength of insurance companies on a scale from A++ (Superior) to D (Poor).
A
Cost
Using a mix of internal and external rate data, we grade the cost of each insurance company's premiums on a scale from least expensive ($) to most expensive ($$$$$).
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The bottom line
Owned by Liberty Mutual, Safeco offers car insurance in 46 states, sold exclusively through independent agents.
Safeco has low rates for good, basic car insurance coverage and the ability to customize your policy, like adding new car replacement coverage and diminishing deductibles.
The biggest downside to Safeco is that the company doesn’t put all of its discounts and policy add-ons on the website, so you’ll need to reach out to an independent agent to find out what discounts and coverages are available to you. But Safeco is a good choice if you are looking for a low price on basic coverage.
Pros
Lower-than-average rates
Useful mobile app for paying bills and filing claims
Good customer service
Cons
Doesn’t put all discount and coverage options online
Liability coverage: Covers the cost of bodily injuries or property damage you cause to someone else in an at fault accident. Liability coverage is required in almost every state.
Personal injury protection: Also referred to as PIP or no-fault insurance, personal injury protection covers medical expenses (and other costs, like lost wages and funeral benefits) if you or your passengers are hurt in an accident, no matter who was at fault. PIP coverage is required in some states.
Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage: Also known as UM/UIM, uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage pays for your medical expenses if you’re hit by a driver who doesn’t have insurance, or doesn’t have enough insurance to cover all your medical expenses. UM/UIM is required coverage in some states.
Collision coverage: Covers damage to your vehicle after a car accident, whether or not you were at fault.
Comprehensive coverage: Covers non-collision damage to your car, including damage caused by extreme weather, hail, flood, fire, falling objects, vandalism and theft.
Medical payments: Also known as MedPay, this covers medical costs for you and your passengers if you get into a covered accident, but the benefit is usually small, between $1,000 and $10,000.
Additional coverages offered
Safeco offers a number of additional car insurance coverage add-ons (called endorsements), including:
New vehicle replacement coverage: If your car is less than a year old and has under 15,000 miles on it, this coverage will replace it with the same make and model after it’s been totaled or stolen.
Rental car reimbursement: While your car is being repaired, this coverage can help cover the cost of getting a rental car.
Roadside assistance: By adding roadside assistance to your policy, you’ll have help available 24/7 for Towing, flat tire changes, jump starts for dead battery, delivering fuel/fluids, and lockout services
Claims-free cash back: If you go six months without filing a claim, you’ll automatically receive 2.5% of your premium back with every policy period, up to 5% every year.
Diminishing deductible: Every year you don’t file a claim through Safeco, your deductible will decrease for up to five years, potentially saving you $500 if you do have to file a claim.
Safeco also offers more than just auto insurance. You can purchase multiple other types of coverage as well, including:
We used data provided by Quadrant to compare the average cost of a full coverage policy from Safeco (50/100/50 coverage limits and $500 deductibles for comprehensive and collision coverage) to competitor rates for the same coverage with the same driver profile (single drivers aged 30, 35, and 45 driving a 2017 Toyota Camry LE about 10,000 miles per year.)
Customer experience
4.3/5
Safeco scored 865 out of 1,000 on J.D. Power’s 2022 U.S. Auto Claims Satisfaction Study, which is about average for the industry. In J.D. Power’s 2022 U.S. Insurance Digital Experience Study, which looks at customer satisfaction with a company’s digital offerings, Safeco received a 738, the highest score of any major insurance provider we reviewed. And according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) National Complaint Index Report, Safeco also had slightly more customer complaints than average in 2021.
Coverage options
3.4/5
Safeco offers 16 different types of auto insurance coverage, giving it a very good score when it comes to coverage options. Beyond the standard auto insurance coverage types, including liability, comprehensive, and collision coverage, Safeco offers add-ons like roadside assistance, new vehicle replacement coverage, and rental car reimbursement.
Financial strength
3.0/5
Safeco has moderate financial ratings, scoring an A with AM Best, A- with S&P, and A2 with Moody’s. This means Safeco is in a decent financial position to pay out its customers’ claims, but the company has lower financial strength ratings than many of their competitors in the industry. These financial ratings are separate from Liberty Mutual, which has an A with AM Best, A with S&P, and A2 with Moody’s.
How much does Safeco auto insurance cost?
Safeco auto insurance costs an average of $117 a month, or $1,405 a year. That makes Safeco car insurance slightly less expensive than competitors for a full-coverage policy with bodily injury liability limits of $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident.
Average annual rate
Average monthly rate
Safeco
$1,405
$117
National average
$1,638
$137
Keep in mind that these rates are for drivers with a clean record, and having an accident, speeding ticket, DUI, or other violation on your record may mean your Safeco quote would be much higher than the average.
Your independent insurance agent can help you determine which discounts may be available to help lower your rates but, remember, your actual rates are based on a number of factors.
What discounts does Safeco offer?
Safeco only lists a few available discounts on its website, but you can discuss your options with an agent to find out which discounts may be right for you.
Safeco’s listed auto insurance discounts include:
RightTrack discount: After you sign up for this usage-based program, the RightTrack app will track your driving for a 90-day-trial period. Safe drivers will earn a discount once the 90 days are up.
Accident-free drivers discount: If you don’t have any recent accidents on your driving record (and you keep it that way) you could earn a discount on your premium.
Safety features discount: If your car has specific safety features (Safeco doesn’t specify which ones), you could get a discount on your rate.
Multi-policy discount: Bundling multiple policies (like homeowners or renters insurance and auto insurance) through Safeco could help you save money on your car insurance.
How to get a quote: Safeco only sells coverage through independent agents, which means customers need to reach out to their insurance agent or use an independent insurance marketplace like Policygenius to get a quote for Safeco auto insurance.
Customer service options: Safeco has a mobile app and an online portal where customers can take care of basic customer service issues, like ordering ID cards or updating their personal information. Customers who have additional needs can contact Safeco directly at 1-800-332-3226.
How to file a claim: Safeco customers can file a claim online or through the Safeco mobile app. Customers who need to speak with a live representative can call the company directly at 1-800-332-3226 to file a claim.
How to cancel your policy: Customers can either work with their independent agent or call the company directly at 1-800-332-3226 to cancel their policy.
Safeco has an A rating with A.M. Best and an 865 on the J.D. Power Claims Satisfaction Survey, which are decent scores (though a little lower than the industry average) and indicate the company is capable of paying its claims.
Is Safeco Insurance good or bad?
Safeco has low average rates and customer service scores that are higher than average, which makes the company a good choice for car insurance.
Is Safeco car insurance expensive?
Safeco has lower car insurance rates than many of its competitors, but how much you pay for car insurance is based on a number of personal factors, including your ZIP code, your age, and your driving history. Depending on your situation, your rates could be higher or lower than the average Safeco driver.
Is Safeco or Liberty Mutual cheaper?
Every car insurance quote is different based on your specific situation, so you’ll need to compare quotes from both companies to find out which one has the lowest rates for you.
Rachael Brennan is a licensed auto insurance expert and a former senior editor at Policygenius. Her work has also been featured in MoneyGeek, Clearsurance, Adweek, Boston Globe, The Ladders, and AutoInsurance.com.
Anna Swartz is a senior managing editor who specializes in home, auto, renters, and disability insurance at Policygenius. Previously, she was a senior staff writer at Mic and a writer at The Dodo. Her work has also appeared in Salon, HuffPost, MSN, AOL, and Heeb.
