Country-Wide Insurance Company Auto Insurance Review: Should you buy in 2024?

Country-Wide Insurance is a small insurance provider that offers coverage to New Yorkers. With over 55 years of service, Country-Wide prides itself on being a local insurance provider.

Unfortunately, Country-Wide is plagued by unsatisfied customers, few discounts, high rates, and poor financial stability. Despite that, Country-Wide receives an average number of complaints for a company of its size.

Country-Wide has a limited number of car insurance products to choose from, but they do offer enough to keep your car protected on the road. The company also provides truck insurance for semi drivers, but that’s the extent of their inventory.

From state-required minimum liability to full coverage, Country-Wide car insurance might be right for you. However, you should always compare prices with other companies to get the best deal. Enter your ZIP code into our free tool to see what rates might look like for you.

What is Country-Wide auto insurance?

Country-Wide Insurance only operates in New York, so if you live in a different state, you’ll need to look elsewhere for insurance. Although the company is small and focuses mainly on car insurance and financial products, Country-Wide strives to maintain its local business reputation.

It may be small, but Country-Wide offers the three primary forms of car insurance, like most insurance companies.

• Liability. Liability pays for damage you cause in an accident to both people and property. Most states require a minimum amount of liability coverage (including New York). New Yorkers need to have a 25/50/10 liability plan to drive.
• Collision. This coverage will pay for damages to your car no matter who is at fault for an accident. New York does not require collision plans, but it’s a smart choice if you can’t afford to replace your vehicle.
• Comprehensive. Comprehensive covers damage outside of accidents, like animal contact, theft, weather, or fire. New York does not require comprehensive, but with car theft in the cities and lots of rural roads, comprehensive is a good investment if it fits your budget.

Country-Wide also offers a few additional coverages you can add to your policy, though not as many as competitors. These include:

• Underinsured/uninsured motorist. While drivers are legally required to carry insurance, not every driver follows the law. Underinsured/uninsured motorist protects you from drivers with inadequate insurance. New York requires drivers to have 25/50 uninsured/underinsured motorist.
• Personal injury protection (PIP). Also known as no-fault insurance, PIP pays for your medical bills if you’re injured in an accident, no matter who is at fault. New York requires drivers have $50,000 in PIP coverage.

While it’s not the most extensive list of products, Country-Wide has everything you need for broad protection on your car. However, if coverage options are important to you, you might want to consider a different company.

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Does Country-Wide offer auto insurance discounts?

While there are many benefits to buying from local businesses, most small insurance companies offer fewer discounts than their bigger competitors. The same might be true of Country-Wide, but the company is tight-lipped on whether they offer discounts at all.

Most companies offer something in the form of discounts. The most common discounts that even small insurance companies offer include the following:

• Good driver. If your driving record is clean (i.e., no accidents, speeding tickets, or traffic violations), you might be eligible for a discount.
• Good student. This discount is for full-time students who are doing well in school (which usually means maintaining a “B” average).
• Multi-car. Households with more than one car can usually earn a discount on their policy if you include them on the same policy.
• Safety or security features. If your car has a qualified safety or security feature, such as an anti-theft device, you might be eligible for a discount.

While these are some of the most common car insurance discounts companies offer, you’ll have to call the Country-Wide Insurance phone number for more information.

How much does Country-Wide insurance cost?

Country-Wide is not forthcoming with its prices. If you want a quote, you’ll need to contact an agent.

However, you can get an idea of how much Country-Wide insurance will cost by looking at the average insurance price of car insurance in New York.

Customers tend to say that Country-Wide has higher rates than average, so you’ll probably pay slightly more than the average. However, if you want to see exact quotes from this company, you can speak with an agent or visit one of their neighborhood locations.

Country-Wide Auto Insurance Reviews

One of the best ways to get to know an insurance company is by looking at the reviews.

Looking at professional ratings is usually a good place to start. Country-Wide is too small to be noticed by J.D. Power, but it does have a rating from A.M. Best and the Better Business Bureau (BBB).

The BBB rates Country-Wide as an A+, but there are numerous customer complaints on the site. Most complaints center on the quality of the insurance.

A.M. Best rates insurance companies on their financial strength. The better the rating, the more likely your claims will be paid. Country-Wide does not get the best rating from A.M. Best — only a C++ — but the company has improved slightly.

Finally, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) rates insurance companies by their complaints. NAIC compares complaints against the company’s size and then offers a score. A score of 1.0 is the national average. Anything higher means a company receives more complaints.

Country-Wide received a 3.63, which means it gets more than triple the national average for complaints.

What do customers think about Country-Wide Insurance?

There are a lot of negative reviews for Country-Wide. Country-Wide customers almost unanimously say the rates are too high. However, drivers looking for high-risk auto insurance say the opposite and praise Country-Wide for giving them an affordable policy when no one else would.

Country-Wide’s website — nicknamed the CWICO site — is not very impressive. Even loyal, satisfied customers say that it feels outdated and that they’d like Country-Wide to modernize it a little.

The products that Country-Wide offers leave customers feeling unimpressed. People often like to upgrade their policies to protect their vehicles better, but you just can’t do that at Country-Wide.

Despite the flaws, Country-Wide has a loyal customer base. While there is the odd complaint about customer service, people generally love the service they get at Country-Wide. In fact, some customers say they are happy to pay the higher prices because the staff is so helpful and friendly.

Country-Wide is proud to offer local insurance coverage for New York drivers, and it seems like they’ve met their goal. Customers of Country-Wide like that they are treated like family.

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Find the Best Auto Insurance Rates Today

If you live in New York, this small insurance company might be right for you. While coverage options are limited, discounts are vague at best, and rates tend to be higher, Country-Wide has a lot of happy customers. The only way to see if you could be one of them is to get a direct quote from an agent.

Country-Wide insurance might be the best choice for you, but you should always compare quotes with other companies before you make a decision. Enter your ZIP code into our free tool to see what rates might look like for you.