Safeco Auto Insurance Review: Should you buy in 2024?

Safeco car insurance comes with many coverage options but has a relatively high number of customer complaints.

UPDATED: Nov 6, 2023Fact Checked

Tracey L. Wells

Licensed Insurance Agent & Agency Owner

Tracey L. Wells is a licensed insurance agent and Farmers insurance agency owner with 23 years of experience. He is proud to be a local Farmers agent serving Grayson, Georgia and surrounding areas. With experience as both an underwriter and agent, he provides his customers with insight that others agents may not have. His agency offers all lines of insurance including home, life, auto, RV, busi...

Licensed Insurance Agent & Agency Owner

Brad Larson

Licensed Insurance Agent

Brad Larson has been in the insurance industry for over 16 years. He specializes in helping clients navigate the claims process, with a particular emphasis on coverage analysis. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Utah in Political Science. He also holds an Associate in Claims (AIC) and Associate in General Insurance (AINS) designations, as well as a Utah Property and Casual...

Licensed Insurance Agent

UPDATED: Nov 6, 2023

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Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about auto insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything auto insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by auto insurance experts.

UPDATED: Nov 6, 2023

Advertiser Disclosure

It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right coverage choices.

Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident auto insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one auto insurance provider and cannot guarantee quotes from any single provider. Our auto insurance industry partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from many different auto insurance companies please enter your ZIP code on this page to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.

UPDATED: Nov 6, 2023Fact Checked
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Safeco Insurance

Average monthly rate for good drivers:

$71

A.M. Best rating:

A (Excellent)

Complaint level:

Med

Pros

  • Has a lower number of customer complaints compared to other companies
  • Offers policies with accident forgiveness and diminishing deductibles
  • Customers can customize their auto policy coverage
  • Bundle discounts are available for multiple policies
  • Discount programs like the “Right Track”

Cons

  • The ratings for customer satisfaction are below average for car insurance claims
  • You have to work with an agent to obtain an initial quote

Final Verdict: Review of Safeco Insurance

Safeco provides a variety of discounts for drivers that will make your life easier by not having to choose between coverage and costs. It rewards good drivers and makes it easy to access the information you need about your policy.

The company has an A rating from A.M Best, meaning it’s financially equipped to cover your claims and provides other coverage such as home and pet insurance.

Safeco really is a one-stop shop for all your insurance needs and offers unique auto insurance add-ons that can save you money after an accident or collision. You can bundle multiple policies to save even more money.

To see how much you can save with Safeco, enter your ZIP code below. You’ll get free auto insurance quotes from local companies to compare insurers against one another and see which can offer you the best rates possible.

If you are searching for car insurance that provides coverage variety, discounts, and bundles for an affordable price, Safeco might be worth checking out. Before you start shopping for car insurance, think about what car insurance coverage you want and what you’re required to buy in your state. Minimum coverage requirements vary based on where you live, but laws typically require liability insurance and uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage. Full coverage insurance can give you extra protection. Still, this kind of coverage isn't just one niche Safeco policy type — it's a mix of Safeco policy types like liability, collision, and comprehensive insurance. This guide discusses the kind of insurance Safeco offers so you can decide if it is the right auto insurance company for you. Keep reading to compare Safeco car insurance rates and policy types and learn more about the company’s customer service ratings.

What You Should Know About Safeco Insurance

Despite cheap rates and a varied array of insurance options, Safeco has a higher number of complaints. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Safeco rating is 1.33, meaning it receives a few more complaints than other mid-size insurance companies.

Safeco also performed just below average in the J.D. Power customer and claims satisfaction studies.

Safeco Customer Satisfaction Review
J.D. Power Customer Satisfaction StudySafeco Insurance Rating
Claims Satisfaction871/900 (#12 out of 18 companies)
Insurance Shopping Satisfaction845/900 (#10 out of 11 companies)
Overall Satisfaction (Southeast)847/900 (#8 out of 16 companies)

Although its claims satisfaction is relatively high, Safeco insurance reviews place the company somewhere in the middle of the pack when compared to the competition.

However, you may find better customer service with another insurer. This is why it’s important to shop around and compare more than just insurance rates before you decide to buy auto insurance.

How to Make an Auto Insurance Claim With Safeco

Claim phone support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, by calling 1-800-332-3226. You can also file a claim through your online account or on the Safeco mobile app.

You will need the following information handy when filing your claim:

  • Your policy number
  • Resulting damage
  • The accident information, along with a description
  • Contact information

Once you file the claim, you can check the status via the mobile app or online. To help your claim run smoothly, you can upload photos of any damage through the app.

How To Cancel Your Safeco Car Insurance

Canceling your policy will have to be done by contacting your independent agent. Make sure to have your name and policy number ready to give to the agent.

Make sure to ask for written or email confirmation of your canceled policy before ending the call. Also, jot down your renewal date and lock in a new insurer before you cancel to ensure no lapse in coverage.

Safeco Insurance Coverage Options

Safeco allows drivers to customize their auto insurance coverage, and there are many different policy options you can buy that will save you considerable loss.

Here are the top policy options to showcase:

  • Pet coverage. Veterinary expenses or a death benefit if your cat or dog is injured or dies in a collision, will be covered.
  • Electronic key and lock replacement. If you need to replace lost or stolen electronic keys, remote control pads, and locks, Safeco will cover it with no deductible.
  • Rideshare coverage. Your personal policy does not cover you when driving for a company like Uber or Lyft, and the ridesharing company’s insurance is limited between rides. Safeco rideshare insurance picks up the slack while you’re driving for work.
  • New car replacement. Safeco will pay to replace your car if it’s stolen or totaled. The vehicle must be less than a year old and have fewer than 15,000 miles on it.
  • GAP coverage. Safeco will pay the difference between what’s left on your loan or lease and the value of your car if it’s stolen or totaled. Be aware that most dealerships will require GAP insurance when you lease a new car.
  • Custom equipment coverage. This includes permanently installed audiovisual equipment, a modified or custom engine, roll bars, custom wheels, murals, and decals.
  • Rental car reimbursement. This perk will pay for the cost of a rental car service if your vehicle is being repaired after a covered accident.
  • DVD and CD replacement. Will reimburse you if your audio-visual media, such as DVDs, CDs, and videotapes are damaged or stolen.

You can choose to bundle some of these coverage options with Safeco at discounted rates, but your quotes will increase if you want one or more of these add-ons.

Does Safeco offer other types of insurance coverage?

Safeco offers more than just auto insurance.

Here are some of the other insurance options available at Safeco.

  • Motor home insurance
  • Umbrella insurance
  • Classic car insurance
  • Motorcycle insurance
  • Condo insurance
  • Boat insurance
  • Identity theft insurance
  • Landlord insurance
  • Off-road vehicle insurance
  • Homeowners/renters insurance
  • Pet medical insurance
  • Golf cart insurance
  • Snowmobile insurance

You can choose to bundle some of these coverage options with your Safeco car insurance to earn discounted rates. It’s also less hassle to have multiple coverage options under one company.

So, if you want to insure more than one piece of property, Safeco is a competitive and affordable choice.

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Safeco Insurance Rates Breakdown

The average cost of auto insurance in the United States is roughly $1,070 yearly and $89 monthly. Safeco offers lower-than-average rates at around $71 monthly, or $852 per year, for drivers with good records.

Safeco also has different discounts that vary by the situation to help good drivers get the lowest rates possible.

Here are the average Safeco auto quotes by driving profile.

Safeco Average Annual Full Coverage Auto Insurance Rates Based on Driving Record
DriverU.S. AverageSafeco Insurance Rates
45-year-old male with a clean record$1,431$849
45-year-old female with a clean record$1,433$869
45-year-old male with a DUI$2,507$1,466
45-year-old female with a DUI$2,513$1,502
45-year-old male with an accident$2,072$1,317
45-year-old female with an accident$2,079$1,351
45-year-old male with a ticket$1,761$1,069
45-year-old female with a ticket$1,762$1,090

Your Safeco car insurance rates will increase if you have a speeding ticket, accident, or DUI on your record. Take a look at the table below to get an idea of how much your rates can increase after a single traffic ticket.

Average Monthly Auto Insurance Rates for the Top Insurance Companies for Drivers with a Traffic Ticket
Insurance CompanyRates with a TicketRates with a Clean Record
State Farm$108$91
Geico$132$82
Travelers$144$107
Nationwide$156$120
American Family$180$116
Progressive$192$109
Farmers$204$140
Allstate$228$166
Liberty Mutual$240$177
National Average$156$123

The same goes for being involved in an accident that was your fault.

Average Monthly Rates for the Top Insurance Companies for Drivers with an Accident
Insurance CompanyRates with an Accident
Allstate$237
American Family$166
Farmers$198
Geico$132
Liberty Mutual$236
Nationwide$165
Progressive$190
State Farm$107
Travelers$157
Average$176

Drivers will see the largest increase in rates if they have a DUI on their record.

Average Monthly Rates for the Top Insurance Companies for Drivers with a DUI
Insurance CompanyRates with a DUI
Allstate$303
American Family$177
Farmers$191
Geico$213
Liberty Mutual$325
Nationwide$252
Progressive$146
State Farm$124
Travelers$230
Average$218

Your rates will also go up if you are a young or teen driver. However, Safeco auto insurance rates are more affordable than average, even after an accident.

Now you have insight into what your Safeco Insurance quotes may look like by the type of driver you are. In addition, you can get even lower rates by qualifying for Safeco insurance discounts.

Safeco Insurance Discounts Available

A few notable Safeco auto insurance discounts include multi-car policies and discounts for anyone who has completed a driving course. If you have never made an insurance claim,

Safeco will automatically reduce the collision deductibleby $100 with each annual policy renewal up to $500 or five years.  Those are just a few perks to having Safeco auto insurance.

Here are some additional discounts offered by Safeco Auto Insurance. Each discount may vary depending on your state:

  • Discount for taking a driving course. If you take a driving class on accident prevention, a discount could be coming your way.
  • Discount for having safety features. If your car includes certain safety features, Safeco will provide a discount.
  • Discount for having multiple policies. You can save up to 15% by bundling insurance policies together through Safeco.
  • Discount for having multiple vehicles. Receive a discount if you insure multiple vehicles under the same policy.
  • Discount for being a safe driver. A clean driving record while driving a safe car model  — with the addition of taking an accident prevention course — can earn you multiple safe driving discounts, which you can stack to save even more money on auto insurance.

These discounts can make an enormous difference in your monthly auto insurance quotes and will be an incentive to continue being a good driver on the road.

Add-On Features for Safeco Car Insurance

Safeco offers more ways to save money beyond just discounts, including add-on features that can help save you money after a car accident.

Here are some bonus features that Safeco Auto Insurance provides:

  • Diminishing deductible. Safeco will reduce your collision deductible each year, up to $500 or five years, if you don’t make a car insurance claim.
  • Accident forgiveness. After a set number of years with no violations or accidents, Safeco Car Insurance will not raise your rates after your first accident.
  • Claims-free cash back. You can receive a check for 2.5% of your premium every six months if you remain with no claims.

Not all auto insurance companies provide these extras, so you may want to shop with Safeco if you could benefit from these perks.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cost of Safeco Car Insurance?

Although Safeco does not list specific quotes online, it costs around $850 per year or $71 monthly. Your rates will vary based on your driving record, experience, location, age, and car make and model.

Where can I buy car insurance from Safeco?

Once you decide to buy Safeco auto insurance, the only way to get a policy is to contact an independent agent through the Safeco website.

Is there accident forgiveness with Safeco?

Accident forgiveness is implemented with Safeco only for your first crash and as long as you have not filed a claim for several years. Ask to see if you are eligible, as it is not available in every state.

How do I file a claim with Safeco Auto Insurance?

You can file a claim with Safeco Auto Insurance online, with your agent, or through the Safeco app.

Is Safeco considered a good insurance company?

The overall answer is yes. Safeco provides great prices and coverage options, but we found unhappy customers at times, so it can be subjective. You may want to shop elsewhere if you want a better shopping experience or claims service.

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Tracey L. Wells

Licensed Insurance Agent & Agency Owner

Tracey L. Wells is a licensed insurance agent and Farmers insurance agency owner with 23 years of experience. He is proud to be a local Farmers agent serving Grayson, Georgia and surrounding areas. With experience as both an underwriter and agent, he provides his customers with insight that others agents may not have. His agency offers all lines of insurance including home, life, auto, RV, busi...

Licensed Insurance Agent & Agency Owner

Brad Larson

Licensed Insurance Agent

Brad Larson has been in the insurance industry for over 16 years. He specializes in helping clients navigate the claims process, with a particular emphasis on coverage analysis. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Utah in Political Science. He also holds an Associate in Claims (AIC) and Associate in General Insurance (AINS) designations, as well as a Utah Property and Casual...

Licensed Insurance Agent

Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about auto insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything auto insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by auto insurance experts.

Reviews
for Safeco Insurance

3.94 (1,164 reviews)
1
December 31, 2023

Tracey_

Bad Company run

This company is scammers and lies they took collision and collateral off my vehicle without my knowledge
1
October 30, 2023

06Maraya09_

Wouldn't use them

I have been a customer of safeco/ liberty mutual for many many years. I am appalled at the treatment I am receiving from them, they are trying to screw me over. Already dealing with being in an accident, and then your car being a total loss is hard enough. But for them to then try and screw me over with giving me way less than they should is sickening. When I pay for very good insurance, I'm not on the cheapest policy. They aren't not even giving...
I have been a customer of safeco/ liberty mutual for many many years. I am appalled at the treatment I am receiving from them, they are trying to screw me over. Already dealing with being in an accident, and then your car being a total loss is hard enough. But for them to then try and screw me over with giving me way less than they should is sickening. When I pay for very good insurance, I'm not on the cheapest policy. They aren't not even giving me enough to repurchase the same vehicle. This is not because I'm top heavy on my loan either. They're automated system hangs up on you. It is impossible to get ahold of somebody or to get somebody to call you back. I request to speak with the manager multiple times with no call back. They take forever to respond. Im talking about thousands of dollars too. I even set in comps to prove the vehicles, price and value. And they didn't accept or put in any of mine butt one. They made up excuses why they couldn't use them. I am canceling my insurance with them as soon as this is all wrapped up.
1
October 11, 2023

Dr_Polly_Heil-Mealey

Insurance claim denied

Love my insurance agent, but Safeco is denying my water claim on my RV that I have had insured with them for the last 5 years. An agent would not even come and look at the damage. I am beyond disappointed and believe that I have wasted money with this company
1
October 11, 2023

Dr_Polly_Heil-Mealey

They would not send an adjuster, just denied the claim.

So very dissappointed in this company. We have all of our vehicles insured with them, Our RV suffered water damage in the rain last week, and they are not covering trhe damage. They won't even send out an adjuster to look at the damage. Just denied the claim. I expect more from this company
1
September 23, 2023

Upset_customer_

Credit

They placed me in the credit bureau. The agent never explained this while going over the policy. Angry customers
1
August 21, 2023

Edona_

Roadside assistance /towing

Last night at 8pm my car battery died while driving on a major highway in Brooklyn. I called roadside assistance which took 4 plus hours to arrive. Upon arrival the guy was throwing my stuff all over the floor and rushing to find where the battery was located only to not help me and tell me to call a tow. I spent the next few hours on the phone with safeco back and forth begging for a tow as I was still stranded hours later. They lied to me every...
Last night at 8pm my car battery died while driving on a major highway in Brooklyn. I called roadside assistance which took 4 plus hours to arrive. Upon arrival the guy was throwing my stuff all over the floor and rushing to find where the battery was located only to not help me and tell me to call a tow. I spent the next few hours on the phone with safeco back and forth begging for a tow as I was still stranded hours later. They lied to me every hour that a row was coming and never did. Around 4am they called me and said sorry there are no trucks that can help u please call around 7-9am. I had to sleep in my car in the middle of a highway in nyc. I was left stranded for 14 hours before a tow truck came at 10am the following day. I called customer service asking to atleast be reimbursed for the tow truck which is the least they can do after all they put me through and they said no. I have had Allstate insurance and geico prior and was never treated like this or left out on the street for that many hours.
1
August 21, 2023

safecosuxballs

Safeco is Pathetic, strongly suggest using someone else

DO NOT get a policy with them - they cancel policies with no warning. This is a fraudulent company that will sell you a policy and cancel for no apparent reason a few months after selling it to you (just to get your money while they can and then turning around and cancelling the policy in hopes you want to renew at a higher price). They are manipulative in their sales approach and are solely interested in extracting as much money as they possib...
DO NOT get a policy with them - they cancel policies with no warning. This is a fraudulent company that will sell you a policy and cancel for no apparent reason a few months after selling it to you (just to get your money while they can and then turning around and cancelling the policy in hopes you want to renew at a higher price). They are manipulative in their sales approach and are solely interested in extracting as much money as they possibly can from their customers before cancelling their policy (with little warning, just 1 letter and no email communication whatsoever). Then, they make you call during inconvenient business hours to reach their "special team" who you never actually get to speak to. I strongly suggest looking elsewhere for insurance as they will manipulate you, lie to you and do everything in their power to steal as much money from you as possible.
1
July 12, 2023

Doug_O

POOR CLAIMS SERVICE/SLOW/LACK OF GOOD JUDGEMENT

The claims process is poor, and I believe creates larger claim liabilities due to how the process is handled and the general lack of good customer service. The Insurance company like many others are trying to create their own repair estimates and then forcing the service providers to capitulate and agree to a price less than the true repair cost will be. This process is done with the absence of any input or good communication with the insured...
The claims process is poor, and I believe creates larger claim liabilities due to how the process is handled and the general lack of good customer service. The Insurance company like many others are trying to create their own repair estimates and then forcing the service providers to capitulate and agree to a price less than the true repair cost will be. This process is done with the absence of any input or good communication with the insured. I had an accident that was not my fault. The other party admitted it was their fault. I wasn’t physically hurt but my airbags went off and I was tossed and shaken. I had no preference on whether the vehicle was totaled or repaired. The company started off wanting multiple pictures which I immediately provided. They then proceeded to ask me via email and texts twice a day for the next few days. I tried contacting them to ask if they needed additional information and got no response. After I got the nonsensical requests stopped, I took my vehicle to a repair shop that was certified for my vehicles make. After making an estimate, the shop thought the vehicle was likely a total loss. They sent the estimate to Safeco. The Safeco claims representative disallowed about 40% of the repairs and replaced all OEM parts with aftermarket noncertified parts. The vehicle was then deemed repairable. There was probably a week to 10 days of back and forth between the repair shop and Safeco negotiating the cheapest price to repair my vehicle. This made the repair take longer than it needed to and wasted my time creating problems that I worried about. I complained to which the senior representative said that “this is the way all the insurance companies handle claims”. They made it obvious that they did not care what I thought, and they were just going to do whatever they were going to do. When the repair was completed the final bill for repairs was at or over the threshold for totaling the vehicle. They spent an exorbitant amount of time just to have the claim come out to the same amount that it would have cost to total the vehicle. The process maximized wasting my time, extending the time it took to repair my vehicle and creating worry and concern on my part. I truly believe that I have PST from the claims process and poor customer service. In the past I’ve received communication from Insurance companies to find out if I’m happy with the repair and the claim result. I’ve not received any evaluation from the company to date. I believe that they only send evaluations to people who they know will give them a good review. That way they can control their ratings. The claims process is awful. I give the Safeco Claims process an IR as in "improvement required".
4
April 7, 2023

unhappy_customer_86

Good company to work with

had some collision issue but safeco helped and problem resolved in a timely manner. thank you all. Although car shop was not cooperating , insurance made it work out .
1
March 16, 2023

Tanderson3

Unhappy Customer of 5 years

I am very unhappy with my recent experience from Safeco. I worked with [REDACTED NAME] [REDACTED NAME] & Laushonda [REDACTED NAME] who were both unresponsive and rude. I was called the wrong name multiple times and had to reach out to them for updates. I left 3 VM with no call backs & emails unanswered. I have also requested a sup call and they also have not called me back. On one phone I was advised the short comings of the auto body shop is not...
I am very unhappy with my recent experience from Safeco. I worked with [REDACTED NAME] [REDACTED NAME] & Laushonda [REDACTED NAME] who were both unresponsive and rude. I was called the wrong name multiple times and had to reach out to them for updates. I left 3 VM with no call backs & emails unanswered. I have also requested a sup call and they also have not called me back. On one phone I was advised the short comings of the auto body shop is not there issue…..as someone who was just in a hit and run accident that was very inconsiderate as this isn’t a issue I wanted either. I have been working on this insurance claim since Feb 4 and still do not have my car and trying to have someone contact me.
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