Wesco Insurance Company Auto Insurance Review: Should you buy in 2024?
Wesco Insurance underwrites commercial insurance policies for AmTrust Financial. Here's everything you need to know about Wesco and its partnership with AmTrust.
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Laura D. Adams
Insurance & Finance Analyst
Laura Adams is one of the nation’s leading finance, insurance, and small business authorities. As an award-winning author, spokesperson, and host of the top-rated Money Girl podcast since 2008, millions of readers and listeners benefit from her practical advice. Her mission is to empower consumers to live healthy and rich lives by planning for the future and making smart money decisions. She rec...
Insurance & Finance Analyst
UPDATED: Jul 22, 2024
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.
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: Jul 22, 2024
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.
On This Page
- Wesco Insurance was acquired in 2006 by AmTrust Financial and now underwrites commercial insurance policies
- While Wesco underwrites disability benefits coverage policies, AmTrust sells a variety of commercial products
- A.M. Best rates AmTrust’s financial stability with an A-, but the Better Business Bureau gives it a C-
Wesco Insurance Company was acquired in 2006 by AmTrust Financial. While the company still underwrites insurance policies, it now does so under the AmTrust name.
The good news is that AmTrust offers a variety of insurance products for small business owners. If you’re interested in buying commercial auto insurance coverage from the Wesco Insurance company, AmTrust might have the product you need.
AmTrust doesn’t sell individual car insurance, so you’ll need to go elsewhere if you need coverage for your personal vehicle. However, AmTrust might be the right choice if you need commercial auto insurance coverage, such as fleet insurance.
Read more about the Wesco Insurance Company AmTrust partnership and its commercial insurance products below. Then, compare rates with other companies to ensure you get the best price and plan to cover your needs.
What is the Wesco Insurance Company?
The Wesco Insurance Company is not to be confused with the Wesco Insurance Agency. The agency has its own website and sells personal insurance products, while the company no longer has a site you can visit.
Instead, shoppers interested in what Wesco offers are redirected to the AmTrust website. All Wesco Insurance Company claims, complaints, and questions will go through AmTrust instead.
Although Wesco was founded in 1962, AmTrust is a little younger and has provided business insurance since 1998. True to its name, AmTrust is a trusted name across many industries.
One thing to keep in mind about AmTrust is that they focus on small and medium-sized businesses. They may offer better opportunities for self-employed contractors looking to buy cheap auto insurance for self-employed drivers.
You’ll probably find better coverage elsewhere if you have a large company. As for small businesses, AmTrust offers coverage in all 50 states and Washington, D.C.
Although AmTrust is willing to work with most industries, it has its preferences. As with most insurance companies, AmTrust wants customers with the lowest risks. Therefore, it tends to avoid selling policies to customers like tow truck insurance and coverage for the cattle transportation industries. If you are a tow truck driver, you’re probably better off buying cheap insurance for tow trucks elsewhere.
You shouldn’t hesitate to request a quote if your business is on the riskier side. Just be prepared for higher quotes with AmTrust than you might find with a different company.
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Wesco Commercial Insurance
According to the AmTrust website, As already mentioned, Wesco Insurance Co. now underwrites disability benefits coverage for AmTrust. That said, AmTrust also sells the following types of commercial insurance:
- Property. From grocery stores to restaurants to offices, AmTrust can keep the place you do business safe from theft, vandalism, fires, and other structural damage.
- Auto. AmTrust has a policy for you whether you need food delivery auto insurance or car hauler insurance.
- Workers’ compensation. When an employee suffers an injury on the job, this insurance compensates them for lost wages.
- General liability. If a guest or customer injures themselves on your property, you might face a lawsuit. Liability insurance helps pay for legal fees and medical expenses in these situations.
- Business owner’s policy (BOP). This policy combines liability and property insurance into one plan and is usually cheaper than individual products.
- Employment practices liability (EPLI). This liability insurance protects you when an employee sues for violations like sexual harassment, wrongful termination, discrimination, and other similar events.
- Cyber liability. Cyber insurance protects your company against hacking, theft, and data extortion while providing insurance against lawsuits if you fail to safeguard customer data.
- Excess and surplus. Some businesses, such as daycare centers and oil rigs, are riskier than others. Excess and surplus insurance provides for industries that traditional insurance won’t cover.
- State disability. This insurance helps replace lost wages and income if an employee becomes disabled.
AmTrust offers most of these products in bundles, meaning you can expand your coverage and save money. In addition, AmTrust works with over 350 class codes, so there’s a good chance your business is eligible for coverage.
How much does insurance from Wesco cost?
Unfortunately, neither Wesco nor AmTrust posts insurance rates. However, you can get an idea of how much insurance might cost for your business by looking at the average rate for various products as well as average auto insurance rates by age.
Insurance Type Average Monthly Rates
Commercial auto $142
Commercial property $63
Workers' compensation $1 per every $100 in payroll
General liability $30
Employment practices liability $182
Cyber liability $145
State disability $166
Excess and surplus $150
Remember that these are just averages, and the amount you’ll pay might be very different. In addition, there are a variety of factors insurance companies look at to determine how much to charge you for various types of commercial insurance, including:
- Location. From environmental risks to local law, the location of your business is one of the keys determining factors in your price.
- Type of business. Insurance companies separate businesses into risk groups by class codes. Some businesses have higher rates than others. For example, flower shops are typically safer than chemical producers.
- Building size. Larger buildings typically mean higher prices.
- Safety and security. Local crime rates, the presence of hazardous materials, and your security measures play a part in your rates.
- Employees. Businesses with more employees usually pay more for insurance.
- Fleet size. The number and type of vehicles you use determine your rates if you need commercial auto.
- Age. If your property or equipment is old and hard to repair, you may pay more for insurance. Alternatively, state-of-the-art equipment is sometimes more expensive to insure.
Wesco (or AmTrust) will use all these factors to determine how much you should pay for insurance. To get a quote, you’ll need to fill out an online form and wait for an agent to get back to you. The form needs information about your business, so ensure you have all the pertinent information.
There is some good news, however. AmTrust offers a 10% discount on a business owner’s policy when buying workers’ compensation.
Wesco Insurance Company Reviews
Through AmTrust, Wesco makes a lot of promises to business owners. However, promises on a website can only take you so far. You should check out reviews and educate yourself thoroughly on business general liability insurance (among other types) to see if Wesco insurance is right for your business.
AmTrust receives good marks from professional review companies. A.M. Best — which reviews insurance companies’ financial stability — gives AmTrust an A-. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) does not give AmTrust such a high rating. AmTrust has a C-, mainly because they fail to respond to complaints.
As for customers, AmTrust has a lot of complaints. One of the biggest is the claims process. First, customers are often confused about where to file their claims. Many look for the Wesco Insurance Company phone number but need to file with AmTrust.
Many customers say AmTrust is unresponsive to claims for all its commercial products, saying it can take weeks to hear back from insurance representatives. It also has several complaints from people who were hit by AmTrust drivers and had to fight for payment. Other people warn to be wary of hiring contractors who get their insurance through AmTrust.
However, it’s not all negative. Small businesses have different needs than larger companies, and most owners appreciate that AmTrust caters to small companies. With so many options for coverage, AmTrust might have the products you need.
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The Bottom Line: Wesco Insurance Company and AmTrust Financial
If you’re a small business owner looking for coverage or home business insurance, Wesco and AmTrust might have the insurance you need. However, it would help if you were cautious about signing up for a policy. AmTrust has many unhappy customers, and you don’t want to end up as one of them.
A few negative reviews shouldn’t stop you from looking, though. You can contact an agent on the AmTrust website to get a quote. Then, compare rates with other companies to ensure you get the best coverage for your business.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I consider Wesco Insurance for my commercial insurance needs?
If you are a small business owner, Wesco Insurance (AmTrust) may be worth considering, but it’s important to research and compare quotes from multiple providers.
What are the financial stability ratings for AmTrust and Wesco Insurance Company?
AmTrust has an A- rating for financial stability from A.M. Best. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) gives AmTrust a C- rating.
Are there any discounts available for Wesco Insurance policies?
AmTrust offers a 10% discount on a business owner’s policy when purchasing workers’ compensation coverage.
What factors determine the cost of insurance from Wesco Insurance?
Factors such as location, type of business, building size, safety measures, number of employees, fleet size (if applicable), and age of property/equipment influence the cost of insurance.
How do I get a quote for insurance from Wesco Insurance Company?
Visit the AmTrust website and fill out an online form to request a quote for insurance.
What types of commercial insurance does AmTrust offer through Wesco Insurance?
AmTrust offers property, auto, workers’ compensation, general liability, business owner’s policy (BOP), employment practices liability (EPLI), cyber liability, excess and surplus, and state disability insurance through Wesco Insurance.
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Laura D. Adams
Insurance & Finance Analyst
Laura Adams is one of the nation’s leading finance, insurance, and small business authorities. As an award-winning author, spokesperson, and host of the top-rated Money Girl podcast since 2008, millions of readers and listeners benefit from her practical advice. Her mission is to empower consumers to live healthy and rich lives by planning for the future and making smart money decisions. She rec...
Insurance & Finance Analyst
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.