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Since its establishment in 1916, Auto-Owners Insurance Group has remained committed to offering financial insurance products through its network of local independent insurance agents. Recognized for its financial strength and stability by multiple independent rating providers, Auto-Owners is the choice of nearly 3 million policyholders.
Auto-Owners takes a self-proclaimed “no problem” attitude to all claims requests, which is reaffirmed by its four-star J.D. Power ratings for satisfactory claims service. Although service is only available in 26 out of the 50 U.S. states, those with access to Auto-Owners policies can expect to find a provider with reliable service and an assortment of customization options.
Auto-Owners Home Insurance Overview
- In business since: 1916
- AM Best Financial Strength Rating: A++ (Superior)
- States served (availability): 26
Various rating agencies report Auto-Owners Insurance as a reputable company with a strong financial backing and solid customer service. However, not all customers agree with that assessment. In a popularity poll on YouGov for the most popular insurance brands, Auto-Owners didn’t even make the top 53 brands and is reported as less popular than relatively unknown insurance carriers such as AXA or Figo. Customers also show disagreement with the Better Business Bureau – BBB gives Auto-Owners an A+ rating overall, but customer reviews show less than 1.5 stars for the insurance carrier, citing poor customer service and unwillingness to approve legitimate claims.
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Auto-Owners Home Insurance Highlights
Pricing
Since Auto-Owners only offers policies through its network of independent agents and brokerage partners, policy prices will vary by agency and location. The price of your policy will also depend on your home’s age, size, condition, and coverage options.
To minimize costs, policyholders can reduce coverage limits, cut policy add-ons, increase deductible amounts, or take advantage of the many Auto-Owners discount options. Find the best balance of cost vs coverage levels by talking with one of Auto-Owners many local agents.
Customer experience
Since 2017, J.D. Power has consistently given Auto-Owners Insurance reviews above average in both its Home Insurance Studies and its Property Claims Satisfaction Studies. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) also ranks Auto-Owners as having a below-average number of complaints for the industry.
Auto-Owners Insurance achieves these recognitions by providing a simple online claims process and taking a “No Problem” approach when servicing claims. The insurer’s self-proclaimed mission is to pay everything owed on every claim as quickly as possible and make claims service a top priority for its customers.
Coverage
Auto-Owners home insurance policies offer a comprehensive suite of standard and optional coverages. A basic policy provides coverage for your home, additional structures on your property, your personal possessions, your liability to guests and others while on your property, medical coverage for those who are injured while at your home, and additional living expenses if you incur a loss.
Beyond the basic coverages, Auto-Owners also allows you to add optional coverage types at an additional cost:
- Guaranteed Home Replacement – Give yourself peace of mind and ensure that the full replacement cost of your home will be covered at the time of a loss, even if your standard coverage limit is too low.
- Water Backup of Sewers – Most policies won’t cover any damages to your home if your drains back up into your home. With this optional coverage, you can choose from several limit levels to cover water damages in the event of a backup.
- Special Personal Property – Many insurance providers have limits on the amount of personal property damages that can be claimed for high-value items, such as art, jewelry, or cars. Add this special coverage to increase your limits on named high-value items.
- Ordinance or Law Coverage – When a claim occurs, sometimes recovery isn’t as straightforward as making the necessary repairs. If local ordinances require you to make additional changes to non-damaged property to comply with building codes, this policy add-on has you covered.
- Homeowners Plus – Build on your standard policy by adding a coverage “plus” package that protects against several common risks, including food spoilage from power failures and damage from appliance leaks.
- Equipment Breakdown – Many homeowners purchase a home warranty plan to cover major appliances and home systems, such as HVAC units. With Auto-Owners Equipment Breakdown coverage, you can get coverage comparable to a home warranty added into a single homeowners insurance policy.
- Identity Theft Expense – Identity theft is a common risk for adults, and repairing your identity if it is stolen is a time-consuming and costly process. Auto-Owners’ identity theft coverage provides up to $15,000 for expenses needed to repair damage to your identity.
Deals, discounts, and add-ons
Auto-Owners offers a variety of ways to save on your home insurance policy every month. In addition to traditional discounts for bundling multiple coverage lines or prepaying your annual policy, Auto-Owners offers several unique ways to save money that aren’t available through other providers. Discounts are available for traditional safety features, such as smoke detectors and alarm systems, but Auto-Owners also offers discounts for non-traditional safety features, such as whole-home water shut off valves and automatic backup generators. Auto-Owners also offers discounts for responsible policy management, such as using paperless billing, paying on-time premiums, or owning your home mortgage-free. You can find more ways to save on our guide to lower your home insurance premium.
The Competition
| Providers | Reviews.com Score | AM Best | J.D Power |
| Auto-Owners | 4 | A++ | 826 |
| Amica | 4.25 | A+ | 845 |
| Allstate | 4 | A+ | 814 |
| USAA | 4 | A++ | 878 |
| State Farm | 3.75 | A++ | 831 |
| Progressive | 3.75 | A+ | 809 |
| Liberty Mutual | 3.25 | A | 792 |
| Farmers | 3.5 | A | 808 |
*All information accurate as of 09/04/2020.
The Bottom Line
With its strong financial strength ratings and variety of customization options, Auto-Owners can provide the coverage you need for even the largest homes. Although a few customers indicated issues with claims approvals, scores from NAIC, BBB, and J.D. Power showing better than average service indicate that claims issues are the exception rather than the rule. If you’re in one of the 26 states where Auto-Owners policies are available, it’s worth exploring your home insurance options.
Auto-Owners Home Insurance FAQ
About the Authors
Julia Taylor is a freelance writer based in Nashville, TN. She takes complex business, financial, and technical topics and makes them easy to understand. She worked in the insurance industry for several years as a licensed agent in Tennessee. You can find her work published on a variety of business blogs, including Paychex, Kapitus, Sanford Brown, Fortis Educational Institutes, American University of Antigua, and Interest.com. She also earned her bachelor's degree in business from the University of Tennessee and her MBA from Tennessee Tech University. When she's not working on her next writing piece, you can find her working in the yard or spending time with her three teenaged children.
