Auto-Owners car insurance review 2024: Affordable rates and many coverage options

Insuring drivers since 1916, Michigan-based Auto-Owners Insurance has some of the lowest rates in the industry and has earned a spot on our top picks for liability-only insurance .

We like its robust add-ons, including accident forgiveness, diminished value coverage and additional expense coverage, which can reimburse you for a rental car and other costs if you're away from home

Auto-Owners is only licensed in 26 states, however, so it's not an option for everyone.

Auto-Owners Insurance

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Auto-Owners offers affordable premiums with high customer satisfaction ratings. There are 12 different types of discounts available, as well as various other types of insurance besides auto.

Terms apply.

Offers at-fault accident forgiveness as an add-on High customer satisfaction scores from J.D. Power Low NAIC complaint index score Only available in 26 states Quotes must be obtained through an agent Claims must be filed through an agent Auto-Owners: Pros and consThe benefits and drawbacks of Auto-Owners car insurance

Lower rates, especially on liability insurance

Accident forgiveness after 3 years claims-free

Robust endorsements and discounts

Only available in 26 states

Must work with an agent to get quote or buy the policy

Website has limited features

Compare to find the right car insurance Types of Auto-Owners car insurance

Auto-Owners offers auto insurance in 26 states: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia and Wisconsin.

Basic coverage

Full coverage is typically required if you're financing or leasing your car.

Liability car insuranceThe minimum coverage allowed in most states, liability pays for damages and expenses if you or someone else driving your car is at fault for an accident.

Collision insurancePays to repair or replace your vehicle after an accident.

Comprehensive insurancePays for damages or losses not caused by a collision, including theft, weather damage or hitting an animal.

Additional coverage

These policies are required in some states in addition to liability insurance.

Personal injury protection: Also known as no-fault insurance, PIP covers medical bills, lost wages, child care, funeral costs and more, regardless of fault.

Medical payments insurance: Less comprehensive than PIP, MedPay covers medical bills for you, your passengers and any pedestrians.

Gap insurance: Pays the difference between the amount remaining on your car loan owed and the vehicle's depreciated value.

Uninsured/underinsured motorist insurance: Covers repairs and medical bills if you are in an accident with a driver with little or no insurance.

Auto-Owners offers a variety of optional add-ons.

Accident forgiveness: Waives rate change for the first at-fault accident for drivers with no at-fault claims for three years.

Additional expense: Cover the cost of a rental car, lodging, food and other expenses if you're involved in an accident away from home.

Rental auto gap: Covers additional coverage for amounts you're liable for under a rental agreement.

Rental car coverage: Covers the cost of a rental if your vehicle is being repaired after a collision and provides coverage if a rental car is damaged.

Road trouble service:

Diminished value coverage: Compensates you for a reduction in the value of your car after an accident.

Collision coverage advantage: Waives deductible if you're involved in an accident with another Auto-Owners policyholder

Common loss deductible: Waives or reduces deductible after events that damage your home and car if both your homeowners and auto policies are with Auto-Owners.

Auto-Owners car insurance discounts

Auto-Owners offers many ways to save on your auto insurance policy, including:

Multi-policy discount: Save if you bundle auto with homeowners , renters , condo or life insurance

Multi-car discount: Insure two or more vehicles on one policy and save money.

Payment history: Discount available if you've paid premiums on time for three years.

Paid-in-full discount: You can save if you pay your premium in full upfront.

Green discount: Rate reduction for enrolling in paperless billing and online payments.

Advance quote discount: Save by getting a quote and enrolling before your current policy expires.

Good student discount: Students maintaining a B or better GPA can get up to 20% off.

Student away at school discount: Available to customers with a student on their policy who is attending school at least 100 miles away without a car.

Teen monitoring discount:

Auto-Owners customer service

Auto-Owners was ranked first in Florida in J.D. Power's 2024 U.S. Auto Insurance Study , which asks customers in 11 regions to grade their insurer's rates, ease of doing business, level of trust, product offerings, problem resolution and digital channels. It also rated highly in the Central and Southwest U.S. but scored below average in the Southeast and North Central regions.

In a separate J.D. Power survey about the claims experience , the company ranked above average. Auto-Owners earned an A+ from the Better Business Bureau and it receives fewer complaints about auto insurance than expected for an insurer its size, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners .

You can't get rate quotes or buy a policy online, although the Auto-Owners website will direct you to a local insurance agent. The mobile app allows you to pay your bill, view your insurance ID and request roadside assistance, but you must call an agent to file a claim. Customer service is not available evenings or weekends and there is no online chat feature.

Other kinds of Auto-Owners insurance

Auto-Owners offers policies in many other categories, including:

Homeowners insurance

Renters insurance

Life insurance

Business insurance

Pet insurance through Figo

How does Auto-Owners compare to other car insurance companies?

Here's how Auto-Owners stacks up against two other leading providers in the car insurance space.

Auto-Owners vs Erie vs Amica auto insurance Auto-Owners Customer satisfaction Accident forgivenessGap insuranceBest for Liability-only insuranceRate-lock optionCustomer satisfaction Auto-Owners vs. Erie

While Auto-Owners and Erie are both smaller insurers with limited availability, Auto-Owners is licensed in 26 states — more than double Erie's 12 — and Auto-Owners has a slight edge with lower rates.

Both companies have positive customer satisfaction ratings, although Erie was ranked No 1. in both of the regions of J.D. Power's Auto Insurance Study it was eligible for, while Auto-Owner's rankings were more mixed. Erie was rated No. 2 out of 24 for the claims process, compared to No. 7 for Auto-Owners.

Erie Auto Insurance

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Erie Insurance offers auto insurance for many different situations and affordable premiums. Several different coverages allow you to customize your policy.

Terms apply.

Affordable premiums Below-average NAIC complaint index High customer satisfaction scores from J.D. Power Quotes available online Only available in 12 states and Washington, D.C. Limited online and app capabilities Claim filing is not available online

Where Auto-Owners really stands out is with its robust portfolio of endorsements. The diminished value feature can help you regain some of your car's lost resale value after an accident and rental car protection is a useful perk for frequent travelers.

Auto-Owners vs. Amica

Customer satisfaction is a high point for both Amica and Auto-Owners : Both have a lower volume of complaints than expected and earned an A+ from the Better Business Bureau. Amica has the highest rating in J.D. Power's survey on satisfaction with the claims process, however, while Auto-Owners comes in seventh.

Amica Auto Insurance

The best way to estimate your costs is to request a quote

App available Policy highlights

Amica offers a variety of auto insurance policies to fit your coverage needs. The company also lists a total of 18 discounts, including discounts for bundling and for students.

Terms apply.

Read our Amica auto insurance review

Highly rated by J.D. Power for auto claims satisfaction Amica offers the ability to customize your policy Provides a substantial amount of discounts for its users Higher prices than the industry average Amica is focusing on short-term plans, reducing from 12-month policies to 6-month

Amica wins hands down on availability, since the only state it is not licensed in is Hawaii. You can also get price quotes quotes from Amica something Auto-Owners doesn't offer.

However, Amica is considerably more expensive than Auto-Owners. The sample rates we compared for an annual full coverage policy were hundreds of dollars more.

How do I buy car insurance from Auto-Owners?

You'll need to talk to an insurance agent to get an Auto-Owners auto insurance quote or to buy a policy. You can enter your ZIP code on the website to find an agency near you or call 800-346-0346, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET Be prepared to provide your location, age, driving history, number of miles driven annually and other personal data. You'll also need to know the make, model and year for any vehicles you're insuring.

Is Auto-Owners car insurance right for me?

Auto-Owners has affordable rates, especially for drivers with less-than-perfect records — including those with at-fault accidents or speeding tickets on their record.

It could also be right for you if you're looking for extensive coverage options or superior customer service.

However, its lack of availability in many states and the limited online access mean Auto-Owners may not be a good fit for everyone.

Is Auto-Owners a good insurance company?

Auto-Owners combines competitive rates with good customer satisfaction scores and has an A++ (Superior) financial strength rating from AM Best, a good sign of its ability to pay on claims.

Does Auto-Owners cover the cost of a rental car during repairs?

Yes, Auto-Owners offers rental car coverage after an accident while your vehicle is being repaired. It can also cover additional expenses like food and lodgings if you're stranded far from home after an accident.

Does Auto-Owners offer gap insurance?

Yes, Auto-Owners offers gap insurance , which can cover the difference between he balance on your auto loan and the car's depreciated value n the event its totaled or stolen.

How do I cancel my Auto-Owners auto insurance policy?

To cancel your Auto-Owners policy, talk to the agent you bought the policy through. If you paid for the current term up front and cancel before it ends, you can receive a prorated refund.

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At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every car insurance review is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of insurance productsWhile CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics.

Our methodology

CNBC Select reviews auto insurance products using a variety of criteria, including coverage options, average rates, availability, discounts and customer satisfaction.

In addition, we incorporate results from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners ' complaint index, Better Business Bureau ratings, A.M. Best's financial strength scores and other independent sources, including J.D. Power surveys on insurance shopping, the claims process, the digital consumer experiences and overall customer satisfaction.

Auto insurance rates may come from various sources, including the provider and state insurance departments.

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Editorial Note: Opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this are those of the Select editorial staff's alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any third party.