American Family insurance review: Regional carrier with great discounts

OSTN Staff

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American Family insurance pros and cons

Pros Cons
  • Wide array of discounts for teens and safe drivers
  • In regions where coverage is offered, American Family is ranked #7 in J.D. Power’s auto claims satisfaction survey
  • In regions where coverage is offered, American Family is ranked #6 in J.D. Power’s homeowners insurance customer satisfaction survey
  • Discounts for bundling insurance products
  • Only available in 19 states 
  • Failed to rank in J.D. Power’s life insurance customer satisfaction survey

American Family auto insurance review

American Family Auto Insurance was first known as Farmers Mutual Insurance in 1927. At the time of opening, Farmers Mutual Insurance exclusively offered auto insurance, specifically for farmers. With one last name change, Farmers Mutual Insurance became known as American Family Insurance. 

American Family Auto Insurance currently operates in 19 states. It’s ranked #7 in J.D. Power’s auto claims satisfaction survey

American Family Auto Insurance offers multiple opportunities to save on your car insurance policy including good driver, good student, multi-vehicle, loyalty, and auto/full-pay discounts to name a few. 

Like most insurance companies, American Family Auto Insurance  provides discounts for bundling your home and auto policy. 

There are four types of insurance coverage: liability insurance (required by most states), comprehensivecollision, and full car coverage. If you lease or finance your car, your lender may require comprehensive and collision coverage.

The difference between the various coverage types is outlined in the table below:

Damage Comprehensive Collision Liability Full
Theft Yes No No Yes
Vandalism Yes No No Yes
Fire Yes No No Yes
Natural disaster Yes No No Yes
Falling objects (tree) Yes No No Yes
Animal damage Yes No No Yes
Collision/accident No  Yes No Yes
Rollover No Yes No Yes
Bodily injury/medical bills No No Yes Yes
Physical damage No No Yes Yes
Property damage No No Yes Yes
Uninsured motorist No No Yes Yes

American Family homeowners insurance review

American Family Homeowner ranked #6 in J.D. Power’s homeowners insurance customer satisfaction survey

American Family Homeowner offers home, renters, condo and manufactured/mobile home insurance. American Family Homeowner also offers insurance for personal property like furniture, clothing, electronics and jewelry. 

Homeowners insurance protects your dwellingpersonal belongings, and offers personal liability coverage for injuries that happen on your property. Standard homeowners insurance looks like the table below, but coverage varies depending on your provider:

Coverage Included with homeowners insurance?
Dwelling/structure Yes
Personal liability Yes
Personal belongings Yes
Loss of Use (additional living expenses) Yes
High-end electronics/special jewelry Limited, requires add-on*
Equipment breakdown Yes
Electrical outage Yes*
Service lines Yes*
Cyber liability Yes*
Water damage Yes
Flood No**
Wind or hail Yes, but not high winds***
Earthquake No*
Pets Yes*

*Available as add-on coverage if not part of policy

**Flood insurance is available through the NFIP and approved insurers

***If you live in hurricane or tornado areas, additional windstorm rider may be required

American Family life insurance review

American Family Life Insurance didn’t make the list for J.D. Power’s life insurance customer satisfaction survey.

American Family Life Insurance offers term and permanent life insurance products. The term life products offered are level term and simplified issue, a no-medical exam policy. The permanent life insurance products include whole life, senior, and children’s whole life insurance. 

The two types of life insurance are permanent life and term life. Term life insurance only cover a specific period of time. When your policy is up, you can reapply for coverage. However, the premiums will most likely increase as you age.

Permanent life insurance never expires, has a death benefit for your beneficiaries, and a cash value that you can use during your lifetime. Some financial advisors recommend a combination of term and permanent life insurance.

Types of Term Life Insurance Types of Permanent Life Insurance
Level premium Whole life
Annual renewal (ART) Universal life
Return of Premium Guaranteed Universal
Convertible Indexed Universal
Group life insurance Variable life
Guaranteed issue Variable universal life
Simplified issue  
Final expense

American Family insurance vs. the competition

 
American Family Logo
Eerie Insurance Logo
The Hartford
Availability  Regional presence Regional presence Regional presence
Types of insurance offered Auto, homeowners, life Auto, homeowners, life Auto, homeowners
Claims and customer satisfaction 
  • Ranked #7 in J.D. Power’s auto claims satisfaction survey
  • Ranked #6 in homeowners insurance customer satisfaction survey
  • Ranked #2 in J.D. Power’s auto claims satisfaction survey
  • Ranked #21 in J.D. Power’s homeowners insurance customer satisfaction survey
  • Ranked #1 in J.D. Power’s life insurance customer satisfaction survey
  • Ranked #1 in J.D. Power’s auto claims satisfaction survey
  • Ranked #21 in J.D. Power’s homeowners insurance customer satisfaction survey

Is American Family trustworthy?

We checked the NAIC Complaint Index for complaints against American Family Insurance. American Family has slightly more complaints filed against it compared to other top insurers. 

American Family’s financial stability is strong, with an A.M. Best’s rating of A (Excellent).

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