Safeco Insurance Reviews

Key Points:

• Safeco offers a good selection of insurance coverage and includes some benefits for free.
• Safeco is a subsidiary of Liberty Mutual and offers some of the same coverage options.
• Customer reviews for Safeco are mixed but it has good financial ratings.

To help you determine whether Safeco is a good fit for your insurance needs, we’ve done our homework on the provider, which includes pouring over numerous Safeco insurance reviews. Below, we will compare Safeco to its parent company, explore Safeco car insurance coverage, and look into industry leaders and customer reviews.

Whenever you shop for car insurance, we recommend getting quotes from multiple car insurance companies so you can compare coverage and rates. In addition to the insurance company you choose, factors such as your age, vehicle make and model, and driving history can affect your premium, so what’s best for your neighbor might not be best for you.

---

Safeco Car Insurance Rating

Safeco is a reliable insurer with a strong history, so we rate it 4.0 out of 5.0. Our rating takes into account hundreds of data points in the categories of reliability, availability, coverage, cost, service, and technology.

Safeco Pros And Cons

Below are a few pros and cons we found in our Safeco review.

About Safeco

From its founding in 1923 to its acquisition by Liberty Mutual in 2008 to today, Safeco has held to its core value of community engagement. Safeco is known for using independent agents who care about customers–solidifying a history of giving that carries over into everyday business.

Like any insurance company, Safeco may be more appealing to some vehicle owners than others.

You might like Safeco car insurance if you:

• Value your free time and prioritize convenience
• Are a parent of a teenager
• Are an older driver
• Share Safeco’s community-oriented values

Safeco may not be your first choice if you:

• Would rather shop online than with an independent agent
• Value the lowest cost above all

Safeco Vs. Liberty Mutual: What’s The Difference?

Liberty Mutual purchased Safeco in 2008, so naturally, the providers share some similarities. Still, Safeco is its own company. In our research, we found that the primary difference between Liberty Mutual and Safeco is how people buy the companies’ policies.

Safeco has a more balanced consumer model–one that we believe is a better option, as independent agents help you with the process of shopping across insurance brands.

Many of the benefits we know from Liberty Mutual’s television commercials, such as accident forgiveness and new car replacement, carry over to Safeco car insurance.

The difference is that Liberty Mutual agents can only sell you Liberty Mutual insurance since the company’s agents are all exclusive. Safeco, on the other hand, uses independent agents who can sell multiple brands of insurance, including Safeco. Independent agents do comparison price shopping for you and can typically customize an insurance policy with more price flexibility than exclusive agents can.

---

Safeco Car Insurance Coverage

Safeco is a good choice for those seeking customizable coverage options. Like most other insurance companies, Safeco offers the following standard options:

• Bodily injury liability: Compensates other parties for medical bills when you cause an accident.
• Property damage liability: Covers other drivers’ repair bills when you cause an accident.
• Collision insurance: Covers your vehicle after an accident no matter who was at fault.
• Comprehensive insurance: Covers your vehicle after hitting a stationary object and for environmental damage, vandalism or theft.
• Uninsured/underinsured motorist: Covers your medical and repair bills if someone without enough insurance causes an accident.
• Medical payments: Covers your medical bills and can cover your health insurance deductible.
• Personal injury protection: Covers medical bills plus lost wages and death benefits.

Safeco Car Insurance Benefits

A few non-standard features make Safeco car insurance stand out in a crowded field. In particular, Safeco includes Claims Free Cash Back™, diminishing deductibles, accident forgiveness and guaranteed repair network availability on all plans.

• Claims Free Cash Back: With this unique benefit, you get a check for 2.5 percent of your six-month premium if you haven’t had any accidents or tickets. This is separate from the diminishing deductible.
• Diminishing deductible: For every year without a claim, Safeco customers’ deductibles decrease by $100, with a maximum of 5 years and $500.
• Guaranteed repair network: If you use a Safeco-approved shop for repairs, the repairs are guaranteed.
• Accident forgiveness: Once you’ve had Safeco for a set number of years without an at-fault accident or violation, your next accident won’t raise your rates.

Safeco Car Insurance Add-Ons

Safeco also offers industry-standard options such as roadside assistance and rental car reimbursement. Additionally, Safeco car insurance offers the following services:

Safeco RightTrack^® Usage-Based Insurance

Safeco offers the RightTrack program for good drivers to save on insurance. You get a 10 percent discount for signing up and can save up to $513 after the program analyzes your driving habits. Things like mileage, nighttime driving, braking and acceleration affect your score.

RightTrack applies to all drivers on your family plan, and having non-participating drivers can lower your score. Your final discount might be under 10 percent depending on your driving habits. In this case, Safeco will bill you for the difference between the initial 10 percent discount and your final discount. 

Be sure you follow safe habits and avoid nighttime driving before joining the program. If you commute at night for a job or classes, your discount might be minimal.

---

Safeco Auto Insurance Cost

The cost of Safeco auto insurance can depend on a few factors. These include your vehicle type as well as your age, gender, credit score, and driving history. According to data we analyzed from Quadrant Information Services, the industry average car insurance rates are $798 per year for minimum coverage and $1,968 per year for full coverage. These are based on the profile of a single 30-year-old male driver with good credit and a clean driving record. You can compare Safeco quotes you get to these averages to see if the insurance is affordable.

Safeco Auto Insurance Discounts

To make sure your Safeco car insurance policy is as affordable as possible while also retaining the necessary protections, Safeco has a number of insurance discounts available:

• Combine and save: Using Safeco for your home insurance as well as your auto insurance can save you up to 15 percent.
• Safety features: Save for having a vehicle with anti-lock brakes and other safety devices.
• Multi-car: Insuring more than one vehicle with Safeco can lower your overall expenses.
• Safe driver: You can get a discount for going a certain number of years without a ticket or accident.

More discounts may be available depending on your state, but you’ll have to get in touch with a Safeco agent to find out.

---

Safeco Insurance Reviews

J.D. Power’s 2023 U.S. Auto Claims Satisfaction Study℠ ranked Safeco just above the industry average with a score of 880 out of 1,000. Safeco is a middle-of-the-road company for satisfaction with a solid reputation and a reliable parent company.

If customer satisfaction is your number one factor when looking for insurance products, you may do better with USAA or State Farm–which both ranked highly in the J.D. Power Study. However, for older drivers or those with teenage children, Safeco car insurance could be a good fit for its reasonable prices and coverage.

Looking at the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Safeco has an A- rating from the platform and a 1.1-star rating from customers. It shares these ratings with its parent company, Liberty Mutual, and most reviews are about Liberty Mutual. One customer said they had issues getting a claim covered from Safeco and another mentioned their autopay payment never came out on time.

---

Safeco Car Insurance Apps And Technology

Safeco offers a mobile app for iPhone and Android users. The app lets policyholders quickly access any needed insurance documents or make an insurance claim. You can also review your existing coverage, get into contact with a local agent, or request roadside assistance.

Unlike many insurers’ technology, the Safeco mobile app is highly rated both in the App Store (4.8 stars) and on Google Play (4.6 stars). Some customers noted preferring the app over the company’s desktop site.

---

Safeco Car Insurance Review: Our Take

We rated Safeco car insurance 4.0 out of 5.0 stars. We like the provider’s discount availability as well as the personalized experience customers can have with local agents. However, Safeco’s average customer reviews give us some pause. Overall, Safeco is a decent option for policyholders on a budget or with young drivers.

Our Top Recommendations For Car Insurance

It is always best practice to shop around for the best deals on car insurance. We recommend USAA and Geico in addition to Safeco.

USAA: Best For Military Members

USAA offers insurance to active and former military members and their families. The provider holds an A++ rating in financial stability from AM Best and is ranked highly across industry studies such as J.D. Power’s 2023 U.S. Auto Claims Satisfaction Study. To be eligible for USAA car insurance, home insurance, and more you have to fall into one of the following categories:

• Active-duty military
• Honorably discharged military
• Veteran
• Spouse or child of someone who has had a USAA policy

USAA serves all branches of the U.S. military and insurance coverage eligibility stays in the family. Even if an immediate member of your family has been with USAA insurance in the past, you are eligible. And for active-duty military, USAA provides great discounts on coverage.

For more information, read our full USAA insurance review.

Geico: Best For Basic Coverage

Known in households across the nation for its gecko mascot, Geico is one of our top recommended providers for a reason, and we’ve rated the company a 4.5 out of 5.0 stars. Our research found that Geico car insurance is among the best in terms of financial strength, customer service, and cost.

Geico offers a 25 percent multi-vehicle discount, a 15 percent military discount, and up to a 20 percent discount for taking part in its telematics program. Using its telematics program is as easy as downloading the Geico DriveEasy app from your phone’s app store.

For more information, read our full Geico review.

---

Safeco Insurance Reviews: FAQ

Below are a few frequently asked questions about Safeco insurance:

---

How We Rate Safeco Insurance

Our review team extensively researches auto insurance providers to deliver informed and unbiased assessments of leading companies. We evaluate several key rating factors that are important to consumers to determine which providers are the best in the industry:

• Reliability: It’s important that an auto insurer is able to meet its claims obligations. Companies with a strong financial strength rating from AM Best score best in this category. Established insurers with a long history of reliable service also receive positive marks.
• Availability: Insurance companies that offer wider availability to consumers in terms of state availability and few eligibility requirements are more likely to meet consumer needs.
• Coverage: To determine our coverage score, we look at the number of coverage options available as well as coverage limits and deductible options. Our ratings also take into account additional services and benefits like roadside assistance.
• Pricing: Cost can be difficult to compare between insurers because so many factors impact annual premiums. The cheapest insurer for one driver may not be the cheapest for another. To determine our cost score, we look at insurance rate estimates generated by Quadrant Information Services, discount opportunities, and consumer reports.
• Service: We comb through customer reviews on sites like the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to learn about customer experiences. Insurers with a low volume of complaints score well in this area. We also consider the claims process, giving higher ratings to car insurance providers that offer a smooth experience.
• Technology: Providers with an online quote tool, easy-to-use claims app and a usage-based insurance app score best in this category.

*Data accurate at time of publication.

---