Wawanesa Insurance Reviews

Key Points:

• Wawanesa is a Canadian-owned insurance company that operates in two U.S. states, California and Oregon.
• Wawanesa is highly rated in California and offers different insurance coverages in each state.
• California drivers can get full-coverage car insurance from Wawanesa for below the statewide average cost for similar policies.

Wawanesa auto insurance is a Canadian insurance firm that only offers policies in the U.S. to states such as California and Oregon. Wawanesa only insures drivers with relatively clean records, which means not everyone will qualify for a quote.

In this article, we’ll look at Wawanesa insurance reviews, coverage options, customer service reputation, and more. We’ll also see how Wawanesa compares to our reviews of the best auto insurance providers.

Even if you think Wawanesa seems like the right insurer for you, we always recommend that you compare multiple car insurance quotes so you can get the best coverage and rates for you.

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Wawanesa Insurance Overview

Take a look below at some of the benefits and drawbacks of having Wawanesa for your car insurance coverage:

Pros And Cons Of Wawanesa Insurance

Wawanesa Insurance Rating

When we research insurance providers, we take a close look at each company’s coverage options, service area, policy rates, and customer reviews. When looking at Wawanesa, you can see the company has a low score in our availability category due to the company only operating in two states. However, the company makes up for this in the cost and reliability categories, where it demonstrates affordable coverage backed by a strong industry reputation.

See how the company scored in all of our review categories below:

*Ratings are determined by our editorial review team. Learn more about our scoring methodology below.

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Wawanesa Insurance Overview

Wawanesa’s roots go back to 1896 when the company began–it was named after the area of Manitoba where it was formed. Today, it’s one of the top 10 largest insurance companies in Canada, but the United States operation, based in San Diego, is small compared to other providers. According to its website, it has a C++ AM Best financial strength rating. Wawanesa boasts an A+ rating and accreditation on the BBB.

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Wawanesa Insurance Coverage

Wawanesa offers standard types of auto insurance as well as a few optional coverage items:

Wawanesa Insurance Add-Ons

• Vehicle manufacturer replacement parts: With this coverage option, your car will be repaired with OEM parts. You need to have collision and comprehensive coverage, and your car needs to be under 11 years old to qualify.
• Rental expense: Wawanesa auto insurance can cover rental car costs. You can set your daily limit up to $50. If you choose a $50 daily limit, your plan will have a $1,500 total limit per covered claim. You need to have comprehensive or collision coverage to get this type of coverage.
• Roadside assistance: If you use Wawanesa’s preferred provider, Wawanesa will pay the provider directly up to $100 per occurrence. If you use another provider, you can get reimbursed $50 per occurrence (or $100 for lockout services).

Be aware, Wawanesa car insurance may or may not offer accident forgiveness. It is not listed as a benefit on the website for Oregon or California, but the website for Canada mentions it. It’s best not to count on it.

Wawanesa does not offer rideshare insurance. If you drive for a company like Uber or Lyft, you need to search elsewhere for an insurer that can cover you.

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Wawanesa Auto Insurance Cost

Like most providers, Wawanesa doesn’t publish its prices online. However, during our research we were able to obtain quotes for a 30-year-old male driver in California with good credit and a clean driving record. Wawanesa offered a rate of $1,872 per year or $156 per month for full-coverage car insurance. 

For minimum coverage, the company quoted $600 per year and $50 per month. While you’ll need to get a quote to know exactly how much you’ll pay with the company, here are some averages for California and Oregon to help you compare:

The price you’ll get on your Wawanesa auto insurance premium is based on the risk that the company assigns to your profile. It’s influenced by a number of factors, including:

• Age: Drivers between the ages of 30 and 60 enjoy the best rates.
• ZIP code: More accidents happen in densely populated areas.
• Credit score: Having no credit or a very poor score can increase your premium in Oregon (not California).
• Driving record: Wawanesa weeds out bad drivers, but an average driver will still pay more than a driver with a perfect history. If you get into an accident, your insurance rate will increase for the next three policy years.
• The type of car you drive: Certain cars cost more to insure than others. If you’re buying a new car, family-oriented SUVs are among the cheapest to insure.

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Wawanesa Auto Insurance Discounts

Wawanesa offers a number of discounts to make your auto insurance more affordable. Here are some of the discounts that may be available to you at Wawanesa:

• Good driver
• Multi-car
• Loyalty
• Anti-theft
• Mature driver improvement course (CA only)
• Affinity (CA only)
• Driver training (OR only)
• Insurance Score (OR only)
• Military (OR only) 
• Autopay and paperless billing (OR only)
• Continuous coverage (OR only)
• Multi-policy (OR only)

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Getting A Wawanesa Auto Insurance Quote

In the modern age, everyone expects to be able to buy things online. Wawanesa fulfills this expectation for most drivers. Getting an online quote is easy with the following requirements:

• Personal information
• Vehicle information
• Information on other drivers in your household
• Your driving history

However, not everyone can get an online quote for Wawanesa auto insurance. If you meet any of the following criteria, you’ll have to call in and speak with Wawanesa’s quote specialists instead:

• If you are looking for motorhome or trailer insurance, or you need insurance for more than nine vehicles
• If you need insurance for vehicles that transport goods commercially
• If any driver on your insurance policy, besides students away at school, don’t live in your home (only for Oregon drivers)

Also, not every driver is even eligible for Wawanesa auto insurance in the first place. While some companies focus on insuring high-risk drivers, Wawanesa is the opposite. The company uses your driving history to give you an accurate quote and determine eligibility for insurance.

If you don’t meet the company’s underwriting criteria as a good driver, you won’t qualify for a policy. Here are a few things that can disqualify you:

• If you’ve had your license for under three years
• An at-fault accident within the past three years
• Committed a traffic violation in the past three years if you are under the age of 25
• If any driver on your insurance policy, besides students away at school, don’t live in your home (disqualifies Californian drivers)
• Been convicted of an alcohol, drug, or manslaughter offense in the past three years (Oregon) or 10 years (California)

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Filing A Claim With Wawanesa Insurance

Policyholders can submit a Wawanesa auto insurance claim 24/7 online at wawanesa.com or by calling its toll-free claims number, 800-640-2920, to speak directly to a customer service representative. Usually, an appraiser can inspect your vehicle within 48 hours. You can choose any repair shop you want. But if you choose to use a repair shop that Wawanesa recommends, it will guarantee the repair shop’s work for as long as you own the car.

In J.D. Power’s 2023 U.S. Auto Insurance Study, Wawanesa was the top provider in the California region, scoring 843 out of 1,000 points. The study asked customers to rate auto insurance companies on interaction, policy offerings, pricing, billing process, policy information, and claims.

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Wawanesa Insurance Reviews

When it comes to customer satisfaction, Wawanesa auto insurance reviews have mixed feedback. In a number of Wawanesa insurance reviews, there are a couple of common themes. People talk about long wait times to speak with an agent and periodic increases in premiums when no car accident or claim had been filed.

Here are a few Wawanesa insurance reviews from the company’s BBB reviews page.

Positive Wawanesa Insurance Reviews

“I’ve had them for years. Honestly [I] left to [another company] but returned after a year.”

–Jose via BBB

“I have been with this company for many years. [I] was surprised when the rates went up recently. This being said I called around to try and find a better price and still could not come up with one. My only complaint would be sometimes you have to wait a while to get through [to] customer service. However the last two times I called I got through very quickly.”

–Angela via BBB

Negative Wawanesa Insurance Reviews

“We’ve been with Wawanesa for 8 years. Never a claim or accident… This year 20 days before my policy expired they raised one of my two car premiums by 20 [percent]… The rep that took my call could only say there was a rate increase straight across the board this year. Same exact thing they told me last year.”

– Kirk via BBB

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The Wawanesa Mobile App

Wawanesa’s mobile insurance app, Wawanesa Life, has a 3.3- out of 5.0-star rating on the App Store and a 3.6- out of 5.0-star rating on Google Play. On both app listings customer complaints claim the app doesn’t work at all, while any positive remarks say how easy the app is to use. 

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Wawanesa Insurance: Our Take

We rated Wawanesa Insurance 4.0 out of 5.0 stars because it has great industry standing but it is lacking in availability and technology. Judging from the J.D. Power survey in California, Wawanesa could be a good option for Golden State drivers. There are certainly worse ones out there, but we believe there might be better providers for you.

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Our Recommendations For Car Insurance Providers

The only way to make sure you’re getting the best price is to shop around and get multiple car insurance quotes. After looking at dozens of the most popular insurance companies, we’ve ranked the best car insurance providers on things like coverage options, low rates, and customer service.

USAA: Best For Military Members

USAA membership is limited to military veterans and their family members, but if you qualify, you should definitely get an auto quote from the company. That’s because USAA tends to be less expensive than any other car insurance company out there. USAA also has a strong mobile app that lets you file a claim, request roadside assistance, and view your ID card. The app has high ratings on Google Play and the App Store, so it definitely works. Additional coverage options from USAA include roadside assistance, rental reimbursement, and accident forgiveness. 

For more, read our full USAA auto insurance review.

Progressive: Best For Usage-Based Insurance

While Progressive’s prices might not be as cheap as USAA’s, it’s usually cheaper than prices from many other companies. Progressive’s website also lets you compare rates from other providers so you can save time. 

One cool thing about Progressive is the Snapshot program that can lower your premium based on how you drive. You can participate either through a mobile app or a plug-in device. Be aware that if Progressive finds out you are a high-risk driver, the company can raise your rates.

Read our full Progressive auto insurance review for more information.

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Wawanesa Insurance Review: FAQ

Below are some frequently asked questions about Wawanesa insurance coverage.

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How We Rated Wawanesa 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.

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