SafeAuto insurance review 2024

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High-risk drivers who struggled to find coverage elsewhere may have  considered SafeAuto. However, SafeAuto no longer writes new policies. The carrier is now a part of Direct Auto, which also offers policies to drivers with similar profiles.

• Specialized in non-standard auto insurance for high-risk drivers 
• Availability limited to 11 states
• Above-average number of complaints with the NAIC

SafeAuto car insurance review

For drivers considered to be high-risk, SafeAuto car insurance could have been one of the best car insurance companies. The company specialized in providing non-standard car insurance for drivers with incidents like multiple tickets or at-fault accidents on their driving records. Coverage was available in 11 states, and the company boasted an easy online quoting system. There was also an online chat feature and a support phone number for customer assistance. 

SafeAuto focused on state minimum coverage, although you could purchase higher liability limits if you need to. SafeAuto did not, however, offer liability limits as high as some other car insurance companies. You could also add comprehensive and collision coverage, and e endorsements like rental car reimbursement or roadside assistance coverage were available in some states.

Pros and cons of SafeAuto car insurance

Comparing car insurance companies may be an important part of finding the best car insurance. Considering the pros and cons of each company may help you decide where to ask for car insurance quotes. Although SafeAuto no longer writes new policies, comparing its features may help you find a suitable alternative carrier. Here’s a summary of some SafeAuto car insurance pros and cons our insurance editorial team identified:

Pros

• SR-22 filing available
• Online chat available
• Specialized in non-standard car insurance

Cons

• Few options for higher liability coverage
• Limited optional coverage types for a more robust car insurance policy
• No longer writing new policies

SafeAuto customer satisfaction

Customer experience can be an important factor for many when it comes to insurance. Unfortunately, SafeAuto was not scored in any of the J.D. Power customer satisfaction studies. Now that the carrier has merged with Direct Auto, looking at Direct Auto customer service metrics may help you decide if that carrier could be right for you. 

SafeAuto auto insurance customer complaints

To get a gauge of policyholder’s satisfaction with an insurer, you can also look to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), which routinely studies complaints filed about different insurance companies. NAIC complaints are reflected in the organization's complaint index. This index has a baseline of 1.00, and companies with an index higher than the baseline have more complaints than expected for their size. 

Since SafeAuto’s homeowners and life insurance products were offered by other companies, we did not include complaint index information, but you can check out our full insurance reviews for Hippo and Bestow, which are the companies that underwrote SafeAuto homeowners and life insurance, respectively. 

SafeAuto had an NAIC Complaint Index of 6.66 for its private passenger auto product, indicating that it received significantly more complaints than expected based on its size, which could indicate that customers didn’t have a great experience with the insurer.

SafeAuto home insurance review

SafeAuto did not sell its own home insurance, but it did offer policies underwritten by Hippo Insurance. Hippo could be a good home insurance company for those who want a tech-forward experience. Coverage is available in 39 states and Washington, D.C. Keep in mind, though, that coverage from Hippo is not SafeAuto home insurance, so you may not get the benefits of bundling your auto and home insurance. However, Direct Auto does not sell home insurance policies. 

SafeAuto life insurance review

SafeAuto life insurance was provided by Bestow, and policies are underwritten by North American Company for Life and Health Insurance. If you’re shopping for life insurance, SafeAuto might have been a convenient option if you already have policies with the company. However, if you are looking for the best life insurance company, you may want to compare quotes from other companies.

Direct Auto offers term life insurance policies underwritten by Direct General Life Insurance. Coverage limits are low, only up to $25,000, but Direct Auto car insurance customers can save up to 5 percent when they bundle the two policies together. 

Compare SafeAuto with other insurers

Choosing a car, home or life insurance company often means researching and sourcing quotes from multiple companies. Although SafeAuto is no longer writing new policies, Bankrate highlighted some comparable alternative companies.

SafeAuto vs. Progressive 

Progressive was named the Best Auto Insurance Company for High-Risk Drivers in our 2024 Bankrate Awards. Like SafeAuto, Progressive offers SR-22 forms for high-risk drivers and a long list of potential discounts. However, Progressive edges out SafeAuto in that it offers national service as opposed to just 11 states. Plus, Progressive’s Name Your Price tool and lower average rates (even for drivers with a DUI) may result in cheaper premiums. 

Learn more: Progressive Insurance review

SafeAuto vs. The General

The General is known for offering coverage to high-risk drivers and could be a good fit if you like to handle your insurance digitally. The company has a robust mobile app, an online customer platform and a chat feature on its website. The General has a wide variety of potential discounts, but it also has a high NAIC Complaint Index for its private passenger product.

Learn more: The General Insurance review

SafeAuto vs. Geico

Geico tied for two 2024 Bankrate Awards: Best Car Insurance Company Overall (with Amica) and Best Budget Auto Insurance Company (with Auto-Owners). The company features low average rates and has a long list of discounts that could help you get cheaper car insurance. Like SafeAuto, Geico home and life insurance is underwritten by third-party companies.

Learn more: Geico Insurance review

Was SafeAuto a good insurance company?

With extensive insurance industry experience, Bankrate’s insurance experts aim to give you a broad overview of pricing, coverage types and customer service in our SafeAuto insurance reviews. SafeAuto specialized in minimum coverage car insurance and high-risk car insurance. The carrier also had some modern touches with online chat and an online portal for policy management. However, the carrier did not write its own home and life insurance policies, which could have been a drawback for those who wanted to manage all their policies in one place.

What were real-life customers saying about SafeAuto?

To round out our SafeAuto insurance review, Bankrate’s insurance editorial team looked to online discussion forums to find what real SafeAuto policyholders had to say about the company.

SafeAuto company details 

• Customer service: 1-800-SAFEAUTO (1-800-723-3288)
• Customer service email: customerservice@safeauto.com
• Claims email: claims@safeauto.com

State availability

SafeAuto car insurance was available in AZ, IL, GA, IN, LA, MD, MO, OH, PA, TN and VA. SafeAuto home and life insurance availability varied based on Hippo and Bestow availability. 

SafeAuto tools and benefits 

Through various underwriting partners, SafeAuto also offered the following perks and types of insurance coverage:

• Motorcycle
• Boat/personal watercraft
• RV/trailer
• Renters
• Business
• Health
• Dental
• Accident
• May file SR-22 forms
• Vehicle service plans
• Roadside assistance
• Mobile app for iOS and Android

Methodology

Bankrate utilizes Quadrant Information Services to analyze the latest rates in August 2024 for ZIP codes and carriers in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Rates include the most recent approved rate changes filed by insurance companies that affect our profile. These revised rates are then weighted based on the population density in each geographic region so that policyholders can see the impact rates have in their areas.

Auto

Quoted rates are based on a 40-year-old male and female driver with a clean driving record, good credit and the following full coverage limits:

• $100,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $300,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $50,000 property damage liability per accident
• $100,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury per person
• $300,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury per accident
• $500 collision deductible