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Farmers is an insurance company that offers auto, homeowners, life, business, and even pet insurance policies. The company has been providing insurance coverage since 1928, and you can insure everything from your daily driver to your prized antique vehicle with Farmers.
However, it only has average rankings for customer service and pricing, so you may find that its auto insurance policies are more expensive than you can find elsewhere.
- Pros & Cons
- Key Takeaways
- Company Overview
Special coverage options for new cars
Insures antique and collectible cars
Rideshare insurance available
Personal information required for online quotes
No gap coverage
Only average rankings for customer service and pricing
- Farmers was founded in 1928 and is headquartered in Woodland Hills, Calif.
- Farmers is one of the largest auto insurers in the country, garnering 4.2% of the private passenger insurance market share in 2019.
- The company focuses on customers who need more-robust policies or want to combine their coverage with homeowners, life, or business policies.
- Online quotes are available.
- Year Founded 1928
- Official Website www.farmers.com
- Insurance Offered Auto, home, life, business, recreational, motorcycle, umbrella, pet, renters
- Customer Service Phone: 1-888-327-6335
Pros Explained
- Special coverage options for new cars – If you purchased a new vehicle, Farmers offers the New Car Pledge. With this insurance option, Farmers will replace your car with the same make and model at full market value without depreciation as long as the car has fewer than 24,000 miles on it and is no more than two years old.
- Insures antique and collectible cars – If you have an antique or collectible car, finding coverage can be challenging. However, Farmers offers specialty collectible and antique auto insurance. Contact a Farmers agent to get a quote and purchase a policy.
- Rideshare insurance available – If you drive for a rideshare company such as Uber or Lyft, there are gaps where you are not covered by the rideshare companies’ insurance. Luckily, Farmers allows you to add rideshare insurance to your personal auto policy.
Cons Explained
- Personal information required for online quotes – To get a quote online from Farmers, you have to enter your personal information, including your name, birthday, address, vehicle information, and Social Security number.
- No gap coverage – Gap coverage helps pay off your car loan if you’re in an accident, your car is a total loss, and you owe more than the car is worth. While some car insurance companies, such as State Farm and Progressive, offer gap coverage, Farmers does not. If you want to get gap insurance, you’ll have to get it from another company.
- Only average rankings for customer service and pricing – While Farmers has multiple coverage options, its ratings for customer service and pricing are not outstanding. In the J.D. Power 2019 Auto Claims Satisfaction Study, Farmers was ranked 11th out of 23 insurance companies, with a score slightly below the industry average.
The amount Farmers wrote in direct auto insurance premiums in 2019, making it the seventh-largest car insurance company in the country
Farmers Car Insurance Coverage Options
With Farmers you can get an insurance quote online, or you can contact an agent for personalized assistance. Farmers offers the following coverage options:
Accident Forgiveness
This is an option you can add to your policy. Farmers will forgive one at-fault accident for every three years you go without one, helping to keep your premiums from going up.
Collision
If you’re at fault in an accident, collision coverage pays for the repairs to your vehicle. It covers repairs after accidents with other vehicles, objects, and animals.
Comprehensive
Comprehensive coverage pays for repairs to your vehicle resulting from incidents other than accidents, such as storms or theft.
Customized Equipment
If you added after-market equipment to your vehicle, such as speakers or custom wheels, the customized equipment option will cover the cost to repair or replace those features. It’s available on any vehicle with comprehensive or collision coverage.
Full Windshield and Glass
With this coverage you’ll pay nothing out of pocket to replace your windshield or glass. It offers a $0 deductible on glass repair and replacement.
Glass Deductible Buyback
This also covers glass repair and replacement but has a $100 deductible.
Guaranteed Value
This option is popular for car collectors and antique vehicle owners. It pays you a defined, agreed-upon value if your car is a total loss.
Liability
Nearly all states require liability insurance, which covers you when you’re at fault in an accident. It pays for damage and the cost of injury to others.
Loss of Use
While your car is being repaired, this pays a flat sum for transportation. You can use it to pay for public transportation, car rentals, taxis, or rideshare services.
Medical Payments
No matter who is at fault in an accident, medical payments pays for medical care for you and your passengers.
New Car Replacement
New car replacement will pay to replace your vehicle with a new one of the same make and model if your car is totaled within the first two model years and 24,000 miles.
Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM)
OEM coverage pays for the use of factory-original parts in repairs. It’s available on cars up to 10 years old.
Personal Injury Protection (PIP)
PIP covers the cost of your rehabilitation and lost wages after an accident, regardless of who is at fault.
Personal Umbrella
If you have personal umbrella coverage, you can have additional liability insurance above the limits of your auto policy. It helps protect your assets in case of a lawsuit.
Spare Parts
A popular option for car collectors, this will pay up to $750 to replace spare parts you keep on hand.
Towing and Roadside Assistance
If your car is disabled, this provides 24/7 aid. You can get help with towing, tire changes, or locksmith services.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist
Uninsured motorist coverage ameliorates your losses if you’re in an accident with a motorist who doesn’t have insurance. Underinsured motorist protection covers you if your accident partner has insufficient insurance. Both help pay for damages to your vehicle and any bodily injuries you or your passengers sustain.
Farmers Car Insurance Discounts
Farmers has several discounts that can reduce your insurance costs.
- Signal Discount – If you download and use the Signal app, you’ll earn a 5% discount. You’ll get up to a 15% discount each time your policy renews, based on your safe driving.
- Good Student Discount – Students who maintain a good GPA can be eligible for a premium discount.
- Multiple Policy Discount – Bundle your car insurance with homeowners or renter’s insurance to save money.
- Homeowners Discount – If you own a home, you can save money on your car insurance.
- Occupational Discount – Certain professions, such as doctors, dentists, nurses, teachers, police, and firefighters, can qualify for occupational discounts.
- Safe Driver Discount – Maintain a safe driving record and stay accident free to reduce your premiums.
- Multiple Vehicle Discount – If you insure two or more vehicles, you can qualify for an additional discount.
Discounts can vary by state, so contact a Farmers agent to see which ones you are eligible for in your area.
The Signal Discount, Farmers’ most significant discount program, isn’t available in California, Hawaii, New York, and South Carolina.
Farmers Car Insurance Availability
Farmers offers car insurance in all 50 states, though its coverage options and discounts can vary.
Farmers Customer Service
With Farmers you can get an insurance quote online. However, to purchase coverage, you’ll have to speak with a Farmers agent. You can typically talk with an agent in person, over the phone, or through email.
While Farmers’ claims center is open 24/7, its general customer support is only available during certain hours. You can contact Farmers’ customer service by calling 888-327-6335 Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. CT. On Saturday and Sunday the hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. CT. If you live in Kentucky, you should call 877-388-6628 instead.
Farmers was ranked 11th out of 23 car insurance companies in the J.D. Power 2019 Auto Claims Satisfaction Study. The study ranked companies based on their product offerings, pricing, communications, and customer interactions, and Farmers’ rating was slightly below the industry average.
In 2020 AM Best, the credit rating agency dedicated to the insurance industry, gave the Financial Strength Rating of A (Excellent) to Farmers Insurance Group. The rating recognized Farmers’ strong balance sheet, operating performance, and favorable business profile.
Complaint Index
The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) collects all complaints that consumers submit about insurance companies. Each year the NAIC releases company complaint ratios, meaning the number of complaints it received relative to the company’s market share.
The national complaint index is 1.0. A complaint ratio above 1.0 means the company received more complaints than is expected for its size, while a ratio below 1.0 means the reverse.
In 2019 Farmers’ private passenger segment had a complaint ratio of 0.86, which is slightly lower than the national complaint index, indicating that Farmers received fewer complaints than is typical for its market share.
For the past three years Farmers’ complaint ratios have been close to the national complaint index. It has received an average amount of complaints for its market share.
Other Insurance Provided by Farmers
Farmers offers a wide range of insurance products, including:
- Homeowners Insurance
- Condo Insurance
- Renter’s Insurance
- Mobile and Manufactured Home Insurance
- Life Insurance
- RV Insurance
- Boat Insurance
- Motorcycle Insurance
- Business Insurance
- Umbrella Insurance
- Pet Insurance
How to Make a Car Insurance Claim With Farmers
You can file a claim online, directly with your agent, or over the phone to the Farmers claims center, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at 800-435-7764.
When you file a claim, you’ll be assigned to a claims representative, who will contact you to get information about the incident and to schedule an in-person appointment, if needed. The representative will send you an evaluation and estimate and walk you through the next steps to get your vehicle repaired or replaced.
Farmers Car Insurance Cancellation Policy
To cancel your Farmers insurance policy, contact your agent or call the Farmers general customer service line. Be prepared to provide your insurance policy number, contact information, and the date you’d like your policy to end.
Get a Farmers Car Insurance Quote
You can get an insurance quote online. You’ll be asked for the following information about you and your car:
- Year, Make, and Model
- Financing
- Estimated Use
- Birthday
- Driver’s License
- Social Security Number
- Driving Record
- Gender
- Marital Status
- Zip Code
In most cases Farmers will use this information to generate an automated quote you can customize. However, there are some situations in which Farmers will be unable to provide an online quote, and you’ll have to contact an agent.
Compare Other Car Insurance Reviews
Farmers is a well-known insurance company with decades of experience that offers multiple insurance products. It specializes in serving customers who want to bundle policies with other insurance products or insure new or specialty vehicles. If you need multiple insurance policies for your car and home or have a difficult-to-insure antique vehicle, Farmers can be a good choice. For other drivers, though, Farmers may be more expensive and have less accessible customer service than you’ll find with other insurance companies.
Farmers is a reputable car insurance company that offers a range of coverage options. Especially if you want new car replacement coverage or insurance for an antique or collectible vehicle, Farmers can be an excellent choice.
However, its pricing and customer service are only average. Unless you are looking to insure a specialty vehicle, you can likely find less expensive coverage with another insurance company.
Methodology
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