Allstate is probably best known for its car insurance policies, but the giant company offers a wide range of financial services including home insurance, life insurance, renters insurance and even investment products. The company’s car insurance rates are generally not among the cheapest, but with more than 12,000 exclusive Allstate agencies and financial representatives across North America, the company offers neighborhood convenience and personal service.
If you’re looking for a one-stop shop for insurance, and you prefer having an agent nearby in a bricks-and-mortar office for help, Allstate might be the right choice for you.
Get a quote
Allstate’s pros and cons include:
Pros
Cons
Wide range of products, including auto, home and life insurance, as well as investment products such as annuities and mutual funds
Network of over 12,000 exclusive agencies offering personalized service
Drivewise program offers discount to good drivers who put relatively few miles on their vehicles
Claim satisfaction guarantee provides credit for customers unhappy with their claim service
Rates may not be among the lowest
Customer satisfaction ratings mixed
Allstate auto insurance
Allstate offers the range of auto coverage you would expect from one of the nation’s biggest insurers: liability, collision, comprehensive, personal injury protection, uninsured and underinsured motorist. It also offers rental reimbursement, and towing and labor coverage.
The company’s unique Claim Satisfaction Guarantee issues up to a six-month credit on your car insurance premium if you’re unhappy with how your claim was handled. In states where it is available, the guarantee comes free with all policies.
Allstate’s Your Choice Auto program comes with accident forgiveness, which means your rates won’t increase because of one accident, even if it’s your fault. The program isn’t available in every state and may cost extra, depending on your protection plan.
You might consider adding a personal umbrella policy to protect against liability claims or judgments exceeding your auto insurance liability limits.
Auto insurance discounts
Allstate’s Drivewise program offers discounts to good drivers who put relatively few miles on their vehicle. A device installed in your car or a downloadable smartphone app measures driving habits, speed and mileage. Allstate says most customers in the program save money, and customers save almost 13% on average per vehicle, with a maximum of 30%. The program is not available in all states.
Additional discounts are available for bundling auto and life insurance policies, and for driving a car with safety features such as anti-lock brakes, passive restraints and theft prevention devices. You can save up to 30% if you’re the first owner of the vehicle and your car is less than 2 years old, or if you drive an economy car. Many other discounts are available, so be sure to ask.
Allstate home insurance
Allstate offers insurance for homes, apartments, condos and mobile homes. Personal property coverage and renters insurance are also available. You can buy liability protection and guest medical protection to help cover costs for someone who is injured on your property.
Discounts are available for bundling auto and home insurance policies, installing protective devices in your home, and renovating your home in the last 10 years. Allstate also offers discounts to people who over age 55 and retired.
Allstate life insurance
Allstate is not among the largest life insurance issuers but does offer a full range of life insurance products, including term life — which is best for most people — and permanent life.
You can choose from two types of term life policies:
Basic term life covers you for 15 years, and is available without a medical exam, though you will have to fill out a health questionnaire. This may be a good option for customers who have health issues or prefer not to go through an exam. The benefit is available only in relatively low amounts of $ 50,000, $ 100,000 or $ 150,000.
TrueFit term life is available in higher benefit amounts for a coverage period of 10 to 30 years and can be customized. This is a better route for most people who need life insurance.
Allstate also offers whole life, universal life and variable universal life — all varieties of permanent life insurance. These policies cover you for your entire life and build up a cash value, but they are much more expensive than term life.
If you are interested in permanent life, you should consult a financial advisor.
Customer reviews and ratings
Allstate gets generally good reviews in customer surveys. The company was “better than most” for overall customer satisfaction among household insurance companies in a 2015 J.D. Power survey. It was “about average” in J.D. Power’s survey for overall satisfaction among auto insurance companies.
The Better Business Bureau gives Allstate an A- rating.
In a 2014 Consumer Reports survey, Allstate ranked near the bottom among 24 big auto insurance companies, although readers said they were “very satisfied, on average” with their experience.
Customers give Allstate mixed reviews on Consumer Affairs, a consumer news and advocacy organization. Some say the carrier’s rates are good for the value. But others complain of slow processing of auto claims, unexplained rate increases and poor service.
A.M. Best, Standard and Poor’s and Moody’s Investors Service all give Allstate high financial strength ratings, which can give you peace of mind that claims will be paid.
Website and apps
Allstate’s website provides access to tools, resources and calculators. The company’s Drivewise app, which tracks driving behavior, is available even to non-customers. With the free Allstate Digital Locker app, you can create an inventory of your home’s items for safekeeping.
The Allstate mobile phone app allows you to pay your bill, manage your policies, check on the status of a claim, get roadside help, and even find your parked vehicle. Users give the Android version a 4-star rating. The latest iPhone version gets 3½ stars.
Next steps
Allstate insurance is sold online, through 12,300 exclusive agencies and by more than 2,100 independent agencies, who may represent multiple insurance brands. With its massive reach, wide range of products and many local agents, it’s a good choice for consumers who want an accessible one-stop carrier.
If you prefer a DIY approach, you might also consider Esurance, an online insurer owned by Allstate. Esurance focuses mainly on auto and home insurance, but unlike its parent company, it does not serve all 50 states.
NerdWallet is a free tool to find you the best credit cards, cd rates, savings, checking accounts, scholarships, healthcare and airlines. Start here to maximize your rewards or minimize your interest rates.
Juan Castillo
Get a quote
Get a quote
$ (function () {
var productCard = $ (‘#nw-product-card-56d0f1ae17a4f’);
var productCardSticky = $ (‘#nw-product-card-sticky-56d0f1ae17a4f’);
productCard.affix({
offset: {
top: productCard.offset().top + productCard.height() – 70
}
}).on(‘affixed.bs.affix’, function () {
productCardSticky.addClass(‘affix’);
}).on(‘affixed-top.bs.affix affixed-bottom.bs.affix’, function () {
productCardSticky.removeClass(‘affix’);
});
});
Juan Castillo is a staff writer at NerdWallet, a personal finance website. Email: jcastillo@nerdwallet.com. Twitter: @JCastilloNerd.
This post was updated. It was originally published Dec. 4, 2013.