Secured with SHA-256 EncryptionUnited Auto Insurance Review
United Automobile Insurance Company (UAIC) was founded in 1989 in Miami Gardens, Florida, with the aim of providing high-quality, low-cost insurance to consumers in the non-standard auto insurance market.
The family-owned company is one of the largest privately-held insurance companies in the country.
This United Auto insurance review gives consumers important information about how the company compares with its competitors in the field.
In this review:
United Auto Insurance
In 1998, United Auto operated only in Illinois and Florida, but it now services many states and is continually expanding. UAIC attributes its growth to quality service, disciplined underwriting, and an efficient and fair claims process. (For more information, read our “Cheap Car Insurance in Florida“).
The company aims to get drivers behind the wheel for less money down, serving drivers who may find it difficult to get insurance elsewhere than in the nonstandard insurance market.
As you begin your search for car insurance, consider the following types of coverage offered by United Auto Insurance:
- Bodily Injury Liability: This pays for injuries and death that occur because of an accident caused by you or another person driving your car.
- Property Damage Liability: This coverage reimburses others for damage to another vehicle or property such as a building or utility pole in an accident caused by you or another driver using your car.
- Collision: This optional coverage pays for damage to your car because of a collision with another vehicle or other object in an accident you cause. Collision policies also protect you from damage due to potholes or from rolling your car.
- Comprehensive: This policy takes care of theft and damage due to a non-collision event, including fire, hail, vandalism, falling rocks, and other hazards.
Claims Satisfaction
After creating a policy with a United Auto representative, any further interaction with the insurer is typically minimal.
You may occasionally call or visit your representative to add a new driver or vehicle to your policy, but that’s usually the extent of it until a claim must be processed. And that high-stress moment is when customers most want their insurers to be efficient, prompt, and helpful.
That’s why we placed a great deal of importance on claims satisfaction in our research into United Auto insurance reviews.
Market research firms like J.D. Power rank insurers using different criteria, but there are three key performance indicators which most rating firms use in order to evaluate the claims process. These are communication, ease of service interaction, and the ultimate timeliness of responses.
The J.D. Powers 2017 U.S. Auto Claims Satisfaction Study, one of our preferred resources, doesn’t include United Auto insurance ratings.
However, the Better Business Bureau does have some basic information on the company. Although the BBB rates it an A+ based on its size, time in business, and other factors, the 18 available United Auto ratings give the company an average of 1 out of 5 stars and report highly unsatisfactory claims experiences.
Customer Reviews
When drivers browse the internet or ask family and friends for recommendations for insurance companies, customer satisfaction is a crucial factor.
Each and every interaction with the company impacts this category, both favorably and less so.
How complaints are managed and how the company responds to questions from policyholders sets the stage for the customer experience with an insurer.
In the J.D. Power shopping study, United Auto insurance ratings aren’t included, but we did find reviews for the past year in which many consumers complained about long phone hold-times and little to no movement on claims.
United Auto is not included in the California Complaint Study (the most populous state) as the insurer isn’t active in the state.
However, a 2017 look at complaints in the state of Florida yields the following results. United Auto registered 242 complaints, significantly more than Allstate’s 29, a company with comparable premium dollars in the region.
The National Association of Insurance Commissioners also tracks complaints. Of 289 complaints filed in 2017, the NAIC upheld the company’s decision (NAIC #35319) in 144, and another 100 were settled or resolved.
Pricing
All car insurance policy costs take into account several varying factors such as the driver’s age, gender, driving history, geographic location, and the make and model of their car.
For comparison purposes, we used the following scenarios to discuss United Auto insurance pricing.
- Married Male (Age 70), Married Female (Age 65): One car, no accidents or violations in the last 3 years, pleasure driving use of 6,000 miles per year, living in Miami-Dade County, Florida
- Single Female (Age 25): One car, one violation and one no-fault accident in the preceding three years, work driving use of 12,000 miles per year, living in Miami-Dade County, Florida
Scenario one shows pricing for two individuals with no driving violations on their record. United Auto offers a state minimum coverage for $951, with full coverage at $2,102.
In comparison, Allstate is only $551 and $1,769 for minimum and full coverage respectively, while State Farm is much higher with rates of $1,105 and $2,655.
In scenario two, which involves a single female driver located in Florida, United Auto charges $1,718 for the state minimum coverage for PIP and property damage and $4,112 for full coverage, including bodily injury, uninsured/underinsured motorists, medical payments, and collision and comprehensive options.
Allstate charges $1,924 for minimum and $5,442 for maximum coverage for the same scenario. Both companies fall midrange among the 20 insurers compared.
In the above examples, you can see just how much traffic violations can influence premiums.
United Auto prides itself on offering low rates for drivers with less-than-perfect driving records, which can make it a good option for consumers in this situation.
However, since policies are sold through agents only, you must go through them to obtain a quote.
Financial Strength
Many consumers forgo any research into a company’s financial strength or its stability before deciding on an insurance policy, but it’s a vital part of your United Auto insurance research.
Otherwise, it’s hard to say whether the company has the financial capacity to cover outstanding and new claims.
The Insurance Information Institute has helpful information to research United Auto ratings from five independent companies.
A.M. Best stopped rating United Auto insurance ratings after a recent downgrade, and Moody’s Investors Services does not currently rate the company either.
However, it is sometimes possible to obtain the latest financial statements for review by a third party.
With the above information about United Auto insurance reviews, you should be able to confidently search for affordable and reliable car insurance that suits your needs.