21st Century Auto Insurance Review

Company Background Information

21st Century was founded in the late 1950s and operated as an independent company until it was purchased by AIG in 2006. Farmers Insurance purchased 21st Century from AIG in 2009, and Farmers Insurance with all of its subsidiaries ranks as the fifth largest auto insurer in the United States. 21st Century is a major auto insurance contributor to Farmers and specializes exclusively in auto insurance, although customers of 21st Century can apply for other types of insurance which are underwritten by other Farmers subsidiaries. A.M. Best rated 21st Century with an A financial rating for its stable financial outlook and an “a” credit rating in 2013. J.D. Power rated 21st Century with 2 out of 5 power circles for its 2013 claims satisfaction study. The company currently provides auto insurance for 48 states and the District of Columbia.

Pros of 21st Century Car Insurance

• A website that is easy to use and navigate
• Many customers report affordable quotes
• Free 24 hour roadside assistance for all customers

Cons of 21st Century Car Insurance

• No grace period for auto insurance lapses except in the state of AZ
• May not have as many discounts as other insurance providers
• Customer complaints of claims processing difficulties and low payouts

Discounts

21st Century offers some common discounts that vary by state including:

• Safe driving discounts for people who have avoided certain traffic violations over the past three years
• Drivers education discounts for new drivers
• Vehicle safety feature discounts
• Defensive driving discounts for completing courses on defensive driving
• Multiple vehicle discount
• Mature driver discount for drivers over the age of 55
• Good student discounts for drivers under 25 with a B average or higher
• Numerous other discounts

21st Century mentions on their website that the discounts listed for each state depend on certain eligibility requirements.

Types of Insurance Offered

Aside from its standard auto insurance policies, 21st Century works with Farmers Insurance and other partners to provide a wide range of insurance products. The company offers: homeowners, renters, specialty homeowners, mobile home, flood, auto breakdown, power sports vehicle, antique auto, boat, personal umbrella, watercraft, and life insurance through its strategic partners. Auto customers can receive a 10% discount on homeowners policies, and other discounts are available for the other insurance products offered.

Website

The 21st Century website is fairly basic but has several good articles about auto insurance including information on different ways to save money on auto insurance, safe driving tips, and the most frequently asked questions about the company and its products. There are a number of detailed FAQs that cover the particular forms needed for auto insurance filing in each state, FAQs about discounts and more. Insurance forms on the website can be electronically signed with the eSignature program with the exception of 5 states that do not allow electronic signatures.

Filing Claims

21st Century has a 24 hour hotline for claims filing, and claims can also be submitted online easily. The company replies to claims within one business day and will send an appraiser to the accident site within 2 to 3 days if an appraiser is needed. Claim status can be checked on the website or by calling their customer support line.

Driver Training Discount

21st Century offers a unique driver training discount where drivers who are under the age of 21 can complete a state driving course and get a 10% discount on liability, medical, personal injury, and collision auto insurance. The state approved course must meet certain criteria including a minimum of 30 hours of classroom based training and 6 hours of behind the wheel experience, training by certified instructors, approval by the State’s Department of Education or other institution, and other requirements.

Roadside Assistance Program

The Roadside Assistance program is automatically provided to all customers of 21st Century. This is a unique program that usually costs additional money with most other insurance companies. All drivers and passengers in a vehicle are covered by the program, and it provides lock out service, towing, and other roadside services 24 hours a day. Only California customers are required to purchase this coverage separately and customers who already have AAA or OnStar services.

Customer Reviews

There are many positive customer reviews posted on 21st Century’s website. Other websites have some negative reviews. Positive reviews of the company mentioned satisfaction with the affordable insurance rates offered. Some of the negative reviews claimed that they did not reimburse rental car vehicles after the estimated repair time, difficulties with getting expected claim payments, adding extra fees to policies, and other issues. J.D. Power’s rating of 2 out of 5 for auto claims satisfaction for the company suggest that 21st Century customers received a lower than average experience with claims filing.

Recommendations

21st Century is not without its customer support issues as demonstrated by the J.D. Power study and from some of the reviews online, but with its discounts and variety of affiliate insurance options it may be a good choice for driver looking to save money. Customers of 21st Century have reported that the rates they offer can be substantially lower than other auto insurance companies. The free Roadside Assistance program and other discounts may be worth potential customer support hiccups. If you are looking for affordable auto insurance now, you can get a quote from 21st Century and other auto providers by entering your zip code on this page.

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