Review of AssuranceAmerica Insurance

Overview  

In 1998 AssuranceAmerica opened their Atlanta, GA headquarters with the objective of selling high-risk auto insurance. More than twenty years later the carrier remains focused on nonstandard policies for high risk drivers such as young people under the age of 25, motorists with poor driving records, and applicants with bad credit or lapsed auto policies.  

According to the company’s corporate website, they are actively selling their high-risk insurance in 10 states (including AZ, NE, TX, MO, IN, AL, GA, SC, FL, VA) while conducting business from two remote locations (Tampa, FL and Dallas, TX). The carrier’s management team is stocked with highly knowledgeable insurance executives who collectively average 25 years of industry experience. 

As is common with most nonstandard insurance carriers, AssuranceAmerica relies on 2,600 professional independent insurance agents to sell their product. The company also owns subsidiaries like TrustWay Insurance, an independent insurance agency that offers home, business, and life coverage in over 30 agencies across 3 states (AL, FL, GA). Obviously possessing your own agency is another excellent way to promote your high-risk auto coverage. 

Financial Health 

We weren’t able to find any information about AssuranceAmerica’s financial stability. They are not accredited by any of the traditional insurance rating agencies like A.M. Best or Fitch. 

Pricing

Generally speaking, all high-risk auto insurance is significantly more expensive than a standard insurance plan. That’s because the applicant’s history represents them as being a high risk for injury, damage, drunk driving, lapsed payments, and/or other negative behaviors. Be sure to do plenty of comparison shopping before signing up for any particular auto plan. 

Getting a quote from AssuranceAmerica is a bit of a challenge. The company’s website has a free quote tool where you can enter your zip code. At that point, you’ll be redirected to their fully-owned agency, TrustWay.  On the agency’s website you’ll again need to enter your zip code. Here’s where things get complicated. 

If TrustWay is selling policies in your particular area then you’ll be prompted to fill in more details and receive an estimated premium amount immediately. However, if TrustWay is not selling coverage in your zip code then you’ll receive a message stating so. 

If TrustWay isn’t able to quote you then you’ll need to use AssuranceAmerica’s agent look-up tool on their corporate site. From there, you’ll be able to locate an independent agent near you that sells AssuranceAmerica. The carrier will provide with with the local agency’s name, address, and phone number. You can then contact the agency and request a quote. 

Customer Satisfaction

We found that plenty of people have an opinion about AssuranceAmerica and it’s not usually a good one. For example, there are 102 BirdEye customer reviews submitted anywhere from 7 to 12 years ago (nothing more current). Ninety-nine percent of the reviews are negative. Over and over the public accused AssuranceAmerica of handling their claims poorly. BirdEye gives the company 1.4 out of 5.0 stars rating. 

AssuranceAmerica is not an accredited business with BBB. However, they do have an “A” rating from the consumer watchdog group. Of the 14 complaints listed on the BBB website, ranging from Sept 2019 back to August 2017, the majority (71%) fall into the category “Problems with Product/Service”. When you drill down further and read through the BBB complaints, you’ll notice they are usually customers expressing dissatisfaction with both claims handling and billing matters. 

We also found 19 Yelp Reviews which averaged 1.0 out of 5.0 stars. Yelp criticisms are mostly about unprofessional and unresponsive service. Upon reading many of the comments, there are continuous allegations of policies being written incorrectly. Although we can’t know for sure the truth behind each accusation, these types of customer reviews are highly unusual and should give most consumers pause. 

Claims Processing

AssuranceAmerica offers policyholders 24/7 claims reporting via a toll-free phone and fax number. In addition, customers may contact their agent for assistance in filing a new claim. During regular business hours (Monday thru Friday, 8am to 5pm EST) you may speak with a claims adjuster, as well as email or mail claims correspondence at your convenience. Since the company is rather basic, there are no slick mobile apps or online client accounts that can be used to file a new loss or track an existing claim. 

Coverage Options

Most nonstandard car insurance plans are the same. You can purchase strictly liability all the way to a full coverage plan. Of course, nonstandard insurance costs quite a bit more than a standard or “regular” car insurance policy. There may also be restrictions on your nonstandard coverage, like limits on who else can drive your vehicle, or restrictions on the type of benefits you can get, like eliminating a rental car reimbursement. 

Conclusion 

AssuranceAmerica is a nonstandard insurance carrier for high-risk drivers with quite a few negative consumer reviews. There’s very little information available in regards to the carrier to earn it our recommendation as a trusted source for insurance. 

AssuranceAmerica isn’t as dazzling as large nationwide carriers. However, the carrier serves its purpose for high-risk drivers needing to secure legal coverage. Often times high-risk drivers seeking a nonstandard policy don’t care all that much about the details and simply need to lock-in adequate coverage. If you’re in that situation then AssuranceAmerica will certainly serve its purpose until you are no longer categorized as high-risk.

Before signing up, it’s always best to do your homework and look around at a variety of nonstandard options with better consumer reviews.