Our take

Auto-Owners ranked No. 2 in our study of the best car insurance companies of 2024. It has some of the cheapest premiums on offer and gets high marks for auto claims satisfaction. Its website doesn’t offer as many features as some of the bigger providers, and potential clients will need to reach out to an agent to get a quote.

Auto-Owners isn’t as well known as its larger competitors, but the company has a long history; it’s been around since 1916 and provides insurance policies to about 3 million clients.

Pros:
  • Some of the lowest premiums on offer
  • Low complaint volume with the NAIC
  • Rated highly for auto claims satisfaction
Cons:
  • Coverage limited to 26 states
  • Doesn’t provide online quotes

States where Auto-Owners offers coverage

Auto-Owners offers car insurance in 26 states. 

Map
Table
AL AK AZ AR CA CO CT DC DE FL GA HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA WV WI WY
Available
Not available
State
Alabama
Arizona
Arkansas
Colorado
Florida
Georgia
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Michigan
Minnesota
Missouri
Nebraska
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Pennsylvania
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Utah
Virginia
Wisconsin

*Some state rates will vary based on the addition of a hurricane deductible and may be much higher when included.

What does Auto-Owners car insurance cover?

Auto-Owners offers a full line of car insurance policies to meet most drivers’ needs, as well as policies for home, life and business.

All primary car insurance coverage options are available:

Additional coverage offerings:

  • Roadside assistance
  • At-fault accident forgiveness
  • Common loss deductible for those with home and auto policies
  • Classic car
  • Rental car reimbursement
  • Gap insurance

How does Auto-Owners insurance rank?

Auto-Owners ranked No. 2 overall in our annual survey of the top 15 car insurance providers. It offers some of the cheapest premiums, and customers rate it highly for auto claims satisfaction.

You will need to contact an agent to get a quote, but the combination of great rates and high satisfaction could make it worthwhile.

Here's a look at how it compared to a selection of car insurance providers:

Company
AM Best
J.D, Power auto claims satisfactionNAIC complaint ratio*Average annual premium(out of 5)Overall score(out of 5)
Auto-OwnersA++8880.504.744.65
Auto Club GroupA+8480.774.54.29
American FamilyA8821.104.224.01
ErieA+9020.615.004.67

*The lower a company’s score, the fewer the number of complaints filed with the NAIC. A score higher than 1.0 means it had a higher-than-average number of complaints.

How much is Auto-Owners car insurance?

If you’re looking to lower your car insurance premiums, Auto-Owners could be a good place to start. It has the third-lowest premium rates among the 15 auto insurance carriers we ranked. Erie Insurance has the cheapest rates overall but only offers coverage in 12 states. Auto-Owners also has a limited footprint, but with 26 states covered, it may be an option for more drivers.

Average full coverage rates for a 40-year-old male or female driver with Auto-Owners are $1,554 per year or $129 monthly. That compared to $1,480 per year at Erie and $2,509 per year for Allstate, one of the major carriers that was at the pricier end.

Here is a comparison of rates with several large competitors. Premiums are based on full coverage insurance at 100/300/100, with a $500 collision/comprehensive deductible for a 40-year-old driver with a good driving record.

CompanyAverage annual rateAverage monthly rate
Auto-Owners$1,554$129
Erie$1,480$123
American Family$1,698$142
Progressive$1,998$166

Auto-Owners car insurance rates by state

Insurance rates are based on several factors, such as age, gender, credit rating and the type of car you drive. One of the biggest factors, however, is where you live. 

Some states have considerably higher insurance rates due to such factors as frequent hail events, flooding and higher litigation costs. And rates vary by company in each state,

Colorado and South Dakota drivers pay the most for car insurance with Auto-Owners, while Maine and Vermont have the cheapest rates.

Take a look at the average annual Auto-Owners car insurance rates by state below.

State State minimum Liability: 50/100/50 Full coverage - 100/300/100 liability, $500 deductibles
Alabama$416$618$2,134
Arizona$374$520$1,539
Colorado$400$688$2,874
Georgia$368$497$1,529
Iowa$189$219$1,461
Idaho$190$252$916
Illinois$318$365$1,426
Indiana$248$306$1,188
Kentucky$588$713$1,911
Maine$229$230$707
Michigan$469$491$2,085
Minnesota$355$383$1,693
North Dakota$289$317$1,717
Nebraska$255$283$1,193
New Hampshire$222$255$803
Ohio$235$289$1,109
South Carolina$415$566$1,475
South Dakota$257$260$2,566
Utah$432$554$1,393
Virginia$410$480$1,405
Vermont$232$264$992

Auto-Owners insurance rates for teens

Teenage drivers will pay some of the most expensive rates for car insurance with Auto-Owners, as they will with pretty much every insurance company. The good news is that rates begin to fall as you get older. 

The average cost of a teen car insurance policy with Auto-Owners is $3,482 a year.

Here’s what a teenage driver can expect to pay with Auto-Owners compared to average rates at other ages and with other companies.

CompanyTeenage drivers aged 16-19Young adults aged 20-2440-year-old adult
Auto-Owners$3,842$2,498$1,554
Erie$3,737$2,369$1,480
Amica$6,697$3,522$2,216
Progressive$7,174$3,242$1,998

Auto-Owners Insurance rates for adults

While teens pay some of the highest rates, as you age into your 20s and 30s, you will see a steady decline in insurance premiums. 

While it can vary slightly by insurance company, adults will pay some of their cheapest rates at around 55, when average rates with Auto-Owners are $1,425 for males and $1,421 for females.

Here’s what adults can expect to pay annually on average for full coverage car insurance with Auto-Owners at various ages.

AgeAverage yearly premiums, maleAverage yearly premiums, female
25$2,022$1,962
30$1,600$1,594
35$1,561$1,556
40$1,556$1,551
45$1,521$1,517
50$1,471$1,467
55$1,425$1,421
60$1,402$1,398
65$1,435$1,431

Auto-Owners insurance rates for seniors

Car insurance companies base their rates on risk profiles, and unfortunately, there is evidence that driving becomes riskier as we age. This may be related to slower reflexes, weaker eyesight, or other factors and will vary from driver to driver.

For that reason, expect your rates to increase as you reach 65, but it will not be nearly as steep as the rates you saw in your teens. Rates dip at age 60 with Auto-Owners, but then start to increase. At 65, the average rate with Auto-Owners is $1,435 for a male and and $1,431 for a female.

Here’s a look at average annual rates for senior car insurance with Auto-Owners.

AgeAverage yearly premiums, maleAverage yearly premiums, female
60$1,402$1,398
65$1,435$1,431
70$1,532$1,527
75$1,657$1,652

Auto-Owners insurance rates by driver profile

Insurers crunch a lot of data to develop very accurate risk profiles of drivers, and your driving history is a major factor. If you have had a recent ticket or accident, you’re more likely to have another.

They also consider factors you may not be aware of, such as your credit score. A poor credit score is associated with filing more claims, and Auto-Owners will charge you almost three times more if you have a poor credit rating.

Here’s a look at what drivers with common negative marks on their profiles can expect to pay for full coverage insurance with Auto-Owners, based on a 40-year-old driver.

Clean recordAt-fault accidentSpeeding ticket Poor credit rating
$1,554$2,115$1,999$4,242

Auto-Owners insurance discounts

Most car insurance carriers offer a wide range of discounts to help lower your rates, and Auto-Owners is no different. 

Discounts are offered for bundling policies, installing safety devices, and paying your premium in full. Discounts typically range from about 5% to 30%, and it is possible to qualify for multiple discounts.

Auto-Owners car insurance discounts include the following:

  • Multi-car and multi-policy discounts
  • Installed car safety equipment
  • Paying yearly premium in full
  • Good payment history over 36 months
  • Going paperless
  • Good student discount
  • Going away to college discount
  • Installing a GPS monitoring app for a teen driver

Sources & Methodology

Methodology

Insurance.com editors in 2024 collected rates from Quadrant Information Services for a 40-year-old male and female driving a 2023 Honda Accord LX for state minimum coverage, liability only with 50/100/50 limits and a full coverage insurance policy with limits 100/300/100 and $500 comprehensive and collision deductible. Rates were gathered for multiple driving records and different credit levels. The rates presented are the average of rates for males and females. We analyzed 53,409,632 quotes, 34,588 ZIP codes and 170 insurance companies nationwide.

Sources

Auto-Owners. “Ways to Save” Accessed July 2024.

What do people ask about Auto-Owners insurance?

We gathered some common questions people ask online about Auto-Owners car insurance so that we can provide expert answers for you here.

Is Auto-Owners available in Florida?

Yes, Auto-Owners operates in Florida.

Why did my Auto-Owners insurance rate go up?

There are a lot of reasons for your car insurance rates to go up. Sometimes, it’s related to a change in your risk, such as a ticket or a teen driver. Recently, auto insurance rates have increased nationwide in response to higher claim costs related to inflation, increased cost of parts and labor and increases in severe weather. For many, a rate increase doesn’t reflect their driving but rather a general increase.

Is Auto-Owners a good insurance company?

In our survey, customers rated Auto-Owners about average for customer satisfaction and consumer research firm J.D. Power rated it better than average for auto claims satisfaction.

Its website doesn’t offer many bells and whistles, and you will need to contact an agent for a quote, but it’s definitely worth adding to your list if you're shopping for cheaper rates.