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Bear River insurance review 2024

Updated Mar 14, 2024
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At a glance

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Bankrate's take

Based on Bankrate's Bear River Insurance review, policyholders in Utah who are looking for a local company that understands the needs of drivers and homeowners in the Beehive State might consider Bear River as their company of choice.

Utah residents looking for local expertise from agents who live near them may appreciate Bear River's Utah-centric insurance options.

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New

What’s new with Bear River?

In 2021, Bear River added two home insurance endorsements to its portfolio: Buried Utility Line/Service Line coverage and Equipment Breakdown coverage. These options are becoming more widely available, and this change could indicate that Bear River keeps pace with the industry and the needs of its policyholders.

Bear River car insurance

If you live in Utah, Bear River car insurance could be a decent option for you to consider. Those who are looking for local agents and in-depth knowledge of the specific risks faced by Utah residents may find Bear River Mutual appealing since it is specifically tailored to drivers in the Beehive state.

While coverage options are limited (roadside assistance and rental reimbursement appear to be the only add-ons), Bear River may also have policies for your RV, motorhome or trailer. Bear River could be a good choice for Utal drivers, but the carrier did not make our list of best car insurance companies, largely due to its limited availability — coverage is only available in Utah — and coverage options.

Pros and cons of Bear River car insurance

Like any company, Bear River Mutual has its perks and drawbacks. It can be helpful to understand these while shopping for coverage, especially if you are getting car insurance quotes from multiple carriers. Knowing the pros and cons of each company could help you make a more informed coverage decision.

Pros
  • Local agents available

  • Coverage is available for RVs, motorhomes and trailers

  • Offers online access to policy documents

Cons
  • Few endorsements

  • Limited third-party ratings

  • Digital tools are not as robust as some carriers

Bear River car insurance cost

Rates for Bear River car insurance aren’t available. If you are shopping for Utah car insurance, getting quotes and comparing car insurance rates from several carriers might help you find the right policy for the right price. You can request a quote from the Bear River website, but will need to wait for an agent to contact you to receive the quote. As a benchmark, the average cost of car insurance in the U.S. is $741 for minimum coverage and $2,545 for a full coverage policy.

Bear River car insurance discounts

Discounts can be a great way to get a cheaper car insurance policy. Bear River offers several ways you can lower your insurance rates, including a robust list of discount opportunities:

  • Bundling: Bear River offers bundling and multi-policy discounts for drivers seeking more than one policy. 
  • Non-owner student: If your household includes a high school or college student who does not own their own vehicle, they may be eligible for a discount.
  • Senior driving training: Seniors who agree to take a driver training course may earn a discount.
  • Older vehicles: If you own an older vehicle, you could earn this unique discount.

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Bear River home insurance

Based on our assessment, Bear River home insurance offers fairly standard coverage compared to other national or larger regional carriers. The company only insures homes in Utah, with coverage available for primary and secondary homes. However, Bear River Mutual does note that its policy rates are based solely on the risks associated with Utah homes, which could mean lower rates than a national carrier that has to account for varied risks nationwide. It may be a good option for homeowners looking for standard policies without a great number of extra options, since there are only a few endorsements listed on the website.

Bear River’s website is not especially informative about what its home policies cover and what coverage limits are available, so it may be best to speak to an agent about your specific needs. We did find that, in addition to basic liability insurance, you could add coverage for equipment breakdown, buried utility lines and earthquakes to your policy. It also offers dwelling insurance for rental properties, as well as renters, condo and umbrella insurance.

Pros and cons of Bear River home insurance

Just like its car insurance, Bear River’s home insurance product has its upsides and downsides. Comparing home quotes from several companies, including Bear River Mutual, might help you get a better idea if the company is right for you.

Pros
  • Coverage for secondary homes is available

  • Rates are based only on Utah risks

  • Local agents available to guide you

Cons
  • Fewer endorsements than some carriers

  • Only available in Utah

Bear River home insurance cost

Specific average rates for Bear River home insurance aren’t available. If you’d like to know how much your coverage would be with Bear River, contact an agent for a quote. There are a number of cheap homeowners insurance companies writing policies in Utah, so you should be able to ask for quotes from several companies, including Bear River, if you are looking for the most affordable rates. The average cost of a homeowners insurance policy with $250K in dwelling coverage in the U.S. is $1,759, for comparison's sake.

Bear River home insurance discounts

Most of the best home insurance companies Bankrate has reviewed offer discounts, including Bear River. The company lists nine possible discounts you might earn if you purchase your home insurance through them, including the following:

  • Claims-free: You may earn this discount if you have no claims or few claims in your insurance history.
  • High insurance score: If your credit-based insurance score is above average, you may qualify for a discount with Bear River.
  • Paid-off mortgage: If you've retired your mortgage, you could save money on your policy.
  • Non-smoker: If no one in your household smokes, you may be eligible for this discount.

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Powered by Coverage.com (NPN: 19966249)

Coverage.com, LLC is a licensed insurance producer (NPN: 19966249). Coverage.com services are only available in states where it is licensed. Coverage.com may not offer insurance coverage in all states or scenarios. All insurance products are governed by the terms in the applicable insurance policy, and all related decisions (such as approval for coverage, premiums, commissions and fees) and policy obligations are the sole responsibility of the underwriting insurer. The information on this site does not modify any insurance policy terms in any way.

Advertising Disclosure
This advertisement is powered by Coverage.com, LLC, a licensed insurance producer (NPN: 19966249) and a corporate affiliate of Bankrate. The offers and links that appear on this advertisement are from companies that compensate Coverage.com in different ways. The compensation received and other factors, such as your location, may impact what offers and links appear, and how, where and in what order they appear. While we seek to provide a wide range of offers, we do not include every product or service that may be available. Our goal is to keep information accurate and timely, but some information may not be current. Your actual offer from an advertiser may be different from the offer on this advertisement. All offers are subject to additional terms and conditions.
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Compare Bear River with other insurers

If you are in the market for home or auto insurance in Utah and looking to compare quotes from more than one insurer, here are some other providers to consider that are comparable to Bear River Mutual.

Bear River vs. Electric Insurance

Electric Insurance offers similar coverage types to Bear River, like home, auto, renters and umbrella insurance. However, Electric Insurance is available nationwide and you can get quotes online. As a larger insurance company, Electric may have more perks and offer more digital tools than Bear River.

Learn more: Electric Insurance review

Bear River vs. GAINSCO

GAINSCO is a smaller insurance company that sells auto policies in Utah and several other states with a focus on personalized customer service. High-risk drivers may be able to get coverage with GAINSCO, too. Unlike Bear River, GAINSCO offers a mobile app which could be appealing to those looking to handle their policies digitally.

Learn more: GAINSCO Insurance review

Bear River vs. National General

National General offers robust home and auto insurance policies. National General provides a wealth of information on its many savings opportunities, which can save you a considerable amount on your premium. The company is owned by Allstate, which could be appealing if you prefer to work with a larger carrier.

Learn more: National General Insurance review

Is Bear River a good insurance company?

It depends on your needs. Bear River Mutual may be a good option for Utah residents who prefer working with a local company that intimately understands the needs of Utah drivers and homeowners. However, Bear River doesn’t offer as many coverage options as some of its competitors, has very few third-party reviews and lacks robust digital tools.

Bear River customer satisfaction

Because Bear River is such a small carrier compared to national companies, it doesn’t have many third-party customer satisfaction ratings. In fact, we were unable to find any rating from the 2023 J.D. Power Auto Insurance Study or 2023 J.D. Power Property Claims Satisfaction Study for Bear River. However, Bear River Mutual does have an A- (Excellent) financial strength rating from AM Best, which means that it has historically been capable of paying claims. In regards to service, though, it’s probably a good idea to talk to current clients to gauge satisfaction.

Study or Rating agency Bear River Industry average
2023 J.D. Power Digital Experience Study - Service Not scored 702/1,000
2023 J.D. Power Digital Experience Study - Shopping Not scored 521/1,000
AM Best rating A- (Excellent) N/A

Bear River customer complaints

Although Bear River is not scored by J.D. Power, it does have a rating with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). This group assigns insurers a ranking on its Complaint Index. The industry average is indicated by a score of 1.0. Anything higher than this means a company has earned more complaints than average; anything below 1.0 indicates a company with fewer complaints than average.

Bear River scores very well for auto complaints with NAIC. There have been no complaints filed with the organization for the past three years, giving Bear River a three-year average score of 0.0 — much better than average. This could indicate a company that is serious about maintaining high standards for customer satisfaction.

Bear River didn't earn a perfect rating for homeowner complaints like it did for auto policy complaints. But it did rate much better than average, with 2022's rating based on a single complaint. Its showing over the past three years features far fewer complaints than other companies writing policies in Utah, and speaks to a company that is committed to customer satisfaction across the board.

Other Bear River tools and benefits

Bear River Mutual Insurance Company advertises fewer perks and insurance policies than some of its competitors. However, the company does list a few other policies and benefits you may be interested in considering, which include:

  • Renters insurance: Covers your personal property and provides liability protection if you rent your home.
  • RV/motorhome/trailer insurance: If you have a recreational vehicle or mobile home, Bear River can write you a policy to protect your investment.
  • Dwelling insurance for rental properties: This type of policy covers the structure of your home as well as other structures on the property that are not directly attached to the main dwelling.
  • Umbrella insurance: An umbrella policy provides additional liability coverage for you if you file a claim on your auto or home insurance that exceeds the limits of your policy. Bear River writes umbrella policies up to $2 million.
  •  Bear Care Direct Repair Program: If your car is damaged in a covered claim, you have the option to choose from one of the Bear Care program’s vetted auto body shops to provide repairs. You do not have to choose one of these shops — you have the right to have your car repaired at the shop of your choice — but work that is completed by a Bear Care Direct Repair shop is guaranteed by the insurance company for as long as you own your vehicle.
  • Bear Care Home Repair Program: Bear River’s Bear Care Repair Program is also available for home insurance claims, which is a fairly unique feature among home insurance companies. If your home is damaged in a covered loss, you could hire a contractor through the Bear Care Home Repair Program to get repairs backed by a three-year guarantee. Just like with the auto insurance program, you do not have to choose a Bear Care-vetted company, but there are perks if you do.

Frequently asked questions about Bear River

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Written by
Mary Van Keuren
Contributor, Insurance

Mary Van Keuren has written for insurance domains such as Bankrate, Coverage.com, and The Simple Dollar for the past five years, specializing in home and auto insurance. She has also written extensively for consumer websites including Reviews.com and Slumber Yard. Prior to that, she worked as a writer in academia for several decades.

Edited by Editor, Insurance