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.
CONNECT insurance review 2023
At a glance
Auto
0.0
Home
3.1
Cost & ratings
2.7
Coverage
4.0
Support
2.7
About Bankrate Score
Bankrate's take
Policyholders looking for flexible coverage for their car or home at a reasonable price may want to consider Connect by American Family as their company of choice.
CONNECT offers a range of coverage options for car and home insurance, along with a generous handful of potential discounts that might make it a good choice for anyone looking for affordable coverage. CONNECT's parent company, American Family, is ranked above average for customer service on J.D. Power's U.S. Auto Insurance Study.
New
CONNECT has only been in existence since 2020, when Ameriprise Auto & Home Insurance was purchased by American Family and re-branded under the new name. CONNECT was created to sell homeowners, auto, renters, umbrella and some specialty insurance lines primarily through strategic partnerships—the largest of these is with Costco, which sells CONNECT insurance to its club members.
CONNECT car insurance
CONNECT, powered by American Family car insurance, may be an option for drivers who want access to additional benefits within certain car insurance coverage types. For example, CONNECT’s comprehensive coverage comes with stolen key expense coverage that will replace your car’s locks if the keys to the vehicle are stolen. If the cost of the replacement locks is less than $250, there is no deductible requirement. CONNECT car insurance also offers accident travel expense coverage that pays for travel or accommodation if you are more than 100 miles from home and your car is not drivable.
These options allow you to personalize your standard CONNECT car insurance policy. CONNECT even offers gap insurance and new car replacement insurance for drivers who want additional protection for their new vehicles, as well as roadside assistance.
Pros and cons of CONNECT car insurance
When shopping around for the best car insurance, narrowing down your list of carriers is part of the process. This summary of CONNECT car insurance’s pros and cons could help you easily compare with other car insurance carriers.
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Comprehensive coverage comes with stolen key expense coverage
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Gap and new car replacement insurance options available
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Underwritten by American Family, which scored above average in the 2022 J.D. Power U.S. Auto Claims Satisfaction Study
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Car insurance not available in all states
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Scores slightly below average in the J.D. Power U.S. Insurance Digital Experience Study for service, indicating it might not be as strong for customer who want to manage their policy online
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Policies primarily available to Costco members
CONNECT car insurance cost
While CONNECT’s average car insurance rates are unavailable, knowing national average figures could help when it comes to analyzing your personal CONNECT quote. The average cost of car insurance in the U.S. is $2,014 per year for full coverage and $622 per year for minimum coverage. Your rates may vary depending on where you live, the car you drive, your coverage choices and more. Reaching out to a CONNECT agent for a car insurance quote is the best way to understand how much you might pay for car insurance with the company.
CONNECT car insurance discounts
Car insurance could be an expensive part of every driver’s budget, but there are ways you may be able to lower the cost. When comparing car insurance companies, also consider the available discounts to help earn savings on car insurance. A few of CONNECT’s more unique potential discounts include:
Get personalized auto insurance quotes
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.
CONNECT home insurance
CONNECT home insurance allows homeowners to build fully personalized policies for their homes and cover unique risks with endorsements. After choosing policy limits for standard coverage, like dwelling and liability coverage, homeowners can choose to add other types of coverage, like earthquake coverage, scheduled personal property coverage, or mine subsidence insurance, which must be offered in some states.
As with its auto insurance, CONNECT home insurance is underwritten by American Family, the insurer’s parent company. American Family received a Bankrate Score of 3.1 out of 5, due in part to its coverage options and discount opportunities. It scored slightly below average in the 2023 J.D. Power U.S. Home Insurance Study, indicating that it could have some work to do to ensure policyholders are generally satisfied with its home insurance. CONNECT home insurance also does not have mobile app accessibility, which may be a drawback for customers who want to manage their policies on mobile.
Pros and cons of CONNECT home insurance
When shopping for the best homeowners insurance, it’s important to consider the carrier as well as the product offerings. Here’s a rundown of the pros and cons of CONNECT homeowners insurance to help you see how it stacks up against other insurance companies when you are ready to compare home insurance quotes:
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Parent company American Family received the top spot in the 2023 J.D. Power U.S. Insurance Digital Experience Study in the shopping category
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Long list of potential discounts to help save on homeowners insurance
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Mine subsidence insurance offered in some states
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No mobile app available
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American Family home insurance may not be offered in all states
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Received more customer complaints than industry average based on its score on the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Complaint Index
CONNECT home insurance cost
Average rates for CONNECT home insurance policies are unavailable, so reaching out to an agent for a quote is the best way to receive an estimate of how much you might pay. As a baseline, it may help to know that the national average cost of homeowners insurance with $250,000 in dwelling coverage is $1,428, although your estimated premium may vary depending on where you live, the size of your home, selected coverage amounts and other factors.
CONNECT home insurance discounts
Home insurance is a necessary expense for most homeowners, making affordability a key priority for those who want cheap home insurance. Some unique discounts on a CONNECT home insurance policy could include:
Compare CONNECT with other insurers
Although Bankrate’s CONNECT insurance review may highlight why this insurer is the right fit for some, others may need to know how it stacks up against competitors. If you’re unsure about CONNECT insurance or want to explore other options during the quoting process, consider these alternatives. *Note that J.D. Power scores reflect parent company American Family’s scores.
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Overview
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Overview
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Overview
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Overview
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Policyholders looking for flexible coverage for their car or home at a reasonable price may want to consider Connect by American Family as their company of choice.
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Policyholders who value excellent customer service and robust coverage options, but don’t mind paying more for homeowners insurance, might consider Amica as their company of choice.
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Tied for a 2023 Bankrate Award for Best Homeowners Insurance Company Overall, Allstate offers home, auto and life insurance for those who want the convenience of a single carrier for all their insurance needs.
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Active military and veteran policyholders who value customer service, robust policy options and military-focused coverage over in-person support through local agents might consider USAA as their company of choice.
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Avg. full coverage auto rate
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Avg. full coverage auto rate
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Avg. full coverage auto rate
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Avg. full coverage auto rate
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No rates available
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$1,467
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$2,630
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$1,361
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Avg. home rate for $250k dwelling coverage
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Avg. home rate for $250k dwelling coverage
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Avg. home rate for $250k dwelling coverage
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Avg. home rate for $250k dwelling coverage
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No rates available
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$2,996
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$1,340
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$969
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J.D. Power Digital Experience Study - Service
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J.D. Power Digital Experience Study - Service
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J.D. Power Digital Experience Study - Service
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J.D. Power Digital Experience Study - Service
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698/1,000
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735/1,000
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694/1,000
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720/1,000
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.J.D. Power Digital Experience Study - Shopping
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.J.D. Power Digital Experience Study - Shopping
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.J.D. Power Digital Experience Study - Shopping
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.J.D. Power Digital Experience Study - Shopping
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549/1,000
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516/1,000
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509/1,000
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498/1,000
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AM Best rating
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AM Best rating
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AM Best rating
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AM Best rating
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A (Excellent)
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A+ (Superior)
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A+ (Superior)
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A++ (Superior)
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Is CONNECT a good insurance company?
Bankrate strives to provide honest, straightforward and helpful information about insurance companies to help our readers pick the best options for their needs (and budgets). We use our decades of combined industry experience to provide insights you may not find in other reviews.
CONNECT is an insurance company that offers a range of insurance products, including auto, home and umbrella insurance. The company strives to match customers with the products that most closely match their lifestyles. With the backing of American Family Insurance, CONNECT could be a good option for some policyholders. However, its limited state availability, lack of a strongly rated mobile app and inconsistent NAIC complaint index scores may be a drawback for some.
CONNECT customer satisfaction
Evaluating insurance companies based on customer satisfaction will help give an idea of what the customer experience might be like. Consulting J.D. Power, a third-party agency that annually conducts customer surveys about their experience with insurance companies, can help. Although CONNECT is not rated by J.D. Power, its parent company, American Family, is, and in fact holds the number one spot for Digital Experience in the shopping portion. AM Best, meanwhile, offers ratings based on a company's financial stability, with a high rating indicating a company has been able to historically meet its claims and other financial obligations. CONNECT’s rating indicates the company is very financially sound.
| Study or Rating agency | CONNECT | Industry average |
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| 2023 J.D. Power Digital Experience Study - Service | 698/1,000 (American Family) | 702/1,000 |
| 2023 J.D. Power Digital Experience Study - Shopping | 549/1,000 (American Family) | 521/1,000 |
| AM Best rating | A (excellent) | N/A |
As a company powered by American Family, CONNECT is only directly ranked by J.D. Power in the California region, where it ranked well above average in the 2023 J.D. Power U.S. Auto Insurance Study. American Family ranked above average in every region it was ranked in for the study as well, except North Central. For claims satisfaction, American Family earned 874/1,000, which is above average for the industry as well, indicating that customers may be generally pleased with the service they receive.
CONNECT customer complaints
Customer complaints are monitored by the NAIC, which publishes a complaint index to establish an industry baseline against which to measure the number and frequency of complaints made against an insurer. The industry average is indicated by a score of 1.0. Anything above this marks a company with more complaints than average, while a score of less than 1.0 indicates fewer than average complaints.
Although CONNECT by American Family’s complaint index shows more-than-average complaints received in 2022, its index has been trending downward since 2020. This may indicate that the company has been working to improve its customer service and claims management.
As is true of its NAIC ratings for auto insurance, American Family's homeowners complaint level has dropped since 2022, where it currently stands at .53. This indicates that it earns roughly half as many complaints as is average for the insurance industry, and speaks to a company that is diligent about customer service.
Other CONNECT tools and benefits
Home and auto insurance aren’t the only two insurance products that CONNECT offers. Here’s a sample of other policies customers may buy from CONNECT:
- Renters insurance: Renters can purchase a policy with coverage for their personal belongings, as well as liability and loss of use coverage.
- Condominium insurance: Condominium unit owners typically need coverage for the interior of their unit, which this policy type accounts for.
- Umbrella insurance: An umbrella policy can be useful if you want increased personal liability coverage for your auto and home policies that goes beyond the policy limit.
- Specialty insurance: This is coverage for your ATV, motorcycle, boat or other alternative methods of transportation, as well as flood insurance and coverage for rental properties.
- Business insurance: CONNECT offers commercial auto, commercial general liability and business owner policies (BOP) to small business owners.
Frequently asked questions about CONNECT
Methodology
Bankrate Score methodology
Our 2023 Bankrate Score considers variables our insurance editorial team determined impacts policyholders’ experiences with an insurance company. These rating factors include a robust assessment of each company’s product availability, financial strength ratings, online capabilities and customer and claims support accessibility. Each factor was added to a category, and these categories were weighted in a tiered approach to analyze how companies perform in key customer-impacting categories.
Like our previous Bankrate Scores, each category was assigned a metric to determine performance, and the weighted sum adds up to a company’s total Bankrate Score — out of 5 points. This year, our 2023 scoring model provides a more comprehensive view, indicating when companies excel across several key areas and better highlighting where they fall short.
- Tier 1 (Cost & ratings): To determine how well auto and home insurance companies satisfy these priorities, 2023 quoted premiums from Quadrant Information Services (if available), as well as any of the latest third-party agency ratings from J.D. Power, AM Best and the NAIC, were analyzed.
- Tier 2 (Coverage & savings): We assessed companies’ coverage options and availability to help policyholders find a provider that balances cost with coverage. Additionally, we evaluated each company’s discount options listed on its website.
- Tier 3 (Support): To encompass the many ways a home insurance company can support policyholders, we analyzed avenues of customer accessibility along with community support. This analysis incorporated additional financial strength ratings from S&P and Moody’s and factored a company’s corporate sustainability efforts.
Tier scores are unweighted to show the company's true score in each category out of a possible five points.