Jessa Claeys is an insurance editor for Bankrate with over a decade of experience writing, editing and leading teams of content creators. She is a licensed personal lines insurance producer in Colorado. Jessa currently covers auto, home and life insurance with the goal of helping others secure a healthy financial future. Her work has been published by several insurance, personal finance and investment-focused publications, including BiggerPockets, 401(k) Specialist, BP Wealth and more.
Jessa Claeys is an insurance editor for Bankrate with over a decade of experience writing, editing and leading teams of content creators. She is a licensed personal lines insurance producer in Colorado. Jessa currently covers auto, home and life insurance with the goal of helping others secure a healthy financial future. Her work has been published by several insurance, personal finance and investment-focused publications, including BiggerPockets, 401(k) Specialist, BP Wealth and more.
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At a glance
Bankrate's take
For New York drivers seeking straightforward car insurance, Country-Wide could be a suitable choice. However, its sole focus on auto coverage might not align with the needs of those who desire a more diverse range of insurance products. New York residents won’t be able to bundle their auto and home or renters insurance with Country-Wide for a discount, a practice common with other insurance providers.
Only available in New York, with special expertise in the NYC metro area
No other insurance lines besides auto
Few endorsements advertised
Works through a network of independent brokers
Country-Wide car insurance review
Country-Wide offers all the basic auto insurance coverage types. The required minimum coverage in New York includes bodily injury and property damage liability insurance. Country-Wide also offers personal injury protection (PIP) and uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage, as well as collision and comprehensive insurance (commonly called full coverage). In addition, the company sells truck insurance for commercial drivers.
Country-Wide does not advertise any other add-ons like new car replacement, roadside assistance or accident forgiveness. It does not sell directly to consumers, so you’ll need to work with one of its independent brokers to purchase a policy.
If you are in the market for auto insurance in New York, Country-Wide Insurance may not be the best option. In addition to the company’s lack of car insurance endorsements and other insurance products, it also has a very poor financial strength rating. AM Best rated the company C++, which is in the “marginal” category. That could mean Country-Wide has not always been able to meet policyholder obligations and pay claims.
Pros and cons of Country-Wide car insurance
Consider these pros and cons before you request a quote for a car insurance policy from Country-Wide Insurance Company:
Pros
Network of New York brokers available for in-person service
May be especially familiar with the needs of NY drivers, particularly those in New York City
Flexible payment options available
Cons
No online quoting or mobile app available
Received C++ rating from AM Best for financial strength
Only available to drivers in New York state
Country-Wide car insurance cost
While average rates for Country-Wide car insurance aren't available, knowing the average cost of car insurance in New York could be useful when comparing quotes. For example, drivers in New York pay an average of $4,192 per year for full coverage car insurance and $1,792 per year for minimum coverage. Both are significantly higher than the national average, which is $2,685 per year for full coverage and $800 per year for minimum coverage.
Country-Wide customer satisfaction
For our Country-Wide insurance review, Bankrate leveraged the knowledge of our experienced insurance editorial team, which includes licensed agents. We consider third-party scores and ratings from organizations like J.D. Power and AM Best when evaluating a company and its offerings. Assessments by these groups can give you a better understanding of how a company performs and is perceived by its customers.
Because Country-Wide is a smaller regional provider, it is not rated by J.D. Power for digital experience, claims satisfaction or customer satisfaction. The company has a C++ financial strength rating from AM Best, though, which is significantly lower than many of its competitors.
Country-Wide auto insurance customer complaints
The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) maintains a database of insurance company complaints, which are categorized by product. Every insurance company is assigned a complaint index, which may be higher or lower than the industry index of 1.00.
Country-Wide’s complaint index for private passenger auto insurance for 2023 is 0.24, which is below the industry index of 1.00. That means Country-Wide received a slightly lower number of complaints than expected for a company of its size. However, Country-Wide had a higher complaint index in 2022 and 2021. In 2021, the company’s complaint index was three times the industry index at 3.15, and in 2022, the company was just a hair above the industry index at 1.05. Given the steep decline in complaints in 2023, it appears Country-Wide may have taken steps to lower its complaint volume.
Country-Wide car insurance discounts
Country-Wide does not advertise any car insurance discounts on its website. You could reach out to a Country-Wide broker to find out if there are any savings opportunities available for you to lower your car insurance premium.
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Get personalized auto insurance quotes
Answering a few quick questions to check your availability with Country-Wide
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.
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.
Compare Country-Wide with other insurers
Looking for the best car insurance in New York may mean requesting quotes from more than one company. If Country-Wide isn't an ideal fit for you, you may find it helpful to consider these other car insurance carriers:
Country-Wide vs. Erie
Erie Insurance could be an option to consider for New Yorkers who want a regional carrier that offers other types of insurance, such as home and life. Erie's average home and auto insurance rates are relatively affordable compared to the national average, which could be ideal for shoppers on a budget. Additionally, Erie ranks very highly in multiple regions of J.D. Power's customer satisfaction study.
Progressive is a larger national carrier and may offer affordable rates for high-risk drivers. Progressive also has digital tools, such as an online portal and mobile app, for those who want to manage their car insurance policies online. Progressive also lists a wide variety of discounts for potential extra savings.
According to Bankrate’s analysis of rate data sourced from Quadrant Information Systems, Geico ranks as one of the cheapest car insurance companies on average, which might make it a good option for drivers on a budget. Although the carrier has a long list of potential discounts, it does have limited add-on coverage options for its auto insurance, and its home and life policies are underwritten by third-party companies. Its financial strength rating, however, is much higher than Country-Wide’s.
The insurance market can be complicated, but Bankrate's insurance editorial team used our unique perspective to bring readers the information they need to make educated decisions when shopping for a policy.
78
years of industry experience
9
licensed staff
34.5K
ZIP codes examined
120
carriers reviewed
Is Country-Wide a good insurance company?
Country-Wide advertises a personalized auto insurance experience with its network of independent brokers, but it doesn't offer coverage outside of New York and is lacking in terms of digital tools. Although the company offers all the coverage types necessary to meet New York's minimum insurance requirements, it has limited add-on coverage options and no listed discounts. These factors, combined with limited available customer satisfaction scores and low financial strength ratings, mean you may want to speak to current policyholders in your area for more information before pursuing a quote from Country-Wide.
What are real-life customers saying about Country-Wide?
Third-party insurance ratings are helpful in gauging an insurance company’s overall customer satisfaction, but real-life reviews can also offer great insight. Bankrate’s insurance editorial team reviewed the online discussion forum Reddit and review site Yelp to get a read on Country-Wide’s customer service. Some users voiced concerns about the company’s claims process; others had a more positive view, praising the company’s customer service and low rates:
Reddit User*
Sep 21, 2023
Things got weird
When I managed a storefront auto insurance office, I would sometimes help an insured deal with a claim, and if the other vehicle was with Country-Wide, things got weird. If you called their claims department, they either would never pick up and no voicemail, of course. If anyone picked up by mistake, they would just hang up. 99% of their business is NYC and surrounding counties at state minimum limits.
I've had Country-Wide Insurance for over 10 years. Never had a problem with them. Insurance rates are great compared to others, I always get a live person. They always answer my questions promptly. Very professional and courteous. CWICO keep up the great work. I have referred many friends and family.
*The quotes and citations included on this page have been verified by our editorial team and are accurate as of the posting date. Outlinked content may contain views and opinions that do not reflect the views and opinions of Bankrate.
Country-Wide company details
Although Country-Wide does not offer a mobile app, there are several potential ways to get in touch with the insurer:
Mailing address: 40 Wall Street, New York, NY 10005
Payments address: P.O. Box 7039, New York, NY 10008-7039
State availability
Country-Wide Insurance is only available in New York.
Country-Wide tools and benefits
Country-Wide does not advertise whether it offers any additional services to car insurance policyholders. For instance, it lacks a mobile app to expedite the claims process or access digital insurance cards. In addition to personal auto insurance, Country-Wide also offers commercial truck insurance with the same available coverage types.
Frequently asked questions about Country-Wide
To file a claim with Country-Wide Insurance, you have a couple of options. First, you can contact your insurance broker who can guide you through the claims process and assist with any necessary paperwork. Alternatively, you can call Country-Wide directly. For general claims, its claims department number is 212-344-8700. In the event of an accident, it has a specific hotline dedicated to handling such situations: 1-800-79-NY-AUTO.
Yes, Country-Wide Insurance operates exclusively within New York state. This specialization means its policies and services are tailored to meet the specific requirements and regulations of New York. If you are a customer of Country-Wide Insurance and decide to relocate outside of NY, you will need to transition to a new insurance provider.
It’s difficult to determine whether Country-Wide is a cheap car insurance company since average rates are unavailable. The cost of auto insurance is different for everyone as premiums are based on factors like your specific location, age, credit-based insurance score and driving record. If you’re interested in Country-Wide Insurance, you can request a personalized quote from a broker to see how much you will pay. Compare this rate with quotes from other insurers for the same coverage types and policy limits to determine which company will be cheapest for you.
At Bankrate, we strive to assign each insurance company we review a proprietary Bankrate Score. One of the key metrics of our scoring system is data surrounding quoted rates from Quadrant Information Services and the way in which average rates by company compare to the national average cost of insurance. However, average rates are not available from Country-Wide insurance. Additionally, there is limited information available about Country-Wide’s auto policy offerings (like endorsements and discounts). Combined, these two factors make Country-Wide ineligible for a Bankrate Score.
Jessa Claeys is an insurance editor for Bankrate with over a decade of experience writing, editing and leading teams of content creators. She is a licensed personal lines insurance producer in Colorado. Jessa currently covers auto, home and life insurance with the goal of helping others secure a healthy financial future. Her work has been published by several insurance, personal finance and investment-focused publications, including BiggerPockets, 401(k) Specialist, BP Wealth and more.
