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.
Foremost insurance review 2023
At a glance
Auto
0.0
Home
3.3
Cost & ratings
2.7
Coverage
5.0
Support
2.5
About Bankrate Score
Bankrate's take
Policyholders who need standard insurance, as well as those desiring less common types, such as collectible car insurance or vacant home insurance, may want to consider Foremost.
Who Foremost insurance may be good for: Foremost offers a range of car and home insurance options, some of them through partner companies like Bristol West. The company may be a good choice for those who need unusual coverage, such as high-risk drivers or seasonal homeowners.
Who Foremost insurance may not be good for: Those looking for the most inexpensive insurance options may want to note that Foremost's average rates are well above the national averages.
Foremost car insurance
Foremost auto insurance may be ideal for customers who have trouble qualifying for car insurance with traditional carriers. As part of Farmers Insurance Group, Foremost underwrites its own policies and offers insurance through affiliated partners.
Foremost car insurance is available through several partner companies, including Bristol West, Coast National, Economy Preferred and Security National. Foremost's auto insurance includes all the standard car insurance coverage types, plus many add-ons like rental reimbursement, roadside assistance, rideshare coverage and gap insurance.
Partner company Bristol West specializes in high-risk car insurance for drivers who may have trouble finding insurance with other car insurance carriers. Bristol West can also file an SR-22 or FR-44 for drivers who require it.
Pros and cons of Foremost car insurance
The best auto insurance company for you may vary based on your needs and preferences. The advantages and disadvantages of Foremost car insurance that we’ve outlined below may help you decide if it's the right carrier for you.
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Many add-on coverage types available
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Options for high-risk drivers may be available
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Multi-policy discounts available even with partner companies
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Policies underwritten by partner companies may have varying coverage options and discounts
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Mobile app does not allow for claims filing
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No online quoting available
Foremost car insurance cost
Foremost’s average auto insurance rates are much higher than the national average cost of car insurance. Based on 2023 data provided by Quadrant Information Services, Foremost's average premium is $2,574 annually for a full coverage policy and $1,076 annually for minimum coverage. In contrast, the national average is $2,014 for full coverage and $622 for minimum coverage.
Foremost car insurance rates by driving history
One reason Foremost may not have the cheapest car insurance rates is that it writes policies for some high-risk drivers. Typically, drivers who have a speeding ticket conviction or an at-fault accident on their driving records can expect their car insurance rates to be higher. Below you can see average Foremost rates for drivers with different profiles. These are an average based on a sample population, so your rates will likely differ.
Note that not all carriers will write policies for drivers with multiple tickets or DUIs on their records. For more information about your personalized rates, you can request a quote from Foremost.
| Foremost full coverage premium | National full coverage premium | |
|---|---|---|
| Clean driving history | $2,574 | $2,014 |
| Speeding ticket conviction | $2,697 | $2,427 |
| At-fault accident | $5,076 | $2,854 |
| DUI conviction | $3,220 | $3,091 |
*All rates displayed are average annual rates.
Foremost car insurance quotes by age
Younger drivers typically pay higher car insurance rates, even when added to their parents' policy, because of their lack of experience behind the wheel. Below you can see how average Foremost rates change as drivers age. The rates below are for young drivers on their married parents' policy and adult drivers on their own policy. All rates are for drivers with a clean driving record.
Average cost of car insurance for drivers on their parents’ policy
| Foremost full coverage premium | National full coverage premium | |
|---|---|---|
| Age 16 | $5,166 | $4,392 |
| Age 17 | $5,048 | $4,102 |
| Age 18 | $4,941 | $3,837 |
| Age 19 | $4,847 | $3,345 |
| Age 20 | $4,552 | $3,149 |
*All rates displayed are average annual rates.
Average cost of car insurance for drivers on their own policy
Foremost car insurance discounts
Many drivers looking to save on their car insurance may be interested in discounts. Compared to other car insurance carriers, Foremost’s discount opportunities are fairly limited. Potential policyholders should also be aware that available discounts may vary based on the company that underwrites their policy. Advertised Foremost 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.
Foremost home insurance
Our editorial team awarded Foremost a Bankrate Score of 3.3 for its homeowners policies. To determine the Bankrate Score, we assessed Foremost’s affordability, availability and more, along with the carrier’s ability to meet claims obligations.
Foremost stood out for its home insurance options, specifically the fact that it insures seasonal and vacant homes, which many home insurance companies do not. Its standard home insurance is customizable with a long list of optional add-ons, including home-sharing coverage, scheduled personal property, water backup coverage and extended replacement cost. Foremost also offers flood insurance as a separate policy through the National Flood Insurance Program.
Not all Foremost home insurance policies are underwritten by the same company, and coverage options may not be available in all states. Potential policyholders may want to speak with a Foremost agent about availability in their area. Unlike its car insurance, Foremost's home insurance product does offer online quoting. However, quotes are sent via email within two to three business days.
Pros and cons of Foremost home insurance
If you're trying to narrow down your home insurance options, it may help to compare pros and cons across companies. Here are some of the key perks and drawbacks we identified with Foremost homeowners insurance.
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Many endorsements available for potential policy customization
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Flood insurance policies available through the NFIP
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Seasonal and vacant home insurance options
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Coverage options and discounts may vary by state and underwriting company
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Few advertised homeowners insurance discounts
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Home insurance not available in all states
Foremost home insurance cost
The average cost of home insurance with Foremost is $3,012 in 2023 for a policy with $250,000 in dwelling coverage. This rate is higher than the U.S. average, which is $1,428 per year for the same amount of coverage. To find the cheapest homeowners policy for your needs, you may want to request quotes from several insurers.
| Dwelling coverage limit | Foremost average premium | National average premium |
|---|---|---|
| $150,000 | $1,773 | $975 |
| $250,000 | $3,012 | $1,428 |
| $350,000 | $4,158 | $1,879 |
| $450,000 | $5,324 | $2,343 |
| $750,000 | $8,859 | $3,761 |
*All rates displayed are average annual rates.
Foremost home insurance discounts
Foremost homeowners discounts may vary by state, but these are some of the advertised options from the carrier.
Compare Foremost with other insurers
Insurance companies do not offer one-size-fits-all products, so it may be important to compare providers to find the right fit for you. If this review of Foremost insurance suggests that it is not the right carrier for you, you could consider one of these insurers.
Foremost vs. Farmers
Farmers is Foremost's parent company and might be ideal for those who do not need specialty insurance for their home or car. Farmers offers all standard auto insurance coverage types, plus a wide variety of endorsements and discounts. Farmers also has a more documented customer service history, which may appeal to customers seeking a good customer experience. Unfortunately, Farmers is not available in all states.
Learn more: Farmers Insurance review
Foremost vs. Erie
Erie’s standard auto insurance policies go the extra mile and include pet injury coverage, which pays up to $500 per pet if your animal sustains an injury in a covered traffic accident. The provider’s standard home insurance policies include guaranteed dwelling replacement cost coverage. Erie also offers life insurance and other financial products, which may appeal to customers who want to maintain their insurance needs with a single company. Erie receives great customer satisfaction scores from J.D. Power, but the regional carrier is only available in certain states.
Learn more: Erie Insurance review
Foremost vs. American Family
Drivers and homeowners looking for policy customization may be satisfied with American Family. Although AmFam is only available in some states, it has many endorsement options for both auto and home insurance, as well as some unique discounts like generational discounts for policyholders whose parents are also insured by American Family . Like Farmers, AmFam has robust corporate sustainability initiatives and receives strong customer satisfaction scores from J.D. Power.
Learn more: American Family Insurance review
Is Foremost a good insurance company?
When analyzing Foremost insurance reviews by third-party rating companies, Bankrate discovered Foremost was not scored by J.D. Power. It does, however, have a strong financial strength rating from AM Best, and some of its underwriting companies (like Farmers) received average scores per J.D. Power for claims satisfaction.
In addition, Foremost’s National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Complaint Index is a mixed bag based on the underwriting company available in your region, so prospective policyholders may want to speak with existing customers for more feedback on their customer experience.
While Foremost does not offer life insurance, the carrier offers less common vehicle and property insurance options that could appeal to high-risk drivers or those with non-traditional insurance needs.
Foremost customer satisfaction
Third-party rating organizations may offer valuable insights into the customer experience and financial strength of a company. To assess customer satisfaction, we looked at J.D. Power studies and NAIC scores. The NAIC tracks customer complaints by product type and assigns companies a complaint index based on the number of complaints compared to the expected number for the company size. An index above 1.00 indicates more complaints than expected. Lastly, we assessed financial strength from AM Best. Foremost has an AM Best rating of A (Excellent).
J.D. Power didn’t include Foremost in its 2023 U.S. Auto Claims Satisfaction Study or its 2023 U.S. Auto Insurance Study. However, its parent company, Farmers, scored right around the study average in each. Further, because Foremost has several underwriting companies, its NAIC Complaint Index varies. You may want to research the specific complaint index for the company in your area.
In addition, J.D. Power did not include Foremost in its 2023 U.S. Home Insurance Study, so potential policyholders may want to speak with current customers for more feedback on customer service. Farmers was scored but came in below average with a score of 800 out of 1,000. Once again, Foremost sells home insurance through a variety of underwriting companies, so you may want to research the NAIC Complaint Index for the specific company available in your area.
| Study or Rating agency | Foremost | 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 |
Other Foremost tools and benefits
In addition to basic car and home insurance, Foremost offers other insurance products, as well as tools and other perks that may help policyholders better manage their insurance coverage. Here are some of Foremost's other offerings:
- Other types of insurance: Foremost offers a wide range of insurance products covering nearly every type of home and vehicle. Customers may be able to find policies for motorcycles, boats, RVs, trailers, luxury vehicles, golf carts, commercial vehicles, snowmobiles and more. Home insurance options include mobile homes, vacant homes, seasonal homes and condominiums.
- Educational articles: Foremost also has a learning center with articles on common queries. Featured topics include how to buy a snowmobile, fireplace safety, cleaning mobile home siding and winter driving tips.
- Severe events center: Policyholders have access to an online resource that allows them to report claims, track wildfires and learn more about how to handle emergency situations, such as hurricanes and wildfires.
Frequently asked questions about Foremost insurance
Methodology
Bankrate utilizes Quadrant Information Services to analyze 2023 rates for ZIP codes and carriers in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Auto insurance rates are weighted based on the population density in each geographic region.
Auto
Quoted rates are based on a 40-year-old male and female driver with a clean driving record, good credit and the following full coverage limits:
- $100,000 bodily injury liability per person
- $300,000 bodily injury liability per accident
- $50,000 property damage liability per accident
- $100,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury per person
- $300,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury per accident
- $500 collision deductible
- $500 comprehensive deductible
To determine minimum coverage limits, Bankrate used minimum coverage that meets each state’s requirements. Our base profile drivers own a 2021 Toyota Camry, commute five days a week and drive 12,000 miles annually.
These are sample rates and should only be used for comparative purposes.
Age: Rates were calculated by evaluating our base profile with the ages 16-60 (base: 40 years) applied. Depending on age, drivers may be a renter or homeowner. Age is not a contributing rating factor in Hawaii and Massachusetts.
The rates for drivers ages 16-20 added to their parents' policy reflect the good student and driver's training discounts applied. The rates for drivers aged 16-20 on their own policy do not include the good student and driver's training discounts. Additionally, 25-year-old rates are based on the driver as a renter and 30+ on the driver as a homeowner.
Incidents: Rates were calculated by evaluating our base profile with the following incidents applied: clean record (base), single speeding ticket and single at-fault accident.
Homeowners
Quoted rates are based on 40-year-old male and female homeowners with a clean claim history, good credit and the following coverage limits:
- Coverage A, Dwelling: $150,000, $250,000, $350,000, $450,000, $750,000
- Coverage B, Other Structures: $15,000, $25,000, $35,000, $45,000, $75,000
- Coverage C, Personal Property: $75,000, $125,000, $175,000, $225,000, $375,000
- Coverage D, Loss of Use: $30,000, $50,000, $70,000, $90,000, $150,000
- Coverage E, Liability: $300,000, $300,000, $300,000, $300,000, $500,000
- Coverage F, Medical Payments: $1,000
The homeowners also have a $1,000 deductible and a separate wind and hail deductible (if required).
These are sample rates and should be used for comparative purposes only. Your quotes will differ.
Bankrate Score
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 an auto and 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.