Foremost insurance review 2023

Pros and cons of Foremost car insurance

The best auto insurance company for you may vary based on your needs and preferences. These advantages and disadvantages we identified with Foremost car insurance may help you decide if it's the right carrier for you.

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. By 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 because it writes policies for some high-risk drivers. Typically, drivers who have a speeding ticket conviction or an at-fault accident on their driving record can expect their car insurance rates to be higher. Below you can see average Foremost rates for drivers with different sample driving records. These are an average based on a sample population, so your rates will likely differ.

We did not include rates for drivers with a DUI as not all carriers will write policies for drivers with these incidents on their record. For more information about your personalized rates, you can request a quote from Foremost.

Foremost car insurance quotes by age

Younger drivers typically pay higher car insurance rates, even on 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 parent’s policy

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:

Foremost car tools and benefits

You may be interested in Foremost if you have other vehicle types in your collection. Foremost offers insurance policies for motorcycles, RVs, trailers, off-road vehicles, collectible cars, commercial vehicles and more.

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 rates, 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 (NFIP).

Not all Foremost policies are underwritten by the same company and coverage options may not be available in all states, so 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, although quotes are sent via email.

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.

Foremost home insurance discounts

Foremost homeowners discounts may vary by state, but these are some of the advertised options from the carrier.

Foremost home tools and benefits

In addition to standard homeowners policies, Foremost also writes policies for vacant homes, seasonal homes, mobile homes and condominiums. The provider also sells landlord and renters insurance.

How to file a claim with Foremost

You can file a claim on the Foremost website or by phone by calling Foremost’s 24/7 claims service center at 1-800-527-3907. To file a claim, you will need:

• The name and address of the policyholder
• The telephone number of the policyholder
• The policy number
• The date of the loss for which you need to file a claim
• A description of what caused the loss

Foremost availability

Foremost is licensed to sell insurance policies in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. However, products offered and underwriting companies may vary by state. You may contact a Foremost representative for a specific description of products available in your area. Foremost insurance underwriting companies include Farmers Insurance, Bristol West, AARP and J.C. Taylor.

Other Foremost perks worth considering

Foremost offers a wide range of insurance products covering nearly every type of home and vehicle. Customers may be able to find policies for their motorcycle, boat, RV, trailer, luxury vehicles, golf carts, commercial vehicle, snowmobile and more. Home insurance options include mobile homes, vacant homes, seasonal homes and condominiums.

Foremost also has a learning center with articles on common home and auto insurance topics. Featured topics include how to buy a snowmobile, fireplace safety, cleaning mobile home siding and winter driving tips.

Foremost corporate sustainability

Although Foremost does not share information on its social responsibility efforts, the company is part of the larger Farmers Insurance Group. Farmers has many community initiatives geared towards empowerment and disaster relief, including the Farmers Family Fund, which has provided more than $2.5 million in grants to support its employees experiencing financial hardship. In 2021, Farmers also gave over $5 million in charitable contributions and provided aid after 38 catastrophes.

Not sure if Foremost is right for you?

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 Foremost 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 coverages, 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 pet 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 12 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 19 states, it has many endorsements options for both auto and home insurance as well as some unique discounts like generational discounts for policyholders whose parents are also insured by AmFam. 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?

Although Foremost did not rank in J.D. Power’s 2022 auto or home insurance studies, the insurer has a strong financial strength rating from AM Best. The provider’s NAIC complaint index scores are 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 many unique property and vehicle insurance options that could appeal to high-risk drivers or those with non-traditional insurance needs.

Methodology

Auto

Bankrate utilizes Quadrant Information Services to analyze 2023 rates for ZIP codes and carriers in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Rates are weighted based on the population density in each geographic region. 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 parent's 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

Bankrate utilizes Quadrant Information Services to analyze 2023 current rates for ZIP codes and carriers in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Rates are weighted based on the population density in each geographic region. 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 Scores 

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.