Safety insurance review 2023

Safety car insurance

Our Safety Insurance review found that the company’s car insurance could be a good fit for Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire drivers who want the convenience of having a pre-built car insurance package. A big draw to Safety car insurance is its Safety Shield package, which includes additional coverage options like emergency towing, roadside assistance and more. The package options differ slightly depending on the state. In Massachusetts, drivers may also purchase an expanded Safety Shield Plus to include accident forgiveness, expanded personal effects coverage, pet coverage, seat belt coverage and bail bonds coverage. Each package also comes with its own cost, so it might be helpful to request an auto insurance quote to see how much the additional coverage options might be.

To determine Safety Insurance’s Bankrate Score, we evaluated the company based on a number of categories, including its policy offerings and auto insurance discounts, as well as financial strength, claims service and customer service reviews from third-party ranking agencies. The higher a company scored in each of these categories, the higher its overall Bankrate Score. Safety’s score for auto insurance was 3.9 out of a possible 5.0 points.

Pros and cons of Safety car insurance

Safety car insurance could be a good choice for some, but no company is free of drawbacks. Here are some of the pros and cons of Safety’s car insurance product:

Safety car insurance cost

Safety car insurance rates will vary based on your unique situation, including your driving history, the type of car you drive and the specific coverage options and levels you choose. The national average cost of car insurance, which is $2,014 per year for full coverage and $622 per year for minimum coverage. Below, we’ve included a breakdown of how Safety’s average rates  compare to the national average for a variety of driver profiles. 

Safety car insurance rates by driving history

Bankrate has tracked driving history rates over a number of years. Our research looks at average rates for drivers with clean driving records, one speeding ticket and one at-fault accident. We haven’t included DUI rates in our assessment here, because some companies will not sell policies to drivers with DUI convictions. If you have a DUI, contact Safety directly to discuss your situation. Keep in mind that if you have driving incidents, your version of cheap car insurance will likely be higher than if you had a clean driving record.

Safety car insurance quotes by age

Age is one of the most impactful rating factors in car insurance. Even the best car insurance companies view age as a way to predict how likely it is that claims will be filed. Generally, younger drivers pay higher rates due to their inexperience on the road, but younger drivers who aren’t able to stay on their parents’ policies pay even more. Keep in mind that in Massachusetts, one of the three states that Safety operates in, age is a banned rating factor. In that state, your age should not affect your premium, although your years of driving experience, which correlate closely with age in many cases, is an allowable rating factor. If you have a young driver, you may want to shop around and compare car insurance rates from several companies.

Average cost of car insurance for drivers on their parent’s policy

Average cost of car insurance for drivers on their own policy

Safety car insurance discounts

One of the ways to save on car insurance is by taking advantage of the Safety discounts you qualify for. Safety doesn’t offer as many discounts as other carriers, but there are a few ways to save. Discount offerings vary by state, but here are a few that are offered in all three states:

Safety car tools and benefits

Safety Insurance drivers who live in Massachusetts can use its VIP Claims Center to repair their vehicle as part of the claims process. Drivers have the convenience of dropping off their vehicle and choose to have a rental car waiting for them while their car is brought to the shop. The center also has a VIP appraisal program that makes it possible for cars to be appraised on the spot without an appointment by Safety’s licensed appraisers.

Safety home insurance

Safety home insurance is available in Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire and offers coverage for single-family homes. The company offers standard coverage and has several endorsements available for added protection. This includes four packages with pre-selected endorsements: Safety Select, Safety Supreme, Supreme Plus and Safety Complete package. Each one comes with its own features and increased limits, but shared coverage options include replacement cost, sewer/water backup and increased liability amounts.

Pros and cons of Safety homeowners insurance

Just like with its auto insurance, Safety home insurance has perks and drawbacks. When you are comparing home insurance quotes and looking for the best home insurance company for your needs, understanding each carrier’s strengths and weaknesses can be helpful.

Safety home insurance cost

The national average cost of homeowners insurance is $1,428 per year for a home with $250,000 in dwelling coverage. The table below shows Safety’s average premiums and the national average premiums for a range of dwelling limits, but keep in mind that your rates will vary based on your unique combination of rating factors.

Safety home insurance discounts

Similar to its auto insurance, Safety’s discount selections and amounts could vary from state to state. Some key discount opportunities that may help you find cheaper home insurance include:

Safety home benefits and tools

Safety has a helpful online resource center that homeowners may enjoy. There are numerous blog posts and guides on topics like preventing water damage, how to prepare for winter and how to use supplemental heating devices safely.

Safety customer satisfaction

Safety is a smaller insurance company, so it doesn’t have as many third-party ratings as its larger competitors. However, the company does have an A (Excellent) financial strength rating from AM Best, which speaks to the company’s historical ability to pay claims.

Safety auto claims

Safety wasn’t specifically rated by J.D. Power for claims satisfaction, but it was rated in the New England region in the 2022 U.S. Auto Insurance Study, which reviewed claims satisfaction among other metrics. Safety received a score of 809/1,000, which is 14 points lower than the regional average. This could indicate that customers feel dissatisfied with Safety’s auto claims service and overall customer experience. 

However, Safety does have a lower-than-average complaint index from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). The company’s score of 0.16 for its private passenger (personal auto) insurance product is well below the baseline of 1.00, which means that the NAIC recorded fewer complaints than average. 

Safety home claims

J.D. Power didn’t rate Safety in either of its home insurance studies, likely due to the company's smaller size. However, just like for auto insurance, Safety has a lower-than-average NAIC score for its home insurance product, at just 0.09. This means that the NAIC received fewer complaints about Safety’s home insurance service than average, which might mean customers are satisfied with its level of service. Claims satisfaction is often a big part of service satisfaction, so this may bode well for those looking for a stellar home claims experience.

How to file a claim with Safety

To file a claim with Safety, you can:

• Call 1-800-951-2100 (in Massachusetts and New Hampshire)
• Call 1-617-951-0600 (outside of Massachusetts and New Hampshire)
• File online with your account login information
• File in the Safety mobile app

Safety availability

Safety is only available in Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Auto and home insurance are available in all three states although the coverage offerings and discounts vary. Other products are only available in certain areas. For example, only in Massachusetts can you buy a commercial package policy from Safety.

Safety corporate sustainability

Safety Insurance has two programs to support local communities. Safety’s Charitable Foundation, established in 2005, provides donations to local organizations, both schools and charities, to support a variety of causes such as education, arts and culture, food banks and more. Some past beneficiaries have included Project Bread, The Boston Foundation and the Alzheimer’s Association.

Safety’s Employee Gift Matching program supports employee donations by matching contributions made to the charity of their choice. Some programs that Safety employees have contributed to include the Museum of Science, Greater Boston Food Bank and the Roxbury Latin School.

Not sure if Safety is right for you? 

Finding the right insurance company for your needs can often involve shopping around and comparing providers. If you’re interested in Safety, you may also want to get quotes from these similar carriers.

Safety vs. The Hanover

The Hanover is a bigger company than Safety, providing coverage in 20 states — including Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire — and Washington, D.C. The company could be a particularly good choice for clients with high-value homes. However, while The Hanover does have local offices, they aren’t as widespread as Safety. If you prefer an in-person experience, Safety might be the better option.

Learn more: The Hanover Insurance review

Safety vs. Vermont Mutual

Vermont Mutual could be an option for those who want to work with a regional carrier similar to Safety Insurance. The company is available in a few more states than Safety, but still retains the specialization of a regional, New England carrier. Vermont Mutual’s mobile tools are fairly sparse, though, and the company doesn’t provide a mobile app.

Learn more: Vermont Mutual Insurance review

Safety vs. State Farm

If you’re looking for a larger carrier that still has local offices, State Farm could be a good choice. The company is the largest personal lines insurer in the country by market share and offers an array of insurance products. However, unlike Safety, State Farm isn’t currently writing business in Massachusetts, so if you live in the Bay State, you won’t be able to buy a new policy. 

Learn more: State Farm Insurance review

Is Safety a good insurance company?

Safety might be a good company if you are looking for fairly standard coverage and you live in Maine, Massachusetts or New Hampshire. The company’s giveback programs are impressive given its size, but the coverage offerings and discounts don’t particularly stand out when compared to its competitors. Additionally, Safety doesn’t have many third-party reviews, which makes it difficult to assess the overall level of service satisfaction. If you’re interested in Safety, comparing quotes from a few other carriers may help you decide if the company is right for you.

Methodology

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 40-year-old male and female homeowners with a clean claim history, good credit and the following coverage limits:

Auto

• $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 sample drivers own a 2021 Toyota Camry, commute five days a week and drive 12,000 miles annually.

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

• 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 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.