Safety insurance review 2024
-
At Bankrate, we strive to help you make smarter financial decisions. To help readers understand how insurance affects their finances, we have licensed insurance professionals on staff who have spent a combined 47 years in the auto, home and life insurance industries. While we adhere to strict ,this post may contain references to products from our partners. Here's an explanation of .Our content is backed by Coverage.com, LLC, a licensed entity (NPN: 19966249). For more information, please see our .
At a glance
Score breakdown
Auto
4.1
Cost & ratings
4.7
Coverage
3.5
Support
3.4
Home
0.0
About Bankrate Score
Bankrate's take
Safety Insurance has received local and national recognition for its insurance technology, financial strength and company performance. Policies are only available in Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire, though, and discounts may be more limited than with larger carriers.
- Strong Customer Service Recognition with the 2024 Deep Customer Connections Ease in Business Award
- A (Excellent) financial strength rating from AM Best
- Safety Shield packages for auto insurance with endorsements like emergency towing and accident forgiveness
- Four home insurance packages with endorsements for replacement cost and sewer/water backup
- Local agents in Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire offering tailored regional expertise
We want to know what you think about Safety
Do you have experience with Safety? Let us know your thoughts.
New
- September 2023: The company’s customer service track record was acknowledged, when the company was given the 2024 Deep Customer Connections Ease in Business Award.
- June 2023: Safety announced it will begin updating its customer service platform with the goal of offering instant claims payment through One Inc. One Inc will provide policyholders the option of receiving claims payouts through payment platforms like PayPal and Venmo.
- December 2022: Safety finalized its acquisition of Northeast/Metrowest Insurance Agency after announcing plans to acquire the company in October 2022. This purchase absorbed the assets and operations of Northeast and Metrowest Insurance but left the company as a separate business.
Safety car insurance review
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.
Pros and cons of Safety car insurance
Safety car insurance could be a good choice for some, but no company is perfect. Here are some of the pros and cons of Safety’s car insurance product:
Pros
- Safety Shield makes adding endorsements easy
- Mobile app allows policyholders digital access to their coverage
- Local agents available
Cons
- Only available in three states
- Discounts are limited
- No online quotes
Safety car insurance cost
Although average rates can help you get an idea of what you might pay for Safety car insurance, they are not available for 2024. Based on 2023 rates we analyzed from Quadrant Information Services, policyholders with Safety have historically paid below the national average, which, for 2024, is currently $2,348 per year for full coverage or $639 per year for minimum coverage. The best way to determine the exact rates you would pay is by requesting a quote from Safety.
Safety customer satisfaction
Interpreting third-party ratings can be helpful when evaluating auto insurance companies. These ratings often reflect customer satisfaction, claims handling and financial stability. Although Safety Insurance is not featured in the 2023 U.S. Auto Claims Satisfaction Study, it is important to consider other available ratings. Safety Insurance did rank above average in the New England region of the 2024 J.D. Power Auto Insurance Study with a score of 663. Additionally, the company holds an A (Excellent) financial strength rating from AM Best, indicating its historical ability to pay claims reliably.
Safety auto insurance customer complaints
The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) collects complaints filed against insurance companies and translates them into complaint indexes based on each carrier's market share. The baseline for NAIC company complaints is 1.0, with an index above 1.0 indicating more complaints than expected based on a carrier's size and vice versa. Over the past three years, Safety Insurance has shown remarkably low complaint index scores for its auto products.
Safety car insurance discounts
One of the ways to potentially save on car insurance is by taking advantage of the discounts you qualify for. Safety doesn’t offer as many discounts as some competitors, but there are a few ways you might save. Discount offerings vary by state, but here are a few that are offered in all three states:
- Multi-policy discount: Insuring your home, apartment, rental house, business or other products with Safety could earn you a discount on your auto insurance.
- Student discounts: Safety offers a good student discount and student away at school discount for young drivers.
- Loyalty discount: By staying with Safety for continuous years, you could receive up to a 4 percent discount off your auto insurance.
- E-customer discount: If you opt to manage your policy online instead of getting paper statements, you might be able to lower your car insurance rate.
- Early issuance discount: If you’re looking to switch insurance carriers, shopping in advance can save you up to 11 percent with Safety.
- Safe driver discounts: Various safe driver discounts, including a telematics program, may save you between 5 and 24 percent on your policy with Safety.
Safety home insurance review
Safety home insurance is available in Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire and offers coverage for single-family homes as well as condominiums and apartments. 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 home 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.
Pros
- Offers four coverage packages to simplify the shopping process
- Local agents are likely familiar with the unique needs of New England homeowners
- Online resource center offers helpful guides for homeowners
Cons
- Only available in three states
- Home Cyber Protection is not offered in Maine
- Fewer discounts than many competitors
Safety home insurance cost
The national average cost of homeowners insurance is $2,270 per year for a home with $300,000 in dwelling coverage. The table below shows Safety’s average premiums across a range of dwelling limits, but keep in mind that your rates will vary based on your unique combination of rating factors.
Dwelling coverage limit
|
Safety average premium
|
National average premium
|
---|---|---|
$150K dwelling
|
Safety average premium
$1,097
|
National average premium
$1,383
|
$300K dwelling
|
Safety average premium
$1,276
|
National average premium
$2,270
|
$350K dwelling
|
Safety average premium
$1,380
|
National average premium
$2,533
|
$450K dwelling
|
Safety average premium
$1,665
|
National average premium
$3,071
|
$750K dwelling
|
Safety average premium
$2,769
|
National average premium
$4,502
|
Compare Safety homeowners insurance rates
Homeowners insurance rates can vary significantly based on various factors such as location, home value and coverage limits. Generally, Safety Insurance offers homeowners insurance rates that are typically lower than the national average and many larger insurance carriers. This affordability can make Safety a competitive option for homeowners looking for cost-effective coverage.
Company
|
Avg. annual premium
|
Difference compared to national average
|
---|---|---|
$1,276
|
- $994 |
|
$1,877
|
- $393 |
|
$2,046
|
- $224 |
|
$1,454
|
- $816 |
|
$2,411
|
+ $141 |
|
$1,695
|
- $575 |
|
$3,514
|
+ $1,244 |
|
$1,680
|
- $590 |
|
$2,935
|
+ $665 |
|
$1,871
|
- $399 |
Safety customer satisfaction
Understanding third-party ratings for home insurance can help gauge an insurance company's overall satisfaction level and reliability. While Safety Insurance is not included in the 2024 J.D. Power U.S. Property Claims Satisfaction Study, it still holds an A (Excellent) financial strength rating from AM Best, which indicates its strong historical ability to pay claims. Although third-party ratings are limited for Safety's home insurance, these available ratings suggest a reliable performance in financial stability.
Safety home insurance customer complaints
The NAIC Homeowners Complaint Index provides a useful metric for understanding how often policyholders file complaints against their insurance companies. A score of 1.00 represents the industry average; scores below 1.00 indicate fewer complaints than expected for a company of its size, while scores above 1.00 indicate more complaints than expected. Safety Insurance has consistently performed well in this area. The scores below suggest that Safety Insurance receives fewer complaints than the industry average, indicating a relatively high level of customer satisfaction with its home insurance products.
Safety home insurance discounts
Similar to its auto insurance, Safety’s discount selections and details vary from state to state. Some key discount opportunities that may help you find cheaper home insurance include:
- New home credit discount: Whether you live in Maine, Massachusetts or New Hampshire, Safety may add a credit of up to 18 percent to your home insurance if it is a brand new home.
- Customer loyalty credit discount: In Maine and New Hampshire, you could earn a credit of up to 16 percent off your homeowners insurance policy
- Multi-policy discount: If your personal auto insurance is with Safety, you could earn up to a 20 percent discount on your homeowners insurance. This applies to all three states.
- Fire and burglar alarm discount: While the eligibility guidelines and discount levels for this vary by state, you might lower your Safety home insurance premium if you have fire and burglar alarms in your home.
Compare Safety with other insurers
Finding the best insurance company for your needs can often involve shopping around and comparing providers. If you’re interested in Safety, you may want to compare quotes from these similar carriers.
Featured
Safety
4.1
Bankrate scores primarily reflect a weighted rank of industry standard ratings for financial strength and customer experience, in addition to average quoted rates. A secondary assessment of each provider's online and mobile resources and policy management options also contributed to overall ratings
Cost & ratings 4.7Coverage 3.5Support 3.4 |
The Hanover
3.5
Bankrate scores primarily reflect a weighted rank of industry standard ratings for financial strength and customer experience, in addition to average quoted rates. A secondary assessment of each provider's online and mobile resources and policy management options also contributed to overall ratings
Cost & ratings 3.4Coverage 3.7Support 3.7 |
Vermont Mutual
Not scored
Bankrate scores primarily reflect a weighted rank of industry standard ratings for financial strength and customer experience, in addition to average quoted rates. A secondary assessment of each provider's online and mobile resources and policy management options also contributed to overall ratings
|
---|---|---|
OVERVIEW
Bankrate identified key carrier features, coverage offerings, discounts and more
|
||
Having earned national recognition for its insurance technology, financial strength, and company performance, this regional carrier offers prepackaged insurance at rates consistently lower than the national average.
Read More
|
The Hanover is a bigger company than Safety, providing coverage in 20 states — including Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire. The company could be a particularly good choice for clients with high-value homes, but its average rates are considerably higher than Safety's.
Read More
|
Vermont Mutual is another regional New England-based carrier, but it offers coverage in a few more states than Safety. Vermont Mutual’s mobile tools are fairly sparse, but it also has very low average home and auto rates.
Read More
|
STANDOUT FEATURES
These features are some of the carrier’s most impressive
|
||
Local agents
A (Excellent) from AM Best
Innovative customer service tech
|
Offers unique endorsements
A (Excellent) from AM Best
Low customer complaints
|
Offers competitive rates
Local agents
Low NAIC Complaint Index
|
AVG FULL COV. AUTO RATE
Average national annual cost of a full coverage auto insurance policy
|
||
No rates available | $4,514 | $1,794 |
J.D. POWER AUTO SCORE
J.D. Power’s Auto Claims Satisfaction Study assesses customer satisfaction with the claims experience on a 1,000-point scale
|
||
Not Scored | Not Scored | Not Scored |
AVG HOME RATE
Average national annual cost of a home insurance policy with $300K in dwelling coverage
|
||
$1,276 | $3,093 | $827 |
J.D. POWER HOME SCORE
J.D. Power’s Property Claims Satisfaction Study assesses customer satisfaction with the claims experience on a 1,000-point scale
|
||
Not Scored | Not Scored | Not Scored |
AM BEST RATING
AM Best ratings assess companies’ financial strength based on historical ability to pay out claims, among other financial obligations
|
||
A(Excellent) | A(Excellent) | Not Scored |
Why you can trust Bankrate
Read our full methodologyOur insurance editorial team includes licensed agents with decades of combined experience, and we used our intimate knowledge of the industry to conduct this in-depth Safety insurance review.
46
years of industry expertise
122
carriers reviewed
34.5K
ZIP codes examined
1.2M
quotes analyzed
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 low rates and giveback programs are impressive given its size, but 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.
What are real-life customers saying about Safety?
To provide a clearer picture of the customer experience with Safety Insurance, we have sourced real-life takes from a regional Yelp page. Since Safety caters to a niche area of the U.S., reviews can be few and far between. However, the Yelp page offers valuable insights from over 100 reviews, reflecting customers' experiences with Safety's services, claims process and customer support. Below is some varying feedback from several customers:
*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.
Safety company details
Here are a few ways to get in contact with Safety and the company's various departments:
- Service and claims: 1-800-951-2100
- Outside of MA and NH: 1-617-951-0600
- More information available at Safetyinsurance.com
- Corporate headquarters:
- Safety Insurance Company
20 Custom House Street
Boston, MA 02110 - Claims:
- Safety Insurance Company
P.O. Box 55098
Boston, MA 02205-5098 - Payments:
- Safety Insurance Company
PO Box 371312
Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7312 - Overnight payments:
- Safety Insurance Company
Premium Accounting Dept. PAC-12
20 Custom House St
Boston, MA 02110
State availability
Safety insurance is only available in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine.
Safety tools and benefits
Home and auto insurance aren’t the only insurance products Safety offers. The company also offers the following policy types and tools:
- Personal umbrella insurance: Individuals who want to extend the liability on their auto and homeowners policy can do so with an umbrella policy.
- Dwelling fire coverage: This coverage is available to non-owner-occupied residential properties, with either single-family or two-family occupancy.
- Commercial auto: If you have a vehicle that you use for business, you may need a commercial auto insurance policy to cover your needs and risk.
- Business owners insurance: This type of insurance from Safety is intended for small and medium-sized businesses, such as commercial owners of apartments and condominiums, stores, restaurants and more.
- Resource center: The Safety Insurance resource center features helpful articles on common insurance topics and risk mitigation.
- VIP Claims Centers: These centers are part of Safety's VIP Repair Program. Policyholders can drop their vehicle off following a covered claim and Safety will arrange the necessary repairs and make a rental vehicle available if requested.
Frequently asked questions about Safety
Methodology
Bankrate utilizes Quadrant Information Services to analyze September 2024 rates for all ZIP codes and carriers in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Rates are weighted based on the population density in each geographic region.
Auto
Quoted rates are based on a single, 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 2022 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, single at-fault accident and single DUI conviction.
Credit-based insurance scores: Rates were calculated based on the following insurance credit tiers assigned to our drivers: “poor, average, good (base) and excellent.” Insurance credit tiers factor in your official credit scores but are not dependent on that variable alone. Four states prohibit or limit the use of credit as a rating factor in determining auto insurance rates: California, Hawaii, Massachusetts and Michigan.
Home
Quoted rates are based on married male and female homeowners with a clean claim history, good credit and the following coverage limits:
- Coverage A, Dwelling: $150,000, $300,000, $350,000, $450,000, $750,000
- Coverage B, Other Structures: $15,000, $30,000, $35,000, $45,000, $75,000
- Coverage C, Personal Property: $75,000, $150,000, $175,000, $225,000, $375,000
- Coverage D, Loss of Use: $30,000, $60,000, $70,000, $90,000, $150,000
- Coverage E, Liability: $500,000
- Coverage F, Medical Payments: $1,000
The homeowners also have a $1,000 deductible, a $500 hail deductible and a 2 percent hurricane deductible (or the next closest deductible amounts that are available) where separate deductibles apply.
These are sample rates and should be used for comparative purposes only. Your quotes will differ.
Bankrate Scores
Our Bankrate Score considers variables our insurance editorial team determined impact 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.
-
Cost & ratings 50%
-
Coverage & savings 30%
-
Support 20%
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. Our scoring model provides a comprehensive view, indicating when companies excel across several key areas and highlighting where they fall short.