Shelter Insurance review 2023
The Bankrate promise
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

Auto
3.7
Cost & ratings
3.3
Coverage
4.0
Support
4.2
Home
3.0
Cost & ratings
2.7
Coverage
4.0
Support
2.5
About Bankrate Score
Bottom Line
Policyholders that don’t mind paying a little extra for top-notch customer service might consider Shelter Insurance as their company of choice (as long as they live in a state where Shelter does business).
-
NAIC complaints are lower than the baseline
-
Wide array of policy types available
-
Only available in 15 states
-
Premiums are higher than average
Shelter car insurance
Shelter earned a Bankrate Score of 3.7, which is a bit lower than some top companies due to its higher-than-average rates and limited availability. Still, our Shelter Insurance review shows that it could be a solid choice for drivers who value customer service over cheap rates. In the 2022 J.D. Power U.S. Auto Insurance Study, Shelter earned the top official rank of car insurance companies in the Central region. According to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), it also has fewer complaints than the national baseline.
Shelter car insurance is unique in that roadside assistance and new car replacement are included in every policy. Meanwhile, coverage types like collision and comprehensive, rental reimbursement, disability income, gap insurance and loss of use are optional.
Shelter car insurance is sold through a network of local agents and is only available in 15 states. Although the company typically has higher-than-average rates, it offers a wide range of discounts to help policyholders save money.
Pros and cons of Shelter car insurance
It’s important to look at the big picture when shopping for the best car insurance. If you’re considering Shelter auto insurance and unsure of how it stacks up to your priorities, an easy way to evaluate it is to list out the company’s pros and cons.
PROS
-
Robust coverage options
Complimentary roadside assistance
High customer satisfaction
CONS
-
Not available nationwide
-
Premiums for drivers with one at-fault accident on their records are much higher than average
-
No accident forgiveness
Shelter car insurance cost
According to proprietary rate data from Quadrant Information Services, Shelter’s average annual premium for a full coverage policy is $2,225. Its rate for a minimum coverage policy is $682 per year, on average. Nationally, the average annual cost of car insurance for full and minimum coverage is $2,014 and $622, respectively. This data shows that Shelter may not be the cheapest car insurance company available to most drivers.
Shelter car insurance rates by driving history
Car insurance companies consider several rating factors to determine your premium, and your driving history may be one of the most significant. Some types of driving activity can be weighed more heavily than others, as demonstrated in the tables below. Not all companies will offer a policy to a driver with a DUI on their record, so these rates have been omitted. You may want to contact a local agent for more information regarding DUI premiums.
Shelter average monthly full coverage premium Shelter average annual full coverage premium National average annual full coverage premium Clean driving history $185 $2,225 $2,014 Speeding ticket conviction $223 $2,680 $2,427 At-fault accident $312 $3,744 $2,854 Shelter average monthly minimum coverage premium Shelter average annual minimum coverage premium National average annual full coverage premium Clean driving history $56 $682 $622 Speeding ticket conviction $71 $851 $748 At-fault accident $103 $1,241 $892 Shelter car insurance quotes by age
According to the Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I), nearly 39 percent of all fatal crashes had drivers aged 16 to 20 behind the wheel in 2022. Due to their heightened accident risk, younger drivers typically pay the highest premiums. However, how much these drivers cost to insure will also be impacted by if they are listed on their parents' policy or if they have a policy of their own.
Average cost of car insurance for drivers on their own policy
Shelter car insurance discounts
If you’re wondering how to lower your car insurance premiums, Shelter advertises 13 car insurance discounts on its website. Some of Shelter’s car insurance discounts include:
Drivers who’ve maintained a clean driving record for the last three years could qualify for savings through the safe driver discount. Additionally, this discount could save you even more once you’ve been accident- and ticket-free for six years.Paying your premium in full every six months or once a year could net you up to 10 percent in savings.Policyholders aged 48 years or older that also carry a property insurance policy with Shelter could qualify for a discount on their auto policy.You may see a rate reduction if a primary driver on a Shelter auto policy completes an accident prevention course.In qualifying states, you could earn a discount if a listed driver under 21 years old completes a driver’s training course.Louisiana Policyholders could see savings on their auto policy if their vehicle identification number (VIN) is etched on all of their vehicle’s windows.Shelter car tools and benefits
Shelter Insurance offers a few benefits and coverage options that you might not find when requesting car insurance quotes with other carriers. For instance, Shelter includes free roadside assistance with every auto policy that can help you if you have a flat tire, lock yourself out of your vehicle or need a jump start.
Policyholders with new cars may want to consider purchasing Shelter’s gap insurance. This option can pay your loan balance if your new vehicle is deemed a total loss after a covered accident and you owe more on your loan than the car is worth.
Drivers that use their vehicles for business purposes may want to learn more about Shelter’s business auto insurance, which can provide specialized coverage for this type of risk.
Shelter home insurance
Shelter home insurance may be a good choice for homeowners looking for standard coverage types such as dwelling coverage, coverage for other structures, personal property and personal liability. Like many of the best homeowners insurance companies, Shelter also offers optional add-ons, like sewer back-up, coverage for docks and piers, increased computer protection, farm insurance and earthquake damage.
Our team calculated a Bankrate Score of 3.0 out of 5 possible points for Shelter’s home insurance. Shelter fell short in its lack of nationwide availability, and it was not included in the 2022 J.D. Power U.S. Home Insurance Study. However, this score also reflects Shelter’s high AM Best score for financial strength, fewer than average complaints from the NAIC and wide range of home insurance coverage options. However, Shelter fell short in its lack of nationwide availability, and it was not included in the 2022 J.D. Power U.S. Home Insurance Study.
Pros and cons of Shelter homeowners insurance
These pros and cons could help you better understand what you may expect from a Shelter homeowners policy when comparing quotes with other companies:
PROS
-
Ample endorsement options
Discounts are available that may help you save
A (Excellent) financial strength per AM Best
CONS
-
Not available in every state
-
Customer service only available during business hours
-
Not rated by J.D. Power
Shelter home insurance cost
The national average cost for homeowners insurance in 2023 is $1,428 per year. However, your rate will vary based on your individual rating factors, such as your location, claims history and credit (depending on your state). While average rate data for Shelter home insurance is not available, knowing the national average can be a helpful point of comparison when reviewing your quote. If you’re looking for the cheapest homeowners insurance company, you can contact a Shelter insurance agent and walk through policy and discount options.
Shelter home insurance discounts
Shelter’s advertises a few home insurance discounts to help you save on your premium. Shelter’s homeowners insurance discounts include:
You could earn a discount if you carry a Shelter auto insurance policy alongside your homeowners or renters policy.If you heat your home with a system that doesn’t use solid fuel (wood or coal, for instance), you could get a discount.If your home is under construction, Shelter may give you a discount of up to 40 percent for one year. You could get additional savings if you complete construction and occupy your home in the following year.You might save on your premiums if you install a smoke alarm, burglary alarm, and deadbolts on your doors and windows.Shelter home tools and benefits
In addition to standard homeowners policies, Shelter provides a wide range of other types of property coverage such as renters, mobile home, condo, and apartment owners (landlord’s) insurance. Homeowners with expensive collections may want to consider Shelter’s scheduled personal articles insurance, which can provide extra protection for things like jewelry, guns, musical instruments, art and sports equipment.
Additionally, homeowners may want to learn more about Shelter’s inflation protection coverage add-on. In Bankrate’s 2022 economic survey, 53 percent of the experts we polled stated that inflation will be higher than they previously anticipated. With this in mind, inflation protection could help bridge the gap between your home’s value and its cost to restore.
Shelter life insurance
Shelter life insurance offers term life and permanent life insurance, as well as low-cost life insurance for children. The company’s permanent life insurance options include several types of whole life insurance and one type of universal life insurance. The company also offers several endorsements that could help you personalize your policy. If you’re looking for a life insurance provider with several policy options and life insurance for children, you may want to consider a quote from Shelter.
Pros and cons of Shelter life insurance
Here are some things to you may want to consider when requesting a life insurance quote with Shelter:
PROS
-
Several types of life insurance available
Numerous riders offered
Term life available without a medical exam
CONS
-
Lacks nationwide availability
-
Customer service is not available 24/7
-
No online quotes
Shelter life insurance endorsements
Policyholders have the option to add Shelter life insurance endorsements to their policies for personalized financial protection. While these riders may not provide you with the cheapest life insurance policy, their benefits could outweigh the additional cost.
If you’re disabled for more than 180 consecutive days, your life insurance premium would for the duration of the disability.If an accident causes a policyholder to pass away, the death benefit may be increased.Allows policyholders to purchase additional coverage at certain times without undergoing a medical exam to prove good health.Allows the insured to purchase additional life insurance coverage while their premium is still being paid, as long as they prove they’re in good health.Shelter life tools and benefits
Shelter includes a helpful learning center on its website. On it, readers can learn more about life insurance and other types of insurance policies. It also includes several helpful conveniences such as:
Shelter customer satisfaction
Affordable rates are important when looking for the best insurance company, but it isn’t the only consideration. In fact, some shoppers may value customer service above all else. To evaluate Shelter’s customer satisfaction, Bankrate analyzed available third-party scores from J.D. Power and the company’s NAIC Complaint Index score.
Shelter is unrated by Standard & Poor’s (S&P), but it received a financial strength rating of A (Excellent) from AM Best.
Shelter auto satisfaction
Out of all the companies assessed, Shelter was number one in customer satisfaction for the Central region in the 2022 J.D. Power U.S. Auto Insurance Study, with a score of 866 out of 1,000 points. This could indicate that many of Shelter’s auto policyholders are satisfied with the level of service Shelter provides.
Regarding customer complaints, Shelter lands at a .39 on the NAIC’s customer complaint index for its private passenger product line. The NAIC complaint baseline is 1.0, so an index of .39 means that Shelter receives fewer customer complaints than average.
Shelter homeowners satisfaction
Although J.D. Power did not include Shelter’s property insurance product line in its 2022 homeowner insurance studies, the company’s low level of NAIC complaints regarding its homeowners policies could mean that customer satisfaction is high.
Shelter life satisfaction
J.D. Power did not include Shelter life insurance in its 2022 U.S. Individual Life Insurance Study. However, its NAIC Complaint Index shows that while the company has written almost $140,000,000 in life insurance premiums, it has yet to receive a complaint about its individual life product. This data could indicate that Shelter life insurance policyholders are overall satisfied with the company's service.
How to file a claim with Shelter
Shelter will ask you for some basic information when you file a claim. For instance, the agent will ask for the vehicle and driver information of everyone involved when you report a car accident. Once you have the information you need, you can file a claim with Shelter by:
- Visiting Shelter’s online claims portal
- Calling 1-800-743-5837
Shelter availability
Shelter is a smaller insurance company that is only available in 15 states, including:
- Arkansas
- Colorado
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Tennessee
Other Shelter perks worth considering
When comparing quotes from different insurance companies, it can be helpful to look at a company’s perks to see if it stands out from the crowd. In Shelter’s case, it offers a wide range of coverage types and features, including:
- Umbrella insurance: An umbrella policy can offer formidable liability protection above and beyond what you carry on your home and auto policies.
- Farm insurance: Shelter offers policies that can protect your farm property, livestock, farm equipment and more through its suite of farm insurance.
- Flood insurance: Shelter Insurance offers flood insurance written through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and the Wright Flood Insurance company.
- Mobile app: Not all regional carriers offer a mobile app, but Shelter does. With it, you can access your ID cards, view your agent’s contact information, schedule a payment and see your policy details.
- Shelter Insurance Gardens: Policyholders in the Columbia, Missouri, area may want to visit the Shelter Insurance Gardens located at the company’s corporate headquarters. Among the garden’s many features, you will find more than 300 types of trees, a waterfall, a Vietnam veterans’ memorial, a garden for the blind and more.
Shelter corporate sustainability
Shelter’s nonprofit arm, the Shelter Foundation, sponsors a range of scholarships throughout its operating region. It also helps raise money for the Heart of Missouri United Way every year. Over the years, Shelter has donated funds to veterans, Ronald McDonald House and food banks.
In terms of diversity, Shelter operates through a Principles of Community statement designed to promote inclusivity. The company also encourages employees to participate in internal support networks such as the Multicultural Group (MCG) and the Shelter Women’s Advocacy Group (SWAG).
Not sure if Shelter is right for you?
After considering points from our Shelter Insurance review, you may still be uncertain if this company is the right choice for you. To round out your insurance shopping experience, this list of car insurance providers may also be worth exploring in your research:
Shelter vs. First Chicago Insurance Company
If you are an HVAC technician, photographer, landscaper or another type of artisan contractor, First Chicago Insurance could be a good choice because of the specialized coverage this company offers. It also boasts 10 discounts that you could earn on your personal auto policy.
Shelter vs. Electric Insurance
If Shelter Insurance’s limited availability is an issue, you may want to check out Electric Insurance, which writes policies in all 50 states and Puerto Rico. Electric’s auto insurance coverage options are robust, and like Shelter, it also offers homeowners insurance.
Learn more: Electric Insurance review
Shelter vs. Encompass
Owned by Allstate, Encompass offers a staggering number of discounts. If you’re looking for ways to lower your premium, this could be a good company for you. Encompass also operates in 40 states and offers accident forgiveness, a perk that Shelter lacks.
Learn more: Encompass Insurance review
Is Shelter a good insurance company?
Our insurance editorial team has decades' worth of combined experience, and we have three licensed agents on staff to ensure that the information we provide is accurate, honest and helpful. We dedicate hundreds of hours each year to conducting comprehensive insurance company reviews to help guide our readers in choosing the best carrier to fit their personalized needs.
With that in mind, Shelter could be a good insurance company, depending on your priorities. According to third-party scores, Shelter policyholders are generally happy with its service. Its policies are also highly-customizable because of its robust coverage and rider options. However, you may pay a little more than average for these benefits, and depending on where you live, Shelter may not be available to you. You can contact an agent to request a quote to find out if Shelter Insurance best fits your individual needs.
46years of industry expertise122carriers reviewed20.7KZIP codes examined1.2Mquotes analyzedMethodology
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 2020 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 18-20 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.
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.