CheapCarInsuranceinc.com Rating:  

Does Central Insurance Offer Affordable Auto Policies in Your Area?

Back in 1876, a small insurance company which would one day grow to be known as Central Insurance began in Van Wert, OH. The originally started out as a fire insurance company selling their policies through independent agents as opposed to company salesmen.

Fast-forward 140 years later, and Central Insurance (together with All America Insurance Company) is now a $1 billion company. Central operates many independent regional entities. Their Central Regional office manages policies in MI, IL, IN, OH, and KY; their Northeast Regional office sells policies in NY, NH, MA, and CT; the Southeast Regional office primarily operates in MD, VA, TN, NC, SC, and GA; and lastly (but not leastly) the Central Southwest Regional office assists customers in CO, OK, TX, NM, and AZ.

Central Insurance Review

Everyone who pays for an Automobile insurance policy wants two things: good customer service, and the assurance that their provider will pay out claims should the need arise. And for the most part, it looks as though Central Insurance possesses both of those attributes. A.M. Best has evaluated their financial strength with an “A”, meaning “excellent”, and the BBB has given them their A+ stamp of approval.

As far as independent customer reviews go, there are a few easily-accessible websites online which have customer and former employee testimonials from those who have done business with Central in the past. And while some of these individuals have wonderful things to say about the company, a slightly smaller minority was Markedly unsatisfied with the way they do business.

Central Insurance Discounts

Because Central is such a large company and offers policies in so many different states, it is confusing for them to offer the same discounts everywhere. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to qualify for as many of the following as possible:

(*Central-Insurance.com 2016)

Central Auto Insurance Options

If you’re just in the market for a basic policy from Central Insurance, you can choose from the bare minimum coverages and coverage limits to drive legally where you live, or add other options:

• Liability (Property Damage and Bodily Injury)
• Medical Payments
• Uninsured Motorist

But if that isn’t enough to protect your vehicle, you can also choose between:

• Auto Plus Coverage – Adds protection for serpentine or alternator malfunctions on the road, hit-and-run coverage while your car is parked, and a doubling of your medical payments if you are injured in an accident while wearing a seatbelt. While this plan isn’t available in KY or TX, slightly altered versions are available in MI, NY, NC, and VA.
• Central Mutual Summit Auto Policy – offers over a dozen different benefits and coverages that a basic auto policy does not, including pet injury coverage, child safety seat coverage, loan/lease gap coverage, and more. However, exact details of this plan will vary in AZ, CO, IL, KY, MI, NY, NC, VA, and TX.
• Central Signature Auto Policy – Adds towing & transportation expenses, worldwide rental coverage, loan/lease gap coverage, OEM replacement, and short-term replacement cost loss settlement to a regular auto policy. Conditions may vary in AZ, IL, KY, MI, NH, NY, OH, TX, and VA.

Comparing Central Insurance Quotes

Comparing quotes between companies is a great start toward getting the best deal on your automobile insurance. But the reality is that your personal circumstances can also have a dramatic effect on your rate:

 
The chart above contains estimated quotes from Central Insurance for different driver risk profiles for motorists who live near their corporate office in Van Wert, OH. Notice how “low-risk” drivers (drivers with good credit and few/no accidents) have the lowest rates. Higher risk drivers, on the other hand, can see anywhere from a 50% rate hike in monthly premiums to a four-fold increase based on accident history and poor credit, respectively.

Pros and Cons of Central Insurance

All-in-all, Central Insurance has enough to offer potential customers to be competitive in the auto insurance market. They have a strong financial foundation, a variety of policies and coverages to offer their customers, and pretty good customer service. If you have an ideal, low-risk driver profile and Central Insurance has an office in your area, you might get a pretty good deal. But if they don’t operate near you, or if you have a higher-risk profile, you should definitely compare their quotes to other local insurance providers.