California drivers looking for plenty of discount opportunities and free roadside assistance might find 21st Century to be an attractive car insurance provider. However, the company doesn\u2019t sell its own home insurance policies; instead, it partners with Farmers.<\/p>
Founded in 1958, 21st Century Insurance is a small subsidiary of Farmers Insurance and currently only offers auto insurance policies in California. It does most of its business online and over the phone, so 21st Century is best for people who are fine with not having a personal agent.<\/p>
21st Century offers rates that are a hint better than average relative to national auto insurers, though it is more expensive for drivers with accidents. Also, complaints about the company included several issues with claims and quick cancellations of policies because of missed payments.<\/p>
The company operates online and by phone, and its policies are available in California. It offers a helpful feature that allows customers to change coverages and alter payment plans online.<\/p>
When you’re shopping for car insurance coverage, it’s important to understand what car insurance coverage you want and what you\u2019re required to buy. For instance, most states require a minimum amount of car insurance to drive a vehicle. Alternatively, if you want extra protection, you may be interested in full coverage insurance. <\/p>
21st Century offers few bells and whistles with its auto policies, something that may help keep rates down. Besides the typical types of coverage offered, 21st Century provides complimentary roadside assistance as well as up to $1,000 of equipment coverage if you buy comprehensive or collision insurance.<\/p>
21st Century also offers new car replacement coverage if you have a newer vehicle for an extra fee. This coverage pays the value of a new car of the same make and model if your car is totaled in an accident.<\/p>
Collision and comprehensive coverage are both optional and pay out up to the value of your car if it\u2019s totaled or stolen, minus your deductible.<\/p>
Also available in California is \u201cuninsured motorist property damage\u201d coverage, or UMPD. It pays for repairs to your vehicle if you\u2019re hit by an insured driver. The UMPD coverage limit in California is $3,500 and state law says the uninsured driver must be identified in order for you to make a UMPD claim\u2014meaning hit and runs aren\u2019t covered under UMPD in California. Another option in these cases is to use your collision coverage.<\/p>
The 21st Century Refer a Good Friend Program helps you earn gift cards for referring your friends and family. For example, if you\u2019re a 21st Century customer and you refer a friend or family member to receive a free quote, you can be eligible to receive a $25 gift card for companies like Walmart, Starbucks or Lowe\u2019s.<\/p>
In addition, if your friend or family member buys a 21st Century auto insurance policy, you can receive a $50 American Express card once the policy has been active for 60 days.<\/p>
The list of discounts 21st Century offers is not as exhaustive as some of the larger national insurers. However, the company provides most standard discounts.<\/p>
Drivers who have avoided an accident or ticket for four or five years can benefit from the pairing of good and superior driver discounts that 21st Century offers. Those discounts give drivers breaks on their insurance premiums if they go a certain amount of time \u2014 three to five years \u2014 without an incident.<\/p>
However, drivers with marks on their records, or those who could benefit from discounts connected to their profession or for taking a defensive driving course, could look to other companies, such as State Farm or Geico.<\/p>
To help drivers cut insurance costs, 21st Century offers several discounts, including:<\/p>
21st Century Insurance offers the following perks that may be of interest to drivers looking for insurance in California:<\/p>
The level of auto insurance complaints against 21st Century is significantly higher than other auto insurers, according to complaints compiled by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).<\/p>
The industry average is 1.0, so a number lower than that means a company has fewer complaints than average. At 2.22, 21st Century checks in at nearly double the industry average. Most complaints concerned delays in paying claims and unsatisfactory claims settlements and offers.<\/p>
For the past three years (which is the extent of data available), complaints about 21st Century auto insurance have been above the industry average. For this reason, you should consider other auto insurance companies.<\/p>
California drivers may want to add 21st Century to their list when requesting online car insurance quotes. The company\u2019s rates are lower than the California average, and it offers a respectable list of discounts that could help you save even more.<\/p>
According to customer reviews, the 21st Century app has some functionality issues, but having an app at all is somewhat rare for a small, regional company. To find out more about the company\u2019s quality of service, it may be worth asking friends or family with 21st Century Insurance about their experience \u2014 especially since you can\u2019t turn to J.D. Power ratings.<\/p>
Most states require a minimum amount of car insurance, but you\u2019ll likely want to have more than minimum coverage. Some drivers opt to get full coverage to help protect themselves against any type of accident. Remember, full coverage isn\u2019t a type of policy, but generally a combination of required and optional coverages.<\/p>
However, full coverage doesn\u2019t include everything. Extras like roadside assistance and gap coverage may have to be added separately.<\/p>
Full coverage car insurance may include:<\/p>