About Safe Auto
Safe Auto specializes in customers who are looking for car insurance at the state-required minimum limits. Minimum limits are the lowest car insurance limits you must have to legally drive.
Safe Auto also offers comprehensive and collision coverage, personal injury protection (PIP) uninsured motorist coverage, towing and labor coverage, rental reimbursement and accidental death coverage. It sells car insurance in 16 states: Arizona, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.
Safe Auto is based in Columbus, Ohio.
Safe Auto insurance choices
Every insurance company must file its auto insurance rates and policies in each state where it operates. We reviewed Safe Auto's filings in many states to bring you the inside scoop on coverage options, discounts, fees and surcharges.
Here's a look at whether Safe Auto offers certain additional auto insurance options.
| SR-22 filings
Proof of financial responsibility. | Yes |
| Gap insurance Also called auto loan/lease coverage. This can pay the difference between the value of a totaled or stolen car and what's still owed on a car loan or lease. | No |
| Usage-based insurance Insurance with rates based on driving habits, such as hard braking. | No |
| Non-owner insurance
Liability insurance for people who don't own vehicles. | Yes |
| Rideshare insurance
Extra coverage for Uber drivers and others. | No |
| Source: EverQuote research. Product options might not be available in all states. | |
Safe Auto insurance discounts
We reviewed state filings to find the details of Safe Auto discounts for auto insurance. Note that these discounts are not available in all states.
Accident-prevention course discount
For drivers who have completed an approved course in the last 36 months.
Senior driver improvement course discount
Homeowner discount
For customers who own and reside in a house, townhouse, condo or mobile home.
Military personnel discount
Anti-theft discount
VIN etching discount
For having the vehicle identification number etched into the windows. This makes the car less attractive to thieves.
Air bag discount
Anti-lock brakes discount
Policy business transfer discount
For new customers who had a different insurance company for at least six months and no lapse of more than 30 days between the previous policy and the Safe Auto policy.
Multi-vehicle discount
Paid in full discount
Non-owner policy discount
For folks without cars who are buying a Safe Auto non-owner insurance policy.
Safe Auto fees
Saving money is important to many auto insurance shoppers, so be aware of fees that could add to your total cost. Here are the types of fees charged by Safe Auto:
- Application fee when the policy starts.
- Installment fees for each installment and renewal.
- A cancellation fee if you don't have sufficient funds at billing time.
- A cancellation fee if you cancel your policy, except in certain cases, such as cancelling because your car was totaled.
- A charge for sending documents overnight to a customer.
- An SR-22 filing fee if you need a proof of financial responsibility filed with the state.
- A stop payment fee if Safe Auto stops payment on a check, such as a refund or claim-payment check.
Safe Auto surcharges
Auto insurance companies typically raise rates if you have certain problems, such as moving violations and at-fault accidents.
Safe Auto will typically look at your driving history from the previous 35 months in determining rates, including accidents, tickets and violations. You can generally show that an accident was not your fault with a police report, court judgment, statement from your previous insurance company, or other documents.
Insurers must disclose their surcharges in state filings. Here are surcharges we found in our review of Safe Auto's insurance filings. These might vary based on state.
Safe Auto's possible surcharges apply to:
- Inexperienced drivers. For those age 20 and older who haven't had a U.S. driver's license for at least three years. (Drivers with foreign licenses or an unverifiable driving record have a different surcharge.)
- People who drive out of state more than once per month or 12 or more times a year.
- Vehicles used for business.
- A driving record that can't be verified through a DMV, such as a license from outside the U.S.
- An international driver's license.
Insurance filings source: S&P Global Market Intelligence
Posted Nov. 13, 2018