21st Century Auto Insurance

21^st Century Insurance was established in 1958 as an inter-insurance exchange, or reciprocal insurance. This type of insurance company is like group insurance where all subscribed members share the risks equally rather than with the insuring company. When 21^st Century began, they were known as 20^th Century and operated mainly from the State of California.

The company changed its name to 21^st Century after it was bought by AIG in 2005. AIG sold the company to the Farmers Insurance Group in 2009. Farmers Insurance Group is one of the top 10 auto insurance companies in the United States and 21^st Century as one of its subsidiaries is now available in almost all states with headquarters in Delaware.

Farmers is also credited with more than 50,000 agents, 20 million policies, and over 10 million customers in 50 states. Being a subsidiary of Farmers, 21^st Century has a solid financial foundation.

Overall Performance

According to 21^st Century Insurance, consumers saving money are their commitment second to better coverage, which implies competitive rates.  Policyholders of 21^st Century enjoy being part of the larger Farmers Group with the HelpPoint Claim Services, mobile app, and 24/7 service.

21^st Century has an A+ BBB rating but is not BBB accredited. The rating comes from reported resolved complaints and the number of complaints vis-à-vis the size of the company. This means that while there are complaints, the ratio is low compared to the number of customers they have.

21^st Century is also known for having a wide range of insurance options, including SR 22 or FR44 because of its association with a larger umbrella company. They are easy to find online or off the grid, which makes information about insurance easy to acquire. The company also has more than 2,000 accredited repair shops nationwide.

Certain groups have submitted that 21^st Century is lacking in roadside assistance and customer service, like Credit Karma and Consumer Affairs. Although there are little to no complaints about rates, there have been many complaints  about the claims process, which is why, under the JD Power Auto Insurance 2013 rating guide, it was awarded only 2/5 or a below average score.

21^st Century Full Coverage Car Insurance

21^st Century allows you, even encourages you, to build up from “the bottom up”, meaning they want you to buy full coverage. Included as choices for a full coverage plan are:

• Physical damages to your vehicle
• Comprehensive which covers non-collision situations like vandalism, falling objects, theft, and severe weather, among others
• Collision
• 24 hours roadside assistance
• Gap coverage
• Rental reimbursement
• Personal injury and medical payments
• Uninsured and Underinsured
• Uninsured Property Damage

21st Century Discount

21^st Century offers many discounts, but the rates vary depending on one’s location. To get an accurate rate, you will need to contact an agent or communicate with the company’s online mobile app or website.

They offer discounts on safe driver, multiple vehicles, advance payments, lump sum payments, affiliation or membership to certain organizations, low mileage, good student, family, military, loyalty, safety features, early shopper, defensive driving course, eco-friendly car, electronic billing, good credit, retired senior, and by using a device that tracks your driving habits.

The company also offered a unique Security Advantage program free of charge. This program includes roadside assistance, 23 – hour medical/travel assistance, and identity theft restoration. Payment Options

This company has an incredible payment system, able to offer customers a variety of ways to pay their premiums.

They have or accept:

• Credit card payments
• Automatic payment arrangements
• Online payments
• Flexible payment terms
• Phone payments
• Bank transfer
• Prepayment
• Mail-in payments

Optional Services

While 21^st Century does not offer pet insurance or windshield and glass coverage in their regular plans, you can buy these separately.  Under their stock plans, you are covered for Bodily Injury Liability, Personal Injury Protection, Property Damage Liability, roadside assistance, Stacked Uninsured Motorist, and Uninsured Motorist property Damage.

You can add the following to your plans:

• Towing and Labor
• Mechanical breakdown
• Medical Payment
• Rental Car Reimbursement – 21^st Century policyholders will have to pay an additional $10 to $50 a day and can access their rental car from almost anywhere with the many company’s accredited rental car stores. As a policyholder, you also get direct billing and preferred rates.

Their unique insurance plans include:

• Classic or antique cars
• ARV, power sports, and motorcycle coverage
• Personal umbrella

21^st Century Insurance Comparison

Like most other insurance companies that have made the transition into the digital age, 21^st Century is accessible through multiple ways, from the traditional toll-free number to apps and online chats. As soon as you become a policyholder, you get a login name and password. Claims are easy to file and track.

Unfortunately, the mobile app is not as efficient as other companies because it is limited in its capacity. It only allows you to view your policy and make changes, but you will not be able to file a claim or get a new quote. For these, you will need to go to their website or call them.

GAP is one of 21^st Century features for drivers with a car loan. Under this insurance coverage, a car that is totaled under GAP will mean 21^st Century will pay for the difference between the loan balance and the car’s value. And if your car is not yet a year old, GAP insurance will replace the damaged car with a brand-new car.On the other hand, 21^st Century insurance does not offer Accident Forgiveness. If you are involved in an accident and file a claim, you can expect your rates to increase accordingly. The company does have a system of analyzing rate increases based on your insurance history.

The online quotes, when compared to other insurance quotes, tend to be slightly higher. If you are eligible for discounts, this will bring down the rates, making them more affordable. Of course, other insurance companiesoffer lower online quotes and discounts, so it is best to compare after you have been approved for discounts.

Late payments will cause a lapse in your insurance because 21^st Century does not offer grace periods. Thus, if you want to cancel a 21^st Century policy, be sure to allow for sufficient time, so you do not suffer from state fines, higher premiums, or lapsed coverage.

The Bottom Line

Like all insurance companies, 21st Century offers standard insurance products such as liability insurance, underinsured motorist coverage, comprehensive insurance and collision insurance. It also provides its customers the option to buy common add-on coverage like roadside assistance and rental car and travel reimbursement coverage. However, 21st Century doesn’t offer accident forgiveness, new car replacement, gap insurance, deductible modification or better car replacement coverages. (For more information, read our “New Car Replacement“).

That said, the insurer offers custom parts coverage as an add-on, which is rarely offered by other insurance providers. Adding custom parts coverage is useful because it covers damage to equipment not covered by the vehicle manufacturer’s standard insurance.