If you live in Massachusetts, New Hampshire or Maine, you’ve probably heard of Safety Insurance. Safety Insurance is a local provider in New England, but is Safety auto insurance a good option?
In this article, we at the MarketWatch Guides team will explain Safety auto insurance and compare it to other options. We’ve reviewed the best car insurance companies and will recommend some top picks too.
Learn more about our methodology and editorial guidelines.
Safety Auto Insurance Reviews
Safety Insurance is a reliable company for auto coverage, but it’s not always the most affordable on the market. We rate the company 8.2 out of 10.0 overall and recognize it has strong coverage options with good add-ons, as well as a helpful VIP claims service that customers appreciate.
Overall Rating | 8.2 |
---|---|
Cost | 7.4 |
Coverage | 9.2 |
Reputation | 8.5 |
Availability | 7.3 |
Customer Experience | 7.7 |
*Ratings are determined by our editorial review team. Learn more about our scoring methodology below.
Is Safety Insurance Good?
Safety Insurance focuses on customer service. As a smaller provider, it works with local agents in three New England states to provide personal service. The company has very few online complaints for its size.
Safety Insurance also offers a good selection of coverage add-ons. Options include full glass coverage, transportation expense and guaranteed replacement cost.
Pros and Cons of Safety Insurance
Below are the pros and cons of Safety Insurance.
Safety Insurance Company Reviews
Year founded: 1979
BBB rating: A+ with accreditation
AM Best financial strength rating: A
Safety Insurance provides auto, business and home insurance through independent agents in Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire. The company was founded in 1979 and is based in Boston. Safety Insurance provides a mobile app for customers to use, but the company doesn’t offer online quotes — you have to contact an agent to learn about your options.
Safety Insurance Customer Service
Positive Safety Insurance reviews praise the company for its customer service. Some reviewers say Safety Insurance agents make them feel cared for and understood. Others mention that Saferty’s VIP claims service works well and agents handle everything from start to finish.
But not all policyholders have great experiences. Negative reviews claim that some representatives don’t have good communication skills or are hard to reach during the auto claims process. The most common complaint is a lack of communication, though some customers mention rates increasing over time as well.
Our review team reached out to Safety Insurance for a comment on these reviews but did not receive a response.
Safety Insurance Complaints
According to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), Safety Insurance has very few complaints for its size. In 2021, the provider received four complaints for car insurance service overall, while other companies received many times that number.
Safety Insurance Reviews: BBB
Safety auto insurance has an A+ rating with accreditation on the BBB, which shows it responds to complaints quickly. The company also has a 3.1-star rating out of 5.0 stars on Google. Most people have positive experiences with the company, but some don’t.
Safety Auto Insurance Coverage
Safety auto insurance offers the same coverage options in Maine and New Hampshire but slightly more choices in Massachusetts. Overall, the company provides a good selection of coverage options.
Standard types of car insurance options include:
- Bodily injury liability insurance: Covers medical bills for other people when you cause an accident
- Property damage liability: Covers car repairs for other drivers when you cause an accident
- Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage: Covers your medical bills and auto repairs if someone without enough insurance causes an accident
- Comprehensive insurance: Covers damage from environmental events, vandalism, theft and collision with stationary objects
- Collision insurance: Covers damage to your car from auto accidents
- Personal injury protection (PIP insurance): Covers your medical costs after an accident no matter who caused the accident (required in Massachusetts)
Safety Add-On Coverage Options
Safety Insurance also offers add-on coverage options. In Massachusetts, drivers have two upgrade packages to choose from: Safety Shield and Safety Shield Plus. In New Hampshire and Maine, drivers can upgrade to Safety Shield only.
Here are the upgraded coverage options for Massachusetts drivers:
Safety Shield Coverages | Safety Shield Plus Coverages |
---|---|
Disappearing collision deductible | Accident forgiveness |
Rental vehicle loss of income | Expanded personal effects coverage |
Guaranteed replacement cost | Pet coverage |
Personal effects | Seat belt coverage |
Emergency road travel expenses | Bail bonds |
Supplemental towing and labor | |
Air bag mechanical failure | |
Extended vehicle rental |
And here are the Safety Shield upgrade options in New Hampshire and Maine:
- Collision waiver of deductible
- Full glass coverage
- Emergency road travel expenses
- Air bag coverage
- Transportation expense
- Guaranteed replacement cost
While there’s a good variety of coverage upgrades, Safety Insurance doesn’t offer rideshare insurance.
Drive With Safety
If you’re interested in telematics insurance, you can sign up for the company’s Drive with Safety program. This uses mobile app data to track your driving behavior. You could get a 5% telematics discount if you’re eligible.
Safety Insurance VIP Claims Service
One thing that sets Safety Insurance apart from mainstream providers is the network of VIP claims service centers you can visit. If your car is driveable, simply drop it off at one of these locations and Safety staff will handle the process from there. You’ll get a rental car when you arrive, and Safety will transport your car to a repair facility.
According to Safety’s website, most VIP claims repairs take less than a week. Safety handles the repair facility payments directly minus your deductible. There are about 20 shops across New England that participate in the VIP program. The VIP claims service doesn’t cost extra to use, and you have the option of using another in-network repair shop or a licensed repair facility of your choice instead.
Safety Insurance Pricing and Discounts
According to our cost data, Safety auto insurance costs an average of about $1,177 per year for full coverage, which is about 41% less than the national average of $2,008 per year. On the other hand, minimum coverage from Safety costs an average of $354 per year, which is only about 44% less than the national average of $627 per year.
Safety Insurance Annual Average Cost | State Annual Average Average Cost | |
---|---|---|
Massachusetts full coverage | $3,501 | $2,430 |
Massachusetts minimum coverage | $822 | $754 |
New Hampshire full coverage | $1,177 | $1,362 |
New Hampshire minimum coverage | $354 | $415 |
Safety Auto Insurance Quote
Car insurance costs vary by state. Because of state regulations, population density and other factors, Massachusetts is generally much more expensive than New Hampshire for car insurance.
Safety Insurance Quote by Coverage Type
The table below shows how Safety Insurance’s average rates compare to average cost estimates in these two states. According to our data, Safety Insurance tends to be more expensive than average in Massachusetts but more affordable than average in New Hampshire.
Safety Insurance Annual Average Cost | State Annual Average Average Cost | |
---|---|---|
Massachusetts full coverage | $3,664 | $2,647 |
Massachusetts minimum coverage | $967 | $873 |
New Hampshire full coverage | $1,177 | $1,362 |
New Hampshire minimum coverage | $354 | $415 |
Safety Insurance Quote by Age
Car insurance premiums vary greatly depending on your age. Below, you can see averages for Safety auto insurance in two states for a variety of ages. Keep in mind, teenage drivers and young adult drivers tend to join their parents’ policies to save money instead of getting their own plans.
Age | Massachusetts Safety Cost Estimate | New Hampshire Safety Cost Estimate |
---|---|---|
16 | $10,131 | $10,313 |
25 | $3,715 | $1,594 |
35 | $3,501 | $1,117 |
45 | $3,422 | $1,151 |
55 | $3,309 | $993 |
Safety Insurance Quote by Driver Profile
If you have an accident or violation on your driving record, you may be considered a high-risk driver by insurers, so you’ll pay more for car insurance. Below are average Safety auto insurance costs for drivers with a variety of violations and accident types. These averages are for full-coverage insurance for a 35-year-old male driver.
Massachusetts Safety Average Cost | New Hampshire Safety Average Cost | |
---|---|---|
DUI | $7,708 | $3,458 |
One accident | $6,668 | $2,401 |
Speeding | $4,151 | $1,177 |
Safety Auto Insurance Discounts
Safety Insurance offers a variety of car insurance discounts to help drivers save money. Our rate averages don’t include discounts, so you may find a low rate with Safety depending on the discounts you qualify for.
The Safety insurance company offers more discounts in Massachusetts than in New Hampshire or Maine. This is fortunate because the cost of insurance in Massachusetts is higher than in the other two states. In particular, Safety offers a generous safe driver discount of up to 24% off if you haven’t had an accident or violation for six years.
Below are all the discounts Safety Insurance offers in Massachusetts.
Massachusetts Safety Auto Insurance Discounts | Details |
---|---|
Crash prevention training | Get 5% off for participating in In Control’s crash prevention training. |
e-Customer | Get up to 7% off for getting documents electronically if you also qualify for an account credit or multi-car discount. |
Excellent Driver | Get up to 10% off for having no accidents or incidents in the past five years. |
Excellent Driver Plus | Get up to 24% off for having no accidents or incidents in the past six years. |
Good student | Get 10% off for having a B average or better or being on the dean’s list or honor roll. |
Loyalty | Get up to 4% off for continuous years of being a Safety Insurance customer. |
Multi-policy | Get a 10% credit for bundling business insurance, umbrella insurance, homeowners insurance or commercial auto or fire insurance with an auto insurance policy. Get up to a 6% credit for bundling renters or condo insurance. |
Multi-vehicle | Get up to 10% off for insuring more than one personal vehicle. |
Student away at school | Get 10% off if a student attends college more than 100 miles from home without a car. |
Below, you can see the policy discounts Safety Insurance offers in New Hampshire and Maine.
New Hampshire and Maine Safety Auto Insurance Discounts | Details |
---|---|
e-Customer | Get up to 3% off for selecting electronic communication. |
Good student discount | This discount varies for students with a GPA of 3.0 or higher. |
Loyalty discount | Get up to 4% off for continuous years of being a Safety Insurance customer. |
Multi-policy | Get up to 15% off for combining auto coverage with another type of insurance product. |
Student away at school | This discount varies for students who attend college more than 100 miles from home without a car. |
Safety Auto Insurance Review: The Bottom Line
Overall, we rate Safety Insurance 8.1 out of 10.0. The company offers good coverage options and claims service, but other companies may be cheaper in Massachusetts. Regardless, it can be a good idea to get a quote from the company because rates are personalized for each driver.
Safety Insurance Alternatives
Comparing car insurance quotes online is a good way to see what rates you might get. We recommend comparing at least three providers each time you shop for coverage. Having ranked all major companies, we named Travelers and USAA two of our top picks.
Travelers: Best for Most Drivers
Travelers is our first recommendation for car insurance because it offers a wide variety of discounts, affordable rates and useful programs for students. The company has an A BBB rating and is known for its superb customer service.
Our rate averages show Travelers is about 21% cheaper than the national average for full-coverage insurance.
Read more: Travelers insurance review
USAA: Best for Military Members
If you’re in the military or have parents in the military, consider USAA for car insurance. According to our rate averages, full-coverage insurance from USAA is about 25% cheaper than the national average. The company scored 4.3 out of 5.0 for customer satisfaction in our insurance survey, and it regularly earns high scores in J.D. Power insurance studies.
Read more: USAA insurance review
Safety Auto Insurance: FAQ
You can get Safety Insurance in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine. Safety offers slightly different car insurance add-ons depending on your state. Speak to an independent New England insurance agent to learn more.
To report a claim, you can call Safety Insurance at 1-800-951-2100 24 hours a day. Customer service representatives will answer the phone between 8:15 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. If you’re calling outside of Massachusetts or New Hampshire, you can reach customer service at 617-951-0600.
To get a quote for Safety Insurance, reach out to an independent agent in Massachusetts, New Hampshire or Maine. You can locate agencies with a tool on Safety’s website. The company doesn’t offer online quotes.
The four basic coverages of the standard auto policy are:
- Liability insurance: Covers bodily injuries and property damages to other parties in an accident you cause
- Collision insurance: Covers repairs to your vehicle
- Comprehensive insurance: Covers stolen or vandalized cars plus damages caused by animals, falling objects or natural disasters
- Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage: Covers your injuries and car damages after an accident with an uninsured or underinsured driver
Our Methodology
Because consumers rely on us to provide objective and accurate information, we created a comprehensive rating system to formulate our rankings of the best car insurance companies. We collected data on dozens of auto insurance providers to grade the companies on a wide range of ranking factors. The end result was an overall rating for each provider, with the insurers that scored the most points topping the list.
Here are the factors our ratings take into account:
- Cost: Auto insurance rate estimates generated by Quadrant Information Services and discount opportunities were both taken into consideration.
- Coverage: Companies that offer a variety of choices for insurance coverage are more likely to meet consumer needs.
- Reputation and experience: Our research team considered market share, ratings from industry experts and years in business when giving this score.
- Availability: Auto insurance companies with greater state availability and few eligibility requirements scored highest in this category.
- Customer experience: This score is based on volume of complaints reported by the NAIC and customer satisfaction ratings reported by J.D. Power. We also considered the responsiveness, friendliness and helpfulness of each insurance company’s customer service team based on our own shopper analysis.
Our credentials:
- 800 hours researched
- 45 companies reviewed
- 8,500+ consumers surveyed
*Data accurate at time of publication.
**Average rates for Safety auto insurance in Maine were not available.