J.D. Power Names Top Insurers by Region Based on Consumer Satisfaction
June 25, 2013

by Jenna Reed, jreed@glass.com

State Farm grabbed the top place in three different regional markets based on consumer satisfaction with auto insurance, according to J.D. Power's 2013 U.S. Auto Insurance Study.

Overall, customer satisfaction with auto insurance is down in 2013, compared to a record high in 2012, the report found.

The study specifically reviewed five factors, including interaction, price, policy, offerings, billing and payment, and claims.

The company ranked the top three auto insurance companies in each region based on its customer satisfaction analysis. The companies were ranked on a 1,000-point scale.

California:
Wawanesa (820)
State Farm (812)
The Hartford (811)

Central:
State Farm (833)
Auto-Owners Insurance (821)
Shelter (817)

Florida:
Metlife (808)
The Hartford (802)
State Farm (800)

Mid-Atlantic:
State Farm (836)
Erie Insurance (826)
Geico and The Hartford (811 tie)

New England:
Amica Mutual (850)
Geico and State Farm (794 tie)
The Hartford (793)

New York:
New York Central Mutual (814)
State Farm (807)
Travelers (783)

North Central:
Auto-Owners Insurance (833)
State Farm (824)
Erie Insurance (823)

Northwest:
Pemco Insurance (834)
The Hartford (820)
Mutual of Enumclaw (813)

Southeast:
Tennessee Farm Bureau (850)
State Farm (822)
North Carolina Farm Bureau (821)

Southwest:
State Farm (824)
The Hartford (821)
Geico (809)

Texas:
Texas Farm Bureau (862)
Geico (815)
State Farm(810)

The average score for auto insurance companies was 794, down 10 points from 2012.

Among the five categories, J.D. Power found that price satisfaction scored the lowest average of 716.

Average scores across the five categories decreased year-over-year, with price and policy offerings showing the steepest decline, down 13 points each.

The company noted that New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance Co. and USAA achieved high levels of customer satisfaction, but were not included in the rankings "due to the closed natures of their respective memberships."

"In 2013, there is a sharp rise in the number of customers who have experienced premium increases," says Jeremy Bowler, senior director of the global insurance practice at J.D. Power.

"The dollar amount of those increases is also larger, averaging $153 in 2013, compared with an average rate increase of $113 reported in the 2012 study," he adds.

This story is an original story by AGRR™ magazine/glassBYTEs.com™. Subscribe to AGRR™ Magazine.
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