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Branch car insurance review Aug 2020
Last updated:
Lower your premium with bundling and friend referral discounts.
finder.com's rating: 3.5 / 5
★★★★★
- Get a quote if you’re interested in bundling insurance policies.
- Pick something else if live outside the four states where Branch operates.
- Drivers interested in insurance with a community-based focus will find a lot to like here.
optional
Roadside assistance
New car protection
Accident forgiveness
Details
| States served | Arizona, Illinois, Missouri, Ohio, Texas |
|---|---|
| Roadside assistance | Optional |
| Pay schedule | 12 months |
| Claims methods | Online |
| New car protection | No |
| Accident forgiveness | No |
| Rideshare coverage | No |
| SR-22 |
No |
Pros
- Contribute to a fund to help your uninsured neighbors
- Solid financial backing
- An easy quote system displays your options in minutes
Cons
- Only available in five states
- Is an insurance agency, not an insurance company
| Anti-theft device discount | No |
|---|---|
| Bundling discount | Yes |
| Defensive driving discount | No |
| Good student discount | No |
| Loyalty discount | No |
| Homeowner discount | No |
| Military discount | No |
| Safety device discount | No |
| Special employment discount | No |
| Usage-based discount | No |
| Other discounts | Vouch for each other |
Expert review
Review by
Heather Petty
heather.petty@findercrew.comHeather Petty is a writer at Finder specializing in banking, investments and insurance. She's a self-proclaimed word nerd who worked as a technical writer and editor for the casino systems industry and is an internationally published young adult mystery author. Heather earned a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Nevada, Reno.
Expert review
Branch auto insurance wants to harness your personal network to lower insurance rates by using word-of-mouth to advertise and communities willing to vouch for each other to fight escalating insurance fraud costs.
While becoming part of a community-engaged insurance agency might appeal to you, Branch doesn’t yet offer some of the standard extras that the larger companies do, such as roadside assistance. If you decide you need a policy with more standard benefits, take the time to shop around for car insurance to find a company that offers what you need.
What insurance coverage does Branch offer?
Branch’s auto policy includes fairly standard coverage:
- Liability. Covers injury and damage to property of a third party if you’re at fault.
- Uninsured/underinsured motorist. Covers your accident-related expenses when the party at fault either has no insurance or doesn’t have enough insurance to cover.
- Personal injury protection. Provides medical and other personal expenses that exceed insurance coverage when you’re in an accident, regardless of who’s at fault.
- Collision. Covers damages to your car, regardless of who’s at fault.
- Comprehensive. Covers damages to your car when you’re not driving, such as theft or a fallen tree limb.
What extra benefits and add-ons does Branch offer?
Branch offers the usual add-on coverage plus a few unique benefits.
- Roadside assistance. Provides assistance for roadside emergencies such as a flat tire or being locked out of your car.
- Umbrella policy. Branch offers personal umbrella liability coverage that can be added to your auto insurance policy to extend your liability coverage.
- Rideshare coverage. Offers coverage for Lyft and Uber drivers who need to fill the insurance gap created when they’re driving for rideshare but don’t have a customer in the car.
- Pet injury coverage. Covers expenses if your pet is hurt in a covered car accident.
- Transportation expense coverage. Similar to rental car coverage, provides expenses for transportation such as a rental car or rideshare when your car is no longer drivable due to a covered accident.
- Additional custom parts and equipment coverage. Offers coverage for parts and equipment you added to your car, such as a stereo system or custom wheels.
- Named non-owner coverage. Provides liability coverage for when you’re driving a car you don’t own.
- Window glass coverage. Additional coverage to cover damage to the glass on your car, such as windows, mirrors and the windshield.
What discounts can I get with Branch?
Branch offers a few non-standard discounts but doesn’t list the more common discounts such as safety features or going claim-free.
- Refer a friend. Instead of giant advertising campaigns, Branch relies on customer word of mouth to bring in new customers, and they reward you for it. In Arizona and Missouri, for every friend you invite who signs up for Branch insurance, you get a 1% discount. So, if you invite ten friends, you get 10% off your bill.
- Vouch for each other. To reduce the amount of money spent on insurance fraud, Branch asks customers within a community to vouch for each other, and gives a 1% discount per person who vouches for you. Get up to 5% off your premium if you can get five Branch customers to say that you won’t commit insurance fraud.
- Bundle and save. If you bundle your home and renters policy with your auto policy, Branch claims you can save an average of $517 on your premiums.
Pros and cons of Branch car insurance.
Pros
- Help for the uninsured. A portion of every customer’s premium goes to the Safety Nest program, which allows the uninsured and underinsured who have had an accident to apply for financial help.
- Financially stable. Branch is underwritten by General Security National Insurance Company (GSNIC), which has an A + rating from AM Best, pointing to a strong financial standing.
- Easy quote system. You only have to enter your name and address, and Branch provides an insurance quote. No long forms with endless waiting.
Cons
- Limited service areas. Branch insurance is only available in Arizona, Illinois, Missouri, Ohio and Texas.
- Not an insurance company. Branch is technically an insurance agency, selling insurance for GSNIC and backed by SCOR reinsurance, which sometimes leads to more expensive policies.
How to apply for Branch car insurance
To apply for Branch insurance online, start by getting a quote using Branch’s quick quote system.
- From the home page of the Branch website, enter your name and address and click See Price.
- Branch aggregates your information from several databases. If they are having trouble finding information about your vehicle, they may ask for information such as your birthday or your car’s VIN (vehicle identification number).
- Choose from the three plans provided. Either click Select to accept the plan as is or click Customize this Plan to change the details for an updated price.
- Answer a few questions about preferences and add-on coverage and enter your payment details. And when you’re ready to purchase the plan, click Buy Now.
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Frequently asked questions about Branch
Car insurance ratings
★★★★★ — Excellent
★★★★★ — Good
★★★★★ — Average
★★★★★ — Subpar
★★★★★ — Poor
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