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Foremost car insurance review 2021
Get car insurance without a perfect driving history, but it's not the widest protection out there.
finder.com's rating: 4 / 5
★★★★★
- Get a quote if you like working with an agent or don’t have a pristine driving record.
- Pick something else if you’re looking to get quotes online.
- Drivers with a history of accidents or claims can get SR-22 support.
optional
Roadside assistance
New car protection
Accident forgiveness
Details
| States served | 48 states (available everywhere except Hawaii and Massachusetts) |
|---|---|
| Roadside assistance | Optional |
| Accident forgiveness | No |
| New car protection | No |
| Pay schedule | 12 months, monthly, custom |
| Claims methods | online, phone, in-person |
| Rideshare coverage | No |
| SR-22 support | Yes |
Pros
- Supports high-risk policy holders
- Financial solidity
- Dynamite Deductible Endorsement program
- Overall positive ratings
Cons
- Online quotes unavailable
- Factors credit score into policies
| Anti-theft device discount | Yes |
|---|---|
| Bundling discount | Yes |
| Defensive driving discount | Yes |
| Good student discount | Yes |
| Loyalty discount | Yes |
| Homeowner discount | Yes |
| Military discount | No |
| Safety device discount | Yes |
| Special employment discount | No |
| Usage-based discount | No |
Review by
Roslyn McKenna
roslyn.mckenna@finder.comRoslyn McKenna is an insurance expert who's driven to help people get a great deal on insurance to protect their families and finances. Roslyn earned a BA in writing and communications from Maryville College and has written professionally for more than a decade, showing up on Bankrate, MSN and Reader's Digest.
Expert review
Foremost is broadly recognized as an insurance company for high-risk drivers, which means that you can get coverage with an imperfect driving record. Its commitment to customer experience and vast network of independent agents also make it a solid choice if you’re looking for personalized service.
However, the company might quote you with a high premium in some states if you have a low credit score. And it offers fairly standard coverage and discounts opportunities, which may not give the highest rewards that you can get if you’re a safe driver.
To find the best rate and protection for you, it may be necessary to get quotes across multiple car insurance companies.
How to get a free quote for Foremost car insurance
Foremost doesn’t accept online applications. To start your quote or policy application, use the agent locator on Foremost’s website to locate an agent near you.
- Go to Foremost’s website and enter your ZIP code in the Find An Insurance Agent tool.
- Choose an agent from the available listing based on your preference or address.
- You’ll then need to contact the agent directly to get a quote and apply for insurance.
What discounts can I get with Foremost?
Foremost offers a handful of discounts to help you save on its auto insurance coverage. The website isn’t specific about how much you’ll save with each, but you could qualify for several of these.
- Auto pay. Receive discounted rates when you pay your bills through electronic funds transfer.
- Multi-line. Receive discounted rates when you have multiple insurance policies with Foremost.
- Multi-vehicle. Receive discounted rates when you have more than one vehicle insured on your policy.
- Teen driver. Receive a discount if one of your insured drivers is under the age of 19.
- Away at school. Receive a discount if any of your insured drivers are away at school.
- Paid in full. Receive a discount when you pay your premiums in a single, lump-sum payment.
- E-mail. Receive a discount for giving Foremost your email address.
- Transfer. Receive a discount when you transfer from another provider to Foremost Insurance.
- Clean driving record. Receive a discount if you’ve had no accidents or infractions in the past three years.
What extra benefits and add-ons does Foremost offer?
Foremost specializes in auto insurance for high-risk drivers, so its programs are limited. That being said, you’ll find a few optional types of coverage to choose from:
- Rental reimbursement. If your vehicle is out of commission, Foremost will reimburse your rental car costs up to the limits of your coverage, such as $50 a day for the rental car.
- Towing and roadside service. Reimburses you if your car needs to be towed or if you request roadside assistance and you pay out of pocket.
- Lowering deductible. With the Dynamite Deductible® Endorsement, Foremost will reduce your deductible for comprehensive or collision losses by $50 for every semi-annual policy renewal or $100 for every annual policy renewal.
- Learning center. Foremost offers a comprehensive learning center packed with helpful resources to help you learn more about insurance and improve your skills on the road.
Foremost car insurance reviews and complaints
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) gives Farmers Insurance, the parent company of Foremost, an A- rating as of 2021. This rating is based on a range of scoring factors like regulatory compliance, transparency in business practices and safeguarding customers’ privacy. Farmers holds a overall 1.4 out of 5 possible stars, a rating that considers both customer reviews and the official BBB rating.
However, this company has closed over 600 complaints filed with the BBB in the past three years. Several complaints with Farmers involved dissatisfaction with how claims were handled, unhelpful claims reps or unexpected billing charges or policy cancellations due to billing miscommunication.
Despite these complaints, Foremost Insurance Company holds a 0.62 rating on the National Association of Insurance Commissioners complaint index for private auto insurance. Since the industry standard is 1.00, Foremost’s score shows that it sees fewer complaints than normal compared to other insurance companies.
Remember that many customers are unlikely to review a business online unless they want to rant or rave. This is one reason that the BBB doesn’t rely entirely on customer reviews when giving its business rating.
Our star ratings for Foremost, explained
Finder’s car insurance experts rate Foremost with 4 out of 5 stars because of its high business and financial ratings, along with few complaints which show overall customer satisfaction. However, Foremost leaving out common coverage options and available discounts like new car replacement, rideshare or accident forgiveness. Its standard list of coverage brought down its Finder rating slightly.
Alternatives to Foremost
See how Foremost stacks up to the coverage that other companies offer. When you find a company you’re interested in, tap Get quotes to see your customized rate.
What car insurance coverage does Foremost offer?
With Foremost, you can get all the basics that cover you legally for driving. What you’ll find:
- Liability protection. Coverage when you’re at fault in an accident that results in property damage or bodily harm.
- Collision. Pays for damage caused to your car if you hit another car or object.
- Comprehensive damage. Covers damage from fire, flooding, hail, theft or vandalism.
- Personal injury protection. Covers the cost of doctors, hospitalization or even funerals if you or a passenger is injured or killed, no matter who is at fault in the accident.
- Uninsured motorist. Pays for your car damage or medical bills for you and your passengers from a hit-and-run accident or an incident where the other driver is uninsured.
- Underinsured motorists. This coverage takes care of the gap between someone else’s policy limits and the actual cost of your medical expenses after an accident.
- Loan/lease gap. If your car is totaled, this type of coverage will pay off your loan or lease so you’re not stuck with payments for a car you can’t drive.
Pros and cons of Foremost car insurance
Foremost caters to drivers who don’t have a pristine record, while also offering solid customer service through local agents. But you can find wider coverage with other companies.
Pros
The positives about using Foremost for your car insurance:
- Supports high-risk drivers. Some drivers have difficulty getting insured. Foremost is known for tolerating greater risk from drivers than other insurance companies, which can be helpful if you’re in a tough spot and need to get insured now.
- Overall positive customer ratings. While Foremost has received mixed customer reviews, it’s accredited and highly rated by the BBB. Foremost also doesn’t see many customer complaints with its private auto policies.
- Personalized service through local agents. Work with a dedicated agent to help you lower your auto insurance costs, while getting the right level of protection for you.
- Financially strong. Partly because it’s backed by the Farmers Insurance Group and Zurich International, Foremost is known to be financially strong. It has a top-tier financial stability rating from S&P, among others.
- Lowering deductible program. Get $50 to $100 off your deductible with every policy renewal, based on your six- or 12-month term. The lower your deductible, the less you’ll end up paying when car repairs or replacements are needed.
Cons
The company comes with a few downsides for you to consider, including:
- Online quotes unavailable. Unlike many providers, Foremost has no online tool for you to get a quote for any of its policies.
- Factors credit score into policies. In some states, Foremost factors credit scores into approval or denial of your application. This means that if you have a poor credit score, you may be denied a policy for this reason — or that a high score can help you lower your premium.
- Basic coverage options. Foremost doesn’t far beyond the basics of what you need to get on the road legally — so you can find more comprehensive coverage elsewhere.
- No online applications. You can’t apply for coverage online. Instead, you need to apply through an agent.
How to contact Foremost
There are a number of ways you can contact Foremost Insurance Group.
- Phone: 1-888-888-0080
- Online: Fill out an online email form on the Contact Us page.
- Fax: 1-800-325-1507
- Mail: Foremost Insurance Group, P.O. Box 0915, Carol Stream, IL 60132-0915
- In person: Enter your ZIP code into the Find An Insurance Agent tool to find the agent nearest you.
Frequently asked questions about Foremost car insurance
Car insurance ratings
★★★★★ — Excellent
★★★★★ — Good
★★★★★ — Average
★★★★★ — Subpar
★★★★★ — Poor
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We rank insurers from one to five stars based on key factors including customer satisfaction, policy options, price, billing, claims, and support. We create these rankings to help you narrow down an insurance provider that best suits your budget and coverage needs.