Is 21st Century Good for Auto Insurance Coverage?
Last Updated on November 11, 2023
21st Century Insurance sells auto insurance exclusively in California. The company is a subsidiary of Farmers Insurance.
21st Century has above-average ratings for pricing and discounts, although some customers dislike the limited customization options and poor customer service.
Is 21st Century Insurance good for auto insurance? Should you buy car insurance through 21st Century Insurance in California? Keep reading to discover everything you need to know about 21st Century Insurance and the company’s auto insurance policies.
Key Takeaways:
- 21st Century Insurance operates exclusively in California and is a subsidiary of Farmers Insurance.
- The insurer prides itself on providing superior coverage and service, along with savings on car insurance since 1958.
- They offer a variety of coverage options including bodily injury and property damage liability, as well as collision and comprehensive coverage.
- While they have above-average ratings for pricing and discounts, some customers report dissatisfaction with the limited customization options and customer service.
- Insurance Panda rates 21st Century 3.6/5
- What Is 21st Century Insurance?
- 21st Century Insurance Products & Services
- How Does 21st Century Auto Insurance Work?
- What Makes 21st Century Auto Insurance Unique?
- 21st Century Auto Insurance Discounts
- What Are the Pros and Cons of 21st Century Insurance?
- 21st Century Insurance Reviews & Ratings: What Do Customers Have to Say?
- Our Review of 21st Century Insurance
- Final Word on 21st Century
What Is 21st Century Insurance?
21st Century Insurance is a California car insurance company backed by 60 years of experience. The company has insured vehicles across California since 1958.
Today, 21st Century Insurance aims to provide customers with superior coverage and service while helping them save money on car insurance. The company offers 24/7 customer service, extensive policy customization options, and quality claims handling.
21st Century Insurance is now a subsidiary of Farmers. When you make a claim through 21st Century Insurance, you’re dealing with Farmers’ quality claims service. That means customers enjoy the benefits of a local California company with the amenities of a large, nationwide insurer.
Farmers offers 20 million individual policies across all 50 states and has 24,000 employees. 21st Century Insurance, however, is exclusively available in California.
| 21st Century Insurance | |
|---|---|
| Company Address | 3 Beaver Valley Road Wilmington, DE 19803 |
| Phone Number | 1 (877) 401-8181 |
| Website URL | https://www.21st.com/ |
21st Century Insurance Products & Services
21st Century Insurance exclusively offers car insurance in California:
Auto Insurance: You can buy car insurance in California through 21st Century Insurance. The company offers minimum liability plans, full coverage plans, and other unique coverage options throughout California.
How Does 21st Century Auto Insurance Work?
21st Century Insurance’s auto insurance works similarly to other insurance policies provided by competing companies in California. You can buy minimum liability insurance through 21st Century Insurance at a discount rate. Or, you can pay extra for full coverage car insurance and receive added protection.
21st Century Insurance offers all of the following auto insurance coverage options:
- Bodily Injury Liability Coverage: The state of California requires drivers to carry $15,000 of bodily injury liability coverage per person and $30,000 of coverage per accident. You can buy minimum liability coverage with 21st Century Insurance that meets or exceeds these limits. Some drivers opt for $300,000 in coverage or more for added peace of mind, for example. Even a minor accident can lead to costly injuries to the other party.
- Property Damage Liability Coverage: California also requires drivers to carry at least $5,000 of property damage liability coverage, which covers damage to other driver’s vehicles and property. 21st Century Insurance offers property damage liability coverage that meets or exceeds these limits.
- Collision Coverage: Collision coverage is optional in California. It pays for damage to your car as the result of a collision with another vehicle. If you were at fault for the accident, then your collision coverage covers your own damages. If the other driver was at fault, then the other driver’s liability coverage covers your damages. If you were at fault and did not have collision coverage, then you need to pay for vehicle repairs out of pocket.
- Comprehensive Coverage: 21st Century Insurance offers comprehensive coverage to protect your vehicle outside of accidents. Like collision coverage, comprehensive coverage is optional in California. It can cover things like hail storm damage, vandalism, earthquake damage, and theft, among other costs.
- Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage: According to a survey by the Insurance Research Council (IRC), California is the 10th worst state for uninsured drivers. Approximately 16.6% of drivers in California do not carry insurance. If you collide with an uninsured driver, then your 21st Century Insurance policy will cover the cost of repairing or replacing your vehicle, assuming you carry uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage.
What Makes 21st Century Auto Insurance Unique?
Drivers in California have plenty of options for car insurance, including 21st Century Insurance. Why pick 21st Century Insurance? What makes the company unique?
Here are some of the unique advantages provided by 21st Century Insurance in California:
- Mobile App: 21st Century Insurance has a mobile app for iOS and Android. You can use the 21st Century Insurance mobile app to manage your policy on the go.
- Exclusively Available in California: 21st Century Insurance only insures drivers in California. The company does not insure drivers in any other state.
- A subsidiary of Farmers: Farmers is one of America’s largest insurance companies, and 21st Century Insurance is a subsidiary of Farmers. That means policyholders get the amenities of a large insurance company, including Farmers’ claims handling service.
- Discounts Built Into your Policy: 21st Century Insurance builds most discounts into its policies from day one. Instead of requesting each individual discount, you enjoy the cost savings from the first day.
- Refer a Good Friend Program: If you refer a friend or family member to 21st Century Insurance, then the company will send you a $50 prepaid AMEX gift card.
- Save $378 on Auto Insurance: 21st Century Insurance claims to help drivers in California save nearly $400 per year on auto insurance. According to the insurance company’s tagline, drivers could save $378 in just seven minutes by requesting a quote through 21st Century Insurance. 21st Century Insurance specifically claims drivers who switch from State Farm save $464.92, on average, for example, while drivers who switch from GEICO save $402.54.
21st Century Auto Insurance Discounts
Like all insurance companies in California, 21st Century Insurance offers an extensive range of discounts to drivers across the state. You could qualify for all of the following discounts with 21st Century Insurance in California:
- Good Driver Discount: If you have a clean driving record with no points from the last three years, then you qualify for reduced rates on coverage with 21st Century Insurance. 21st Century Insurance applies this discount to anyone with zero tickets or accidents in the past three years (assuming you’ve been licensed for three consecutive years and have not received more than one point for moving violations in that time period). The average driver saves around 20% with this discount.
- Superior Driver Discount: In addition to a good driver discount, 21st Century Insurance offers a superior driver discount for drivers who have maintained a safe driving record for four years, with additional savings available after five years. This discount is worth 10% to 20%, on average.
- Multi-Vehicle Discount: If you insure multiple vehicles with 21st Century Insurance in California, then you receive a multi-vehicle discount, lowering the cost of insurance across all vehicles.
- Driver’s Education Discount: New drivers may qualify for savings if they complete a driver education program. You could receive this discount if you recently completed an approved driving course or in-class course.
- Good Grade Discount: Teen drivers pay the highest rates in America for car insurance. Like most insurers, 21st Century Insurance offers a good grade discount to qualifying students. If you maintain an above-average grade point average in high school or college, then you could qualify for a good grade discount with 21st Century Insurance. According to 21st Century Insurance, the average student saves around 15% with this discount.
- Defensive Driving Course for Mature Drivers: 21st Century Insurance offers a defensive driving course discount to mature drivers over 55. Required in some states, this defensive driving course discount could prevent insurers from raising rates on older drivers. According to 21st Century Insurance, this discount leads to an average savings of around 2%.
- Car Safety Feature Discounts: If your vehicle has safety features that go above and beyond the standard features on a normal vehicle, then you could qualify for additional discounts with 21st Century Insurance. The safer a vehicle is, the less risky it is for an insurance company to insure.
- Anti-Theft Discount: If your vehicle has up-to-date anti-theft systems to deter theft, then 21st Century Insurance will reduce your car insurance premiums by an average of 15%.
What Are the Pros and Cons of 21st Century Insurance?
Pros:
- Complimentary roadside assistance is included for customers who purchase comprehensive or collision insurance.
- Up to $1,000 of equipment coverage is also included with the comprehensive or collision insurance.
- The company’s claim reporting hotline is available 24/7, with a promise to contact customers within one business day of filing a claim. An adjuster is usually assigned within 48-72 hours if needed.
- Most losses are paid within 7 days of a report, and they offer direct payment to repair shops if desired.
- Their website and mobile app create a user-friendly experience, especially for customers who prefer virtual interactions.
- The company has been recognized for its financial stability and longstanding presence in the insurance industry.
Cons:
- 21st Century auto insurance is only available in California, limiting its availability to a wider customer base.
- The company offers few optional coverage types and discounts compared to other insurance companies.
- Customer reviews are mixed, with some expressing satisfaction with the customer service and claims process, while others have had negative experiences with rate increases, the claims process, and service when the company withdrew from their state.
21st Century Insurance Reviews & Ratings: What Do Customers Have to Say?
A.M. Best tracks the financial strength of insurance companies across the United States. Although the company has not recently assigned a rating to 21st Century Insurance, A.M. Best has assigned a rating to Farmers, the parent company of 21st Century Insurance.
A.M. Best has given Farmers and its subsidiaries a financial strength rating of A (Excellent). However, A.M. Best placed the financial strength rating and credit rating of Farmers and its subsidiaries “under review” in December 2020 after Farmers purchased MetLife’s auto and home insurance division in a $4 billion deal.
On WalletHub, 21st Century Insurance has an average rating of 2.6 stars out of 5 with 150+ reviews. Customers praise the company’s discounts and pricing, although some customers had issues with claims satisfaction and customer service.
On the Better Business Bureau (BBB), 21st Century Insurance has a score of A+.
Because 21st Century Insurance is a subsidiary of Farmers, certain claims are handled by Farmers. Farmers had an above-average rating in the latest J.D. Power rankings, scoring 884 out of 1,000 (slightly above the average of 883).
Overall, 21st Century Insurance has mixed reviews for customer service and claims satisfaction, although the company has strong reviews for its pricing and product selection. Plus, with the support of a large company like Farmers, 21st Century Insurance punches above its weight class compared to other small, regional insurers.
Final Word on 21st Century
21st Century Insurance is a California car insurance company backed by 60 years of experience.
Today, 21st Century Insurance is a subsidiary of Farmers, offering effective car insurance products and services throughout the state while backed by Farmers’ financial strength and claims handling division.
To learn more about 21st Century Insurance or to request a quote, contact 21st Century today. According to 21st Century Insurance, drivers in California save $378, on average, by making the switch.
