Is California Casualty Good for Auto Insurance?

Last Updated on April 24, 2023

California Casualty is an insurance company serving policyholders across the United States.

Founded in 1914, California Casualty has over 100 years of experience insuring drivers across California and other US states. The company provides car insurance to firefighters, nurses, police officers, teachers, and those in similar fields.

Is California Casualty a good car insurance company? Should you buy California Casualty auto insurance? Find out everything you need to know about California Casualty auto insurance today in our review.

Key Takeaways:

1. California Casualty is an insurance company that offers car insurance and other property insurance products in 44 states and Washington, D.C.
2. California Casualty provides car insurance to specific groups of people, including firefighters, nurses, police officers, teachers, and those in similar fields.
3. California Casualty’s car insurance policies cover bodily injury liability, property damage liability, collision coverage, comprehensive coverage, alternative vehicle coverage, and other insurance products.
4. California Casualty is unique because it offers car insurance for teachers, healthcare workers, firefighters, and police officers. It is one of the few companies in the US that provides Mexico auto insurance.

About California Casualty

California Casualty Management Company, typically abbreviated to California Casualty, is a car insurance company headquartered in San Mateo, California.

The company was founded in 1914 by Carl G. Brown, who wanted to create a customer-owned insurance company specializing in workers’ compensation. California was rapidly growing, and the state needed new insurance companies to keep up across multiple industries.

In 1917, California Casualty began selling auto insurance. They started selling home insurance in 1954.

Eventually, California Casualty broke away from other California insurance companies. The company started to specialize in insuring certain groups of people. By serving special groups and professions in California, the company focused on specific market segments.

In 1951, California Casualty partnered with the California Teachers Association (CTA) to provide auto and home insurance to members. Today, California Casualty continues to insure CTA members across the state.

Over the years, California Casualty has expanded beyond California’s borders. The company expanded to cover teachers across the United States, for example, by partnering with the National Education Association (NEA).

Today, California Casualty insures firefighters, police officers, state troopers, nurses, and others across the United States. The company has partnered with several major organizations, associations, universities, and medical centers to provide coverage to special groups. Other groups covered by California Casualty include EMS personnel, higher education employees, peace officers, and NPs, among others.

California Casualty now offers car insurance in 44 states and Washington, D.C. The company also sells property insurance (including home insurance and other products) in 38 states and Washington, D.C.

How California Casualty Insurance Works

California Casualty Insurance works similarly to other insurance companies. The company offers car insurance and other types of property insurance.

You can request a quote from California Casualty online through CalCas.com.

The online quote request form asks for your occupation. You can choose educator, law enforcement, firefighter, nurse, or other, then receive a free quote from the company.

California Casualty offers auto insurance, homeowners insurance, motorcycle insurance, and other insurance products.

You can buy minimum liability coverage through California Casualty. Or, you can exceed minimum coverage, buy full coverage policies, and add coverage to your policy.

Here are some of the car insurance products and services available through California Casualty:

Bodily Injury Liability Coverage: Every state requires drivers to have bodily injury liability coverage, which covers medical bills, lost wages, emotional pain and suffering, and similar expenses after an accident. If you cause an accident and another driver has to pay medical bills, then your bodily injury liability coverage should cover these costs.

Property Damage Liability Coverage: Most states also require property damage liability coverage, which covers the cost of making property whole again after an accident you cause. If you damage another vehicle, a home, or anyone’s property during an accident, then your California Casualty property damage liability coverage covers the cost of making that property whole again.

Collision Coverage: Collision coverage covers the cost of repairing your own vehicle after an accident. It’s optional in every state, although California Casualty lets drivers add collision coverage in any state. If you don’t have collision coverage, then you receive no compensation for your own vehicle damage after an accident you cause. Collision coverage is optional in every state.

Comprehensive Coverage: Comprehensive coverage covers all other damage to your vehicle that occurs outside of an accident. It covers vandalism, theft, and other expenses, for example. If hail or a fallen tree branch damages your vehicle, then California Casualty’s comprehensive coverage covers this damage too. Comprehensive coverage is optional in every state.

Alternative Vehicle Coverage: California Casualty offers classic car insurance, motorcycle insurance, RV insurance, boat insurance, snowmobile insurance, and mobile home insurance, among other alternative vehicle coverages.

Other Insurance Products: In addition to car insurance, California Casualty sells property insurance, homeowners insurance, renters insurance, condo insurance, earthquake insurance, flood insurance, personal umbrella insurance, and pet health insurance, among other insurance products.

What Makes California Casualty’s Coverage Options Unique?

All insurance companies claim to cover your vehicle while charging affordable premiums. However, car insurance companies vary widely in terms of quality and claims satisfaction.

What makes California Casualty unique? Here are some of the factors that differentiate California Casualty from other auto insurance companies.

Car Insurance for Teachers, Healthcare Workers, Firefighters, and Police Officers: California Casualty partners with unions and other professional organizations across the United States, making it the preferred car insurance company among teachers, healthcare workers, firefighters, police officers, and other professionals in related fields.

Mexico Auto Insurance: California Casualty is one of the few major car insurance companies in the United States that specifically offers Mexico auto insurance. Most US auto insurance policies will not cover you when driving in Mexico, which is why you may need special Mexico auto insurance. California Casualty works with insurance companies in Mexico to cover cars, trucks, motorcycles, RVs, travel trailers, and other vehicles at affordable rates. The company’s Mexico car insurance can cover physical damage, liability, vandalism, theft, medical payments, and roadside assistance in Mexico, among other expenses and damages.

Available in Almost Every State: California Casualty sells auto insurance in 44 states, including every state in America (plus Washington, D.C.) except for Alaska, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, and Wisconsin.

Unique Coverage Options for Educators: California Casualty understands the needs of teachers better than most other insurers, and the company offers several unique coverages specific for teachers. A teacher who has a car damaged at school, for example, can waive the deductible at no cost.

Unique Coverage Options for Nurses: California Casualty offers similarly unique coverages for nurses. Nurses could reduce their collision and vandalism deductible by $500, for example, simply by working in the healthcare field.

Available to United MileagePlus Members: In addition to covering certain professions, California Casualty partners with United Airlines, providing discount car insurance to members of the United MileagePlus program.

California Casualty Auto Insurance Discounts

Like all car insurance companies, California Casualty offers a range of discounts. By taking advantage of California Casualty’s discounts, you could save hundreds – or even thousands – per year on premiums.

Common California Casualty discounts include:

Good Driving Record: If you have had no accidents, speeding tickets, or other incidents on your driving record within the last 3 to 7 years, then you could qualify for California Casualty’s good driving discount. The specific length of your clean driving record varies between states, as different states have different lookback periods.

Good Grade Discounts: Do you have an average of B+ or better in high school or college? You could qualify for California Casualty’s good grade discount. This discount is available to drivers attending high school or college full-time.

Profession-based Discounts: As a firefighter, teacher, nurse, paramedic, police officer, or other similar professionals, you could qualify for a steep discount with California Casualty. The company partners with professional groups across the United States to offer discounts to many law enforcement personnel, educators, nurses, and similar professionals.

Bundling Discounts: California Casualty offers a full spectrum of insurance products, including auto, motorcycle, classic car, homeowners, renters, condo, mobile home, boat, RV, snowmobile, earthquake, flood, umbrella, and even pet health insurance.

Mature Drivers Discount: Older drivers could save money by buying car insurance with California Casualty.

Multi-Car and Multi-Policy Discounts: If you insure multiple vehicles with California Casualty or if you have multiple types of insurance policies, then you qualify for big savings.

Driver Training Discounts: If you have recently completed a driver training course, then California Casualty offers a discount on car insurance.

California Casualty Reviews & Ratings

California Casualty is generally well-rated by its primary customers, including firefighters, police officers, nurses, educators, and those in similar professions.

The Better Business Bureau page for California Casualty has a rating of A+, and California Casualty has been BBB-accredited since 2011 (although the BBB file was opened in 1994). California Casualty has fewer than 10 complaints with the BBB in the last three years.

A.M. Best has given California Casualty a B+ (Good) rating, which is relatively weak compared to other insurance companies. Most major insurers in the United States have an A or A+ rating. However, B+ is fairly close to these ratings. It suggests California Casualty should have no issue covering its liabilities, although its financial position isn’t as strong as competing insurers.

Although A.M. Best affirmed California Casualty’s B++ (Good) rating in 2021, the organization downgraded California Casualty’s long-term issuer credit rating to “bbb-” from “bbb”. A.M. Best cited “less-than-optimal underwriting and operating results over several years” as a reason for the downgrade.

California Casualty also has a concerning “Poor” score from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). The NAIC received more complaints than the national average regarding California Casualty in 2020.

California Casualty is not large enough to appear on J.D. Power’s regional or nationwide insurance rankings. J.D. Power assesses the customer service and claims satisfaction of large insurance companies across the United States by speaking with real customers who have recently filed claims.

Other Frequently Asked Questions

Final Word on California Casualty

California Casualty is a car insurance company popular with teachers, nurses, police officers, firefighters, and those in similar professions. The company partners with organizations across the United States to offer special, discounted rates on car insurance to certain groups.

And, as opposed to what you might expect from its name, California Casualty provides car insurance to drivers in 44 states.

To learn more about California Casualty or to request a quote today, visit the company’s official website at CalCas.com.

California Casualty Insurance Contact Information
Mailing Address	P.O. Box 39700 Colorado Springs, CO 80949-9700
Get a Quote Phone Number	1-866-680-5143
Customer Service Phone Number	1-800-800-9410
Website URL	https://www.calcas.com/