Is National Continental Legit?
Last Updated on March 31, 2023
National Continental is an auto insurance company operating as a subsidiary of Progressive.
Based in Cleveland, National Continental continues to offer its own auto insurance products while operating as a distinct entity from Progressive.
Keep reading to find out how National Continental auto insurance works and whether or not they’re the right choice for you today in our review.
Table of Contents:
- What Is National Continental?
- How Does National Continental Work for Car Insurance?
- National Continental Coverage Options
- National Continental Features
- National Continental Auto Insurance Discounts
- National Continental Reviews
What Is National Continental?
National Continental is a subsidiary of Progressive. The company is one of more than 80 subsidiaries in the Progressive family.
National Continental is unique, however, because the company exclusively operates in New Jersey, offering car insurance through the state’s Special Automobile Insurance Policy (SAIP). The SAIP makes car insurance more affordable to low-income drivers across the state.
If you want to legally drive in New Jersey but struggle to find affordable car insurance through the open market, you may want to buy insurance through the SAIP. If you qualify, then you would receive a policy from National Continental.
Your National Continental policy through the SAIP provides limited coverage for certain medical expenses. Still, it allows you to drive legally at a fixed price of just $365 per year, regardless of your credit score or driving history.
How Does National Continental Work for Car Insurance?
National Continental offers car insurance via New Jersey’s Special Automobile Insurance Plan (SAIP). National Continental policyholders get the backing of a large company (Progressive) while buying government-subsidized auto insurance through the State of New Jersey.
Here’s how National Continental and the SAIP work for car insurance:
- New Jersey’s Special Automobile Insurance Policy (SAIP) is designed to make it easier and more affordable for low-income drivers to insure vehicles.
- You may qualify for SAIP auto insurance coverage through National Continental if you are eligible for federal Medicaid with hospitalization.
- If you qualify for coverage, you could obtain a medical-only policy through National Continental and the SAIP for just $365 per year, which could be hundreds or thousands of dollars cheaper than car insurance available through the open market.
- According to the State of New Jersey’s Department of Banking & Insurance, National Continental is the carrier that writes SAIP policies. The program does not use any other insurance carriers.
National Continental Coverage Options
When you buy car insurance through National Continental and New Jersey’s SAIP, you have different coverage options than you would with the open market.
National Continental’s SAIP car insurance covers the following:
- Emergency treatment following an accident and treatment of serious brain and spinal cord injuries up to $250,000
- $10,000 death benefit
National Continental’s SAIP policies do not cover outpatient treatments covered by Medicaid (like doctor’s visits), damage you cause to other people or property (liability damage), or damage to your own vehicle (collision and comprehensive damage).
Overall, National Continental provides minimal coverage to drivers with few other car insurance options. If you qualify for Medicaid and cannot find affordable car insurance through the ordinary marketplace, then National Continental’s SAIP insurance may be the right choice. Otherwise, you’re better off buying liability-only or full coverage insurance through the traditional marketplace.
National Continental Features
National Continental offers unique insurance through New Jersey’s SAIP. Features of National Continental’s coverage include:
Auto Insurance for $365 Per Year: All car insurance policies through National Continental and the SAIP are priced at $365 annually. You can buy legal car insurance coverage for $365 per year, allowing you to continue driving at a lower rate. In comparison, the average driver in New Jersey spends around $1,500 per year on car insurance from the open market.
Eligible Exclusively to Those Who Qualify for Medicaid: To sign up for New Jersey’s SAIP and get car insurance through National Continental, you must be enrolled in federal Medicaid with hospitalization. Not all Medicaid programs qualify for SAIP. However, you can contact National Continental or SAIP and provide your Medicaid ID card number to determine eligibility.
Limited Coverage: National Continental’s SAIP policies offer limited coverage compared to traditional policies. Policies cover emergency treatment immediately following an accident and treatment of serious brain and spinal cord injuries up to $250,000, along with a $10,000 death benefit. National Continental’s plans do not cover damage you cause to other people or property (like damage covered by liability coverage), nor do they cover damage to your own vehicle (which would normally fall under collision or comprehensive coverage).
Requires Valid Driver’s License: National Continental does not insure drivers with a revoked or suspended driver’s license or registration.
Available to All Qualified Drivers, Regardless of Driving Record, Credit Score, or Other Factors: If you are currently enrolled in federal Medicaid with hospitalization and do not have a suspended or revoked driver’s license or registration, you should qualify for National Continental’s SAIP coverage. You qualify regardless of your driving record, credit score, and other factors that may prevent you from getting affordable car insurance from the open market.
National Continental Auto Insurance Discounts
National Continental offers fixed prices on auto insurance through New Jersey’s SAIP. However, the company offers a very small discount for paying your policy in full upfront:
Paid in Full ($360 Per Year): If you pay your National Continental policy in full upfront, then you’ll pay $360 per year.
Paid in Two Installments ($365 Per Year): If you pay your policy in two installments, then you pay $365 per year, or $182.50 every six months.
National Continental offers no discounts through SAIP regardless of your driving history, location, good grades, bundling, or other factors that normally qualify for discounts at other insurers.
Is National Continental Legit? National Continental Reviews
National Continental is a legitimate insurance company operating as a subsidiary of Progressive. Progressive is the third largest auto insurance company in the United States, insuring millions of drivers nationwide.
As a testament to National Continental’s legitimacy, the state of New Jersey has trusted the company to offer policies through the Special Automobile Insurance Plan (SAIP) since 2011. National Continental is the only carrier that writes SAIP policies for drivers in New Jersey.
National Continental also has an average rating of 3.54 stars out of 5 on Clearsurance.com with three reviews.
As the parent of National Continental, Progressive has a solid financial strength rating. According to A.M. Best, Progressive has an A+ (Superior) rating for financial strength, the organization’s highest rating. It’s reserved for companies with a superior ability to meet ongoing insurance obligations. Progressive also has an AA rating from Standard and Poor and an Aa rating from Moody’s. Because National Continental is a subsidiary of Progressive, the company has strong backing and should have no trouble covering liabilities in the future.
Final Word on National Continental
National Continental is a car insurance company operating in the state of New Jersey through the state’s Special Automobile Insurance Policy (SAIP) program.
Priced at a fixed rate of $360 to $365 per year, National Continental offers car insurance with limited coverage to drivers in New Jersey who qualify for Medicaid.
To learn more about National Continental or to shop for policies online today, visit the official New Jersey SAIP website.
| National Continental Insurance Company (SAIP) | |
|---|---|
| Mailing Address | PO Box 89490 Cleveland, OH 44143-2182 |
| Customer Service Number | (440) 461-5000 |
| NAIC Number | 10243 |
