Safeway Auto Insurance

If you’ve been searching for a new car insurance policy, you may have come across Safeway Insurance, the largest privately held, family-owned insurance company in the country. You may be curious whether the insurer is the right choice for your needs. 

In this review, we will discuss Safeway auto insurance costs, coverage, customer service, and more. Our team has reviewed the best car insurance companies on the market to help you find the best insurer for your vehicle.

We give Safeway car insurance a score of 3.0 out of 5.0. The provider has good standard coverage at a cheap cost, but with its lack of availability, usability, and customer satisfaction, we recommend that you look into other options before choosing a car insurance provider.

About Safeway Auto Insurance 

Founded: 1959
Parent company: Safeway Insurance Group
States available: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Tennessee, Texas
AM Best financial strength rating: A
Insurance types: Auto

Headquartered in Westmont, IL, Safeway Insurance serves over 300,000 customers across the nation through a network of more than 3,000 independent agents. The private, family-owned company provides standard auto insurance coverage in 12 states. Safeway auto insurance is also known to be a good option for high-risk and international drivers who may struggle to find affordable coverage elsewhere.

With an A (Excellent) rating from AM Best, the company has a great industry standing. However, with its limited coverage options and availability, mixed customer reviews, and difficult quote process, many who are interested in Safeway Insurance may feel a little wary about its consistency with good customer service and an easy claims process.

Safeway Insurance Locations

The Safeway Insurance company has offices locations and agencies in 12 different states. You can use its office list information tool on its website to find an office near you with payment information and phone numbers to call. You can also find a local agency location using its agency locator tool to speak to an agent in person.

Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating: A+
BBB complaints in the past three years: 35

Safeway auto insurance has mixed reviews from customers. Some are pleased with the company’s cheap rates and simple coverage, while others complain about its lack of transparency, speed, and communication during the quote and claims filing processes. 

Positive Safeway Auto Insurance Reviews

“I was involved in an accident and seen at fault. Jenna handled my claim and she was very helpful. The communication could have been better, but I have had Safeway for 4 years now and I have never had a problem with them.”
– Israel S. via Yelp

“Thank you Tony for your quick response all the time. I was worried about how you and Safeway [would] respond to my request since the rating of this company is so bad…but now I am glad I went through the process with you and Safeway. I appreciate your professionalism.”
– Yumi K. via Yelp

Negative Safeway Auto Insurance Reviews

“We have been talking to the customer service agent since 06/22/20. It’s been over ten [weeks] and we have talked to her and her supervisor over 15 times on the phone and through email… We have submitted the pictures, police report and estimate for the work to be performed. But have not got the approval from them. The claim has not been processed. It seems unreal…”
– Regina S. via BBB

“It’s been over a month and Safeway still has not paid for my repairs. I had to get the California Department of Insurance involved in order for Safeway to even try to resolve my claim. Now their client has been proven to be at fault, yet they keep delaying payment…”
– Anthony S. via Yelp

Our rate estimates show that for a 35-year-old driver with a clean driving record and good credit, Safeway auto insurance costs an average of $2,310 per year for a full-coverage car insurance policy. Unfortunately, this is well above the national average for full coverage, which is $1,730 per year. For a minimum coverage policy, Safeway auto insurance averages out to $820 per year.

Safeway Insurance offers relatively affordable car insurance rates, but the price you receive from the insurer depends on a number of factors, including: 

• Age: Most car insurance companies charge the highest rates to younger drivers since they lack experience behind the wheel and tend to be higher risk.

• Location: Some states have higher car insurance rates than others, and costs can vary between cities as well.

• Credit score: Drivers with good credit scores can save hundreds on car insurance premiums, while those with poor credit pay much higher rates.

• Driving history: A clean driving record means lower insurance costs compared to those who have speeding tickets, at-fault accidents, or DUIs.

Unlike most car insurance companies, Safeway doesn’t have an online quote tool, so you will have to call a local agent to get personalized insurance rates. Safeway also doesn’t directly offer any discounts on its website, but it’s best to ask your local agent about any that may be available.

Safeway Auto Insurance: Cost By Age

Insurance companies usually charge higher rates for drivers that have had less experience behind the wheel, such as those under 25. Safeway Auto Insurance is no exception, with full-coverage car insurance costing $6,931 per year for 16-year-olds. This is only slightly above the national average, which is $6,912.

Below shows the average annual cost estimates for full-coverage car insurance by age group.

Safeway Auto Insurance Costs: High-Risk Drivers

Drivers that have speeding tickets, DUIs and more on their records will see higher rates from Safeway Insurance.

*Speeding tickets are for 16 to 20 mph over the speed limit. Recent accidents are for a single vehicle ($2,500 worth of damage).

Safeway auto insurance offers basic coverage through the six standard types of car insurance. The company’s website doesn’t specify any unique additional coverage options. If you aren’t interested in additional services or extra features, Safeway’s standard auto coverage could suit your needs.

Safeway Auto Insurance: Additional Coverage Options

Safeway Insurance doesn’t offer many additional coverage options or benefits such as roadside assistance or routine maintenance service. However, it does help with towing your car to a repair facility and covering rental car costs depending on the insurance policy you choose. Safeway auto insurance can be great for basic-level coverage but is not the best option for those who want additional benefits included in their insurance policies.

Safeway Insurance has a mobile app on Google Play and the App Store called MySafeway, which allows policyholders to pay bills and view their policy and vehicle details, claim status, and payment history. It can also direct users to nearby agents if they have questions or concerns.

However, the Safeway auto insurance app offers limited accessibility and functionality, as you aren’t able to file an insurance claim or talk to an agent with in-app messaging. You will still have to call a representative directly for any service, which can be quite a hassle to some.

The MySafeway app has an average 4.3-star rating out of 5.0 on Google Play and a 3.0-star rating out of 5.0 in the App Store. The app is useful and convenient, but some customers were frustrated with how it works.

Safeway auto insurance can be a decent option in states where it is available, but the downsides to their services tend to outweigh the benefits. Although its coverage and cost are competitive, its overall lack of customer satisfaction, availability, and usability of its claims process makes it hard to recommend.

Overall, we believe that Safeway auto insurance is most likely not a good option for you. With this in mind, we encourage you to shop around and compare rates to find the best deal for your car insurance needs.

Safeway Auto Insurance Competitors: Top Picks

Though Safeway auto insurance is a decent choice for those who desire basic auto coverage, there are still other great car insurance providers you should consider. Our team of experts has reviewed some of the top providers in the industry, and we recommend that you look into Geico or Progressive for quality auto insurance.

Geico: Best For Discounts

As the nation’s second-largest car insurance company, Geico is available in all 50 states and has above-average customer satisfaction. With comprehensive coverage options, a wide range of customer discounts, and strong financial strength, this company is an excellent choice for drivers.

Geico stands out for its DriveEasy program, which monitors your driving habits through a mobile app and offers discounts and reductions for your chosen premium plan if you’re a good driver. You can easily save money with Geico coverage, and that’s why we’ve rate the company 4.6 out of 5.0 stars.

Read more: Geico insurance review

Progressive: Best Usage-Based Insurance

With a large selection of insurance coverage, a highly rated and user-friendly mobile app, and nationwide availability, Progressive offers the best flexible coverage premiums at an affordable cost compared to other leading providers.

Progressive’s usage-based Snapshot^® program and Name Your Price^® Tool are two features that help drivers find the right coverage for their budget. We rate Progressive 4.3 out of 5.0 stars and name it Best Usage-Based Insurance.

Read more: Progressive insurance review

Safeway Car Insurance: FAQ

How We Rate Insurers

Our review process aims to deliver consistent and unbiased assessments of car insurance providers. While there are multiple qualities that make a car insurance company successful, our review team focuses on those we believe are the most important for consumers:

• Cost: Cost can be difficult to compare between insurers because so many factors impact annual premiums. The cheapest insurer for one driver may not be the cheapest for another. To determine our cost score, we look at insurance rate estimates generated by Quadrant Information Services, discount opportunities, and consumer reports.

• Coverage: To determine our coverage score, we look at the number of coverage options available as well as coverage limits and deductible options. Our ratings also take into account additional services and benefits like roadside assistance.

• Reliability: It’s important that an auto insurer is able to meet its claims obligations. Companies with a strong financial strength rating from AM Best score best in this category. Established insurers with a long history of reliable service also receive positive marks.

• Service: We comb through customer reviews on sites like the BBB to learn about customer experiences. Insurers with a low volume of complaints score well in this area. We also consider the claims process, giving higher ratings to car insurance providers that offer easy-to-use claims apps.

*Data accurate at time of publication.