First Chicago Auto Insurance Review: Ratings and Quotes (2024)

First Chicago Insurance Company offers competitive insurance rates but receives many negative reviews for its customer service.

Alani Asis
Written byAlani Asis
Alani Asis
Alani Asis
  • 3 years of content writing

  • Bylines with leading financial publications

Alani is a freelance writer specializing in personal finance. She aims to make complex topics more approachable through fun, digestible content.

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Courtney Mikulski
Courtney MikulskiSenior Editor, Auto
  • Más de 3 años produciendo contenidos sobre seguros y finanzas personales

  • Principal artífice de la puntuación de calidad de Insurify

Los profundos conocimientos de Courtney sobre finanzas personales van más allá de los seguros y abarcan las tarjetas de crédito, los préstamos al consumidor y la banca. Le encanta crear contenidos prácticos.

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Updated December 2, 2024

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Cheapest recent rates

Drivers using Insurify have found quotes as cheap as $34/mo for liability only and $42/mo for full coverage.

*Quotes generated for Insurify users within the last 10 days. Last updated on December 2, 2024. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer’s unique driver profile.

Rates shown are real-time Insurify user quotes from 100+ insurance companies and Quadrant Information Services data. Insurify’s algorithm excludes anomalous quotes and anonymizes personal details, then displays refined quotes by price, date, and insurer popularity up to 10 days ago from December 2, 2024. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer’s unique driver profile.

*Quotes generated for Insurify users within the last 10 days. Last updated on December 2, 2024. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer’s unique driver profile.

Rates shown are real-time Insurify user quotes from 100+ insurance companies and Quadrant Information Services data. Insurify’s algorithm excludes anomalous quotes and anonymizes personal details, then displays refined quotes by price, date, and insurer popularity up to 10 days ago from December 2, 2024. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer’s unique driver profile.

First Chicago Insurance Company has been in the insurance industry for more than a century. It offers insurance in seven states, mostly in the Midwest, but it’s part of the Warrior Insurance Network, which has licenses in 21 states.

While the auto insurance company offers its policies at lower-than-average rates, its subpar ratings and poor customer reviews may overshadow these relatively cheap rates. Here’s what you need to know about First Chicago Insurance Company’s reviews, average costs, and coverage options.

Quick Facts
  • The average cost of a First Chicago auto policy is $136 a month for full coverage and $83 a month for liability only.

  • First Chicago offers car insurance in Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, Texas, and Wisconsin.

  • You can’t bundle your First Chicago auto policy with other personal lines of insurance.

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What is First Chicago Insurance?

Founded in 1920, First Chicago started as Chicago Ice Producer Mutual Liability Company, selling insurance through its internal agents. Today, the auto insurance company works with external insurance agents and brokers to sell policies.

The company is based in Bedford Park, Illinois, and currently offers personal auto insurance in seven states. It also sells commercial auto insurance and public transportation insurance.

First Chicago pros and cons

Pros
  • Affordability: First Chicago’s car insurance policies are cheaper than the national average costs.

  • Various discount opportunities: The insurance company offers standard discounts to lower costs.

  • Established insurance company: The company has more than 100 years of experience serving its clients.

Cons
  • Limited availability: First Chicago car insurance policies are only available in seven states.

  • No bundling discounts: The company only offers auto insurance, so you can’t bundle it with your homeowners, renters, life, or other personal insurance policies.

  • Poor customer reviews: The company received a high volume of complaints with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).

Average cost of First Chicago auto insurance

The average cost of First Chicago insurance is $136 a month for full coverage and $83 a month for liability only. These average costs are less than the national averages of $202 a month for full coverage and $105 a month for liability only.

First Chicago car insurance coverage

First Chicago Insurance Company offers the minimum liability insurance that states require, as well as collision and comprehensive coverages. You can also include the following coverages on your First Chicago auto insurance policy:

  • illustration card https://a.storyblok.com/f/162273/x/4c9753bdbe/medical-payments.svg

    Medical payments coverage

    If you’re in an accident, medical payments coverage pays for you and your passengers’ medical expenses, regardless of fault. If you sustain injuries in an accident as a pedestrian, you may also tap MedPay for coverage.

  • illustration card https://a.storyblok.com/f/162273/x/5285c4cd74/uninsured-or-underinsured-motorist-coverage.svg

    Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage

    You can add uninsured and underinsured motorist bodily coverage and uninsured motorist property damage coverage to your policy. These protect you, your passengers, and your vehicle if the at-fault driver doesn’t have enough — or any — liability insurance to pay for your injuries and damages.

  • illustration card https://a.storyblok.com/f/162273/100x100/24f1697280/car-key.svg

    Rental car reimbursement

    This coverage reimburses you for the cost of a rental car while your vehicle is in the shop for repairs.

  • illustration card https://a.storyblok.com/f/162273/100x100/9997698e9e/emergency-roadside-service.svg

    Roadside assistance

    Roadside assistance coverage pays for costs associated with towing and labor. But it doesn’t cover emergencies like locksmith or jump-start services.

  • illustration card https://a.storyblok.com/f/162273/x/38dc81ba93/drive-1.svg

    Non-owner insurance

    If you drive cars you don’t own, you can get liability, uninsured motorist liability, and medical payments coverage through a non-owner policy. But this coverage isn’t available for drivers in Indiana.

First Chicago car insurance costs by state

Car insurance rates vary by state due to different car insurance requirements, weather risks, and overall claims in an area.[1] The table below illustrates the average monthly cost of a First Chicago car insurance policy in a few states.

State
Average Quote: Full Coverage
Average Quote: Liability Only
Illinois$125$95
Indiana$138$60
Wisconsin$142$95
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.

First Chicago auto insurance rates by driving history

Your driving history heavily influences your policy’s costs. For example, drivers with a clean record will likely see significantly cheaper rates than drivers with speeding tickets, driving under the influence (DUI) convictions, or at-fault accidents. Incidents on your driving record signal to insurers that you’re at a higher risk of filing a claim, so they increase rates to offset the risk.[2]

These are the average monthly costs for a First Chicago auto insurance policy with the following driving records.

Driving History
Average Quote: Full Coverage
Average Quote: Liability Only
Clean record$126$77
With speeding ticket$169$104
With at-fault accident$181$111
With DUI$196$120
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.

First Chicago car insurance cost by age

Teen drivers tend to pay the highest rates for their insurance policies, as they pose the most risk on the road. Senior drivers, on the other hand, pay less than teens — but rates still increase as they age because of higher car accident mortality rates.[3] 

Below are First Chicago average monthly costs by age.

Age Group
Average Monthly Quote
Teens$228
20s$162
30s$128
40s$121
50s$106
60s$99
70s$100
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.

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First Chicago car insurance discounts

Discounts related to your driving history, vehicle type, affiliation, driver profile, and policy payments can significantly curb the cost of your policy. When you complete the questionnaire to apply for a policy, First Chicago will automatically apply these discounts:

  • Advanced quote discount: Get a discount by obtaining a quote well ahead of your policy’s start date.

  • Anti-theft discount: Receive a rate reduction by equipping your vehicle with an anti-theft device, like a GPS tracker or a steering-wheel lock.

  • Defensive driver discount: Lower your premium by completing an approved defensive driving program.

  • Good driver discount: You can earn this discount by having at least three years of driving experience with no violations or accidents.

  • Good student discount: You can qualify for car insurance savings if you’re a full-time student with good grades.

  • Homeowners discount: While the company doesn’t offer homeowners insurance, you can get this discount if you own a home.

  • Multi-car discount: Lower your overall policy cost by insuring two or more vehicles.

  • Paid in full discount: Receive a discount by paying your annual premium up front.

  • Renewal discount: Get this discount if you renew your policy with First Chicago Insurance Company.

  • Prior insurance discount: You can save money on your policy by being previously insured.

First Chicago insurance bundling options

Most insurance companies offer bundles for insuring two or more insurance products with them. Since First Chicago doesn’t provide other personal insurance lines, like homeowners or life insurance, you can’t bundle your policies.

First Chicago insurance reviews and ratings

When reviewing car insurance companies, it’s important to know what other customers are saying about an insurer. In First Chicago’s case, many customers report unsatisfactory experiences.

First Chicago customer reviews

First Chicago’s Achilles’ heel is its poor customer service. Policyholders found it challenging to get a response from representatives of the company, and when they did, their experience was generally unsatisfactory.

Another glaring issue was with claims payout. The company took a long time to investigate an incident with little follow-up.

It’s worth noting that some customers in the past have commented on their positive experiences with the company.

First Chicago ratings

Rating agencies help consumers determine if an insurance company is financially strong, acts ethically, and provides quality customer service. Here are the First Chicago ratings from several consumer agencies.

  • AM Best: B

  • Better Business Bureau (BBB): B+

  • NAIC Complaint Index: 4.90

First Chicago vs. other insurance companies

With tons of car insurance companies to choose from, finding the right one can be challenging. If you’re considering buying a policy from First Chicago, here’s how the company stacks up to its competitors.

Insurance Company
Liability Only
Full Coverage
IQ Score
The Insurify Quality (IQ) Score uses more than 15 criteria to objectively rate insurance companies on a one-to-ten scale. The Insurify editorial team researches insurer data to determine the final scores.
First Chicago$83$136N/A
State Farm$54$1199.3
Erie$49$939.0
GEICO$54$1189.0
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
  • Our editorial team spent more than 350 hours developing the Insurify Quality (IQ) Score and scoring insurance companies. The IQ Score objectively analyzes and calculates a score for insurers using more than 15 crucial criteria. The team weighted criteria by importance to the consumer — factors such as customer reviews and affordability influence the score more than availability and third-party ratings.

    We rate each company on a 1 to 10 scale based on five categories: financial ratings, customer satisfaction, affordability, customer support and transparency, and availability. Insurify updates ratings once a year or as more recent information becomes available.

    • Third-party financial ratings: Insurify uses data from AM Best, S&P, Moody’s, and more to compare insurance companies’ credit and ability to pay out future claims.
    • Customer satisfaction: To calculate this score, Insurify analyzed more than 28,000 customer reviews across 155 car insurance companies. We also consider third-party ratings from J.D. Power, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, and Trustpilot.
    • Affordability: Our data scientists analyzed more than 90 million real-time auto insurance rates from our partners across the U.S., as well as available discounts, to calculate an affordability score.
    • Customer support and transparency: This measures coverage options, ease of claims filing, and the insurer's transparency surrounding discounts, coverages, and claims process.
    • Availability and reach: Insurify scores availability and reach by identifying the number of states in which insurers offer coverage and company size by market share.

First Chicago vs. State Farm

State Farm works with independent and internal agents to sell its auto insurance policies. The company has consistently received high marks for claims satisfaction and customer service.

The average cost of a State Farm car insurance policy is $54 a month for liability insurance, which is similar to a liability policy with First Chicago. So State Farm may be right if you want to work with a nationwide company with competitive rates, a host of discounts, and excellent customer service.

First Chicago vs. Erie

Like First Chicago, Erie is a regional insurance company with more than a century of experience serving its policyholders. It works with independent and captive agents to write its insurance policies.

At an average cost of $49 per month for a liability policy, Erie Insurance offers similar pricing for car insurance. Erie may appeal to shoppers looking for an insurer with excellent ratings and the ability to customize their policy from a menu of coverage options.

On the other hand, First Chicago may be the more suitable option if you prefer to buy a policy and file your claims online.

First Chicago vs. GEICO

GEICO is the third-largest auto insurance company in the United States and is known for its reliability and affordability.

The average cost of a liability-only GEICO auto policy is $54 a month, similar to a First Chicago policy. Unlike First Chicago, GEICO exclusively sells its policies through its employees, lowering its overhead costs. However, the company’s limited agent network may reduce accessibility, resulting in longer response times.

GEICO may be the superior choice for its nationwide availability, low rates, range of coverage options, and a wide array of discount opportunities. In contrast, since First Chicago works with independent insurance agents, you may be able to reach a local agent sooner.

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How to file an auto insurance claim with First Chicago

An auto insurance claim is a request for compensation after a loss resulting from an event covered in your policy. You can call First Chicago at 1 (888) 262-8864 to start the claims process or fill out an online form. Here’s what you need to file a claim online with First Chicago:

  1. Navigate to First Chicago’s online claim form.

  2. Fill out the information, including your name, address, policy number, and more.

  3. Provide details about the vehicle, drivers, and accident.

  4. Indicate whether there were damages, injuries, witnesses, or vehicle occupants.

  5. Wait for the next business day, when a claims representative will contact you.

First Chicago insurance FAQs

These are answers to some of the most asked questions on the internet about First Chicago insurance and its offerings.

  • Is First Chicago legitimate?

    Yes, First Chicago is a legitimate insurance company. The company has been in the industry since 1920, comparable in longevity to some of the largest insurance companies. First Chicago is also accredited by the Better Business Bureau, meaning it has the proper licensing and conducts its business ethically.

  • Is First Chicago car insurance worth it?

    While First Chicago car insurance offers affordable prices, its limited coverage and discount options, lack of bundling opportunities, and poor customer reviews may concern some shoppers.

  • What is the average cost of First Chicago car insurance?

    The average cost of First Chicago insurance is $136 a month for full coverage and $83 a month for liability only.

  • Who owns First Chicago insurance?

    First Chicago Insurance Company is a subsidiary of J&P Holdings Inc., an insurance holdings company.

  • Is First Chicago good at paying claims?

    First Chicago received a B (Fair) rating from AM Best, meaning it’s generally competent at paying claims. However, many customers have complaints regarding the company’s claims processing.

Methodology

Insurify data scientists analyzed more than 90 million quotes served to car insurance applicants in Insurify’s proprietary database to calculate the premium averages displayed on this page. These premiums are real quotes that come directly from Insurify’s 50+ partner insurance companies in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Quote averages represent the median price for a quote across the given coverage level, driver subset, and geographic area.

Unless otherwise specified, quoted rates reflect the average cost for drivers between 20 and 70 years old with a clean driving record and average or better credit (a credit score of 600 or higher).

Liability-only premium averages correspond to policies with the following coverage limits:

  • Bodily injury limits between state-minimum rates and $50,000 per person, $100,000 per accident
  • Property damage limits between $10,000 and $50,000
  • No additional coverage
Full-coverage premium averages correspond to the same bodily injury and property damage limits in addition to:
  • Comprehensive coverage with a $1,000 deductible
  • Collision coverage with a $1,000 deductible

Quotes for Allstate, Farmers, GEICO, State Farm, and USAA are estimates based on Quadrant Information Services’ database of auto insurance rates.

Sources

  1. III. "What determines the price of an auto insurance policy?."
  2. III. "Do auto insurance premiums go up after a claim?."
  3. III. "Senior driving safety and insurance tips."
Alani Asis
Alani Asis

Alani Asis is a personal finance freelance writer with nearly three years of experience in content creation. She has landed bylines with leading publications and brands like Insider, Fortune, LendingTree, and more. Alani aims to make personal finance approachable through fun, relatable, and digestible content.

Courtney Mikulski
Edited byCourtney MikulskiSenior Editor, Auto
Courtney Mikulski
Courtney MikulskiSenior Editor, Auto
  • Más de 3 años produciendo contenidos sobre seguros y finanzas personales

  • Principal artífice de la puntuación de calidad de Insurify

Los profundos conocimientos de Courtney sobre finanzas personales van más allá de los seguros y abarcan las tarjetas de crédito, los préstamos al consumidor y la banca. Le encanta crear contenidos prácticos.

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