Safeway Auto Insurance Review: Ratings and Quotes (2024)

Safeway’s car insurance rates are on par with the national average, but drivers may find its limited coverage options unappealing.

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
  • 3+ years producing insurance and personal finance content

  • Main architect of the Insurify Quality Score

Courtney’s deep personal finance knowledge extends beyond insurance to credit cards, consumer lending, and banking. She thrives on creating actionable content.

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Mark Friedlander
Reviewed byMark Friedlander
Mark Friedlander
Mark FriedlanderDirector, Corporate Communications, Triple-I
  • Corporate communications director for Insurance Information Institute

  • 20+ years in insurance and communications

As Director, Corporate Communications for Triple-I, Mark serves as the non-profit’s national spokesperson, sharing information and education on a wide array of insurance issues.

Konstantin Halachev
Data reviewed byKonstantin Halachev
Headshot of Konstantin Halachev, VP of Engineering at Insurify
Konstantin HalachevVP of Engineering & Data Science
  • 7+ years experience in data analysis

  • Ph.D. in Computational Biology

Konstantin has led data teams across multiple industries, including insurance, travel, and biology. He’s led Insurify’s engineering team for more than three years.

Updated November 12, 2024

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Established in 1959, Safeway is a privately held, family-owned insurance company headquartered in Westmont, Illinois. Because Safeway offers basic car insurance policies, drivers may raise a brow at its lack of advertised coverage and discount options. It also doesn’t provide online quotes to help you comparison shop, which may be a drawback if you prefer buying car insurance policies online.

Quick Facts
  • Safeway is a regional insurance company available in 12 states: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Tennessee, and Texas.

  • Coverage from Safeway is a good option for drivers who want a basic policy with few add-ons.

  • You must speak to one of Safeway's 3,000 local independent agents to get a Safeway auto insurance quote.

How Safeway stacks up

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User Reviews
3.0
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.
NR

At Safeway, you can buy standard coverages like liability, comprehensive, and collision coverage, but not add-ons like rental car reimbursement, accident forgiveness, or emergency roadside services. The insurance company outshines the competition when it comes to its customer service. However, it underperforms in availability, coverage options, and number of discount options.

Pros
  • Good for basic policies

  • Better customer service than competitors

  • Excellent AM Best rating

Cons
  • Limited car insurance coverage options

  • Negative customer reviews

  • Limited discounts listed

Read more driver reviews of Safeway
Finis - October 28, 2024
Verified

Loyal Customers are Prioritized

Safeway offers great premiums on multiple vehicles. The company should consider not charging two renewal down payments within a 12-month duration. Also, they could include free towing, rental car, loss of income, and all roadside services as incentives.

Dolores - October 4, 2024
Verified

Too Expensive

Too expensive for just liability.

David - September 5, 2024
Verified

I'm usually always on time with my payments, but a holiday weekend caused a delay. Now, they want to receive their payment over two weeks earlier than the regular due date. I've been with them for around four years. They're claiming they're going to drop my insurance by the 6th, when I should have until the 22nd of this month. They also don't have a physical office, as payments are sent to a PO box in Des Plaines, IL.

I'm usually always on time with my payments, but a holiday weekend caused a delay. Now, they want to receive their payment over two weeks earlier than the regular due date. I've been with them for around four years. They're claiming they're going to drop my insurance by the 6th, when I should have until the 22nd of this month. They also don't have a physical office, as payments are sent to a PO box in Des Plaines, IL.
Factor
How Safeway Compares
RatesAverage
Customer serviceBetter than competitors
DiscountsLess than competitors
AvailabilityLess than competitors
Financial strengthComparable to competitors

Average cost of Safeway auto insurance

On average, Safeway auto insurance costs $245 per month for a full-coverage insurance policy and $136 per month for a liability-only policy. It’s similar to the national average cost of a full-coverage policy at $204 per month and a liability insurance policy at $104 per month.

Safeway insurance reviews and ratings

Insurance reviews may indicate what your experience will be like with an insurer. Take a look at what real users and popular rating agencies are saying about Safeway auto insurance.

Safeway customer reviews

It was difficult to find positive customer reviews for Safeway, and the majority of recent reviews Insurify analyzed are negative. Many customers cited difficulty getting ahold of a representative and a difficult time receiving a payout from claims.

Safeway ratings

Insurance credit rating agencies can help you determine if an insurance company is financially stable and provides quality claims and customer service.

  • AM Best: A (Excellent)

  • Moody’s: Ba3

  • National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Complaint Index: 1.38 (more complaints than average)

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Safeway car insurance coverage options

Safeway’s website has limited information about its car insurance coverage options, but customers may work with a local independent agent to create their policy. Here are the auto insurance coverages Safeway offers:

  • illustration card https://a.storyblok.com/f/162273/x/169fdfde11/liability-coverage.svg

    Liability coverage

    This policy includes your state’s minimum required liability auto insurance coverage. It only pays for the other person’s property damage and medical expenses if you’re at fault in an accident.

  • illustration card https://a.storyblok.com/f/162273/x/db598219e3/damage-from-aircraft.svg

    Full coverage

    Full-coverage insurance pays for property damage and losses from collisions with another vehicle or an object like a tree or light pole. It also includes comprehensive coverage for non-collision incidents such as theft, vandalism, fire, and severe weather.

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

    Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage

    If someone without insurance or without enough insurance is at fault in an accident, uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage helps pay for your damages and injuries.

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Safeway car insurance cost by state

Car insurance requirements and costs vary depending on your state, and Safeway offers state-minimum insurance that complies with the law in the 12 states where it offers coverage. Safeway’s car insurance costs are average in the states where it offers policies: Some insurers offer cheaper policies, but others offer more expensive policies.

The table below shows Safeway’s average car insurance costs in different states.

State
Average Quote: Full Coverage
Average Quote: Liability Only
Alabama$205$109
Arizona$288$164
Georgia$234$156
Louisiana$374$243
Mississippi$189$98
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.

Safeway auto insurance rates by driving history

Car insurance rates also vary depending on someone’s driving history. Drivers with clean records typically pay cheaper rates, while drivers with incidents, such as an at-fault accident, pay more expensive rates. 

How much your car insurance rates increase after an incident depends on its severity; a speeding ticket that didn’t cause an accident won’t raise your rates as much as a driving under the influence (DUI) offense that causes injuries.[1]

Take a look at the table below for the average monthly cost of a full and liability-only insurance policy based on various driving profiles.

Driving History
Average Quote: Full Coverage
Average Quote: Liability Only
Clean record$245$136
With speeding ticket$328$182
With at-fault accident$350$194
With DUI$419$232
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.

Safeway car insurance cost by age

Driver age greatly influences car insurance costs. Teen drivers usually pay the most expensive rates for car insurance due to their lack of experience on the road and an increased likelihood of engaging in risky driving behavior.[2] Drivers with clean records tend to experience decreasing rates as they age, with rates hitting their lowest point in their 50s or 60s.

Senior drivers in their 70s may begin to see their premiums slightly increase again due to age-related conditions that may affect their driving abilities.

Here’s how much drivers pay for Safeway car insurance, based on age.

Age Group
Average Monthly Quote
Teens$438
20s$304
30s$228
40s$208
50s$183
60s$172
70s$183
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.

Safeway car insurance discounts

Car insurance discounts are an important factor to consider when choosing the best car insurance company for your needs. The more discounts you qualify for with a company, the lower your insurance rates will be.

Unfortunately, Safeway doesn’t advertise discounts on its website. If you’re curious about savings opportunities, you’ll have to contact one of Safeway's independent agents to learn about discounts.

Safeway vs. other insurance companies

Drivers have many options for buying car insurance, and choosing the right insurer can be overwhelming. Comparing insurance companies is the best way to find one in your budget with the coverage you need.

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.
Safeway$136$245N/R
Commonwealth Casualty$110$2935.5
West Bend$102$150N/R
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.
  • 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.

Safeway vs. Commonwealth Casualty

Commonwealth Casualty and Safeway are regional insurance companies. Safeway exclusively offers auto insurance, but Commonwealth offers auto, renters, and home insurance policies. If you want to bundle policies, Commonwealth Casualty may be the best option.

Commonwealth Casualty also has more car insurance coverage options, including safety equipment coverage and vanishing deductibles. On the other hand, Safeway only offers standard auto insurance coverages like liability, comprehensive, and collision coverage. With more available coverages, Commonwealth Casualty may be better for someone who wants more customization for their auto insurance policy.

Safeway Insurance also doesn’t have online quotes, which may not be an issue if you prefer working with an insurance agent to purchase your policy. If you’d like to get a quick estimate or purchase your policy online, Commonwealth Casualty provides online quotes.

Safeway vs. West Bend

While Safeway only offers auto insurance, West Bend sells auto, home, and other property insurance policies. If you purchase multiple policies, West Bend combines your payments into one premium, which makes managing your account easier. Bundling West Bend insurance policies also offers the convenience of a single deductible payment if your car and home sustain damage due to the same covered event, such as a fire or tornado.

West Bend may be an attractive option to drivers in Midwestern states who want to bundle their coverages. Safeway insurance is best for drivers who want basic protection at a cost-effective price.

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How to file an auto insurance claim with Safeway

When you file an auto insurance claim, you’re requesting reimbursement from your insurance company for damages or injuries you sustained in an incident. 

Here’s how to file a claim with Safeway:[3]

  1. Call the number on your insurance card listed with “in case of accident.” If you don’t have the number, visit Safeway’s locations page to find the phone number to the nearest office in your area.

  2. A claim representative will ask for your name and policy number with the date, location, and details of the incident. Also gather names of other involved parties and the policy report number to provide to the claims rep.

  3. Safeway will assign a claims adjuster to help process your claim, which includes inspecting your car for damages and moving to repairs or a total loss settlement, depending on your coverage.

Safeway insurance FAQs

Learn how to compare quotes and rates while you shop for a policy, and read the answers to common questions about Safeway car insurance below.

  • Is Safeway legitimate?

    Yes. Safeway is a legitimate insurance company. It has ratings from reputable agencies like AM Best and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).

  • What is the average cost of Safeway car insurance?

    The average cost of Safeway car insurance is $136 per month for liability insurance and $245 per month for full coverage.

  • Is Safeway good at paying claims?

    Yes. Safeway received a financial strength rating of A (Excellent) from AM Best, indicating that it’s financially stable and can meet its long-term financial obligations.

  • How do you cancel a Safeway insurance policy?

    Safeway requires you to contact one of its independent agents to make changes to your insurance policy. You can find a list of its offices and office phone numbers on its locations page.

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. "Do auto insurance premiums go up after a claim?."
  2. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. "Teenagers."
  3. Safeway Insurance Company. "Auto Insurance FAQs."
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
  • 3+ years producing insurance and personal finance content

  • Main architect of the Insurify Quality Score

Courtney’s deep personal finance knowledge extends beyond insurance to credit cards, consumer lending, and banking. She thrives on creating actionable content.

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Mark Friedlander
Reviewed byMark FriedlanderDirector, Corporate Communications, Triple-I
Mark Friedlander
Mark FriedlanderDirector, Corporate Communications, Triple-I
  • Corporate communications director for Insurance Information Institute

  • 20+ years in insurance and communications

As Director, Corporate Communications for Triple-I, Mark serves as the non-profit’s national spokesperson, sharing information and education on a wide array of insurance issues.

Konstantin Halachev
Data reviewed byKonstantin HalachevVP of Engineering & Data Science
Headshot of Konstantin Halachev, VP of Engineering at Insurify
Konstantin HalachevVP of Engineering & Data Science
  • 7+ years experience in data analysis

  • Ph.D. in Computational Biology

Konstantin has led data teams across multiple industries, including insurance, travel, and biology. He’s led Insurify’s engineering team for more than three years.

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