Automobiles have been a part of American society for about a century now and in today’s society, they are an essential part of everyday American lives. Although in big cities, mass transportation systems such as subways, buses and metros have been developed, most average Americans get to and from work through the means of automobiles. It is for this reason that the Federal Government decided to allow each state to design its own automobile insurance laws, so that they could have a say about under which conditions an automobile was to be used within their respective state borders. With the population of the United States growing everyday and more and more people entering this great country, it is imperative that Americans have automobile insurance so they can drive safely and without risk on the roads of this nation.
Nowadays, most people can find an automobile insurance company within a 25 mile radius from their residence. While there are big car insurance companies such as GEICO, Allstate, and others that are trying to get bigger in order to control this sector of the economy; there are some other ones that are unknown nationally and work within their state’s borders. In this article we will only be discussing those “top dogs” in the auto insurance business by looking at their history, what they offer and how they have become well known through the years.
Esurance: Although this company was founded only in 1999 through the Internet, they have progressed much through the years. The company started in four states and it was quickly bought by the White Mountains Insurance Group. Today, Esurance claims to insure about 85% of the nation’s drivers and they are continuing to grow by providing coverage in 28 states. Since they were founded, this company has strived to give customers the best rates in the market with the best coverage. They pride in their customer service techniques and on the fact that their customer service agents are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This insurance is said to be the first one to offer their products entirely online, making it a little easier and convenient for people to get quotes and enroll from the comfort of their own home of office. The company has grown so much that they have expanded to offer not only automobile coverage, but also life, health, homeowner and motorcycle insurance.
GEICO: One of the biggest automobile insurance companies in the United States, GEICO is best known for their little gecko talking in a British accent, or for the caveman commercials that highlight the fact that getting a quote online is “so easy a caveman can do it.” The Government Employees Insurance Company (GEICO) was founded in the 1930’s when the Great Depression was still hitting this great nation. Leo and Lillian Goodwin started the company in the state of Texas because they had a vision of lowering premiums for selected customers. The company became more and more famous around the United States and it was in 1936 that they established operations in Washington D.C. Nowadays, the company is functioning in all the states and its assets have climbed up to a record $21.9 billion. They have an estimated 7 million members, 21,000 associated in 12 major locations nationwide. This incredible growth has been due to three key elements that GEICO focuses on: excellent coverage, low prices and outstanding customer service.
Allstate: With their motto “You are in good hands” this company strives to be the best by giving their customers peace of mind and enriching their quality of life through the excellent management of their risks. The company was founded in 1931 and it only became a public trading company in 1993. Based in Northbrook, Illinois; Allstate is one of the nation’s leading insurers in urban and regional areas and it has offices in all of the states of the nation. They pride in the various numbers of awards they have won through out the years and because they have supported auto and highway safety reforms including seat belts, air bags and teen driver education. A Fortune 100 company with $157.5 billion assets, the Allstate Corporation encompasses more than 70,000 professionals with near 30% minorities and 59% women. The company provides insurance products to an estimate 17 million automobiles and one out of every 9 autos on the road are insured by them
SF Insurance: This Company was founded in 1922 by a retired farmer and insurance salesman by the name of George Jacob Mecherle. He started the company for the sole purpose of lowering automobile insurance premiums for farmers, because he knew they drove way less than the average customer. Today, SF Insurance claims to insure more cars than any other auto insurance company in North America and it is available in all 50 states and in the neighbor country of Canada. In 2006, the company became the first to promote a major film, when they sponsored the Pixar movie CARS and they have extended to life, homeowner and property insurance. The company has over 17,000 agents and 68,000 employers that help over 76 million customers in every single type of insurance imaginable. They are ranked A+ by A.M. Best and they are also 31st in the list of Fortune 500 list of largest companies.
Nationwide: Another “top dog” of automobile insurance in the United States. The company was founded in 1925 by the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation in order to provide excellent low-cost rates for rural drivers in the state and in the span of 80 years Nationwide has been transformed from a small automobile insurance for Ohio farmers to a big company that receives an estimated $157 billion in assets. Nowadays, Nationwide is not only an auto insurance provider; but it offers financial services as well. They are known for excellence in their service simply because their associates have a variety of skills, experiences and backgrounds that make them more compatible to their customers. The company is ranked 104 on the Fortune 500 magazine and has about 36,000 employers. Is also of note to mention that Nationwide ranks as the 6th largest auto insurance company in the United States based on premium ratings as ranked by A.M. Best.