Bristol West Insurance Review & Complaints: Auto Insurance (2023)
This Bristol West auto insurance review finds that Bristol West insurance rates are often better priced for certain classes of drivers, but the company's website is lacking when it comes to making your Bristol West Auto Insurance payments.
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Leslie Kasperowicz
Farmers CSR for 4 Years
Leslie Kasperowicz holds a BA in Social Sciences from the University of Winnipeg. She spent several years as a Farmers Insurance CSR, gaining a solid understanding of insurance products including home, life, auto, and commercial and working directly with insurance customers to understand their needs. She has since used that knowledge in her more than ten years as a writer, largely in the insuranc...
Farmers CSR for 4 Years
UPDATED: May 14, 2023
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Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by insurance experts.
UPDATED: May 14, 2023
It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right coverage choices.
Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one insurance provider and cannot guarantee quotes from any single provider.
Our insurance industry partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from many different insurance companies please enter your ZIP code on this page to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.
On This Page
With a history of several decades long, Florida-born Bristol West Insurance has come to focus exclusively on personal auto coverage.
What is Bristol West Insurance?
Bristol West Insurance was founded in Florida in 1973, offering personal car insurance. The company grew, expanding across the United States, and was acquired by the Farmers Insurance Group in 2007, joining one of the biggest groups in the nation.
The company has never expanded its product lineup, just its operating territory. Products are sold only through agents and brokers, and the company offers low down payment options as well as a selection of policy options from liability only through full coverage.
The company has offices in various locations, with main offices in their home state of Florida, and in Ohio.
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What insurance products does Bristol West offer?
Policies are marketed and sold by Farmers Agents including, in some states, those appointed under the Foremost Insurance Group, a subsidiary of the Farmers Exchange. Offerings for drivers can differ from state to state in terms of insurance coverage options and driver discounts. A variety of insurance providers under the Bristol West banner underwrite the policies but, again, this differs from state to state.
An overview of the policies across covered states shows that the company’s auto policies are quite basic. Liability coverage, comprehensive, and collision insurance along with a few other common coverage options are universally available, while other options may vary.
Optional coverage’s include:
- Medical payments
- Uninsured/underinsured motorist
- Towing and labor
- Rental reimbursement
Some states also have loan/lease (gap) coverage levels and additional equipment coverage available. Limited Mexico coverage is available for California.
Some states also have loan/lease (gap) coverage and additional equipment coverage available. Limited Mexico coverage is available for California.
Does Bristol West offer competitive rates?
The insurer does not offer online quoting, and all policies and features are quoted and sold through insurance agents. As a result, it is difficult to do a quick price comparison.
Farmers Insurance’s agents will often run rate quotes through all their subsidiary underwriting departments in order to get customers a lower rate. What this means is sometimes you may walk into a Farmers Insurance office, but walk out with a Bristol West policy because it was a lower price.
The company does not directly advertise as a low-cost company but does state that they offer low down payment options as well as several different payment options to make insurance more affordable for drivers. There is little evidence, however, to suggest that it is going to offer rates competitive with major low-cost insurers like Geico auto insurance company. They are agent-driven for sales, which is usually a sign of higher rates thanks to agent commissions.
Auto insurance discounts vary across the states, so it’s difficult to say how much impact there is on insurance policy rates. Without the benefit of major bundling discounts, it is unlikely to be seriously competitive in terms of cost for drivers. Farmers does offer multi-policy discounts with Foremost policies, but there is no information on whether this is available with the company.
Is the Bristol West claims process hassle-free?
Bristol West has two options for insurance claim filing. Customers can call a 24-hour toll-free line: 1-800-274-7865 to report a claim, or they can file the claim online. Customers can also log in online in order to check on the status of a claim.
Aside from claims filing information, there is very little on the website that offers information in terms of how claims are handled or what kind of time frame customers should expect in terms of when a claim will be settled. The site states that they aim to settle claims quickly, but there is no further detail.
Overall, the claims information on the website is somewhat lacking, which is a major oversight in a time when most insurance shoppers want to be able to thoroughly investigate an insurance company online.
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Are there consumer complaints against the insurance company?
Finding Bristol West on the BBB is a bit of a challenge, as several offices come up. The only office with a rating was the Indianapolis location, giving the company an A+ rating. There is only one complaint in the last three years listed, and it has been closed within the last 12 months.
While one complaint is very low in terms of a national company, the confusion involved in finding the correct place to lodge a complaint against the company leaves questions as to how many complaints did not land in the correct place.
The company has a good number of complaints on several consumer websites, enough to raise a little concern, even in an industry where complaints are relatively common. There are 68 complaints on PissedConsumer, mainly focusing on the company’s website and billing practices. Similar complaints appear on Consumer Affairs, where there are 71 one-star ratings out of 77 total ratings.
Considering that larger companies have had fewer complaints listed on both of these sites, the numbers are of concern, as well as the content of the complaints, which address similar issues repeatedly.
Overall, there is little in the reviews of the company to put it in a positive light, and enough negative to raise red flags.
What is the company’s financial strength rating?
Rating Company | Grade | Financial Outlook |
---|---|---|
AM Best | A | Stable |
Fitch | N/A | N/A |
S&P | N/A | N/A |
What’s the bottom line?
Bristol West flies under the Farmers Insurance banner and is often quoted for customers by Farmer’s agents. They use a different underwriting process than their parent company, so they are often better priced for certain classes of drivers. They are serviced by the same claims department as Farmers, but the number of complaints raises a few flags. However, if the price is right, the company is an alright choice for many drivers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Bristol West Insurance?
Bristol West Insurance is an auto insurance company that was founded in Florida in 1973. It offers personal car insurance coverage and is now part of the Farmers Insurance Group, one of the largest insurance groups in the nation. Bristol West focuses exclusively on personal auto coverage and provides various policy options from liability only through full coverage.
Pros:
- Established company with a history of several decades
- Part of the Farmers Insurance Group, a reputable insurance group
- Offers a range of policy options from liability to full coverage
Cons:
- Limited product lineup, focusing only on personal auto coverage
- Policies sold exclusively through agents and brokers, no direct online quoting
- Limited information about rates and competitiveness compared to other insurers
What insurance products does Bristol West offer?
Bristol West offers auto insurance policies, which are marketed and sold by Farmers Insurance agents. The coverage options and discounts may vary depending on the state. Generally, their policies include liability coverage, comprehensive and collision insurance, and additional options like loan/lease (gap) coverage and additional equipment coverage in some states.
Pros:
- Offers a variety of coverage options, including liability, comprehensive, and collision
- Additional coverage options available in some states, such as loan/lease coverage and additional equipment coverage
Cons:
- Limited coverage options compared to insurers with more comprehensive product lineups
- Coverage options and discounts may vary by state, leading to potential inconsistencies
Does Bristol West offer competitive rates?
Bristol West does not offer online quoting, and policies can only be quoted and sold through insurance agents. It can be challenging to make a quick price comparison. While Bristol West does not advertise as a low-cost company, they mention offering low down payment options and flexible payment plans to make insurance more affordable. However, there is limited evidence to suggest that they offer rates competitive with major low-cost insurers.
Pros:
- Offers low down payment options and flexible payment plans
- Farmers Insurance agents may offer Bristol West policies if they provide a lower price
Cons:
- Lack of online quoting makes it difficult to compare rates easily
- Agent-driven sales approach may indicate higher rates due to agent commissions
Is the Bristol West claims process hassle-free?
Bristol West provides two options for filing insurance claims: customers can call a 24-hour toll-free line or file the claim online. Customers can also check the status of their claims by logging in online. However, the website lacks detailed information about the claims process, including expected time frames for claim settlement.
Pros:
- Two options for claim filing: phone and online
- Online access to check claim status
Cons:
- Limited information on the website about the claims process and settlement time frames
Are there consumer complaints against the insurance company?
There have been consumer complaints against Bristol West on various consumer websites. Complaints primarily focus on issues related to the company’s website and billing practices. While the number of complaints may be relatively low for a national company, the content and frequency of complaints raise concerns.
Pros:
- Limited number of complaints listed on BBB for certain locations
Cons:
- Numerous complaints on consumer websites, mainly about the company’s website and billing practices
- Lack of clarity on the correct place to lodge complaints may indicate unreported issues
Are you looking for free insurance quotes?
Your one-stop online insurance guide. Get free quotes now!
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Leslie Kasperowicz
Farmers CSR for 4 Years
Leslie Kasperowicz holds a BA in Social Sciences from the University of Winnipeg. She spent several years as a Farmers Insurance CSR, gaining a solid understanding of insurance products including home, life, auto, and commercial and working directly with insurance customers to understand their needs. She has since used that knowledge in her more than ten years as a writer, largely in the insuranc...
Farmers CSR for 4 Years
Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by insurance experts.