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EMC Summary
Employer’s Mutual Casualty Association (or EMC) was formed in 1911 in Iowa, and started writing worker’s compensation policies. By 1920 they added auto insurance to the lineup in response to the growing number of cars on the road. Within a few years of this they began expansion into other states, eventually offering coverage in more than 40 states.
Expansion and acquisitions of additional companies added fire insurance, life insurance, and more to the company’s product offerings. Today, they write business insurance, auto insurance, homeowner’s, motorcycle, and more. Company headquarters are located in Des Moines, IA.
EMC sells its policies through independent agents, and does not offer online quoting. The website does offer a Policyholder Access, which allows customers to manage their policies online rather than counting on an agent for all changes and tracking of claims.
Insurance Products
EMC writes a strong lineup of business insurance products as well as all of the basics of personal insurance.
Auto Insurance
EMC’s auto program offers all of the basics of liability and property coverage, along with some additional options.
The Auto Choice Coverage Extension is an add-on package that includes the following features:
- Rental vehicle coverage
- Enhanced Transportation Expenses
- Increased Nonowned Trailer
- Waiver of deductible on other than collision claims in a total loss
- Accidental air bag deployment
EMC offers a good list of discounts, including loyalty, multi-car, accident-free, good student and more. They also offer their Bonus Renewal Plan to those who hold a policy accident-free for three years straight – this plan is basically accident forgiveness under a different name, and allows one surcharge-free accident.
EMC also has a special list of benefits for those who bundle auto and home together, known as Personal Lines Advantage. It includes pet medical, single deductible when home and auto are involved in the same loss, and emergency lockout coverage.
Motorcycle Insurance
EMC covers motorcycles with the same options available for auto insurance, as well as some options specific to motorcycles.
These include:
- Customized Equipment coverage
- Helmet coverage
- Excess Electronic Equipment
Home Insurance
EMC has three levels of homeowner’s insurance coverage, each increasing limits and benefits, starting with the base-level policy. EMC promises that their basic homeowner’s still offers above average coverage, with extra features.
The next two levels are the Homeowner’s Plus, with more personal property coverage as well as identity theft, and the EMC Choice, a premier level policy that adds more replacement cost coverage, equipment breakdown, and more.
The EMC website also mentions a MyHome policy that they intend to introduce for Nebraska residents, offering new pricing options, but little information is available at the time of this review, and you are directed to contact an agent for more details.
Life Insurance
EMC writes a range of life insurance products, including:
- Regular term and immediate-issue term
- Universal
- Whole life
- Annuities
- Group Life
The company also offers a range of other related products for workplace benefits such as long-term care, disability income insurance, and critical illness insurance.
Additional Products
Business Insurance
EMC’s first product was worker’s compensation, and they continue to write it today, but have expanded to offer full coverage for businesses.
Business products include:
- EMC Business owners – comprehensive package policy that covers liability and business products along with many other common coverage options: EMC writes this type of policy for more than 500 different types of business
- EMC Choice – package policy for specialty businesses such as boat and equipment dealers, light manufacturers, and more
- Excess and Surplus Lines
- Surety and Fidelity Bonds
- Workplace Life Insurance
EMC also writes group programs and provides coverage for public entities such as schools, law enforcement, and more.
EMC Rates
Because EMC does not offer online quoting, it is difficult to compare their products in terms of price to other companies. As a company selling products through agents, EMC is at a general disadvantage in that commissions can increase rates.
The company does offer a good range of discounts, and with the available auto-home bundle might be competitive with other companies of a similar size, also selling through agents.
Claims
EMC has all of the most common options for reporting a claim. Claims can be reported through an agent, via a 24-hour toll-free line: 1-888-EMC-CALL, or online. Claims can also be reported from a mobile phone using the company’s mobile website. The many options for claims reporting put EMC at the head of the pack for technology and ease of access.
EMC promises a simple approach to claims, with a three-step process in which they investigate the claim, explain what is covered and what is not, and pay the claim as quickly as possible. The company has branch claims offices across the states they serve to provide quick claims services.
Consumer Research and Complaints
Although EMC’s headquarters in Des Moines does not have a rating with the BBB. Their locations in both Wichita, Kansas, and Peoria, Arizona have an A+ rating. Neither location lists any complaints against the company.
Overall, reviews of the company are minimal – there are not many of them, and those that do exist are limited in information. Overall, the company appears to have a fairly good reputation. There are positive reviews available, and the negative reviews – which are few – state common complaints that most insurance companies see.
Financial Strength
| Rating Company | Grade | Financial Outlook |
|---|---|---|
| AM Best | A | Stable |
| Fitch | N/A | N/A |
| S&P | N/A | N/A |
Bottom Line
EMC offers a strong list of products along with a long, solid reputation. With an excellent BBB record and few negative reviews online, they appear to be a sturdy bet in terms of service and satisfaction. In addition, their products appear to be straightforward and generally without gimmicks, while still offering comprehensive programs.
Although EMC is unlikely to be competitive with some of the large direct-buy insurers, they appear to offer products and services that may well make up for a little extra expenditure. EMC is worth a look for anyone who values great service over low prices, and for those who prefer to work directly with an agent.
For a list of companies that we recommend, visit our Best Insurance Companies page.
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Review Information
I am a former insurance agent and banker turned consumer advocate. My priority is to help educate individuals and families about the different types of insurance they need, and assist them in finding the best place to get it.
Unlucky EMC Insurance Subscriber says
So the point of having insurance is that when on issue occurs, it can be taken care of. Well, I have been a paying EMC subscriber for about 18 years. So I have paid a lot of Premiums. About 12 years ago, I bought a property and EMC covered the insurance. Last month there was a wind storm that ripped off shingles and damaged the roof. I had a second opinion from an experienced roofer that confirmed the damage. I filed the claim. Only the second one in 18 years. Well according to my agent, EMC pulled out the big guns. They brought in a Professional Engineer who said that the roof was to have 6 nails per shingle and not the 4 to 5 on my roof. Basically, my roof was not installed correctly, so claim denied. Now, I have water leaking in the attic because of the damage and insurance company says that. Well how come for the past 20 years the roof never leaked? EMC is a rip off to Consumers! They find every reason Not to pay a claim. ( Oh my first claim was denied also. The adjuster said all the damage was done beforehand. ) I guess I should have dropped them 10 years ago after that one. Look elsewhere! BAD Insurance company!
EMC Insurance Company says
Thank you for contacting EMC Insurance Companies. We are sorry your experience has not been more positive, and we would like to see if there is something we can do to help. But first, we need specific information about your claim. If you have time, please send an email to corporatecommunications@emcins.com with your name and claim number.
Thank you,
EMC Insurance Companies
jack london says
I would just like to thank EMC for reducing my monthly payments just out of good will when I told them for 40 years I had never paid more than £200 for my motorbike insurance. I didn’t ask, they just offered. Not many companies would do that so thanks again EMC.
J says
Anyone who says EMC is a good insurance company has not dealt with the company or is an employee and was forced to write a good review. THE WORST INSURANCE COMPANY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Do not waste your time with this company and do not put your life or your property in their hands. Still trying to get a rental car after my car is being totaled out. I could go on and on with how bad this company is. Also if you want a list of employees names who not to deal with let me know. There is a long list, all give you different answers or don’t even read the file to see who they are representing.
EMC Insurance Companies says
Thank you for contacting EMC Insurance Companies. We are sorry your experience has not been more positive, and we would like to see if there is something we can do to help. But first, we need specific information about your claim. If you have time, please send an email to corporatecommunications@emcins.com with your name and claim number.
Thank you,
EMC Insurance Companies
Kevin says
My Dad has Parkinson’s and they keep calling about fixing a spot on the shed door and painting the shed because it is fading a bit. Things have changed a lot with the illness, and they just nitpick tiny things that happen to not be an easy fix for him. Nothing structurally wrong, but it’s worth threatening to cancel their insurance over.
Take your money every month, worry about hazards, and shut up.
Jodi says
I’ve been insured with EMC for 12 years. I had 3 claims on vehicles. .one was a deer hit my son’s car..boyfriend backing out of garage and hitting my car and a kid on a bike hit me trying to” beat the traffic light” $2600 damage from a bike! Lol…EMC was very helpful and paid claims without a fuss. Of course, the price has gone up some over the years but what hasnt! Maybe because I’ve never been late on payments and been with them this long they treat me well. The only thing that made me mad was my agent changed my house deductible without my consent..she now works at a different firm but still writes for EMC.
Virginia McGee says
We filed a claim in July 2017 for wind and hail damage to our roof. The person we are dealing with is [Redacted]. She got on the claim quickly and sent their independent adjuster out to look at the roof. He came with an attitude and told me we did not have wind or hail damage, that our shingles were just old and brickle. Our shingles were 11 years old, which is not considered old to me. He wrote up his report and [Redacted] finally contacted me and said with our deductible of $1634 it was possible we would be eligible for a small amount which I was not satisfied with. Since we had a $1000 deductible other than for wind and hail it would be $1634. I wanted to have a second opinion and asked for someone else to come out and look at the roof. After about 2 to 3 wks, the same adjuster called me that he was coming back. I told him I had asked for a different person for a second opinion and he said there was no one else to come since all the adjusters were out in Texas. He looked over the house with my contractors present and still said his opinion was the same. I told him my husband went over there when the storm was raging and the shingles were blowing off, but he still said we had no wind or hail damage and he told me again that we would not get a new roof. He talked really bad to my contractors accusing them or damaging the roof. Later I called and asked for [Redacted]’s superior and was referred to a guy named [Redacted]. He said they would send out an engineer to look over the roof and his decision would stand up in court. He came out and said we had one (1) shingle with wind damage. [Redacted] said the $1634 deductible would apply because of that one shingle. This has been going on since July 2017, it is now Dec.2017 and they still have not made a decision or paid me a dime. I have made numerous calls and I finally went ahead and had the roof and patio cover fixed because it was leaking and sent in the information showing the costs on November 16 and still no answer. I would definitely not recommend this company. I had been with them 15 years or more and have never filed a claim before. I could not believe how other ins. companies have furnished so many roofs around me with hail damage and I cannot get my insurance to do a thing. I am giving them until Dec. 16th and if nothing is received by then, I plan to take legal action.
EMC Insurance Companeis says
Virginia,
Thank you for contacting EMC Insurance Companies. We are sorry your experience has not been more positive, and we would like to see if there is something we can do to help. But first, we need specific information about your claim. If you have time, please send an email to corporatecommunications@emcins.com with your name and claim number.
Thank you,
EMC Insurance Companies
April Goldstein says
I was in an auto accident on October 4, 2017 in which the other party was at fault. Officer [Redacted] responded to the accident call and the other party provided both a verbal and written statement that I was driving straight on a main street and that she pulled out of a parking lot, turning left, and hit me. I collaborated both verbally and in writing. Today is November 1, 2017. I have made numerous calls to the claims adjuster and to my agent and they are refusing to pay my repairs of $779. I have been repeatedly informed that the responsible party’s insurance (Progressive) doesn’t want to pay, so I am responsible for paying my $500 deductible, even though the other party admitted fault. EMC has provided the worst insurance customer service that I have ever experienced.
EMC Insurance Companies says
April,
Thank you for contacting EMC Insurance Companies. We are sorry your experience has not been more positive, and we would like to see if there is something we can do to help. But first, we need specific information about your claim. If you have time, please send an email to corporatecommunications@emcins.com with your name and claim number.
Thank you,
EMC Insurance Companies
David Pokorny says
Hello Todd. We are sorry about your experience and want to learn more about the situation. Please send your policy number and contact information to help@emcnl.com. I will then personally contact you and work to address your concerns. To protect your privacy, we prefer to handle all future communication about this matter directly with you. Thank you, David Pokorny, Compliance Director.
Todd says
EMC mysteriously cancelled my wife’s life insurance after paying consistently for 20 years. I work for a company that automatically pulls my payment ever other week and automatically send my payment to EMC. So how could it be that we were cancelled for “inconsistent payments”. My thought is this: as we get older and we have pay them more than 35,000 in premiums, they want to keep that cash and reduce their risk. I called EMC for support and the gal that helps was also confused as to why I was cancelled. She said she would investigate… never heard back. I got smarter on the next call. I asked for her name and extension and she too said that she would investigate and call me back. She never called back… I have called her extension several time with no successes. I am frustrated and would like to know if anyone else has had their life policy cancelled for no reason. Sound like a potential class action law suit if this true
David Pokorny says
Hello Todd. We are sorry about your experience and want to learn more about the situation. Please send your policy number and contact information to help@emcnl.com. I will then personally contact you and work to address your concerns. To protect your privacy, we prefer to handle all future communication about this matter directly with you. Thank you, David Pokorny, Compliance Director.
Betsy Harris says
I am a small business. I carried my insurance with emc for over five years. I have never had a claim. Upon cancellation of my policy, they sent me paperwork attesting to the fact that they owed me money. Three weeks later, I was sent a bill from an attorney saying I owed them money? I will be filing a complaint with the BBB, and I will also be posting the letters/ statements on fb to warn all future customers to shop somewhere else for their insurance. Totally disgusted.
Melanie Johnson says
I tell EVERYONE I talk to about the subject of insurance not to get insurance through this company!
tony says
I am a victim in an auto accident caused by one of the customers of EMC and they are trying to screw me royally! Because there were 3 vehicles in the accident and the accident and the other one that was not their client was a handicap accessible one, they are trying to funnel all of the money that way and leave me less than whole. It isn’t ethical to do that and I really don’t appreciate what they are doing and how long it is taking to get a settlement. They are really not very nice people to deal with – they have my car, my plates, my money! Won’t even cover a rental until a settlement is reached! CHEAP & DIRTY – that’s what they are!
Dave says
I also was screwed by EMC as their client was pulling a flat bed trailer and that had dirt and rocks on it. I had two rocks make cracks in my windshield so I called the client and he referred me to EMC. I told them what had happened and because their client told them that he sweeped off the trailer (what else would he say?) I was denied my claim. This company will do ANYTHING not to pay a claim. If I had them for an insurance company I’d take notice because I wouldn’t think they like to pay even their clients.
Leah says
Hi Dave,
We are sorry that your experience has not been more positive. Your comments and concerns are important to us, but to properly address your concerns, we need to gather a bit more information. Please send your policy number to corporatecommunications@emcins.com, so we can look into the matter and respond appropriately.
To protect your privacy, we prefer to handle all future communication about this matter directly with you.
Thank you,
Leah
Melanie Johnson says
I have had a terrible experience with the home owners insurance myself. Actually it was with the adjuster that was sent to look at my roof damage. I haven’t had an actual claim for any damages before. Everyone on my block claimed hail damage one year but I didn’t. Then the next year they claimed water damage in their basements, but I didn’t. Then 2 years ago I claimed a leak in my roof above my bedroom. The adjuster for this area, Creston, Iowa, came dressed up to “look” at the damage. He didn’t get on a ladder but stood 30 feet away on the ground. He didn’t even go in the attic to look at the inside of the roof. HE determined from 30 feet away that the cause of the problem was where the roof of my porch hooked on to my house.
The insurance gave me $328.00 to fix the interior of the room. I had a roofing company come caulk the roof like he said. It still leaked. He came back and said that the roof vents were improperly installed so I took the $328.00 and added to it to pay $500.00 to have the roof vents fixed. Still leaked. A new roofer came to look. They said it was a low spot on the shingles that was leaking, but wouldn’t fix it. AND I tried to turn it in an it was a NEW claim ($1000.00 deductible this time not $500.00) and the same adjuster came and looked and said that it still wasn’t covered because it was the drip edge. I paid to have the drip edge fixed. Guess what? IT STILL leaked.
If I had paid to have had the interior fixed it would have been ruined as well. I’m having a new metal roof installed this week out of my own pocket. I feel as though I have no insurance, if something tremendous were to happen. I’m changing companies as soon as this “claim” is old enough not to effect anything. EMC is definitely not worth my time or trouble.
Chris says
From my experience with EMC on a homeowners claim the adjuster was there to challenge every coverage. Direct physical loss was there for the eye to see. The adjuster stated ” they do not owe for damage that still is functional.” He finally allowed for the widow screens with several 2 inch slashes when initially did not think to cover. The entire situation was unjust.
Leigh Gardella says
Worst experience in my life. They dropped us after our claim. (We were burglarized last of 22 places) front page of our paper… And we were dropped. Told we were under insured (they came out and told us after looking thru our business what to insure everything at) now want to penalize us for what they told us to insure it at…. Very Unhappy. Will tell all I know not to insure with them. ..
Jessica Zopf says
Ms. Gardella,
We are sorry that your experience has not been more positive. Your comments and concerns are important to us, but to properly address your concerns, we need to gather a bit more information. Please send your policy number to corporatecommunications@emcins.com, so we can look into the matter and respond appropriately.
To protect your privacy, we prefer to handle all future communication about this matter directly with you.
Thank you,
Jessica
Sarah Paoli says
The financial rating information for EMC is incorrect. EMC Insurance Companies has an A (Excellent) rating from A.M. Best. At the time of this post, it had an A- (not a bbb-) and has since been upgraded to an A.
Eric Stauffer says
Hi Sarah,
Thank you for sending along the updated information. It has been verified and the new rating has been reflected in the review.
Best,
Eric Stauffer