We Recommend Hiscox
The company got its start in 1917 and at the time specialized in auto insurance. Its focus has shifted significantly over the years thanks to its acquisition by Nationwide, and it is now a leading provider of small business insurance in its region.
The company sells insurance throughout the eastern and mid-Atlantic regions. Although its main focus is on small business insurance, it does sell some private auto and homeowner’s coverage; this however makes up just 20% of the company’s overall business.
Insurance Products
Personal Insurance
Harleysville offers both auto and homeowners insurance to individuals. By using the StarPak plan, you can combine all of your insurance policies into a single one, simplifying billing and potentially saving money. Policies that can be bundled include home, renter’s, auto, boat and personal liability coverage, as well as some life insurance plans, which are underwritten by Nationwide Financial.
Auto policies include basic coverages like collision and comprehensive as well as some basic endorsements for things like audio equipment, lease gap coverage, customized equipment coverage and new car replacement.
Business Insurance
Harleysville offers several types of business insurance, with a particular focus on small businesses. The Home Business Solutions plan is an endorsement that can be used for any home-based business. It acts as an endorsement for a standard homeowner’s policy.
Other products include employee benefits like annuities, life insurance and retirement plans, all of which are backed by Nationwide Financial.
Flood Insurance
You can purchase flood insurance for your home or business through Harleysville. These policies can be added to your existing property insurance or purchased separately if you’re insured by another company. Harleysville Insurance acts as an agency of the National Flood Insurance Program to offer both standard and preferred risk flood policies.
Harleysville Insurance Rates
There is no quote request form on the Harleysville website, and there’s no phone number to call specifically for obtaining a policy. To get a quote, you’ll need to contact an agent licensed to sell Harleysville insurance. There’s an agent locator on the website that works by ZIP code.
Claims
The preferred method of filing a claim is to contact your agent and allow him or her to walk you through the process. However, you can still file over the phone by calling 800-892-8877 for property/casualty insurance and 800-421-3535 for flood claims.
Employee benefits, life insurance and other related claims can be filed by fax or through the mail by downloading the appropriate form and forwarding it to the company. There is no online claims form option.
Consumer Research and Complaints
Harleysville Insurance is not accredited with the Better Business Bureau, and it does not have its own rating with the BBB since it’s a subsidiary of Nationwide.
There is little customer feedback on other review sites, but the reviews there do frequently bring up poor response times from adjusters or damage estimates that were low-balled. These are fairly common complaints for auto insurers. We found no complaints online about the business insurance products.
Financial Strength
| Rating Company | Grade | Financial Outlook |
|---|---|---|
| AM Best | A+ | Stable |
| Fitch | N/A | N/A |
| S&P | A+ | Stable |
Bottom Line
If you’re in the region and require business insurance, since Harleysville provides this product it may be worth the time receiving a quick quote to aide in your research; if for no other reason than Harleysville being back by Nationwide.
It is our general opinion that with so many options out there, taking the time upfront to fully understand your coverage needs and then finding the company that best fits those needs from a product and pricing standpoint is the most important thing.
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.
Matt says
This is Matt again,
Harleysville finally agreed to go to court after three years, but not until they made me sign a document stating I can’t come after them for bad faith, in trust all would drop all lawsuits against me my son and all companies. After selling my home and assets to keep the business running, and massive borrowing and no work because of the lawsuits along with my credit damaged.
Everyone demanded I sign it, to get rid of the lawsuits and so the plaintiff could see relief as they had no resolve and in massive debt from medical bills.
I signed it and it went to court and Harleysville was found that they should have provided coverage from the beginning as my policy clearly read.
This was complete bad faith and after paying them over 300,000 in premiums.
We were left with defense bills ( which per insurance Harleysville should have provided but instead denied and excepted no responsibility )
And we lost nearly 2 million in revenue, 300,000 in premiums paid to Harleysville that returned no defense or coverage for over 3 years, and debt borrowed of 400,000.
God bless the plaintiff for getting their settlement final so they can move on but we will be battling a discussing debt load because of Harleysville forever!
They put my companies and family in ruin!!!!!
Erik says
They sent a letter to me that my policy coverage ceases before upcoming renewal on 7/7/2018. The reason is because my daughter was involved in an at-fault accident in 2017 resulting in $616.99 property damage and $5,000.00 bodily injury paid. This action is really stupid because that’s why we all bought insurance for, right? An accident could be your fault or someone else’s fault. This company is on my bottom list.
Jeana Baxter says
Worse company ever!!! They agree to an amount but when the time comes to pay it they all of sudden deny the claim for no reason. They didn’t even pursue the other insurance just denied and closed the claim.
What kind of company doesn’t work with their clients. They are there to get the money you owe them monthly but when it is time to pay out they don’t want to part with it. Hello I paid in thousand upon thousands of dollars and yet a thousand dollar claim you deny and close without any reason or working with other insurance company! I thought you get insurance to protect yourself against others you shouldn’t have to protect yourself from your own insurance company. DO NOT EVER and I mean EVER go with this company. They don’t even deserve one star! The deserve negative stars!!
Bill says
Have been with Harleysville since 1976. Combined home and auto insurance. Zero claims on the auto policy. 1 small $500 claim 8 years ago on the homeowners. Until about 4-5 years ago the rates seemed reasonable. My bill has doubled in the past 4-5 years. Same coverage. They think since I have been with them 40 years I will never change companies. WRONG! Goodbye Harleysville.
Dawn says
DO NOT PURCHASE insurance through Harleysville. They cancelled our workman’s comp policy and then a year later hit us with a $6,000 audit bill. They are crooks. It was their error in why they didn’t get paid. I recommend that no one EVER purchase company insurance, whether liability, workman’s comp, or commercial auto through this company. I am turning them into the Attorney General, the Better Business Bureau and I am going to flood Facebook, and all media outlets to and I will let everyone know who has this insurance to leave immediately unless they want to be taken advantage of in the worst way! Very unethical company!!!
Phillip says
I was involved in an auto accident insured by Harleysville group Insurance and this is when my nightmare began. Nationwide low-balled the repair estimate comparing repair costs to a luxury Mercedes Benz to a more common domestic car. None of the local shops have knowledge of how to remove plastic parts or make suitable repairs to this vehicle. The bottom line: Nationwide/Harleysville expects band-aid repairs using discount parts and demands these are the same quality as the factory parts made in Germany. The personnel handling this claim are argumentative who deny their company is financially responsible for actual repair costs and blames unqualified shops for accident damage by abusing their economic influence… 18 months after this accident, my car still has unfinished repairs and no shop will even consider the repairs because there is no guarantee the insurance will pay for repair costs by pushing the burden of financial responsibility upon the consumer.
David Wolcroff says
I had been with Harleysville Insurance for 2 years. They had low premiums, so went with them for my auto insurance. At the end of the second year, I was involved in an accident and my car was totaled. The amount they were offering was less than what could buy a similar car. When I asked the adjuster what does total mean and how much they must pay me. There was no reply from my adjuster. I had to follow up 4 times by phone and 3 times by email. Finally he called me after about 20 days and agreed that for total, they must pay me enough money that can buy a similar car from a dealer within 25 miles of my residence. I asked him to show me a single similar car available for sale at the price they are offering. He said he will email me. It has been a month. I have sent like 10 emails but no reply so far. I had even escalated to their claim department a week ago but still nothing so far. What kind of insurance company refrains from replying to customer.
I am never going to choose this company for insurance in future.
matt says
I thought Harleysville was a strong company that can and would protect you?
I was wrong!
Harleysville, lets company down and many folks will be losing there jobs!!!!
I have been a strong client of them for many years, holding over 5 million on a policy for my construction company and paying them many thousands of dollars per year.
i had a company truck paid for and serviced by my company and i bought a new one and let my son who works for the company barrow it as to go to job sites and to and from work,
with our company letters he had a personal injury accident,
Harleysville denies claim, we are going down because of it,
Thanks Harleysville,