Bristol West Car Insurance Review
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Bristol West is an auto insurance provider that specializes in high-risk drivers. The company is part of the Farmers Insurance Group and operates in 42 states and Washington, D.C. Bristol West is also an affiliate of Foremost Insurance, another Farmers company that specializes in covering homes, mobile homes, RVs, and boats.
Related Resource: Bristol West Insurer Profile for Auto.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- 1
Bristol West was established in 1973 to provide auto insurance to high-risk drivers.
- 2
It offers straightforward auto coverage to high-risk drivers, but its customer service record is disappointing.
- 3
Bristol West may be a good option if you've had trouble securing affordable coverage from other insurance companies.
History
Bristol West was established in 1973 to provide car insurance to Florida residents. Over the last several decades, the company remained focused on auto coverage but grew by expanding its reach outside Florida. Farmers Insurance Group acquired Bristol West in July of 2007.1
Bristol West was formerly tied to Foremost Insurance, another Farmers company, but the two providers were split up in 2018. Today, Foremost and Bristol West operate as separate, but related entities. Foremost specializes in homeowners insurance and promotes Bristol West as its car insurance affiliate.
Bristol West has main offices in Florida and Ohio.
Bristol West Auto Complaint History: Below Average
The National Association of Insurance Commissioners tracks complaints against insurance carriers, by type of coverage. The table below shows the complaint ratings for Bristol West from 2017 through 2021. The ratings represent the number of complaints relative to the company's share of premiums. A rating greater than 1 means the company had a higher than expected volume of complaints. A rating lower than 1 means the company had a lower than expected volume of complaints. A .5 would be half as many and a 2.0 would be twice as many complaints compared to the average.
Policy Type | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
Auto | 1.9 | 1.65 | 1.8 | 1.5 | 1.9 |
Table data source and methodology: NAIC complaint data aggregated across Bristol West's five sub-companies: Bristol W Cas Ins Co, Bristol W Ins Co, Bristol W Preferred Ins Co, Coast Natl Ins Co, and Security Natl Ins Co.
Bristol West's record has fluxuated over the past few years, but the 2021 rating is still higher (worse) than expected given the size of the company.2
Is Bristol West Right For You?
Bristol West specializes in insuring high-risk drivers. If you've been cancelled or declined by another carrier, Bristol West may be a good fit. You'll have to accept the possibility of spotty customer service -- but then you may not have a choice if you're having trouble securing coverage. One notable positive about Bristol West is the availability of online tools to submit claims and access your coverages and ID cards.
Bristol West is right for you if… | Bristol West may not fit if… |
You have a poor driving record, poor credit, or a history of auto claims.
| You have high standards for customer service. |
You like accessing your policy details online or with an app. | You live in Alaska, Massachusetts, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, or the state of Washington. Bristol West does not offer insurance in these states.
|
You only need auto insurance and no other line of coverage. | You want to bundle your home and auto policies with the same company. Bristol West does not offer homeowners coverage.
|
What We Think About Bristol West
Bristol West isn't the top choice for all drivers, but it may be a good option if you've had trouble securing affordable coverage from other insurance companies. As a nonstandard insurance provider, Bristol West specializes in covering drivers that other carriers deem "high risk." Common risk flags include too many tickets on your driving record, a DUI, multiple accidents, poor credit, no prior insurance, or lapses in coverage.
Bristol West does offer some key services specifically for higher risk drivers. For example, the company will file an SR-22 for you -- this is a certification of insurance your DMV might require after a DUI or other serious traffic violations. Not all carriers provide this service. Bristol West also offers low down payments on installment plans, automatic payments, and payment text alerts to help you keep your coverage from lapsing.
Outside of the SR-22 filings, Bristol West's coverage options are fairly standard. The company doesn't offer premium features like disappearing deductibles or accident forgiveness, but you can get state-mandated liability, as well comprehensive, collision, and uninsured motorist coverage.
The company's complaint record is subpar, though it has shown improvement over the last few years. Customers report delays in getting refunds after cancellation, problems with automatic payments, and an inability to reach customer service.3
Bristol West is sold primarily through agents and brokers, but you can also get a quote for coverage online.
Summary of Bristol West auto coverage: Bristol West offers straightforward auto coverage to higher risk drivers, but the customer service record is disappointing.
How Bristol West Car Insurance Works
See the table below for the types of auto coverage available through Bristol West.
Auto Coverage Type | How it Works |
Property Liability and Bodily Injury Liability
| Liability coverage pays for damages you cause to someone else's property or person. If you roll through a stop sign and hit another car, your property damage liability coverage should fund repair costs for the other car, up to your stated policy limits. Bodily injury liability covers the cost of the other driver's medical bills, up to your policy limits.
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Collision | Collision insurance pays for accident-related damages to your vehicle. You are responsible for a deductible, unless you qualify for a collision deductible waiver.
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Comprehensive | Comprehensive insurance pays to repair your vehicle when damages result from something other than a collision -- such as vandalism, weather damage, and theft. You are responsible for a deductible.
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Medical Payments | Medical payments coverage pays any medical bills for you and your passengers that aren't covered by primary health insurance.
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Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist
| If another driver hits you, that driver should be responsible for any resulting costs. Unfortunately, you'll have a hard time collecting if the driver has no insurance or not enough insurance to cover the bills. Uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage steps in to pay those bills when the other driver doesn't have enough insurance.
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Rental Reimbursement | Rental Reimbursement coverage pays for your rental car costs while your car is being repaired after a covered loss.
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Towing and Roadside Assistance | Also known as breakdown service, towing and roadside assistance gives you access to a tow truck and a technician who can change tires, jumpstart batteries, and access a locked vehicle.
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Permissive User Coverage | If you give someone permission to drive your car, your Bristol West auto coverages automatically extend to that driver under your permissive user coverage.
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Rental Car Coverage | Rental car coverage extends the coverages on your primary vehicle to any car that you rent.
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Trailer Damage Coverage | Bristol West Trailer Damage Coverage provides $500 in liability insurance for any trailer that's attached to a vehicle listed on your policy.
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Rideshare Coverage Option | With the rideshare coverage option, your policy coverages remain in place while you are offering rideshare or delivery services -- such as driving for Uber, Lyft, or Uber Eats.
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Table data source: Bristol West4
More About Bristol West
One differentiating point for Bristol West is the company's focus on technology. That's a plus for anyone who's accustomed to checking coverage levels, making payments, filing claims, or accessing ID cards online. These actions are available on Bristol West's website and via its iOS and Android applications.
Online tools
Once you create an account at BristolWest.com, you can access your policy documents on the website or in one of the Bristol West apps. You can also sign up for text payment reminders, enroll in automatic payments, submit any required documentation, and track the status of your claims.
Additionally, some features are available to you without a login -- including making payments, reporting and tracking claims, and viewing your ID cards.
Bristol West app
The Bristol West app is available for iOS and Android. The iOS app has a rating of 3 stars out of 5. Some users report that the app is quite user-friendly, while others say it doesn't properly perform basic tasks, like logging in. The Android app has a higher rating of 3.8 stars, but reviews point to similar issues, including problems logging in.
Bristol West Auto Discounts
Bristol West offers fairly standard discounts on its auto premiums, as shown in the table below.
Discount | How You Get It |
Multi-car Discount | Have more than one vehicle on the same policy and you may qualify for a discount.
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Paid-in-Full Discount | If you can pay for the premium all at once, you avoid extra installment fees associated with making payments over time.
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Pay Online Discount | This is an easy discount to get; simply make an online payment instead of mailing in a check.
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New Customer Discount | Qualify for this discount by switching to Bristol West from another carrier.
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Safe Driving Discount | You can qualify for a safe driving discount by avoiding accidents and traffic tickets.
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Homeowners Discount | Homeowners earn a discount on their Bristol West auto premiums.
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Table data source: Insurance Panda5
Bristol West Insurance FAQs
Will Bristol West raise my auto premiums from one term to the next?
It is possible for your Bristol West premium to increase from one period to the next, even if you haven't changed your coverages or had any tickets, claims, or accidents. The Bristol West underwriting process follows standard industry practice, in that the company could adjust your rates based on your age, where you garage your vehicle, or even the rate of claims across your state.
Contact your agent or broker to review the factors that might be influencing your premiums over time.
What is their installment fee?
Bristol West gives you the option to pay your premium over time rather than all at once. If you choose this option, an installment fee will be added to your policy premium and included on your bill. It's to your benefit to pay your premium in full if you can afford it. Doing so would eliminate the installment fee from your insurance costs.
Can I change my policy online?
While you can make payments, check coverages, and submit claims online, Bristol West recommends you contact your agent or broker to make changes to your policy. This is because some policy changes require your signature to process.
Whom do I call after an accident?
You can submit a claim online at any time of day, or you can call a Bristol West claims adjuster at 800-274-7865 during business hours.
Bristol West Resources
Bristol West provides online quotes, text alerts, and an agent directory for its current and prospective auto insurance customers.
Find an agent
Bristol West auto insurance has a network of agents and brokers that are experts in the Bristol West auto coverage. You can find one near you using the carrier's agent directory.
Text alert program
The Bristol West text alert program reminds you when premium payments are due and notifies you if a premium payment has not been received on time. You can opt in by logging in to your account at BristolWest.com and selecting Text Alert Preferences.
- Farmers Insurance Group. (2020, September 12). Retrieved October 12, 2020, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farmers_Insurance_Group
- 47 State Auto Insurance Reviews and Complaints @ Pissed Consumer. (2020, May 19). Retrieved October 12, 2020, from https://state-auto-insurance.pissedconsumer.com/review.html
- Bristol West Insurance reviews and complaints @ Pissed Consumer. (2020, June 02). Retrieved October 12, 2020, from https://bristol-west-insurance.pissedconsumer.com/complaints/RT-P.html
- Bristol West auto insurance 101. (n.d.). Retrieved October 12, 2020, from https://www.bristolwest.com/home/auto-insurance101
- Is Bristol West good for auto insurance? (n.d.). Retrieved October 12, 2020, from https://www.insurancepanda.com/faq/is-bristol-west-good-for-auto-insurance/
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