American Family Insurance Review

American Family Insurance owns a variety of companies, including Connect, The General, Homesite, and Main Street America. American Family Insurance is the ninth largest auto insurance company in the United States, and the American Family Insurance group includes more than 14 member companies, subsidiaries, and affiliates.

American Family made one of its most recent acquisitions in 2019, purchasing Ameriprise for around $1.05 billion. After the purchase, Ameriprise was renamed Connect, powered by American Family Insurance.

Companies American Family Insurance Owns 

• The Main Street America Group
• The AssureStart Insurance Agency, LLC (AssureStart)
• PGC Holding Corps. and its subsidiaries, including The General
• New Ventures, LLC
• Midvale Life Insurance Company of New York
• Midvale Indemnity Company
• Homesite Group Incorporated and its subsidiaries (Homesite)
• American Standard Insurance Company of Ohio
• American Family Insurance Company
• American Family Financial Services, Inc.
• American Family Brokerage, Inc.
• American Family Life Insurance Company
• American Standard Insurance Company of Wisconsin
• American Family Mutual Insurance Company, S.I.
• AmFam, Inc.

For more information about AmFam, check out WalletHub's complete American Family Insurance review.

American Family is rated 2.8 out of 5 by WalletHub's editors, based on factors such as customer reviews and watchdog-group ratings. For example, American Family has a rating of 1.18 from he National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), meaning it has more customer complaints than the average insurer its size.

American Family Insurance Ratings

• WalletHub Editors: 2.8
• A.M. Best: A
• J.D. Power: 4.1
• NAIC: 1.18
• BBB: A
• Standard & Poor's: A
• Moody's: Aa3
• Average User Rating on WalletHub: 2.7/5

To learn more, check out WalletHub's complete American Family car insurance review.

Yes, American Family offers full coverage insurance. A American Family full coverage policy usually refers to car insurance that includes the state's minimum requirements along with collision and comprehensive insurance, which protect the policyholder's own vehicle.

The average cost of American Family full coverage car insurance is $1,656. Full coverage from American Family is more expensive than an American Family liability-only policy, since it provides more coverage.

An American Family full coverage policy is a good choice for drivers who don't want to pay out of pocket to repair or replace their car, even if they are at fault in an accident. Collision insurance covers the cost of fixing or replacing the policyholder's vehicle after an accident, regardless of who was at fault. Similarly, comprehensive insurance covers the policyholder's car if it's damaged by something besides an accident, like vandalism, a fire, or a natural disaster. Collision and comprehensive are not mandatory in any state, but they are required for leased and financed cars.

Still, it's worth noting that full coverage is not the official name of any type of insurance, so be sure to clarify whether collision and comprehensive are included if you're purchasing an American Family policy. To learn more, check out WalletHub's guide to full coverage car insurance.

Yes, American Family Insurance offers a type of gap insurance. American Family gap insurance is technically called “loan/lease payoff coverage,” and it pays the difference between a totaled car's value and the policyholder's loan or lease balance, up to a maximum of 25% of the car's actual cash value, though it's worth noting that American Family gap coverage does not pay the policyholder's deductible.

American Family Insurance loan/lease payoff coverage only costs $5-$15 per month, and it is usually a better investment than purchasing gap insurance from a dealership, where the cost is often rolled into your loan and charged interest. For more information, check out WalletHub's complete guide to gap insurance.

No, American Family does not offer a military discount to its customers. Some auto insurance companies, including 6 of the top 10 providers, do offer discounts that are exclusively available to members of the military community and their eligible family members, but American Family isn't one of them.

While American Family does not offer a military discount, specifically, the company does offer a wide variety of other discounts that can help drivers save money. To learn more, check out WalletHub's American Family review.

Yes, American Family does offer free towing for customers who have the company's roadside assistance coverage. American Family roadside assistance generally costs $1-$6 per month and includes towing services to the nearest repair facility. American Family customers can request roadside assistance online, or they can call 1-800-692-6326.

American Family Roadside Assistance Covers:

• Towing services to the nearest repair facility
• Flat tire changes
• Jump starts
• Gasoline delivery
• Lockout services

While American Family's roadside assistance covers towing and other services, it doesn't cover the cost of repair parts, replacement keys, or major fixes due to things like engine failure or structural damage.

Yes, American Family has accident forgiveness for car insurance customers. American Family accident forgiveness can be purchased as a policy add-on if the policyholder has had no violations or at-fault accidents in the last year  or earned if the customer is claim-free for five years. Once the policyholder has accident forgiveness, it applies to one accident every 1-5 years, depending on whether it was earned or purchased.

Keep in mind that American Family accident forgiveness is per policy, not per driver. As a result, if one driver on a shared policy caused an accident in the past 1-5 years, the other named drivers cannot have any of their accidents forgiven.

Even if you don't qualify for American Family's earned accident forgiveness, the paid add-on is still a good investment if you're concerned about your rates going up after a wreck. On average, American Family premiums go up by 24% after an at-fault accident, so paying for accident forgiveness can save you money long-term.

To learn more, check out WalletHub's guide to accident forgiveness.

American Family is owned by American Family policyholders, since it is a mutual insurance company and its shares are not available to investors on the public market. Among the 10 largest car insurance companies in the U.S., four are mutual insurance companies.

For more information, check out WalletHub's full American Family review.

To cancel American Family insurance, the policyholder must contact their agent directly or call customer service at 1-800-692-6326. The cancellation can be arranged for a future date or set to take effect immediately. You will need your name, policy number, and the date you want your policy to end.

• Cancel by phone by calling 1-800-692-6326.
• Cancel by mail by writing a letter that includes your name, policy number, and the date you want your policy to end. Sign, date, and mail your letter to: American Family Insurance / 6000 American Parkway / Madison, WI 53783.
• You cannot cancel an American Family policy online.

If you've already paid your premium for the policy period in full, American Family will refund the unused portion. American Family does not impose a cancellation fee or penalty for early termination.

It's important to remember that you don't need to cancel your policy just because you're going through some life changes. For example, you should have American Family update your mailing address or vehicle information if you're moving or buying a new car.

If you're canceling your current policy in order to switch to another company, be sure to activate your new policy before canceling the old one. This prevents a lapse in coverage, which would lead to higher premiums in the future.

Yes, American Family has glass coverage for customers with comprehensive insurance. American Family customers can file a glass claim under their comprehensive coverage if their windshield was damaged due to something besides an accident, such as an animal, a weather event, or vandalism. If the windshield was damaged in a crash, drivers can file a claim with their collision insurance if they were at fault or with the at-fault driver's liability coverage.

Fixing a cracked or chipped windshield is important for safety reasons, since damaged windshields can obstruct a driver's vision and weaken the car's frame. But if the damage is minor, you might be able to have your windshield repaired rather than replaced. A general rule of thumb is that windshields can be repaired if there is a chip smaller than a quarter or a crack smaller than a dollar bill.

To encourage customers to drive safely, American Family waives the comprehensive deductible for windshield repairs. Several states also have specific laws about car insurance deductibles for windshield repairs and replacement.

State Laws on Deductibles for Glass Coverage

• Florida, Kentucky, and South Carolina require companies to waive the deductible for both windshield repair and replacement.

• Kentucky and South Carolina require companies to waive the deductible for all auto glass that you can see out of, not just the windshield.

• Arizona, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Minnesota, and New York require insurers to offer customers the option of a $0 glass deductible plan. This option is often referred to as full glass coverage.

If you don't live in one of these states, you will likely have to pay your comprehensive deductible in order for your windshield to be completely replaced. You can check with American Family if you're unclear about your policy details or your state's laws. For more information, check out WalletHub's guides to comprehensive and windshield insurance.