Is this small insurance agency worth considering?

 

The best insurance agencies offer superior customer service and help customers best navigate a wide array of plans and discounts. In this article, we’ll find out if the Chicago-based Advanced Auto Insurance measures up.

Even if you decide to use an agency to help shop for car insurance, it’s always a good idea to do some of your own research too. A good place to start is by reading our review of the best car insurance companies in the industry.

To get an idea of what you can expect to pay for car insurance, enter your zip code below or call (844) 246-8209 to speak with Motor1's designated quotes team.

 

In this article:

Advanced Auto Insurance Overview

Advanced Auto Insurance is an insurance agency based in Chicago with about two decades of experience in the industry. It works with over 25 insurance companies including Progressive, Liberty Mutual, and Travelers.

While an insurance agency can be more expensive than dealing with an insurance company directly, this is not always the case. Some insurance agencies may have special deals with providers that allow them to secure rates you could not otherwise get on your own.

Even if you end up paying a premium to work with an insurance agency, it could be a worthwhile investment. It can be a lot of work to shop for car insurance. A good auto insurance agent may be able to secure discounts that make up for the cost of their commission.

With Advanced Auto Insurance, you can get bilingual service in English and Spanish.

Is Working With An Insurance Agency Right For You?

Here are some pros and cons of working with an insurance agency.

Pros

Cons

Help to navigate the insurance marketplace

The added middleman means that your rates may ultimately be higher.

Can get access to special discounts or deals

Agents can push certain plans to make more money

Personalized customer support

 
 

 

Advanced Auto Insurance Coverage

Advanced Auto Insurance can help you find any basic car insurance coverage you need. With Advanced, you have access to the six standard types of car insurance:

  • Collision coverage: Pays for damage to your vehicle regardless of who is at fault
  • Comprehensive coverage: Pays for damage to your vehicle for non-collision incidents such as hail, theft, and vandalism
  • Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage: Pays for damages to your vehicle in the event that the other driver is uninsured or underinsured
  • Medical payments: Pays for medical expenses that result from an accident regardless of who is at fault
  • Personal injury protection: Pays for medical expenses, lost wages as a result of injury, and death benefits in some cases

Other insurance products include motorcycle insurance, renters insurance, life insurance, home insurance, and SR-22 insurance for high-risk drivers.

Advanced Auto Insurance also offers roadside assistance, which can make a car accident less of a hassle. You can get additional perks through the final insurance provider.

 


 

Advanced Auto Insurance Cost

A wide variety of factors that impact car insurance rates. It all boils down to the financial risk that you present to the insurance provider. Some common factors used to determine risk and set premiums include:

  • Location
  • Age
  • Gender
  • Credit score
  • Vehicle make and model
  • Driving record
  • Marital status

You can get a quote from Advanced Auto Insurance to find out how much you would pay for a policy. However, it should be noted that when our review team tested Advanced’s quotes tool, it did not work. To get a quote from Advanced, you may have to call the agency directly.

Insurance agencies can charge fees and build them into the price. This means you may pay slightly more to buy from Advanced Auto Insurance than a provider directly. 

Discounts

Most car insurance companies offer policy discounts. A savvy insurance shopper will seek out companies that offer the most relevant discounts to their driving habits. An excellent insurance agent is familiar with all of the discounts offered by local providers and knows which policies will best suit their customers.

Advanced Auto Insurance provides the following types of discounts:

  • Multi-line discounts
  • Homeowners discounts
  • Discounts for individuals with clean drug records
  • Discounts for students

 


 

Advanced Auto Insurance Claims Process

When it is time to file a claim, you can contact an Advanced Auto Insurance agent or reach out directly to the auto insurance company that is underwriting your policy through Advanced. The process may differ among providers, but if you have an account serviced by Advanced, you can be certain that an agent will help you navigate the appropriate paperwork and forms.

 


 

Advanced Auto Insurance Ratings And Reviews

As a small, regional provider, Advanced Auto Insurance does not have Better Business Bureau or AM Best profiles. The company does, however, have a positive customer service reputation on Google.

Though there are a relatively small number of reviews, Advanced has a better review trend than many companies we examine, especially for an insurance agency. The main reason to work with an agency in the first place is for access to quality customer service, and Advanced Auto Insurance seems to have it.

“I am really happy with my car’s insurance, and it is because of Santiago’s excellent customer service… When I [call] him for questions, he always [answers] on time and fast.”

- Elizabeth G. via Google

“Santiago [is] a great agent. He [helped] me to repair my vehicle at the shop. Quick and easy. Thank you, Santiago.”

- Jose B. via Google

Filing a car insurance claim after an accident is generally a stressful experience. Many people who leave reviews for an auto insurance provider or agent do so in the wake of a bad experience. It is rare to see the kind of positive review profile that Advanced Auto Insurance maintains. 

 


 

Our Take On Advanced Auto Insurance: 3.5 Stars

We rate Advanced Auto Insurance with 3.5 out of 5.0 stars. The company can help high-risk drivers find good insurance plans. It also offers bilingual service and has a good customer service reputation. It can be a good option for Chicago locals looking for a personal touch on car insurance.

 


 

Recommended Car Insurance Providers

It’s not a bad idea to use a broker to help find the perfect auto insurance. However, even if you are using a broker, it’s smart to compare rates for yourself.

Whenever you shop for car insurance, we recommend getting quotes from multiple providers so you can compare coverage and pricing. A variety of factors affect your premium, so what’s best for your neighbor might not be best for you.

Use our tool below or call Motor1's designated quotes team at (844) 246-8209 to start comparing personalized car insurance quotes. Check out our top two providers: USAA and Geico.

 
 

USAA: 5.0 Stars

After comparing all leading providers, we found USAA to be one of the most affordable options on the market. AM Best gives USAA an A++ financial strength rating, indicating a superior ability to meet claims obligations. USAA also received high scores in the J.D. Power 2020 U.S. Auto Claims Satisfaction StudySM

The only downside to USAA insurance is that customers must be a member of the U.S. armed services or an immediate family member of someone who is. If this does not apply to you, there are other great coverage options out there. Read our USAA insurance review for more.

 

Geico: 4.5 Stars

We rate Geico 4.5 out of 5.0 stars and find that it also provides some of the lowest premiums to drivers. Geico has an AM Best financial strength rating of A++. Drivers can file claims in minutes through the Geico mobile app, which makes things easy.

We also rate Geico as the best choice for the average driver. With a range of discounts and extra coverage options, Geico is a good place to start when comparing auto insurance quotes. For more information, read our Geico review.

 


 

Frequently Asked Questions

Who really has the cheapest car insurance?

After comparing prices and discounts for all leading providers, we found USAA to have the cheapest car insurance overall. That said, the cheapest car insurance may be different for your situation. Progressive provides cheaper prices to high-risk drivers, and State Farm provides cheaper coverage to students, for example.

What are the 10 best auto insurance companies?

According to our market research, the 10 best car insurance companies are USAA, Geico, State Farm, Progressive, AAA, Liberty Mutual, Allstate, The Hartford, Nationwide, and Farmers. We rated Geico Best Overall, USAA Best for Military, and State Farm Best for Students.

Which auto insurance company is best at paying claims?

According to the J.D. Power 2020 U.S. Auto Claims Satisfaction Study, New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance Co. has the highest claims satisfaction score of 909 out of 1,000. Amica Mutual comes in second place with 907 points, and Auto-Owners Insurance and USAA tie for third with 890 points each.

Is Good2Go Auto Insurance legit?

Good2Go Auto Insurance is a legitimate car insurance company that caters to high-risk drivers and people who want the bare minimum level of coverage. However, it doesn’t have great financial ratings or customer reviews. We rate it with 3.0 out of 5.0 stars and recommend you try other providers first.

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