2019 MetLife Auto Insurance Review

6:06 PM

Posted by: LK Lam

EDITOR’S RATING 4 / 5 PROS
  • Competitive rates.
  • Legal defense coverage.
  • Major auto parts replacement coverage.
  • Nationwide availability
CONS
  • Average customer service rating.
  • Complaints about poor claims service and billing issues.
  • Website lacks details about coverage options.
  • Not many discounts.

MetLife Review Summary: MetLife auto insurance is ideal for good drivers looking for traditional coverage options at budget-friendly prices. MetLife’s standout coverage features include legal defense protection and major auto parts replacement.

Aside from these special add-ons, however, MetLife’s coverage options and discounts are rather limited compared to those available from other major car insurance companies. But this doesn’t have to be a deal-breaker, especially since MetLife’s auto insurance rates are competitive, ranking 13th out of 46 insurers in WalletHub’s price research.

In the sections below, you can learn more about MetLife’s auto insurance coverage options and discounts, as well as how they compare with the likes of GEICO and State Farm. Find the Cheapest Auto Insurance Quotes in Your Area Age 16-20 21-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-65 65+ Currently Insured? Find Insurers

MetLife Auto Insurance Reviews & Ratings
  • WalletHub: 4/5 (24 user reviews)
  • Better Business Bureau: Not rated and not accredited. MetLife is currently responding to previously closed complaints.
  • J.D. Power: 3/5
  • National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC): In 2018, MetLife received a slightly higher number of complaints than other similar sized auto insurance companies.

MetLife has earned average ratings for customer service and below-average ratings for their claims servicing. Customers have also complained about MetLife’s buggy mobile app and billing problems. In terms of financial strength, MetLife has received an A+ (Superior) rating from the insurance rating agency A.M. Best.

Fun Fact: MetLife’s brand has long been associated with the Peanuts character Snoopy, who served as the company mascot for more than 30 years. MetLife ended its relationship with Snoopy in 2016, however, when it decided to spin off its life insurance business.

MetLife Auto Insurance Coverage Options

MetLife auto insurance offers all the traditional coverage options you’d expect from a well-established insurance company. These options include property damage liability, bodily injury liability, personal injury protection, medical payments, uninsured/underinsured motorist, collision, and comprehensive – most of which are typically required by state laws.

MetLife also provides extra coverage options as add-ons to their basic auto insurance policies.

Extra Coverage Options from MetLife Auto Insurance:
  • Rental Car Coverage: Covers you and the rental car you’re driving in the event of an accident. This coverage helps pay for rental income loss, claim handling expenses, and certain other costs imposed by the rental car company.
  • New Car Replacement: Covers the cost of repairing or replacing a new car if it is totaled within a year of purchase or before being driven 15,000 miles, whichever comes first.
  • Major Parts Replacement: Covers the cost of replacing certain critical vehicle components, such as tires and brakes, in the event of an accident.
  • Glass Repair: Provides deductible-free repair of your windshield.
  • Roadside Assistance: Covers the cost of towing, jump-starts, tire repairs and more if your vehicle breaks down on the road.
  • Legal Defense: Covers legal fees if you are sued and provides wage-loss reimbursement up to $200 per day if you have to appear in court per MetLife’s request.
  • Lease/Loan Gap Coverage: Covers the difference between what your car is actually worth and what is still owed on your loan/lease in the event that the car is completely totaled in an accident.

The availability and details of these coverage options vary by state. For drivers who are looking for only the most basic auto insurance policy, however, MetLife’s MyDirect may be a better fit.

MetLife MyDirect:

MyDirect is a 100% self-service platform for purchasing and managing MetLife’s most basic auto insurance policies. Drivers who are comfortable managing their policies completely online without customer assistance will likely find more affordable premiums via MyDirect. However, many customers who have used MyDirect have reported negative experiences, citing frequent problems with the website and the lack of technical support.

MyDirect is not available in all states.

Specialty Auto Insurance from MetLife:
  • MetLife Commercial Auto Insurance
  • MetLife Classic Car Insurance
  • MetLife Rideshare Insurance

MetLife also offers specialty insurance for recreational vehicles such as boats, motorcycles, scooters, ATVs, and more. The availability and details of these specialty insurance policies vary by state.

Sample MetLife Auto Insurance Quotes
Age Clean Driving Record Poor Driving Record
21 $324 / month $542 / month
30 $187 / month $314 / month
42 $158 / month $269 / month

Premiums vary by state and by the level of coverage you choose to purchase. Learn more about how WalletHub obtained these sample quotes in the Methodology section at the end of the review.

MetLife Discounts
  • Deductible Savings: $50 savings on your deductible for each year that you are claims-free (up to $250 total).
  • Defensive Driver Discount: Up to 7% discount after completing a driver training class. To qualify, you must be licensed for at least 2 years.
  • Superior Driver: Up to 12% discount when every driver in your household have clean driving records.
  • MetRewards®: Up to 20% discount if you remain claims-free and violation-free for 5 years.
  • Multi-policy: Up to 10% savings when you have multiple insurance policies (e.g., home, auto, etc.) with MetLife.
  • Good Student: 15% discount for high school or college student who maintain good grades in school. MetLife doesn’t specify what “good grades” means, but other insurers typically define it as a “B” or better average.

Eligibility criteria for discounts vary by state, and not all discounts are available in all states.

MetLife vs. GEICO, State Farm & Allstate
Insurer MetLife GEICO State Farm Allstate
Average Annual Premium $3,227 $3,546 $3,925 $4,949
Customer Satisfaction* 3/5 3/5 3/5 3/5
WalletHub Ranking (total of 46 companies) 13th 21st 26th 40th
Complaints Score (lower is best) 1.34 0.84 0.59 0.88

*Ratings are from JD Power’s 2019 automotive insurance surveys.

MetLife Auto Insurance Review Methodology

To evaluate the relative strengths and weaknesses of MetLife auto insurance, WalletHub’s editors reviewed policies offered by the largest U.S. auto insurers. WalletHub’s auto insurance ratings are based on several key factors that are important to auto insurance shoppers – these include customer reviews, watchdog ratings, coverage options and limits, claims process, customer service, cost, and transparency

To help gauge the level of customer satisfaction at MetLife and other auto insurance companies, WalletHub calculates a complaints score for each company. This score is the ratio of each company’s share of all U.S. car insurance complaints over its share of annual premiums for private passenger auto policies. In other words, the complaints score helps us to see whether an auto insurance carrier has received fewer or more complaints compared to other similar sized companies in the industry.

MetLife Auto Insurance Quote Assumptions:
Coverage Type Coverage Limit
Bodily Injury (per person) $100,000
Bodily Injury (per accident) $300,000
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist - Bodily Injury (per person) $30,000
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist - Bodily Injury (per accident) $60,000
Property Damage $50,000
Medical Payments $5,000
  • Collision Deductible: $500 (deductible waiver add-on included)
  • Comprehensive Deductible: $250
  • Marital Status & Gender: Single Male
  • State: California
  • Car: Honda Accord

For price comparison, WalletHub relied on quotes from major auto insurance companies in California. California was selected because it’s the most populous state in the United States, and it lands in the middle of WalletHub’s price rankings for car insurance. From the state regulator’s database, we collected quotes for drivers of different ages and driving records, in which a poor record assumes at least one violation or one at-fault accident.

For more car insurance research, check out WalletHub’s 2019 Cheap Car Insurance Study. And if you have experience with MetLife auto insurance that you think might help other consumers, you can also write a MetLife auto insurance review.



from Wallet HubWallet Hub


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