Wawanesa Insurance Review: Cheap Rates, but Limited Availability
Wawanesa Insurance Review: Cheap Rates, but Limited Availability
A Canadian auto insurance company, Wawanesa offers remarkably affordable rates. However, it's only available in two U.S. states: California and Oregon. If you live in one of these states and have a clean driving record, we recommend getting a quote from Wawanesa, but its coverage will be inaccessible to most drivers.
Is Wawanesa good insurance?
If cheap insurance is your top priority, you'll be hard pressed to find a better deal than Wawanesa. Our review of quotes from California found that Wawanesa offers much cheaper rates than major regional and national competitors, including Geico and the American Automobile Association (AAA).
In terms of policyholder experience, however, Wawanesa is a mixed bag. The company's website is exceptionally straightforward, outlining how long at-fault accidents remain on your record and how the company determines fault. Additionally, J.D. Power ranked it as the top insurer in California for overall customer satisfaction.
On the other hand, the company receives an outsize number of complaints for its size, according to complaint data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). Despite this unusually high proportion of complaints, however, we'd recommend getting a quote from Wawanesa if you're eligible. Not all drivers are; the company keeps rates low by only insuring drivers who have one or no points on their driving record.
Cost of auto insurance from Wawanesa vs. competitors
Wawanesa had the cheapest car insurance quotes of the four California insurers in our study. Rates averaged $1,569 annually for a driver with a clean record and $3,044 for a driver with one at-fault accident on their record, but Wawanesa charged just $1,276 and $2,412 — 19% and 21% less, respectively.
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Insurer | 30-year-old driver, clean record | 30-year-old driver, one accident | % increase after accident |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wawanesa | $1,276 | $2,412 | 89% |
| Geico | $1,380 | $2,510 | 82% |
| AAA | $1,750 | $3,541 | 102% |
| State Farm | $1,872 | $3,712 | 98% |
Geico, the next-cheapest insurer after Wawanesa, charged our sample 30-year-old driver with a clean record 8% more ($1,380 per year) and our sample 30-year-old driver with one at-fault accident 4% more ($2,510 per year).
Wawanesa keeps rates low by only offering insurance to safe drivers. Safe drivers are defined as those who do not have more than one traffic violation point or more than one at-fault accident over the course of the previous three years. If this definition does not describe you, you will likely have to get car insurance quotes from another company.
Wawanesa offers policyholders multiple payment options, such as the ability to pay in installments or up front. However, be aware that if you choose to pay your insurance bill in installments, Wawanesa will impose an installment fee.
What states does Wawanesa cover?
Wawanesa Insurance is only available in two states: California and Oregon. Primarily based in Canada, Wawanesa sells only a limited number of insurance policies in the USA.
Over 98% of Wawanesa's policies were sold in California, and over 90% were for auto insurance, not home, earthquake or any other form.
Wawanesa auto insurance discounts
Although Wawanesa sells the majority of its policies in California, Oregon policyholders have more discount options. Keep this difference in mind as you shop for quotes. While Wawanesa offers great rates to California drivers, you may be able to shave more off your premiums if you can secure more discounts from another insurer.
Wawanesa car insurance discounts in California
Wawanesa offers California policyholders the following discounts to help lower their premiums:
Discount | How to earn |
|---|---|
| Good driver | All drivers on a policy must have no DUIs within the last 10 years and no at-fault accidents or driving violation points within the last three years, and all drivers must have been licensed for at least three years. |
| Multi-car | Insure multiple cars on one Wawanesa policy. |
| Loyalty | Insure your car with Wawanesa for at least one year. |
| Multipolicy | Insure either a home or a condo as well as your car with Wawanesa and the company will give you a discount on the property policy. |
| Mature drivers course | Complete a state-approved defensive driver course if you are over the age of 55. |
| Affinity groups | Members of the California Coastal Credit Union can get a discount on their auto insurance. |
Wawanesa car insurance discounts in Oregon
If you're one of the few Oregon Wawanesa policyholders, you'll have access to the following discounts:
Discount | How to earn |
|---|---|
| Driver training | Complete a state-approved driver training course if you are under the age of 19. |
| Insurance score | Have a strong insurance score, which is based on factors like your accident and credit history. |
| Mature drivers course | Complete a DMV-approved defensive driver course if you are over the age of 55. |
| Multi-car | Insure multiple cars on one Wawanesa policy. |
| Vehicle recovery system | Have an anti-theft system installed in your car, like LoJack, OnStar, OnGuard or Teletrac. |
| E-collect and e-distribute | Set up autopay and paperless billing. |
| Loyalty | Insure your car with Wawanesa for at least one year. |
| Multipolicy | Insure either a home or a condo as well as your car with Wawanesa and the company will give you a discount on the property policy. |
| Military | Serve in the military or have retired as a veteran. |
| Persistency | Avoid a lapse in coverage and have a policy in place before buying a Wawanesa car insurance policy. |
Wawanesa insurance coverage
Drivers who need non-standard auto insurance coverages should consider another company besides Wawanesa.
The company offers a few optional coverages, while major national insurers like Geico or State Farm have a broader suite of coverages to choose from. Wawanesa does not provide gap insurance, for instance, so drivers who lease their cars will want to look elsewhere.
Available add-on coverages from Wawanesa include:
- Roadside assistance: Every policy period, Wawanesa will provide roadside assistance twice, paying up to $100 each time to help get your car back on the road or tow it away.
- Rental car coverage: Wawanesa Insurance does cover rental cars, allowing you to drive a rental while your car is in the shop receiving repairs for a covered loss. Limits vary depending on what state you're in.
- Vehicle manufacturer replacement parts coverage: Also known as original equipment manufacturer (OEM) coverage, Wawanesa will use parts made by the original manufacturer when completing covered repairs if you purchase this coverage.
- Uninsured motorist collision waiver: Also known as a collision deductible waiver, this coverage means Wawanesa will waive your collision deductible if you are hit by an uninsured driver. This coverage is not available in Oregon.
Wawanesa also offers the coverages you'd expect from an auto insurer, including liability, personal injury protection or medical payments, uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage and the collision and comprehensive coverages that comprise a full-coverage policy. Note that a comprehensive policy from Wawanesa includes windshield repair, so you won't need a separate insurance coverage to pay for cracks or other damage, and your rates won't go up when you make a claim.
Reviews and ratings of Wawanesa Insurance customer service
Complaint data paints a mixed picture of Wawanesa's customer service. On the one hand, Wawanesa received the highest rating in J.D. Power's 2020 Auto Insurance Satisfaction Study for the state of California, scoring 853 points out of a possible 1,000 — well above the state average of 821 and a sign of excellent customer service.
Reviewer | Average score | Wawanesa score |
|---|---|---|
| J.D. Power | 821 (higher is better) | 853 |
| NAIC | 1.00 (lower is better) | 1.44 |
| A.M. Best | Letter grade | A- (Excellent) |
On the other hand, Wawanesa auto insurance has a below average rating on the NAIC Complaint Index. With a score of 1.44 on the Complaint Index, Wawanesa receives about 44% more complaints as the average insurer of its size. Most of the NAIC complaints about Wawanesa focus on the claims department, with policyholders citing unsatisfactory insurance settlements, delays or denials of claims.
What Wawanesa lacks in customer service reputation, however, it makes up for in financial stability. A.M. Best awarded the company an A- Financial Strength Rating, which means that it has an "excellent" ability to meet its financial obligations and pay out claims.
About Wawanesa Insurance
Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company is the Canadian parent company of Wawanesa General Insurance, which sells insurance to U.S. consumers. Wawanesa General's headquarters are located in San Diego, and the company was incorporated in 1994.
Wawanesa customer service contact
To contact customer service at Wawanesa, you will use a different telephone number depending on what state you are in.
- California customer service: 1-800-640-2920
- Oregon customer service: 1-800-438-4300
The email address for Wawanesa Insurance customer service is the same no matter what state you live in.
- New customers: [email protected]
- Existing customers: [email protected]
Drivers can contact customer service to cancel their auto insurance policies; however, be aware that Wawanesa will impose a $50 fee if you cancel within 60 days of your policy's start date.
Wawanesa claims contact
To report a claim to Wawanesa, you have one of two options:
- Call the Wawanesa auto insurance claims phone number 24/7 at 888-WAWA-CLAIM (929-2252). The Wawanesa claims phone number is the same for California and Oregon policyholders. Note that once a claim is filed, you can only contact Wawanesa to discuss it from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday.
- File a claim online. You'll need to provide as much information about the car accident as you can in the online form, including information about the police department where the accident report was filed. You do not need to log in to the Wawanesa Insurance website to file a claim; instead, you can just use the dedicated auto claims page on the website.
Other companies allow you to file a claim via mobile app, but because Wawanesa does not have an app, this is not possible. If mobile account management is important to you, you'll want to consider another auto insurance company.
Other Wawanesa products
Wawanesa has stopped selling homeowners or condo insurance. Current policyholders can contact Wawanesa to discuss their coverage, but you cannot buy a new insurance policy for your home or condo at this time. If you want to discuss your current Wawanesa home insurance policy, you can call the following phone number: 1-800-640-2920.
Renters insurance is available from Wawanesa. It includes the standard coverages you'd expect from a major insurer, as well as the following add-on coverages:
- Increased limits for valuables like jewelry and silverware, also known as scheduled personal property coverage
- Earthquake coverage
- Business pursuits protection
- Permitted incidental occupancies - residence premises, which covers business activity that occurs in a rental home
Wawanesa does not have motorcycle insurance or pet insurance. Life insurance policies are available only in Canada, so do not contact Wawanesa if you're seeking this kind of coverage.
Methodology
ValuePenguin used data provided by Quadrant Information Services for this study. Rates are publicly sourced from insurer filings, and are intended solely for comparative purposes. Your own quotes could differ.
Our sample drivers are both 30-year-old men. They both drive a Honda Civic EX and live in California. We gave them the following coverage limits:
Coverage type | Study limits |
|---|---|
| Bodily liability | $50,000 per person/$100,000 per accident |
| Personal injury protection | $10,000 |
| Property damage | $25,000 per accident |
| Uninsured/underinsured motorist bodily injury | $50,000 per person/$100,000 per accident |
| Comprehensive and collision | $500 deductible |
Editorial Note: The content of this article is based on the author’s opinions and recommendations alone. It has not been previewed, commissioned or otherwise endorsed by any of our network partners.