Allstate’s Rating
Financial Strength
Services Offered
Customer Service
Insurance Rates
Carsurance Verdict:
Reasonably-affordable and financially-sound, Allstate Canada offers auto insurance across Canada. However, its poor customer service is a real bummer. If you can live with that, it’s worth considering.
4
Pros
- Unmatchable selection of discounts
- Excellent financial standing
- Great online tools
- Wide range of policy add-ons
Cons
- Poor customer service
- Not the most affordable premiums
Allstate Canada, established in 1953 and operating from its HQ in Markham, Ontario, is part of the US-based The Allstate Corporation. The insurer offers Canadians a range of insurance products, including auto, home, and commercial.
To figure out the calibre of its auto insurance, we checked various reviews and compared the company to its peers on various important parameters, such as price, customer service, financial stability, and more.
Keep on reading to find whether Allstate Insurance is the right choice for you.
Product Overview
Allstate, a well-known name in the Canadian auto industry, offers a wide range of policy options and a slew of advanced features to its customers.
Features
Easy, Simple Claim Process
Filing a claim with Allstate is hassle-free and quick. You can report a claim via phone by dialling the appropriate Allstate phone number or over the Internet via Allstate’s online tool.
Fast Online Quoting Tool
Allstate’s website claims that its online quoting tool takes about 5 mins to give a quote. Obviously, we couldn’t just take their word for it, so we put it to the test.
Guess what, that’s exactly the case. The tool returned a quote within minutes every time we tested it.
Top-Quality Blog
Allstate auto insurance reviews note that the company’s website has one of the most informative blog sections among all the Canadian auto insurers, and we tend to agree. You’ll find a number of posts dedicated to improving road safety, so if you ever needed safe driving tips, this is where you should be headed.
Online Tools
Allstate’s website, while not the most attractive to look at, is practical and extremely intuitive. However, what really impressed us was its mobile app — myAllState. It allows you to not only view and manage your policy but also report a claim and pay bills on the go.
Signature Feature — Drivewise
No two people drive the same way. Then why should you pay the same premium as someone else with similar personal details as yours even when you are a better driver?
That’s not fair.
Well, Allstate tends to agree with this. That’s why it rolled out Drivewise in Canada in May 2019.
It is a telematics-powered safe driving app that monitors how you drive and adjusts your premiums accordingly. You can save as much as 30% on car insurance by demonstrating safe driving behaviours.
The app tracks your driving data for a period of six months and then starts rewarding you for:
- safe speeds (driving below 125 km/hr)
- safe hours (limiting driving between 11 PM and 5 AM)
- safe stops (limiting hard braking)
And the cherry on top is that you get a discount simply for signing up. Also, your Allstate Canada insurance premium will not go up if the app doesn’t like your driving.
In short, enrolling in the program will save you money any way you slice it.
Financial Strength
The importance of opting for a financially strong auto insurer can’t be stressed enough. If the insurance company goes bust when you’re in the middle of a claim, you could be left high and dry.
Thankfully, Allstate is in the pink of health financially, as confirmed by its “A+” (“Superior”) rating by A.M. Best. This is the second-highest rating awarded by the US-based credit rating agency.
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Types of Insurances Offered
Allstate auto insurance reviews show that it offers all mandatory and popular coverages in the Canadian auto insurance industry: liability coverage, comprehensive coverage, accident benefits coverage, direct compensation property damage (DCPD coverage), collision or upset coverage, specified perils coverage, and all perils coverage.
Additionally, Allstate provides several optional coverages for an additional price, which you can add to your insurance policy as per your needs.
Claim Forgiveness
Your first claim will not increase your Allstate insurance premium.
Disappearing Deductible
For each year that passes without a claim, your deductible will be reduced by $100.
Ticket Forgiveness
Most Canadian auto insurers offer this added feature, and Allstate is no exception. It will not raise your premium due to a minor driving offence. Available in Ontario only.
Loss of Use
If your car becomes undrivable because of an accident, don’t worry, Allstate Canada has you covered. It will reimburse you for the cost of using a rental car or any alternate modes of transportation, such as a taxi or public transit, while yours is being repaired.
Damage to a Non-Owned Vehicle
Also known as rental coverage, it protects you when you rent a car in Canada and the US.
Waiver of Depreciation
Select this option, and if your less-than-3-years-old car gets totalled, Allstate will pay its full value, minus any deductible.
Allstate Customer Service Ratings
You might have heard Allstate’s slogan “you are in good hands,” but the main question is, does it really take good care of its customers?
Unfortunately, Allstate’s performance in 2019 J.D. Power’s Canada study doesn’t live up to its “good hands” promise. The insurer could make it to the list only in Ontario, where it got a lowly 9th rank among 12 insurers. Even worse is its rating on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) website, where it received the lowest-possible rating of “F.” Ouch.
Allstate insurance reviews on the independent car insurance website, Insureye, don’t enthuse much confidence either. It scrapped a meagre 1.4 out of 5, the major complaint being its poor claims handling, slow customer service, and mediocre online tools. Still, you shouldn’t make too much of this result as, generally, consumers are prone to leave an online review when they have an axe to grind.
Nevertheless, those searching for top-rated customer service should consider looking into other options, such as The Personal or RBC.
Available Discounts
Allstate Canada has more discount programs running than any other auto insurer in the country. In addition to the Drivewise Discount, it offers a slew of discounts, although not all of them are available everywhere.
Multi-Vehicle Discount — You can save money by insuring two or more vehicles with Allstate.
Group Discount — If your organization or company qualifies for Good Hands Group Insurance program, you will get car insurance at preferred rates and several more benefits.
Bundle Discount — Combine Allstate home insurance and auto insurance and save on both.
Vehicle Safety Discount — If your car is 2010 or newer, you could be eligible for this discount. It rewards drivers who invest in cars equipped with advanced safety features, such as park assist camera, driver monitor, and more. The vehicle safety discount is only available in Ontario, Alberta, and Nova Scotia offered through local Allstate agents.
Click Discount — Set up your myAllstate CA account today and save on your car insurance. The myAllstate tool gives you the freedom to manage your policy, pay bills, and make a claim from anywhere, at any time. Those who like to do things on-the-go can download the app from Google Play and the App Store.
New Vehicle Discount — You can save on your Allstate auto insurance if the make of your car is less than three years old. Available in Quebec only.
Occupational Discount — Albertans can win a discount based on their profession.
Anti-Theft Discount — This discount is available to Quebec drivers who have installed an approved anti-theft device in their cars.
Winter Tire Discount — Installing four approved winter tyres can help you get a discount if you live in Alberta or Ontario.
Private Parking Discount — Allstate Insurance Company rewards customers who park their cars in a private space, such as a private garage or driveway. Available in Alberta only.
Farmers’ Discount — Do you use your personal vehicle primarily on a farm? Then you could qualify for a discount. Available only in Nova Scotia or Alberta.
Good Student Driving Discount — You can lower your premium by getting good grades at college. Available only to under 25s studying in Alberta or Ontario.
Away at School Discount — You can shave precious dollars off your Allstate car insurance quote if one of the persons using the car is a student who is under 25 years of age and away at school over 100 miles from your home.
Retiree Discount — Are you over 65 years of age and living in Ontario? Congratulations! You can enjoy cheaper auto insurance, with Allstate’s special retiree discount for Ontarians.
Ticket Forgiveness — If you qualify for this discount, Allstate Insurance Canada will not bump up your premium because of a minor driving offence.
Renewal Discount — If you live in Ontario, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and has been with Allstate for three years or more, the insurer will show its gratitude with a drop in your premium.
First Chance Discount — This special discount is available to all new drivers in New Brunswick.
Driving Training Discount — Available to all new drivers in Alberta, Ontario, and Nova Scotia who have completed a recognized Driver Training Program.
Allstate Car Insurance Rates Comparison
Allstate sells safeguards against life’s uncertainties, but its protection comes at a price. Even though Allstate boasts of an unbeatable selection of discounts, it fails to deliver a great bargain. That said, its premiums are not the most expensive either.
At $114 a month, we found Allstate’s rate in Montreal to be in the middle of the scale. Our referenced driver was a 40-year-old male with a clean record and driving a 2018 Honda Civic Sedan SE averaging 15,000 km per year.
Allstate Insurance vs the Competition
Allstate vs Intact
Allstate is marginally cheaper than Intact in most places. But, when service ratings are concerned, the latter has a proven track record. For instance, Intact ranked two places above Allstate in J.D. Power’s Canada study for the Ontario region.
As far as financial health is concerned, there’s nothing to choose between Intact and the Allstate Insurance Company of Canada. Both got an “A+” (“Superior”) rating from A.M. Best.
However, Intact has one ace up its sleeve. Unlike Allstate, it offers ride-sharing (Uber) and car-sharing (Turo) coverages.
So in the end, the choice between the two boils down to which one is cheaper in your city, or whether you require a ride-sharing or car-sharing policy.
Allstate vs Aviva
Aviva has a poorer record than Allstate Canada in customer service, and that’s saying something. It is placed one rung below Allstate at 10th position in J.D. Power’s Canada study for Ontario and came dead-last in the Alberta and Atlantic regional studies.
However, Aviva is more pocket-friendly than Allstate across Canada, the latter’s wider selection of discounts notwithstanding. That said, the price difference can vary significantly from one city to another. For instance, Allstate Insurance Montreal premium is just $6 higher than Aviva’s, but in Longueuil, Quebec, Allstate is more than two times costlier.
In the financial health department, Allstate has its nose in front, albeit slightly. It notched up an “A+” rating in A.M. Best, against Aviva’s “A.”
Just like Intact, Aviva also offers ride-sharing coverage, though this feature is available only in Ontario.
All in all, if Allstate auto insurance quote is similarly priced as Aviva’s, you might want to place Allstate ahead in your list. On the other hand, if its premiums are way costlier than Aviva’s or you want ride-sharing coverage, consider Aviva first.
Allstate vs Desjardins
Desjardins’ record in customer service is just as bad as Allstate’s. It earned the last place in J.D. Power’s Canada study for Ontario and seventh (among 10 insurers) in Quebec.
However, Desjardins’ average premium is a little costlier than the Allstate auto quote in Montreal and the rest of Quebec. This result is a little surprising because Desjardins’ rates are among the most competitive elsewhere.
Both these insurers are in robust shape financially, so neither is likely to leave you up the creek when you file a claim. While Desjardins doesn’t feature in A.M. Best, its Moody’s rating of “AA1” and S&P’s rating of “A+” are pretty solid. Allstate Auto Insurance Canada, on the other hand, got an equally unambiguous thumbs-up from A.M. Best, which rated its financial strength as “Superior.”
Since neither Allstate nor Desjardins has a good record in customer service and there’s not much difference between them otherwise, you might want to opt for one that is cheaper.
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Best Alternatives
In case quality customer service means the world to you, The Co-operators might be a good choice. However, be ready to pay extra, as its rates are considerably higher than the average Allstate Canada quote.
TD Insurance, on the other hand, is among the most affordable providers in Canada, still, their customer service is not a whole lot better than Allstate’s. If you need car-sharing coverage, you can go with either Intact or Aviva, depending on whether you drive for Uber or Lyft. Whereas, Sonnet Insurance might work better for those who want top-class online tools and don’t mind paying a higher premium for them.
Maybe the best way to go about buying car insurance is to acquire an Allstate car insurance quote in Canada and check how it compares with the competition. That way you can sleep soundly at night, knowing that you got the most value for your money.
Our Expert Verdict
Allstate offers dependable protection and a selection of discounts that most others simply can’t match. Its financial standing is solid and online tools impressive.
However, its premiums are not the most competitive and customer service leaves much to be desired. For these reasons, we can’t give a general recommendation on it.
Nonetheless, if you want a reasonably-priced, financially-sound, and technologically-advanced auto insurer, Allstate is worth a shot.
People Also Ask
Allstate Insurance Canada is a top-ranking insurer in the country, offering a range of products, such as auto, home, and commercial insurance and much more. Its parent company, Allstate USA, is the fourth largest car insurer in the US.
Allstate Canada’s parent company, The Allstate Corporation, was established in 1931 as part of Sears, Roebuck and Co. In 1995, Sears spun-off Allstate, making it a completely independent entity.
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as the definition of “best Canadian car insurance company” may vary from one person to another. That said, Allstate Canada can be a good option for those looking for a reasonably affordable, financially-sound insurer. On the other hand, The Co-Operators is perfect for consumers who want the best customer service, whereas Aviva or Intact should make the cut if you want car-sharing coverage.
