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Liberty Mutual Insurance was founded in 1912, initially as a workers' compensation provider for employers in the state of Massachusetts. The insurer is a mutual company, which means its policyholders are also considered shareholders.
Liberty Mutual offers a wide range of insurance products, including auto, property, life and other important options. If you're thinking about purchasing a Liberty Mutual policy, here's what you need to know.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Offers a wide range of insurance products | Below-average customer satisfaction ratings |
| Provides a long list of discounts | Some policies are available only through partners |
| Easy online quote and application process | Small network of local agents |
| Liberty Mutual Customer Service 800-290-7933 175 Berkeley Street Boston, MA 02116 |
Experian Review
Liberty Mutual is the fourth-largest property and casualty insurance company in the U.S., and the sixth-largest auto insurer, according to the Insurance Information Institute. The insurer offers products in all 50 states, and provides policies for vehicles, residence, business, pets and more.
Regardless of the type of insurance you need, it's important to understand what kind of features you can expect, as well as the customer experience.
Auto Insurance Coverage Offered by Liberty Mutual
If you're looking to insure your car, Liberty Mutual provides several types of coverage. Some of these coverages come standard with your policy, while others are add-ons that can provide more protection but come at a cost.
If you're not sure how much coverage to get and which types, you can use the insurer's Car Insurance Coverage Calculator to get an idea.
Liability Coverage
Liberty Mutual provides liability protection for bodily injuries and property damage. In other words, if you cause an accident that results in property damage or hurts or kills somebody, this coverage provides financial protection.
Most states require a minimum amount of liability coverage, but that minimum may not be enough to protect your personal assets. Think carefully about how much coverage to purchase based on your ability to pay if something happens.
Vehicle Coverages
Collision and comprehensive coverage are optional and designed to cover expenses related to the damage of your vehicle. Collision coverage kicks in to cover damage to your vehicle if you hit another vehicle or object. Comprehensive insurance, on the other hand, will cover damages caused by fire, theft, vandalism, hail, impact with an animal and similar perils.
The amount of coverage with these options is based on the value of your vehicle. Instead of purchasing a certain amount, you can choose how much of a deductible you want to pay if you need to file a claim. The higher your deductible—your out-of-pocket cost—the cheaper the coverage.
Again, whether you decide to purchase them depends on your ability to replace your vehicle on your own if something goes wrong. Collision and comprehensive coverage are not required by law like liability insurance. But if you financed your vehicle through a lender, it may be required.
If you also choose to add on the insurer's Lifetime Repair Guarantee, Liberty Mutual will guarantee, for as long as you own the vehicle, any covered repairs made to your vehicle after an accident if you select an auto shop in its network.
Medical Coverage
Depending on your state of residence, your policy may include medical payments coverage, personal injury protection (PIP) or both.
With medical payments coverage, you'll get help with many accident-related expenses, regardless of who is at fault. That includes medical expenses, legal fees, pain and suffering and bereavement costs.
PIP may go beyond those initial medical expenses to cover other things, such as rehabilitation costs, medication or prosthesis, lost wages and more. The details for PIP can vary by state, though, so check what's covered before you buy.
Uninsured Motorist Coverage
If you get in an accident where the other driver is at fault, and they're either uninsured or don't have enough liability coverage, this coverage will pay for your injuries, up to a limit that you can choose. It's optional in some states but required in others.
Other Optional Coverages
Liberty Mutual provides additional coverage options that can add more value to your insurance experience. While these add-ons cost more money, they could ultimately save you money when you need them:
- Liberty Mutual deductible fund: With this optional coverage, you can pay an additional $30 annual premium, and, in exchange, Liberty Mutual will reduce your deductible by $100 every year.
- New car replacement: New cars depreciate quickly after you drive them off the lot. But with this coverage, you'll get enough coverage to replace your car with a brand-new one instead of your car's depreciated value. Your vehicle qualifies if it's under one year old and has fewer than 15,000 miles.
- Better car replacement: Regardless of how old your vehicle is, this optional coverage will provide enough cash if your vehicle is totaled to replace it with a car that's one model year newer with 15,000 fewer miles.
- Rental car reimbursement: If you get in a covered accident, this coverage will pay for a rental car while it's being repaired, up to a set limit.
- Roadside assistance: If your car breaks down or you get locked out, Liberty Mutual's 24-hour roadside assistance can help. Services include towing, fixing flat tires, jump-starts, gas runs and lockouts.
- Gap coverage: If your vehicle is totaled and you owe more on your loan than what it's worth, gap coverage will pay the difference.
- Original parts replacement: This optional coverage ensures that if you need to get your vehicle repaired due to a covered accident, only original manufacturer parts will be used (or comparable or reconditioned parts if they're no longer in production).
- Teachers car insurance: If you're a school teacher, you can purchase coverage for your car while it's parked on school grounds. It includes protection against vandalism, collisions and certain personal property (teaching materials and school-owned property).
- Mexico car insurance: If you're planning to drive your vehicle across the border to Mexico, this optional protection offered through a Liberty Mutual partner will ensure that you're covered while you're there.
It's important to note that some of these coverage options may not be available in all states. Check your options online or call a local agent.
Other Vehicle Policies
Liberty Mutual also offers policies for other types of vehicles beyond autos, including:
- Motorcycle
- Boat and watercraft
- Antique and classic car
- ATV and off-road vehicle
- Recreational vehicle
Saving on Car Insurance With Liberty Mutual
Shopping around is the best way to ensure you're getting the best rates on your car insurance. For Liberty Mutual's part, the insurer provides a variety of discounts to help reduce how much you pay for coverage.
For example, you may be able to save if you're a homeowner, a member of the military or a student away at school. Other discounts include:
- Early shopper discount: Get a quote from Liberty Mutual before your current policy expires.
- Good student discount: You may qualify if you or your student maintains a B grade point average or better.
- Vehicle features discount: You may get a reduced rate if your vehicle has certain safety features, such as an anti-theft system, anti-lock brakes, adaptive headlights and electronic stability control. You'll also get a discount if your vehicle is a hybrid or electric.
- Driving discounts: Savings are available if your driving record is free of accidents and violations. You can also opt in to the RightTrack program, which uses a device to monitor your vehicle and provides savings based on your driving habits.
- Multi-policy discounts: If you insure more than one vehicle with Liberty Mutual, you can save. The same goes if you bundle another type of insurance with your auto policy, including homeowners, renters, life and more.
- Payment discounts: Setting up automatic payments and paying your premiums in full instead of monthly can result in savings. You'll also get discounts for purchasing a policy online and signing up for paperless statements.
As with coverage options, some discounts may not be available in all states, so be sure to check while you're requesting a quote. Also, some discounts may apply only to certain types of coverage.
Customizable Quotes Available Online
It's possible to work with a local agent or by phone to get an insurance quote, but Liberty Mutual's network of agents isn't as extensive as some other auto insurers. What's more, the insurer offers a discount of 12% or more if you request your quote online.
Getting a quote takes roughly 10 minutes, and you'll need to share a range of information about yourself and your vehicle to find out how much the coverage costs. That includes:
- Full name
- Date of birth
- Address
- Contact information
- Vehicle make and model
- Ownership status
- Number of drivers (and their information)
- Gender and marital status
- How long you've had a driver's license
- Level of education
- Homeownership status
- Current coverage
Liberty Mutual will provide a few quotes you can compare and customize based on how much coverage you want and which types. If you choose to proceed, Liberty Mutual will finalize the price based on additional information, including your driving record, credit report and other factors.
How the Liberty Mutual Claim Process Works
Among national auto insurers, Liberty Mutual has a below-average rating for claims satisfaction, according to J.D. Power.
You can file a claim online, by phone or from the Liberty Mutual mobile app (iOS or Android). The process takes roughly five to 10 minutes and only requires an approximate date of the incident and some basic information about what happened.
Then, Liberty Mutual will help you get your vehicle to an auto shop to review the damage, get a rental car—you can get a discounted rate through Enterprise or full coverage if you've paid for rental reimbursement protection—and schedule the repairs.
Liberty Mutual Customer Advantage
In J.D. Power's 2020 U.S. Auto Insurance Insurance Satisfaction Study, Liberty Mutual has below-average ratings in 10 out of 11 regions. The research firm also shows below-average customer satisfaction among large national insurers during the purchase experience.
That said, in some states, the longer you stick with Liberty Mutual, the more benefits you may get at no additional cost. For example, after three years, you'll get personal property coverage. After five years, you can get a new car replacement within the first two years (similar to the new car replacement add-on coverage). And after seven years, you'll receive forgiveness for minor violations, such as speeding.
The Liberty Mutual Customer Advantage rewards program is available in Arizona, Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee and Wisconsin.
Will an Auto Insurance Quote Impact Your Credit?
When applying for an insurance policy, insurance companies will run a soft inquiry on your credit report. In many states, this may be done for auto and homeowners insurance to create a credit-based insurance score to help calculate your rate.
That said, soft inquiries don't impact your credit score in any way. Also, the use of credit-based insurance scores is not allowed in all states, and they're typically not used as the sole reason for denying you a policy or increasing your premiums. However, having a good credit history could improve your chances of qualifying for a lower rate.
Homeowners and Life Insurance With Liberty Mutual
In addition to auto insurance, Liberty Mutual also offers homeowners insurance and life insurance, both of which can help protect some of the most important things in your life: your home if it's damaged and your family if you pass away.
In many cases, mortgage lenders require homeowners insurance, and you can save by bundling your policy with an auto policy from Liberty Mutual.
Life insurance options include term insurance, whole life insurance and fixed annuities. It's not required, but it can protect your loved ones financially if you die. You can also save by bundling a Liberty Mutual life insurance policy with an auto policy from the insurer.
Additional Insurance Coverage
As a full-service insurance company, Liberty Mutual offers many more types of insurance policies, including:
- Umbrella insurance
- Renters insurance
- Condo insurance
- Landlord insurance
- Mobile home insurance
- Flood insurance
- Accident insurance
- Critical illness insurance
- Identity theft insurance
- Pet insurance
- Tuition insurance
- Small business insurance
Is Liberty Mutual Right for You?
One of Liberty Mutual's strengths is in its coverage options for auto insurance. Depending on your driving habits and needs, you may find additional features that other insurers don't provide. However, the insurance company doesn't have a strong track record with customer satisfaction, so keep that in mind.
Liberty Mutual's coverage options, benefits and rates can vary based on a variety of factors, including where you live. As such, it's important to shop around and compare what the insurer has to offer with other insurance companies in your area.
Insurance coverage availability, discounts, limits and other details may vary by state and other factors.