Save Max Auto Insurance Reviews: Is it Legit or a Scam?

If you’ve searched for car insurance quotes online, you may have come across Save Max Auto Insurance. With promises of big savings and quick quotes, Save Max seems enticing. But is it legit or a scam?

I decided to dig into real Save Max reviews and investigate what this company is all about. Here’s what I found out.

Overview of Save Max Auto Insurance

Save Max Auto Insurance presents itself as an online insurance marketplace that helps you find cheap car insurance fast.

According to their website SaveMaxAuto.com, you can get free personalized quotes in just 3-5 minutes. They claim to match you with trusted insurance partners to get you the best rates.

Save Max is not actually an insurance provider. They act as a referral service to connect you with real insurers and agents to buy a policy.

How Save Max Auto Insurance Works

Here are the basics of how Save Max Insurance functions:

• You visit SaveMaxAuto.com and enter some basic personal and vehicle info to get a free quote.

• Your details are forwarded to their network of insurance partners.

• These partners provide real-time quotes tailored to your situation.

• Save Max presents these quotes for you to compare and choose from.

• If you find a suitable policy, you purchase it directly from the insurer.

• Save Max gets paid a referral fee by the insurance company.

So essentially, Save Max is a middleman or broker between you and car insurance companies. They aim to provide multiple quotes in one place so you can compare and save time.

Save Max Auto Insurance Reviews on Trustpilot

With any insurance service, reputation and reviews from real customers are important. I checked out Save Max’s profile on Trustpilot, a trusted consumer review site.

At the time of writing, Save Max Auto Insurance has a 1.4 out of 5 star rating on Trustpilot based on 29 reviews.

20 of the 29 reviews rate them as just 1 star, indicating very poor customer satisfaction overall.

Here’s a summary of common themes in the negative Save Max reviews:

• Quotes don’t match what was presented on website

• Monthly premiums ended up higher than initial quote

• Unexpected extra fees and charges

• Misled into thinking they were an insurance provider

• Poor communication and customer service

• Difficulty contacting agents or cancelling policy

• Deceptive or questionable business practices

Many reviews accuse Save Max of using bait-and-switch tactics by advertising extremely low rates and then providing actual quotes much higher.

Others felt tricked into thinking Save Max was an insurer versus just a middleman referral site.

Some mention being bombarded with spam calls after submitting their info. Others had policies cancelled shortly after purchasing due to invalid information.

While a few positive reviews praise the quick quote process or low rates, they are vastly outnumbered by negative experiences.

Better Business Bureau Reviews

On the Better Business Bureau (BBB) website, Save Max Auto Insurance has a slightly better profile but still concerning.

They currently have a BBB rating of just 1 out of 5 stars based on 12 customer reviews. Their average rating is just 1 star.

Once again, most complaints revolve around deceptive practices, misrepresentation of insurance rates, and terrible customer service.

One review states:

“This company advertises low rates but when you actually get a quote it is 3 times what they advertise. When you call them out they say its because of your driving record – but they don’t even have access to that!”

Save Max does have an A+ BBB accreditation rating. However, this mainly indicates the business is established and transparent. It does not necessarily validate their customer service levels.

Online Reviews of Save Max Auto Insurance

Searching for other Save Max Auto Insurance reviews online brings up similar complaints.

On Yelp, they have a 2 out of 5 star average across 6 reviews. 50% of the Yelp reviews are just 1 star.

One user describes their experience:

“They bait and switched me saying they found a good rate for $47/month but when the insurance company contacted me it was over $100/month and the insurance type did not match what I asked for. Total scam!”

Even on their own Facebook page, many posts detail unhappy customers who felt misled on pricing or received terrible service trying to file claims or cancel policies.

Other review sites like ConsumerAffairs and Revdex echo the same pattern of deceptive rate quotes and very poor customer experiences.

Lawsuits and Legal Action

I also came across concerning legal cases involving Save Max Auto Insurance and their parent company ByteMark LLC.

• Washington lawsuit – The Washington Office of the Insurance Commissioner filed a lawsuit alleging Save Max engaged in deceptive marketing, illegally obtained customer data, and steered customers into unsuitable policies.

• CFPB lawsuit – The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau filed a federal lawsuit accusing Save Max and ByteMark of illegally obtaining and sharing consumer credit reports and other private data without consent.

• FTC complaints – The Federal Trade Commission features over 300 public complaints against Save Max Auto Insurance, primarily for problems with deceptive advertising, billing, and customer service.

These legal actions further confirm the issues highlighted in customer reviews about deceptive and illegal practices.

Is Save Max Auto Insurance Recommended?

Based on the overwhelmingly negative reviews from actual customers, plus concerning lawsuits and regulator complaints, I cannot recommend using Save Max Auto Insurance.

The FTC complaints and legal cases in particular reveal systematic issues with deception, privacy violations, and potentially illegal conduct.

Reviews consistently describe bait-and-switch rate quotes, pushy sales tactics, and terrible customer service. Most people ended up paying much higher premiums than originally presented.

You will likely find much better options by getting quotes directly from highly-rated insurers like Geico, State Farm, and Progressive. Or use an independent broker like Policygenius with strong reviews and a focus on consumers’ best interests.

While Save Max Auto Insurance promises fast and easy quotes, they seem to use deception to get your personal information and push unsuitable policies just to earn commissions. I recommend avoiding them entirely.

Warning Signs of an Auto Insurance Scam

To avoid getting caught by sites like Save Max in the future, watch for these tell-tale signs of a questionable or scammy car insurance provider:

• Too-good-to-be-true rates – Legit insurers can’t defy rate tables. Super cheap teaser rates that are unrealistic often aim to bait-and-switch you.

• Lack of online reviews – No reviews or overwhelmingly negative ones indicate poor service.

• Hard sales tactics – Constant upselling, spam calls, or pressure to buy point to a focus on commissions over your needs.

• Vague about licensing or policies – Shady brokers hide details on actual insurance partners and policies.

• Refusal to provide complete rate details – Legitimate quotes will breakdown all components and fees in writing.

• Requests personal data upfront – Don’t provide sensitive info until you’re ready to purchase a verified policy.

Being alert for these warning signs can help you detect bad actors and find trustworthy insurers that put your needs first. Pay attention to reviews from independent consumer sites to guide you to the best car insurance providers.

The Bottom Line

Based on extremely poor customer reviews, questionable marketing tactics, and concerning lawsuits, Save Max Auto Insurance appears to operate with some deceit and does not have customers’ best interests in mind.

I strongly advise considering other top-rated insurers or brokers over Save Max for a much better insurance experience. A legitimate provider will be transparent with rates and earn your business on merit alone – not tricks or pushy sales ploys.