The Truth About American Heartland Insurance Company

American Heartland Insurance Company is a provider of auto, home, and business insurance policies. However, based on online reviews, they seem to have some issues with customer service and claim handling. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll take an in-depth look at American Heartland Insurance reviews to see what customers really think.

Overview of American Heartland Insurance Company

• Headquarters in Morton Grove, IL
• Provides insurance in multiple states
• Offers auto, home, renters, business, and specialty insurance
• Has an F rating with the Better Business Bureau
• Not accredited by the BBB

American Heartland Insurance Reviews on BBB

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) provides objective reviews and ratings for thousands of companies. Here’s a summary of American Heartland’s BBB profile:

• 1 out of 5 stars based on 15 reviews
• F rating from BBB
• 74 total complaints filed in the last 3 years

Now let’s dive into the actual customer reviews on the BBB site to see what issues people have experienced.

Negative Reviews from Customers

There are 15 one-star reviews for American Heartland on BBB, highlighting a number of concerning issues:

• Extremely slow claim processing – Many people describe waiting weeks or months for claims to be reviewed and processed. Adjuster can be very unresponsive.

• Claim denials – A common theme is claims being denied for dubious reasons after long delays. Reasons given include inability to contact the insured or paperwork issues.

• Poor customer service – Numerous reviews mention rude treatment by staff on the phone. Calls not being returned for long periods.

• Refusal to cover damages – In accident claims, some report the insurer refused to cover all the damages, only accepting partial liability.

• Premium increases after claims – Some customers saw their rates go up sharply after filing a single claim, regardless of who was at fault.

It’s clear from these negative reviews that American Heartland has some glaring issues with claims processing, denials, customer service and overall satisfaction.

Analysis of Common Complaints

Looking at the 74 BBB complaints filed against American Heartland in the past 3 years, we can analyze the most frequent issues:

• 65 complaints about problems with product/service – This includes claim denials, delays, unsatisfactory claim settlements, and other issues receiving promised coverage.

• 5 complaints about advertising/sales issues – Deceptive sales practices, misrepresentation, and other advertising issues.

• 3 complaints about warranty/guarantee issues – Not honoring or problems with warranties.

• 1 complaint about delivery issues – Failure to provide insurance ID cards and other paperwork.

Clearly, problems with claims handling account for the vast majority of complaints, aligning with the negative reviews discussing claim denials and extreme delays.

Common American Heartland Insurance Reviews on Other Sites

Beyond the BBB site, American Heartland garners terrible reviews on other consumer sites as well:

• 1.5 out of 5 on Trustpilot (from 39 reviews)
• 1.1 out of 5 on ConsumerAffairs (from 29 reviews)
• 1 out of 5 on PissedConsumer (from 11 reviews)

The types of negative feedback match the BBB complaints – claims denied for spurious reasons, massive delays, awful customer service.

On Google they have just a 1 star average from 13 reviews. One reviewer calls it the “worst company ever” while another says their claim handling was “very underhanded.”

The negative reviews are consistent across all platforms.

Lawsuits Against American Heartland Insurance

There are no major class action lawsuits against American Heartland Insurance at this time.

However, they have had various individual lawsuits in recent years over issues like:

• Unfair claims handling practices
• Wrongfully denying coverage to customers
• Not acting in “good faith” as required by law

For example, in 2021 an Ohio woman sued after her medial bills were refused payment following a car accident.

While no huge class actions yet, the handful of lawsuits align with the poor reviews and complaints regarding denied claims.

Pros of American Heartland Insurance

While most customer feedback is overwhelmingly negative, there are a few positives to note:

• Offer specialized insurance not available from all competitors, like motor home/RV insurance.

• Available in many states— has broad availability, not just regional.

• Discount opportunities – Has options to save through bundling policies or being a safe driver.

However, these pros are heavily outweighed by the downsides for most customers based on the reviews.

Cons of American Heartland Insurance

The biggest downsides and risks to using American Heartland Insurance include:

• Terrible customer service and handling of claims
• High risk of claim denial/delays
• Possibility of sharp premium hikes after filing claims
• Numerous BBB complaints and 1-star online reviews
• Lawsuits over unfair claims practices

For customers who pay premiums expecting adequate coverage and service when needed, these cons are dealbreakers.

Is American Heartland Insurance Recommended?

Based on extremely poor customer feedback and experiences across review platforms, it’s hard to recommend American Heartland Insurance at this time.

The volume of complaints related to denied claims, coupled with their low BBB rating, indicates a concerning pattern of behavior.

While they offer competitive pricing upfront, you risk claim hassles down the road. The old adage “you get what you pay for” seems to apply.

Until American Heartland Insurance invests in improving claim response times, customer service training, and overall accountability, consumers may want to look at alternatives.

Top Alternatives to American Heartland Insurance

Here are some highly rated alternatives to consider instead:

GEICO

• A++ (Superior) rating from BBB
• Well-regarded claims process
• Streamlined customer service through mobile app

State Farm

• A++ (Superior) rating from BBB
• Approximately 3x fewer complaints than American Heartland
• Strong reputation for customer service

Allstate

• A+ (Excellent) rating from BBB
• Prompt claims handling using mobile tools
• Competitive pricing and bundling options

While not perfect, these three alternatives are rated significantly higher than American Heartland across review platforms. They have a strong reputation for taking care of customers according to reviewers.

The Bottom Line

Based on in-depth analysis of American Heartland Insurance reviews, complaints, lawsuits, and more, it becomes difficult to recommend their services.

While cheaper upfront than some providers, you pay the price later with frustrating denials, delays, and battles if you need to file a claim.

Consumers seem better off choosing highly-rated insurers like GEICO, State Farm, or Allstate to avoid American Heartland’s reputational pitfalls.

Do thorough research before selecting an auto, home, or business insurer. While premium prices matter, customer service and responsiveness when you need it most is priceless.