Is Shelter Insurance a Good Company? Reviews, Ratings and Coverage Options

Shelter Insurance is a regional insurance provider operating in 15 states across the Midwest and South. When evaluating insurers, it’s helpful to research their financial strength, customer satisfaction, pricing, and claims handling. This guide examines if Shelter is a good insurance company based on their ratings, reviews, products, and reputation.

Overview of Shelter Insurance

• Headquarters in Columbia, Missouri
• Founded in 1946 as an auto insurer for Missouri Farm Bureau members
• Now offers auto, home, life, business, and specialty insurance
• Operates in Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Tennessee
• Rated “A” (Excellent) for financial strength by A.M. Best
• Over 1,800 local agency offices across their 15 state footprint

Shelter sells policies through a network of independent Shelter agents. They focus on providing personalized service through these local agent offices.

Is Shelter a Good Insurer Based on Reviews and Ratings?

Shelter Insurance reviews on third-party sites like WalletHub and the BBB give the company about 3 out of 5 stars on average. Here’s a look at their key ratings:

• WalletHub: 3.2 out of 5 stars based on 128 reviews

• BBB: A+ rating with 1.2 out of 5 stars based on 122 reviews

• J.D. Power: 4 out of 5 stars for customer satisfaction

Positive Shelter reviews mention good prices, helpful local agents, and a smooth claims process. Critical reviews cite poor communication, claim denials, and frequent premium hikes. While opinions vary between customers, Shelter appears to be a slightly above-average insurer overall according to their ratings.

Shelter Insurance Products and Sample Rates

Shelter offers all standard types of personal and commercial insurance policies:

Auto Insurance

• Bodily injury and property damage liability
• Collision and comprehensive
• Medical payments
• Uninsured/underinsured motorist
• Rental reimbursement
• Roadside assistance

Average Monthly Premium: $100

Homeowners Insurance

• Dwelling coverage from $50,000 to $1 million
• Personal property protection
• Loss of use and additional living expenses
• Personal liability
• Medical payments
• Scheduled personal property

Average Annual Premium: $1,200

Renters Insurance

• Personal property
• Loss of use
• Personal liability
• Medical payments

Average Annual Premium: $200

Business Insurance

• General liability
• Property damage
• Commercial auto
• Workers’ compensation
• Business income coverage

Average Annual Premium: $1,500

In most states, Shelter’s pricing is very competitive compared to top national companies. Bundling multiple policies can also help lower your costs.

How Are Shelter’s Claims Handling and Customer Service?

Reviews are mixed on Shelter’s claims and customer service reputation:

• Shelter handles auto and property claims in-house instead of using third-party adjusters. This allows them to oversee the full process.

• Response times and claim payouts are satisfactory, according to many reviews. More complex claims may require persistence.

• Local agents provide personalized assistance with policies, billing, and claims questions. However, corporate support earns lower marks in some reviews.

• Cases of claim denials, delays, and coverage disputes do appear in negative reviews, indicating service inconsistencies.

Having a Shelter agent to guide you through the claims process seems to result in a better experience on average. However, you may need to escalate issues for resolution in difficult cases.

Is Shelter Insurance Recommended?

Shelter Insurance is a good option for auto, home, and business insurance in their 15 state territory. As a Farm Bureau affiliate, they bring deep rural insurance expertise. Local agents provide valued assistance for many customers.

However, reviews reveal Shelter does not escape common insurance industry pain points like rate hikes, claim denials, and billing errors completely. Caution with complex claims and corporate support relations appears prudent based on mixed feedback.

Shelter is worth considering if you want an experienced regional company with local agent access. But also compare quotes from national insurers like State Farm, Allstate, and Liberty Mutual during your search process. Combining feedback from multiple sources gives the most complete picture of an insurer’s strengths and weaknesses. Doing your due diligence before purchasing a policy can help match you with the best Shelter alternative for your situation, if they don’t prove to be the right fit.