American National Insurance Review 2021

Founded in 1905 by William Lewis Moody Jr., American National insurance might be a good choice for someone looking to bundle their policies. Headquartered in Galveston, Texas, the company offers a wide variety of products, including auto, home, life and renters insurance in all 50 states and Puerto Rico. New York insurance products are written through Farm Family Casualty Insurance Company, United Farm Family Insurance Company and American National Life Insurance Company.

American National auto insurance

American National auto insurance earned 3.5 stars out of 5 for overall performance. NerdWallet’s ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula takes into account pricing and discounts, ease of filing a claim, website transparency, financial strength, complaint data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners and more.

» MORE: The best car insurance companies for 2021

In addition to the usual car insurance coverages like roadside assistance, American National Insurance sells:

• Gap insurance, which pays the difference between the actual cash value of your car and the amount you owe on your car loan if your vehicle is totaled or stolen. You must have comprehensive and collision coverage to buy gap insurance.
• ACE insurance, which stands for “added coverage endorsement,” for when you need to replace parts on a damaged vehicle.

Auto insurance policies from American National include these perks, though they may not be available in all states:

• Cash-back program if you have both auto and home policies. You can earn a percentage of your premiums back if you remain claim-free for three years.
• Pay one deductible, the amount subtracted from a claim payout, if your auto and home are damaged from the same incident and you have both policies through American National Insurance.
• Discounted or no deductible if you’re in a car accident with another American National customer.

If you buy comprehensive and collision insurance, benefits include:

• Up to $2,000 worth of customized equipment coverage.
• Rental car reimbursement.

American National’s auto insurance discounts include:

• Discount if you apply for a policy before your current one ends.
• Discount if you bundle auto, home and life insurance.

» MORE: Compare car insurance rates

American National homeowners insurance

American National offers standard homeowners insurance coverage, including temporary relocation coverage and identity theft protection. Policies are also available for condo owners. A multiple-policy discount is available if you bundle your home and auto insurance. You may also qualify for cash back if you’re claim-free for three years.

American National life insurance

Term life insurance policies are available for terms of five, 10, 15, 20 and 30 years.

The company also offers whole, universal, indexed universal and guaranteed universal life insurance, which are all types of permanent life insurance.

Shopping for life insurance during the pandemic? Be aware that insurers may have changed their products and policy applications. For the latest information on how to cope with financial stress during this emergency, see NerdWallet’s financial guide to COVID-19.

Complaints about American National Insurance

American National Insurance had fewer than the expected number of complaints to state regulators relative to its size for auto insurance, according to three years’ worth of data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. It had close to the expected number of complaints for home insurance, and more than the expected number of complaints for life insurance.

More about American National

Website: American National’s website lets you report a claim and make a payment, but doesn’t offer much information about auto or home insurance discounts.

Mobile app: You can use the American National app on Apple or Android devices to view your policy, make a payment or report a claim. You can also access your ID card and request roadside assistance.

Besides auto and home insurance, American National sells annuities and specialty products like credit disability coverage.

» MORE: Car insurance quotes: What you need to know

Recap: American National pros and cons

Auto insurance ratings methodology

NerdWallet’s auto insurance ratings reward companies for customer-first features and practices. Ratings are based on weighted averages of scores in several categories, including financial strength, consumer complaints, website transparency and affordability. Using our editorial discretion, we also consider customer satisfaction surveys. These ratings are a guide, but we encourage you to shop around and compare several insurance quotes to find the best rate for you. NerdWallet does not receive compensation for any reviews. Read our editorial guidelines.

Methodology: Insurer complaints

NerdWallet examined complaints received by state insurance regulators and reported to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners in 2016-2018. To assess how insurers compare to one another, the NAIC calculates a complaint index each year for each subsidiary, measuring its share of total complaints relative to its size, or share of total premiums in the industry. To evaluate a company’s complaint history, NerdWallet calculated a similar index for each insurer, weighted by market shares of each subsidiary, over the three-year period. Ratios are determined separately for auto, home (including renters and condo) and life insurance.