American National Insurance Review 2024

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Written by Drew Gula
Lead Writer
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Edited by Lacie Glover
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American National

3.0

NerdWallet rating 
American National sells a variety of policies, including auto and life, which means you can easily save by bundling multiple products.

Discounts

Very few discounts

Ease of use

Below average

NAIC complaints

Far fewer than expected

American National

3.0

NerdWallet rating 
American National sells a variety of policies, including auto and life, which means you can easily save by bundling multiple products.

Discounts

Very few discounts

Ease of use

Below average

NAIC complaints

Far fewer than expected

American National earned 3 stars out of 5 for overall performance. NerdWallet’s ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula takes into account consumer experience, complaint data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners and financial strength ratings.

Founded in 1905 and based in Galveston, Texas, American National might be a good choice for someone looking to bundle their insurance policies. The company operates in all 50 states as well as Puerto Rico and offers a wide variety of products, including auto, life and renters insurance.

Why you can trust NerdWallet: Our writers and editors follow strict editorial guidelines to ensure fairness and accuracy in our coverage so you can choose the insurance policy that works best for you. These carrier ratings are specific to auto insurance — a company's rating for other products may be different on our site. See our criteria for evaluating auto insurance companies.

In our auto insurance reviews, our editorial team considers both the customer and the insurer. These are some of the factors we take into account:

Financial strength. We use A.M. Best ratings to confirm an insurer’s long-term financial stability and ability to pay claims. NerdWallet does not recommend companies with a rating lower than a B. 

Complaints. These ratings are based on complaints to state regulators relative to a company’s size, according to three years’ worth of data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. The best auto insurance companies have fewer than the expected number of complaints.

Ease of use. This category looks at how easily consumers can interact with an insurer through its mobile app and website. This includes how much coverage information is offered online, whether a user can start and track a claim online and get a quote and mobile app scores based on the Apple and Google Play store ratings.

Discounts. We look at both the kind of discounts a company offers and the total number of discounts available.

Compare to other insurers

Current Product

American National Auto Insurance
Safeco Auto Insurance
Toggle Auto Insurance
NerdWallet rating 

3.0

/5
NerdWallet rating 

3.5

/5
NerdWallet rating 

2.0

/5

Complaints to NAIC 

Far fewer than expected

Complaints to NAIC 

Close to expected

Complaints to NAIC 

Far more than expected

Ease of use 

Below average

Ease of use 

Above average

Ease of use 

Above average

Discounts 

Very few discounts

Discounts 

Average set of discounts

Discounts 

Average set of discounts

Bottom line 

American National sells a variety of policies, including auto and life, which means you can easily save by bundling multiple products.

Bottom line 

Safeco auto policies offer some unique features, such as accident forgiveness, but falls short in customer service.

Bottom line 

Toggle sells customizable auto insurance policies in several states.

American National auto insurance coverage

When you're shopping for car insurance coverage, it's important to understand what car insurance coverage you want and what you’re required to buy. For instance, most states require a minimum amount of car insurance to drive a vehicle. Alternatively, if you want extra protection, you may be interested in full coverage insurance. Read about the most common types of car insurance coverage to see how they work.

In addition to the usual car insurance coverage options 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,” and is used when you need to replace parts on a damaged vehicle.

Auto insurance policies from American National also include:

  • Discounted or no deductible. If you’re in a car accident with another American National customer, you may pay a lower deductible or none at all. This perk may not be available in all states.

If you buy comprehensive and collision insurance, benefits include:

Auto insurance discounts

You may be able to save on your auto insurance if you bundle it with a home insurance policy from American National.

🤓Nerdy Tip

First time shopping for auto insurance? Unsure of where to start? Check out our guide on how to shop for car insurance.

American National life insurance coverage

The company offers four types of permanent life insurance: whole, universal, indexed universal and guaranteed universal.

Complaints

American National had far fewer than the expected number of complaints about auto insurance to state regulators relative to its size, according to three years’ worth of data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.

More about American National insurance

Website: American National’s website lets you speak with an agent, report a claim and make a payment, but doesn’t offer much information about auto 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.

Other insurance from American National

American National also sells the following types of policies:

  • Classic car.

  • Business.

  • Renters.

  • Health.

  • Farm and ranch.

  • Motorcycle.

  • Off-road vehicle.

  • Recreational vehicle.

  • Boat and watercraft.

Frequently asked questions

You can contact American National by phone at (800) 899-6519 Monday to Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. CST, Saturday 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. CST or Sunday 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. CST. You can also email the company at [email protected].

Auto claims can be reported online. You can also call 800-333-2860 to report a claim. If you have a question about an existing claim, you’ll need to email [email protected].

American National’s website doesn’t provide a place to get a quote online, but you can connect with an agent to get an insurance quote.

Methodology

Insurer complaints methodology

NerdWallet examined complaints received by state insurance regulators and reported to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners in 2021-2023. 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. NerdWallet conducts its data analysis and reaches conclusions independently and without the endorsement of the NAIC. Ratios are determined separately for auto, home (including renters and condo) and life insurance.

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 and discounts. Our “ease of use” category looks at factors such as website transparency and how easy it is to file a claim. 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 and full ratings methodology for auto insurance.

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