American National Insurance Review 2024
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Our Take
3.0
The bottom line:
American National sells a variety of policies, including auto, home and life, which means you can easily save by bundling multiple products.
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Pros & Cons
Pros
Receive cash-back if you remain claim-free for at least three years.
Available in all 50 states and Puerto Rico.
Low number of customer complaints for a company of its size.
Cons
Few discounts available.
Website lacks detailed coverage information
Full Review
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, home, life and renters insurance.
» MORE: The best car insurance companies
Compare to other insurers
Current Product
|  |  |
|---|---|---|
NerdWallet rating 3.0 /5 | NerdWallet rating 3.5 /5 | NerdWallet rating 3.0 /5 |
Complaints to NAIC Far fewer than expected | Complaints to NAIC Close to expected | Complaints to NAIC More than expected |
Ease of use Below average | Ease of use Average | Ease of use 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, home 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 21st Century sells bare-bones auto insurance policies in California only. |
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 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 by remaining claim-free for three years.
Single deductible. If your auto and home are damaged in the same incident, and you’ve insured both with American National, you’ll pay just one deductible.
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.
If you buy comprehensive and collision insurance, benefits include:
Up to $2,000 worth of customized equipment coverage.
Auto insurance discounts
You can save on your auto insurance if you bundle it with home and life insurance policies from American National.
First time shopping for auto insurance? Unsure of where to start? Check out our guide on how to shop for car insurance.
American National home insurance coverage
American National offers standard homeowners insurance coverage, including coverage for the structure of your house and loss of use coverage in case you need to relocate after your home is damaged. You can add identity theft protection to cover expenses associated with fraud. Policies are also available for condo owners.
Home insurance discounts
A multiple-policy discount is available if you bundle your home, life and auto insurance. You may also qualify for cash back if you’re claim-free for three years.
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 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.
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.
Methodology
Insurer complaints methodology
NerdWallet examined complaints received by state insurance regulators and reported to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners in 2020-2022. 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.
Frequently asked questions
You can contact American National by phone at (800) 899-6519 Monday to Friday from 6 a.m. to 10 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 and home 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.
