Wawanesa Auto Insurance Review [2024]

Founded in 1896, Wawanesa offers affordable car insurance to Californians. Wawanesa, headquartered in San Diego, is often the cheapest California auto insurance option for all drivers.

The company originally sold car insurance and other products in California and Oregon, but it recently suspended the sale of new policies in Oregon. However, it still manages existing Oregon policies and will continue to do so in the future.

Although Wawanesa has low average rates, it’s not right for everyone.  Auto insurance for high-risk drivers or drivers who have multiple accidents on their driving record comes with much higher rates, so those drivers should probably look elsewhere for coverage.

Read on to explore Wawanesa auto insurance reviews and how much you might pay for insurance with this company. Then, compare rates with as many companies as possible to find the lowest price for your insurance.

What You Should Know About Wawanesa Insurance

While it’s a small company, Wawanesa is generally considered a good company for California drivers. In fact, J.D. Power rates Wawanesa as the number one company in the California area for customer service.

While J.D. Power ranks companies on customers’ overall buying experience, A.M. Best rates them by their financial strength. Financial strength is important to look at because it indicates how likely a company is to pay future claims. Wawanesa has an A+ from A.M. Best, meaning you don’t have to worry.

Another good indication of a company’s quality is its complaint index score from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). The NAIC generates a ratio for companies comparing their number of complaints to their size. The national average is 1.0, with anything higher indicating a higher-than-average volume of complaints.

Wawanesa has a 1.04, meaning it gets slightly more complaints than the national average.

Finally, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) rates companies on their ability to resolve customer issues. The BBB gives Wawanesa an A+, but the website lists several complaints.

How do you file a claim with Wawanesa?

Wawanesa lacks many technological options that some of the top auto insurance companies offer, so you don’t have as many options for filing claims. However, you have two options for filing a claim with Wawanesa:

• File online. Visit the Wawanesa website to start a claim without logging into your account. Instead, you’ll need to fill out the claims form and include as much information about the incident as possible, including the police report number.
• Call the claims number. You can speak with a representative 24/7 by calling the Wawanesa claims phone number. Once your claim gets filed, you can speak with a representative during business hours Monday through Saturday.

Unfortunately, there aren’t easier ways to file a claim with Wawanesa. So if managing your insurance policy by mobile app is important, consider looking elsewhere for coverage.

How do you pay for Wawanesa insurance?

You have more options to pay for your Wawanesa insurance than you do to file a claim. Wawanesa customers can pay for their car insurance in the following ways:

• Automatic monthly payments
• Direct payments from a bank account
• Mail a check
• Pay online with a credit card
• Set up payment installments

Despite not having an app, Wawanesa has plenty of options for paying your monthly bill. If you live in Oregon, you can earn a discount on your policy if you sign up for automatic payments.

Does Wawanesa get a lot of complaints?

Wawanesa has a decent rating from the NAIC, but that’s not always reflective of what customers say online. Unfortunately, there are many negative online reviews from unsatisfied customers.

Many complaints focus on Wawanesa’s slow claims process, with customers saying the company delays paying for covered damage. Others say they experience policy price hikes despite not filing claims, but that’s the general nature of car insurance.

However, it’s not all bad reviews. Wawanesa customers are especially pleased with the low rates, often saying that the company is the cheapest option in California.

Wawanesa Corporate Sustainability

One of the benefits of buying from a local company is that you know your dollars are going back into your community. Wawanesa takes its sense of community a little further by supporting charitable efforts.

Wawanesa financially supports charities promoting health, education, arts, and culture in California communities.

It also encourages its employees to donate their time. For example, Wawanesa gave $125 to every employee to donate to a charity of their choice for the company’s 125th anniversary. Employees also voted for an organization to receive $125,000.

Wawanesa has donated millions of dollars to community non-profits and other charities and plans to continue donations.

How do you cancel a Wawanesa auto insurance policy?

Unfortunately, there isn’t a way to cancel your insurance policy online. Instead, you’ll need to speak with a Wawanesa representative to end your policy.

You probably won’t need to pay a cancellation fee, though a representative will have more information. In addition, you’ll likely get a refund for any unpaid portion of your insurance if you paid in full rather than in monthly payments.

No matter why you want to cancel your car insurance with Wawanesa, you should ensure you have a new policy lined up beforehand. Even a brief gap in your car insurance history is a red flag to most companies, and you can see higher rates in the future.

Wawanesa Insurance Coverage Options

When you’re in the market for an auto policy, you’re probably looking for one of two types of insurance: minimum or full coverage auto insurance. Though these aren’t the only types of available insurance products, they’re the most popular options.

Minimum insurance is the lowest coverage amount you can buy to drive legally. Wawanesa only sells new policies in California, which requires a 15/30/5 liability plan — this is a relatively low requirement compared to some other states that often require much more.

You don’t need uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage in California, but state law requires insurance companies to offer it. However, you’ll need to sign a waiver if you don’t want to add it to your policy.

Full coverage offers much better protection for your car but also costs more. California never requires it, but you might need it if you have a lease or loan. It’s also a good idea for anyone with a new or valuable car they can’t afford to replace.

Wawanesa sells everything you need to cover both minimum and full coverage, including the following:

• Property damage liability. This part of liability auto insurance covers damage you cause to other people’s property, including cars and buildings. It doesn’t pay for your repairs.
• Bodily injury liability. The second half of liability pays for injuries you cause to other drivers, their passengers, pedestrians, and anyone else.
• Collision. Collision auto insurance pays for damage your car sustains after an accident, no matter who is at fault. It also covers you if you hit a stationary object like a mailbox.
• Comprehensive. Comprehensive auto insurance coverage handles unexpected events like fires, floods, extreme weather, vandalism, theft, and animal contact.
• Uninsured/underinsured motorist. Although California requires car insurance, 16.6% of all drivers are uninsured, according to the Insurance Information Institute. Uninsured motorist insurance protects you from drivers with inadequate coverage.
• Medical payments. Medical payments insurance covers reasonable health care and funeral costs associated with a car accident.

Full coverage includes everything listed above, which is why it costs more than a minimum insurance policy. You can find these options at nearly every insurance company, but Wawanesa has the benefit of being one of the cheapest options in California.

Does Wawanesa sell add-ons?

Car insurance companies sell add-ons to increase the value of your policy. Some companies offer many ways to customize your policies, while others only have one or two.

Many small insurance companies lack the options their larger competitors have, but Wawanesa offers a decent selection. You can buy the following add-ons from Wawanesa:

• Roadside assistance. Wawanesa will come to the rescue with emergency towing, locksmith services, flat tires, battery jump starts, winching, and fuel delivery.
• Car rental coverage. When your car gets damaged in a covered event, you may need to leave it with your mechanic. If you have collision or comprehensive insurance, Wawanesa will cover your rental.
• Original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts. Insurance companies usually pay for aftermarket parts when your car needs repairs. If OEM parts are important to you, you can buy this add-on to ensure that only the right materials get used on your vehicle.
• Custom parts and equipment. Standard insurance only covers your vehicle’s original parts. If you modify your car with special parts, you’ll need this add-on to cover them.

While it’s not the longest list of add-ons, Wawanesa offers a few valuable options. However, be cautious about adding more coverage to your policy. Add-ons are useful, but they can increase your rates significantly.

Wawanesa Insurance Rates Breakdown

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