Bristol West Insurance: Auto Insurance Review 2022 | Compare.com

What is Bristol West Auto Insurance?

Part of the Farmers Insurance Group of Companies, Bristol West benefits from a strong financial background and years of insurance experience. Founded in 1973, they’re now represented by over 38,000 fully-trained agents across the U.S.

Previously known as Foremost Insurance, Bristol West offers affordable auto insurance options with responsive customer service. It’s known for flexible billing and payment options, including text alert bill payment reminders.

So, are they the right insurance company for you? Let’s take a closer look.

How Does Bristol West Auto Insurance Work?

What’s kept Bristol West around for almost 50 years? A lot! Here is a breakdown of the ins and outs of Bristol West Auto Insurance. 

Bristol West Auto Insurance Payments

Bristol West prides itself on offering customers a variety of payment options.

  • Online:

    Pay online using your checking, debit, or credit card 

  • Automated Phone System:

    Make your insurance payment over the phone 

  • Live Representative:

    Speak with a Service Operations Advocate in your local time zone to pay your premium. Additional convenience fees may apply

  • Automatic Payments:

    Enroll in the Direct Debit System to make automatic premium payments

  • Mail:

    Send in your payment by check or money order

  • Producer:

    Make payments directly to your producer. They are listed on your policy documents.

  • Western Union:

    Payments can be made easily through Western Union Quick Collect. 

  • MoneyGram:

    Pay your premium at one of many MoneyGram retail payment locations. 

Bristol West Auto Insurance Rate Increases

Like many auto insurance companies, your insurance premiums can increase. This can happen for any number of reasons. Here are some common factors that can contribute to a rate increase. 

  • Adding or removing a vehicle:

    The vehicles on your policy play a major part in the cost of your premium. Depending on the car you add to or remove from your policy, you can see a change in your insurance premium.  

  • Changing your address:

    Your address can impact your premium because insurance companies will charge you based on the crime rate, traffic, and other factors based on where you live. 

  • Adding or removing a driver:

    The number of drivers on your policy and their driving background can lead to an increase in your rates. Some drivers like teenagers and young drivers under 25 are typically more expensive to insure. The same can be said about drivers with a spotty record. 

  • Changing your vehicle coverage:

    Adding additional coverage to your vehicle can lead to a rate increase such as adding

    collision

    and

    comprehensive insurance

    to your policy. 

Bristol West states that drivers in certain states may see increased rates due to business nature. If there is a high level of claims or losses and the company has an increased cost of paying these claims in your state, this will increase rates for all drivers across the board. . 

Bristol West Auto Insurance Claims

If you’re involved in an accident or have another situation requiring you file a claim, Bristol West makes it easy. You can easily file a claim in one of two ways:

  1. Report a claim online through their online claims service

  2. Call to report your claim at the number 1-800-274-7865

Bristol West Auto Insurance Discounts

While Bristol West doesn’t advertise many discounts, it doesn’t mean you can’t find a wide array of savings. Discounts can vary based on where you live, but they might include these: 

Discount
Savings

Homeowner

Discount

If you own a home you can save money on your auto insurance premium

Driver Training Discount

If you’ve recently passed an approved 

accident prevention course

, you may get a price cut on insurance

Safety Features Discount

You can secure a discount if your vehicle has features that deter theft or improve driving safety

Multi-Vehicle Discount

You’ll see big savings if you insure multiple vehicles on the same policy

Pay-in-Full Discount

Save by paying your policy in full instead of opting to enroll in a monthly payment plan

Safe Driving Discount

Pay less for car insurance if you maintain a clean driving record.

Accident Forgiveness

Enrolling in an accident forgiveness program prevents your premiums from rising after an at-fault accident 

Bristol West Auto Insurance Coverage Options

No matter your auto insurance coverage needs, Bristol West has you covered. They offer all of the traditional coverage options allowing you to meet state minimum standards and more.

 Here are some coverages you will enjoy:

  • Liability insurance:

    Covers the cost of the other driver’s property and bodily injury expenses when you’re at fault in an accident 

  • Comprehensive insurance:

    Coverage costs associated with damage that occur from physical events out of your control, such as theft and vandalism

  • Collision insurance:

    Covers damages when your vehicle collides with another car or object, such as a mailbox or lamp post

Additional auto insurance coverage options include:

  • Towing and roadside service:

    Assistance if your vehicle needs

    towing or assistance on the road

  • Uninsured/Underinsured motorists coverage:

    Protects you if someone else is at fault for an accident you’re in and either has no insurance or doesn’t have enough coverage

  • Bodily injury and property damage:

    Covers your legal responsibility for an accident when injury or property damage occurs

  • Rental reimbursement:

    If drivers rent a car after a covered loss, they will get $50 per day to pay for a rental car for up to 30 days.

  • Permissive user coverage:

    Any drivers you permit to use your vehicle are also covered by your policy

  • $500 trailer physical damage coverage:

    Get liability coverage for a trailer you own attached to an insured vehicle. 

  • Rental car coverage:

    Your rental car will enjoy the same coverage as your personal vehicle. 

  • Rideshare coverage option:

    This coverage extends your personal policy limits and protection for drivers who also work in the rideshare field. 

Where is Bristol West Auto Insurance Available?

Bristol West has a broad coverage area, protecting drivers and vehicles in 42 states.

Bristol West Auto Insurance Customer Reviews

Customer reviews for Bristol West vary depending on where you look, but overall, they get pretty good feedback. 

Clearsurance

2.5/5 – 81 reviews

BBB

A-

AM Best

A-

Glassdoor

3/5

On Clearsurance, a respected insurance review site, just over 65% rate Bristol West good, great or excellent. Customers’ favorite part? Their insurance is affordable. Many also say the purchase process was quick and the customer service is friendly.

They also earn an A- rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB). That positive rating signifies that the BBB approves of the way Bristol West operates and how it responds to customers.

Their parent company, Farmers Insurance, holds a financial strength rating of A from AM Best. This means you can count on the company to pay future claims.

So, what do Bristol West’s employees think? Reviews on Glassdoor are mixed, though generally tend to be favorable. People like the corporate culture and team atmosphere, but the heavy workload is a common complaint.

Pros and Cons of Bristol West Auto Insurance

Still on the fence about whether Bristol West is a good insurance option for you, let us summarize the pros and cons. 

Pros of Bristol West

  • Flexible payment options:

    Bristol West offers its drivers eight different ways to pay insurance premiums.  

  • Personal attention from agents:

    Customers who want more personal one-on-one time with their insurance agent will appreciate this from Bristol West. 

  • Caters to drivers with spotty records:

    Bristol West offers customers

    SR-22

    and FR-44 for drivers with a

    DUI

    or another severe violation on their record. 

Cons of Bristol West

  • More expensive for drivers with good records:

    If you’re not a high-risk driver, you’ll find that Bristol West is more costly than other insurers.

  • Limited discounts:

    Bristol West offers fewer discounts than their competition. 

FAQs About Bristol West Auto Insurance

Is Bristol West part of Farmers?

Bristol West is a member of the Farmers Insurance group of companies. 

Does Bristol West have accident forgiveness?

Yes, Bristol West does offer accident forgiveness to its drivers. 

Who owns Bristol West?

Bristol West was acquired by the Farmers insurance group of companies in 2007. They are the current owners of Bristol West auto insurance. 

Does Bristol West have motorcycle insurance?

You can purchase motorcycle insurance with Bristol West through Foremost Insurance, its previous name under the Farmers Group.