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GAINSCO Review: Auto Insurance Coverage for People With Limited Options

Review Updated
Christy Bieber
By: Christy Bieber
Christy Bieber
Christy Bieber
Writer

Christy Bieber is a full-time personal finance and legal writer with more than a decade of experience. She has a JD from UCLA as well as a degree in English, Media and Communications with a Certificate in Business Management from the University of Rochester. In addition to writing for The Ascent and The Motley Fool, her work has also been featured regularly on MSN Money, CNBC, and USA Today. She also ghost writes textbooks, serves as a subject matter expert for online course design, and is a former college instructor.

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Our Insurance Expert

Eric McWhinnie
Check IconFact Checked Eric McWhinnie
Eric McWhinnie
Eric McWhinnie

Eric McWhinnie has been writing and editing digital content since 2010. He specializes in personal finance and investing. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in Finance.

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GAINSCO specializes in non-standard auto insurance policies. This means the company covers drivers many insurers would turn down, including people with a history of drunk driving charges or accidents on their records. Read our full GAINSCO review for more information on what this insurer can offer you.

Logo for GAINSCO
Best For High Risk DriversGAINSCO
Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
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Bottom Line

GAINSCO provides coverage when others won't. While its premiums are high and customer service ratings are low, motorists who need a non-standard policy may find GAINSCO is just what they are looking for.

Pros

  • GAINSCO provides SR-22 forms
  • An agent network is available for in-person support
  • Claims can be initiated online

Cons

  • Customers report being quoted higher rates with GAINSCO
  • Poor customer reviews
  • Coverage is not available in all states

Full GAINSCO review

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Monthly premium costs

Some online reviews report GAINSCO's premiums are higher than well-known competitors, including Progressive and Geico. Since prices vary depending on driving record and location, it's best to shop around to ensure GAINSCO is the most affordable choice.

Discounts

GAINSCO offers some standard auto insurance discounts but because the insurer only offers auto coverage, bundling discounts are not an option. Here are the available discounts:

  • Advance Shopping
  • Auto-Pay
  • Homeowner
  • Length of Ownership
  • Multi-Car
  • Pay in Full
  • Prior Coverage
  • Prior GAINSCO Coverage
  • Renewal

Coverage

Policy types

  • Auto Insurance

GAINSCO offers only auto insurance, not other types of coverage. This means customers cannot qualify for discounts for bundled policies, and will not be able to get all of their coverage needs met from one insurer.

Coverage types

  • Collision coverage
  • Comprehensive coverage
  • Liability insurance (only up to state minimums)
  • Personal injury protection (in states where required by law)
  • Rental car reimbursement
  • Towing

GAINSCO's coverage options are more limited than many competitors.

Customer service and ratings

GAINSCO has received poor customer service ratings. The insurer earned just 1.11 out of 5 stars averaged over more than 60 customer reviews on the Better Business Bureau website.

Yelp reviewers also awarded GAINSCO 1.0 out of 5 possible stars over more than 90 reviews, with many reviews indicating the company was given one star only because it was impossible to give zero stars.

Other insurance available

GAINSCO does not provide insurance other than auto coverage.

Alternatives to consider

Award Icon 2024 Award Winner
Logo for Geico
Best for price conscious consumersGeico
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Get a Quote

Read our Geico review

Award Icon 2024 Award Winner
Logo for State Farm
Best for bundling coverageState Farm
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Get a Quote

Read our State Farm review

When looking for an auto insurer that offers lower premiums: Online reviews report Geico provided cheaper coverage than GAINSCO, and Geico also offers SR-22 coverage. But, keep in mind, Geico also has sub-par customer reviews.

When looking for an auto insurer who offers better customer service ratings: State Farm received high customer service ratings on the J.D. Power Consumer Satisfaction Survey, and it also offers SR-22 coverage. But keep in mind, State Farm doesn't specialize in alternative coverage, so it may not offer policies to everyone that GAINSCO covers.

GAINSCO summary

GAINSCO may be best suited to customers who:

  • Have a DUI or other problems on their driving record
  • Need an insurer willing to overlook these issues
  • Are willing to accept higher premiums and inferior customer service to get covered

There are certainly car insurance companies out there offering cheaper prices than GAINSCO, but drivers with limited options for coverage may find this insurer fits the bill regardless.

Our auto insurance rating methodology

At The Motley Fool Ascent, insurers are rated on a scale of one to five stars. We primarily focus on pricing, coverage options, and customer satisfaction; however, we also take into account features like unique discounts, online and app-based experiences, and branch access. Our highest-rated auto insurances generally include low costs, solid coverage, and high customer satisfaction.