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Sentry Auto Insurance Review: Providing Coverage for All Kinds of Business Vehicles

Review Updated
Dana George
By: Dana George
Dana George
Dana George
Writer

Dana George has a BA in Management and Organization Development from Spring Arbor University. For more than 25 years, she has written and reported on business and finance, and she's still passionate about her work. Dana and her husband recently moved to Champaign, Illinois, home of the Fighting Illini. And though she finds the color orange unflattering on most people, she thinks they'll enjoy Champaign tremendously.

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Our Insurance Expert

Ashley Maready
Check IconFact Checked Ashley Maready
Ashley Maready
Ashley Maready
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Ashley Maready is a former history museum professional who made the leap to digital content writing and editing in 2021. She has a BA in History and Philosophy from Hood College and an MA in Applied History from Shippensburg University. Ashley loves creating content for the public and learning new things so she can teach others, whether it's information about salt mining, canal mules, or personal finance.

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Sentry Auto Insurance is good for business owners with a fleet to insure. Rather than being owned by shareholders, Sentry is a mutual company owned by its policyholders

Logo for Sentry Auto Insurance
Best for drivers looking to insure business vehiclesSentry Auto Insurance
Rating image, 1.990 out of 5 stars.
1.990/5 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
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Bottom Line

Sentry Auto Insurance offers businesses an impressive array of insurance policies, covering everything from business vehicles to equipment. For individual policies, Sentry refers customers to Dairyland Insurance.

Pros

  • Flexible coverage options
  • A+ financial strength rating from AM Best 32 years in a row
  • Access to safety resources online 24/7

Cons

  • Sentry does not offer personal policies but refers customers to Dairyland Insurance
  • Little access to customer reviews as the majority of reviews left online refer to personal coverage

Full Sentry Auto Insurance review

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Monthly premium costs

While we don't have actual Sentry Auto Insurance premium rates to compare, commercial auto insurance is usually more expensive than personal auto insurance coverage. This is primarily because commercial policies tend to carry higher limits. Commercial policies may also cover a fleet of vehicles with multiple drivers, including drivers with poor driving records. When an insurer writes an individual policy, it can look at a driver's record and predict the likelihood of a claim. The same is not true when an insurer writes a commercial policy. Higher rates are an insurance company's way of covering its bases.

There's also the fact that policy costs vary wildly based on the type of vehicle being insured and the number of vehicles insured. To learn more about how much it will cost to provide coverage for its vehicles, businesses can contact Sentry directly

Discounts

Sentry offers up to 5% discount for customers who share electronic logging device (ELD) and dashcam data.

Coverage

Policy types

  • Agricultural vehicles
  • Boat
  • Commercial auto
  • Dealership auto
  • Harley-Davidson
  • Motor carrier
  • Trucking

Sentry provides coverage for nearly every commercial vehicle type on the road. For people looking for coverage for their personal vehicles, Sentry refers drivers to its subsidiary, Dairyland. Drivers can also check out our list of the best car insurance companies for more options.

Coverage types

  • Commercial auto liability
  • Non-trucking liability
  • Physical damage

If a business uses a vehicle of any kind, chances are, Sentry offers coverage.

Customer service and ratings

Rated A+ (Superior) by AM Best for financial strength 32 years in a row. This rating clearly indicates that Sentry can meet its financial obligations when a claim is made.

It is difficult to determine customer ratings for Sentry because most online ratings refer to personal policies written by Dairyland. There are also too few samples of Sentry-specific reviews to address the company's reputation for customer service fairly.

Other insurance available

  • Business liability
  • Building insurance
  • Business income insurance
  • Business personal property insurance
  • Crime insurance
  • Equipment breakdown coverage
  • Inland marine insurance
  • Commercial umbrella insurance
  • Employment practices liability
  • Errors and omissions insurance
  • Worker's compensation insurance
  • Life insurance

Sentry may not write individual auto policies, but the company still offers a wide range of coverage options by focusing solely on businesses' insurance needs.

Alternatives to consider

Logo for The Hartford
Best for seasoned driversThe Hartford
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
Read Review

Read our The Hartford review

Award Icon 2024 Award Winner
Logo for Progressive
Best for coverage options and discountsProgressive
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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Read our Progressive review

When looking for a commercial vehicle insurer that also insures personal vehicles: The Hartford shines where Sentry does not. However, keep in mind that The Hartford's selection of policy types is somewhat limited compared with Sentry's.

When looking for a commercial vehicle insurance company known for competitively low rates: Progressive is typically tough to beat. However, Progressive does not offer the same range of policy types as Sentry.

Sentry Auto Insurance summary

Sentry Auto Insurance might be best for those who:

  • Own a fleet of business vehicles
  • Want to work with a company with extensive experience handling business vehicle-related claims

To be clear, Sentry covers fleets of cars and other motor vehicles, while its subsidiary, Dairyland, covers personal policies. While that means insuring personal vehicles and business vehicles with separate insurers, it may be worth considering for those who wish to work with a seasoned commercial insurer.

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.