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Wawanesa Auto Insurance Review: Top-Rated Coverage for Good Drivers in California and Oregon

Review Updated
Ben Gran
By: Ben Gran
Ben Gran
Ben Gran

Ben Gran is a freelance writer based in Des Moines, Iowa. He has written for regional banks, fintechs, and major financial services companies. Ben is a graduate of Rice University.

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Ashley Maready
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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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Wawanesa offers discounts to good drivers and top-rated customer service. But this award-winning car insurance company's coverage is only available in California and Oregon. Read our full Wawanesa auto insurance review for more information on what Wawanesa offers.

Logo for Wawanesa
Best for lower rates for drivers with a clean driving recordWawanesa
Rating image, 3.50 out of 5 stars.
3.50/5 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

Bottom Line

Wawanesa car insurance is a good fit for drivers with a clean driving record, who can qualify for the best discounts. As of 2024, this company is a subsidiary of the Auto Club of Southern California (AAA). Wawanesa has an exceptional record for customer satisfaction.

Pros

  • Big discounts for good drivers in California
  • Ranked No.1 in California by J.D. Power for customer satisfaction in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023
  • Owned by Auto Club of Southern California (AAA); could be a good fit for AAA members
  • Offers defensive driving course discounts for drivers aged 55 and up

Cons

  • Auto insurance coverage is only available in California
  • Not currently offering new auto insurance policies in Oregon as of June 5, 2024
  • Wawanesa apparently has no mobile app
  • Oregon coverage is being re-evaluated in 2024

Full Wawanesa auto insurance review

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Monthly premium costs

Let's look at how Wawanesa auto insurance premiums compare to the national average of $3,017 for all drivers. Car insurance premiums depend on a driver's age, location, type and value of vehicle, and other factors. Based on The Ascent's data analysis, good drivers can get a discount of about 41% with Wawanesa compared to drivers with an accident on their record.

35y, female, clean record 35y, male, clean record 35y, male, one accident 18y, male, clean record
$1,319 $1,319 $1,863 $2,184
Data source: The Ascent's analysis of standardized personas.

Discounts

Wawanesa offers different car insurance discounts based on the state -- California or Oregon.

Wawanesa California car insurance discounts

  • Affinity discount
  • California Good Driver discount
  • Loyalty discount
  • Mature Driver Improvement Course discount (age 55 and up)
  • Multi-car discount
  • Multi-policy discounts

Wawanesa Oregon car insurance discounts

  • Driver training discount (for drivers under 19 years of age)
  • E-Collect and E-Distribute discount
  • Insurance Score discount
  • Loyalty discount
  • Mature Driver Improvement Course discount (age 55 and up)
  • Military discount
  • Multi-car discount
  • Multi-policy discount (bundling renters + auto insurance)
  • Persistency discount
  • Vehicle Recovery System discount

Coverage

Policy types

  • Auto

Compared to some of the best car insurance companies, Wawanesa offers a limited range of policy types. And as of June 5, 2024, Wawanesa is not offering new auto insurance policies in Oregon -- its auto insurance is only available to new customers in California. The company says that the current lack of new Oregon policies is part of "important changes to serve you better."

Coverage types

  • Bodily injury liability
  • Collision
  • Comprehensive
  • Medical payments (California only)
  • Personal injury protection (Oregon only)
  • Property damage liability
  • Rental expense
  • Roadside assistance
  • Special vehicle equipment coverage
  • Uninsured motorist -- collision waiver (California only)
  • Uninsured motorist -- property damage
  • Uninsured/underinsured motorist protection (California only)
  • Vehicle manufacturer replacement parts

Different states have different laws for state minimum required car insurance, and some auto insurance coverage types are optional in some states, and not available in others. For example, Wawanesa offers a few types of uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage in California that are not offered in Oregon.

Customer service and ratings

Wawanesa gets exceptionally high marks for customer satisfaction. It's been ranked No. 1 among California auto insurers in the J.D. Power Auto Insurance Study four years in a row (2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023). Not every online review site shows that same level of favorable reviews.

Although Wawanesa has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau and has been accredited since 1975, its profile on BBB.org has several complaints and a 1.12 star rating. Customer complaints on BBB.org include disagreements about car repair costs and disputes about the claims process. In fairness to Wawanesa, the insurance company appears to have responded promptly to all customer complaints, although not all details can be viewed by the public.

Other insurance available

  • Condo (currently not offering new condo insurance policies as of June 5, 2024)
  • Homeowners
  • Pet (in partnership with Spot Pet Insurance)
  • Renters

Wawanesa does not offer a wide selection of other insurance policies, but it can connect people with pet insurance (through a partnership with Spot), renters insurance, and homeowners insurance. However, the company's website is unclear about whether Wawanesa is currently offering homeowners insurance in Oregon and California as of June 2024.

Alternatives to consider

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

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

When looking for an auto insurer who offers discounts for drivers with accidents: Drivers with an accident on their record might still be able to get affordable car insurance from State Farm. This company made The Ascent's list of best cheap car insurance companies for drivers with accidents. But State Farm's premiums could be higher than Wawanesa, especially for drivers with a clean record.

When looking for an auto insurer who offers a robust mobile app: Want a full-featured mobile app and good driver discounts? Try Geico. This car insurance company is known for offering cheap car insurance, and its mobile app gets high ratings (4.8 stars on the App Store, 4.6 stars on Google Play). But Geico doesn't get as high of ratings from J.D. Power.

Wawanesa auto insurance summary

Wawanesa auto insurance might be best for people who:

  • Live in California
  • Have a clean driving record (not high-risk drivers)
  • Want to be part of an insurance company that's owned by AAA
  • Want award-winning customer service (based on J.D. Power surveys)
  • Aren't interested in lots of optional car insurance types and policies

Wawanesa was just recently acquired by the Auto Club of Southern California (AAA), and the company seems to be going through some big changes during this transition period. It's normal for this to happen after a merger. Perhaps Wawanesa is gearing up to offer a wider selection of insurance policies and coverage options in the future.

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.