SafeAuto Car Insurance Review: Direct Auto Since 2021

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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Direct Auto Insurance (formerly SafeAuto) is good for drivers looking for flexible, nonstandard policies. The company is designed for high-risk drivers and drivers seeking minimum-limit coverage.

Best for flexible, nonstandard policies SafeAuto Rating image, 2.00 out of 5 stars. 2.00/5 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.
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Bottom Line

Direct Auto (formerly SafeAuto) specializes in nonstandard auto coverage, serving policyholders through independent agent partners. It is designed for high-risk drivers and those with a history of lapsed policies.

Pros

Cons

Full SafeAuto (now Direct Auto) insurance review

Monthly premium costs

Here's a quick breakdown of average Direct Auto policy costs for a few different driver profiles:

35y, female, clean record 35y, male, clean record 35y, female, one accident 18y, male, clean record
$3,301 $3,559 $4,598 $8,436
Data source: The Ascent's analysis of standardized personas.

Cost comparison

As this table illustrates, Direct Auto's car insurance rates are far higher than average, across the board.

Direct Auto Average Rate National Average Rate
Clean Driving Record $3,430 $2,728
Accident on Record $4,598 $2,973
Speeding Ticket on Record $4,440 $3,015
DUI on Record $4,979 $2,847
18 Years OId - New Driver $8,436 $6,291
65 Years Old - Senior $3,095 $2,140
Military Service $3,531 $2,375
Minimum Coverage (Liability Only) $854 $787
Data source: The Ascent's analysis of standardized personas.

Discounts

Direct Auto has the following types of car insurance discounts:

Coverage

Policy types

Coverage types

Customer service and ratings

Direct Auto has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB), but only a 1.1 out of 5 star rating on Yelp. On Trustpilot, the insurer has a slightly higher rating of 2.5. Direct Auto's website includes reviews giving the company a much higher rating of 4.7.

Other insurance available

Alternatives to consider

2024 Award Winner Best for price conscious consumers Geico 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.
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= Excellent
= Good
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= Poor

2024 Award Winner Best for low-mileage drivers Allstate 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.
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= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor

For drivers with a strong credit score: Those with good credit may be able to save money by working with Geico, one of the most popular insurers in the business. Geico offers insurance to high-risk drivers as well as drivers seeking SR-22 coverage.

For drivers looking for excellent customer service: Those who value customer service may prefer Allstate over Direct Auto. Allstate is known for its customer-centric business model, meaning agents prioritize customer satisfaction. It's no coincidence that Allstate also has some of the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the auto insurance business.

SafeAuto (now Direct Auto) car insurance summary

Direct Auto is an option for drivers who:

Review sources

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.

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Dana George has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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