Connect Car Insurance Review 2024

In late 2019, American Family Insurance acquired the Wisconsin-based insurer Ameriprise Auto & Home (AAH). Later in 2020, the company was renamed Connect. Before the acquisition, AAH sold many home and auto policies through its partnership with Costco. American Family continues to offer Connect products to Costco’s customers.

Headquartered in De Pere, Wisconsin, Connect sells auto, condo, home, renters and umbrella insurance.

Connect sells the following types of car insurance:

Liability Car Insurance

This covers injuries and property damage you accidentally cause to others. Liability car insurance also covers the cost of a legal defense, judgments and settlements if you are sued because of an accident. Most states require you to carry liability insurance.

Comprehensive Insurance

Comprehensive insurance pays to repair or replace your car if it’s damaged due to problems such as hail, theft, vandalism, falling objects, fire, floods and collisions with animals. The maximum payout for comprehensive insurance is the actual cash value of your car if it’s totaled, minus your deductible.

Collision Insurance

Collision insurance pays to repair or replace your car after an accident, regardless of fault. It also covers accidents with stationary objects, like a guardrail or tree.

Collision and comprehensive insurance are optional coverage types that are typically sold together. If you finance or lease your car, your lender or leasing company will likely require you to have these coverage types. The maximum payout for collision insurance is the actual cash value of your car if it’s totaled, minus your deductible.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist

This pays for your medical costs and other expenses if a driver without liability insurance or without enough liability insurance crashes into you. Uninsured motorist insurance is required in some states and optional in others.

Personal Injury Protection (PIP)

PIP covers you and your passengers’ medical costs, no matter who is at fault for the accident. Personal injury protection is required in some states, optional in other states and unavailable in some.

Medical Payments Insurance

Also called “medical payments” or “MedPay,” this covers medical bills for you and your passengers no matter who caused the accident. It is typically sold in small amounts between $1,000 and $5,000 and not available in all states.

Additional Coverage Benefits

Connect offers some additional coverage perks:

• Stolen-key expense coverage is included with comprehensive insurance. This pays to replace stolen keys and the locks (no deductible applies if lock replacement is less than $250).
• Accident travel expense coverage, which helps cover out of pocket expenses if you are in an accident more than 100 miles from your home.

If you’d like to continue shopping around, take a look at our rankings of the best car insurance companies.

Connect has a lower level of auto insurance complaints than the industry average, based on complaints made to state insurance departments across the country.

Connect car insurance offers a variety of additional coverage types, such as new car replacement if you total your new car. But you won’t find some coverage features you might get at other insurers, such as a diminishing deductible or rideshare insurance.

Does Connect Offer Accident Forgiveness?

Connect offers accident forgiveness insurance. Generally, this coverage “forgives” an at-fault accident and you will not see a rate increase when your policy renews.

For example, we analyzed a Connect auto insurance policy in Florida that will forgive an at-fault accident if:

• The driver was free of at-fault accidents for the three-year “experience period” ending 45 days prior to the renewal of the policy
• And the policy has been continuously in-force for the past three years.

Does Connect Offer New Car Replacement Insurance?

Connect offers new car replacement insurance as an add-on. Conect’s coverage replaces your damaged or totaled car with a new one of the same make and model, up to 110% of the manufacturer’s suggested retail price.

Coverage only applies to vehicles within the first year of ownership or with fewer than 15,000 miles.

Does Connect Offer Gap Insurance?

Connect offers gap insurance that will pay up to 120% of the value of your vehicle. Gap insurance covers the “gap” between what you owe on your car loan or lease if it is totaled by an accident covered by your policy (like a car crash).

For example, let’s say you buy a car for $20,000 and owe $18,000 on the loan. After your car is totaled in an accident, the depreciated value of your car is $15,000, leaving a $3,000 “gap.” Gap insurance covers that amount.

Gap insurance through Connect includes new car replacement insurance for the first year you own your vehicle.

Does Connect Offer a Diminishing Deductible?

Connect does not offer a diminishing deductible for auto insurance claims.

Some companies sell a diminishing deductible. The rules vary by car insurance company, but generally this coverage reduces the amount of your car insurance deductible for every policy period that you remain accident-free.

For example, for every year that you maintain a good driving record, you earn $100 off your deductible. Some companies might limit the amount you can reduce your deductible (such as $500), and some companies will allow you to reduce your deductible to $0.

Does Connect Offer SR-22s?

Generally, Connect does not provide SR-22 insurance. But in some states Connect is required by state law to provide an SR-22 for a driver who meets eligibility requirements for an auto insurance policy.

An SR-22, also known as a Certificate of Financial Responsibility, is a court-ordered form that shows a driver meets the state minimum insurance requirements. Drivers are typically required to provide this document after a serious traffic violation like reckless driving or a DUI, too many traffic violations or car accidents, having their license revoked or suspended or getting caught driving without car insurance.

The insurer will file the SR-22 form with the state to prove the driver has adequate coverage. Not all insurers accept SR-22 drivers.

Does Connect Offer Usage-Based Insurance?

Connect does not sell usage-based insurance.

Some insurance companies offer usage-based insurance programs that calculate your rate based on your driving habits like speeding, acceleration, harsh braking, mileage driven and the time of day you’re on the road. Insurers assess these factors and then give you a driving score. If you receive a good score, you could earn a car insurance discount.

Does Connect Offer Pay-Per-Mile Insurance?

Connect does not sell pay-per-mile insurance.

Some insurers offer pay-per-mile insurance that bases your rate on the miles you drive, which can be advantageous for low-mileage drivers. Insurance companies that offer pay-per mileage insurance typically charge a daily rate plus a mileage rate to calculate your insurance cost.

Does Connect Offer Rideshare Insurance?

Connect does not offer rideshare insurance.

If you drive for a rideshare company like Lyft or Uber, your car insurance might have a gap in coverage between your personal car insurance and the coverage provided by your rideshare company. Rideshare insurance helps bridge the gap between the coverage offered by the rideshare company and your personal car insurance coverage.

When shopping for an auto insurance policy, it’s important to ask about car insurance discounts. You may be eligible for a discount or two (or more), and it’s a good way to lower your car insurance costs.

Here are discounts you’re likely to see from Connect.

• Connect good driver discount (California only). California drivers who practice safe driving habits and avoid at-fault accidents and traffic violations can get a discount.
• Defensive driver discount. If you take a defensive driving course approved by your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) or an accredited organization, you may be able to earn a discount.
• Garaging discount. Connect offers a discount to policyholders who park their car in a garage overnight (this discount is not available in all locations).
• Good student discount. Full-time students can earn a discount if they meet certain requirements, such as maintaining a “B” average, making the honor roll or Dean’s list, or being in the upper 20% of their class.
• Multi-car discount. You can qualify for a discount when you insure multiple cars on one policy.
• Multi-product discount. You can get a discount if you buy other types of insurance from Connect, such as business, condo, home, renters or umbrella insurance.
• Premier safety driver. Drivers who go four years without traffic violations, accidents or claims can qualify for this discount.
• Student away discount. If your student driver attends school at least 100 miles away from your home and keeps their car at home while at school, you could be eligible for a discount.
• Tenure discount. You’ll earn discounted rates the longer you stay insured with Connect.
• Vehicle safety discount. If you drive a vehicle with safety features such as airbags, anti-lock brakes, anti-theft devices and automatic seatbelts, you may be eligible for savings.

Connect has a higher level of auto insurance complaints than the industry average, based on complaints made to state insurance departments across the country. Auto insurance buyers can easily find a company that has a better level of complaints.

Aside from auto insurance, Connect offers several other types of insurance, including:

• All-terrain vehicles (ATV)
• Boat
• Business (sold through Midvale Insurance, a Connect affiliate)
• Classic car insurance
• Condo
• Flood
• Homeowners
• Motorcycle
• Rental property
• Renters
• RV
• Umbrella

Connect policyholders have access to Connect’s online policy manager where you can:

• Pay your bill
• Update your payment methods (such as your checking account or credit card)
• Download documents (such as your ID card and declarations page)
• Change your address
• Add or remove drivers
• Add or remove vehicles
• Add or remove leasing or financing companies
• Update information such as your vehicle identification number (VIN), driver’s license number and education level