Kemper Insurance: Reviews, Coverage, And Cost (2021)

Updated: Jan 10, 2021 at 11:22am ET

By: Motor1.com Team

High-risk drivers get the best deal with Kemper auto insurance.

While Kemper insurance reviews are mixed, the company may be a strong option for teens, those with DUIs, or new drivers. Kemper auto insurance plans cover any state requirements you might need to meet, plus some extra options. The company offers car insurance in 50 states under a few different names, and it specializes in non-standard coverage for high-risk drivers.

But what do people really experience with Kemper car insurance? Today, we’ll take a look at its reputation, coverage options, and discounts. Remember, the only way to know for sure what you will pay for Kemper auto insurance is to get a quote.

Whenever you shop for car insurance, we recommend getting quotes from multiple car insurance companies so you can compare coverage and rates. In addition to the insurance company you choose, factors such as your age, vehicle make and model, and driving history can affect your premium, so what’s best for your neighbor might not be best for you.

Use our tool above or call (855) 518-0148 to start comparing personalized car insurance quotes:

In this article:

Kemper Auto Insurance At A Glance
Kemper Car Insurance Coverage
Kemper Auto Insurance Cost And Discounts
Kemper Insurance Reviews
Kemper Technology And Apps
Our Take On Kemper Auto Insurance: 4.0 Stars
Top Recommendations For Car Insurance

Kemper Auto Insurance At A Glance

The Kemper Corporation offers auto insurance through a few different subsidiaries, including:

Kemper Personal and Commercial Lines (offered via agent only)
Kemper Specialty California (non-standard auto coverage)
Kemper Direct (offered online and via phone)
Infinity Auto Insurance
Alliance United Insurance

In this Kemper insurance review, we’re focusing on the Kemper brand of auto insurance. Infinity and Alliance United are both owned by Kemper, but they are marketed separately and have different services.

Kemper began as Unitrin in 1990. Over the years, it has expanded to offer many different insurance products in all 50 states. In total, Kemper companies provide services for about 6.3 million customers, and that includes health and life insurance customers. The company is worth about $5.3 billion. In comparison, Progressive is worth about $49 billion. The size of a company doesn’t necessarily tell you about its customer service or credibility, though.

While the company does have an A+ rating from the BBB, it has a one-star rating from Kemper insurance reviews on the BBB. Also, it ranked in last place for the California region on J.D. Power’s 2020 U.S. Auto Insurance Study^SM.

Kemper Car Insurance Coverage

Kemper auto insurance includes the six basic types of automobile coverage that most companies offer:

Liability auto insurance
Comprehensive car insurance
Collision
Medical payments (MedPay)
Personal injury protection (PIP)
Uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM)

There are also a number of extra coverage options that you can get with Kemper auto insurance. Keep in mind that since Kemper operates multiple companies, coverage depends on the policyholder’s underwriting qualifications and state laws. You might find:

Broad form coverage (one driver, multiple cars)
Rental car reimbursement
Reconditioned vehicle coverage
Roadside assistance
Gap insurance
New car replacement

Finally, the following perks are part of Kemper’s Enhanced Coverage plan:

Accident forgiveness
Diminishing deductible
No deductible for damage when the car is parked
Personal property coverage
Trip interruption expenses
Key or key fob replacement

Kemper Cost And Discounts

Overall, we found that Kemper is a bit more expensive for adults and families without young drivers. If you fall into those categories, you might expect to pay a few hundred dollars more per policy for Kemper auto insurance.

However, Kemper does provide good prices to high-risk drivers. That means teens and students might be able to find better prices with Kemper than other insurance companies. Likewise, families with teens can save on family car insurance with the company. And if you live in California, Kemper Specialty California is made for you. Besides being young, a few other things can make you a high-risk driver:

Filing an SR-22
Having a DUI or other serious infraction on your record
Having a poor credit score (not relevant in California or Hawaii)
Not having prior insurance
Having a lapse in coverage

All of these things raise your car insurance rates, so it’s good to know about companies that still provide good deals to high-risk drivers. There are also some other things that affect your car insurance rates:

Age
Local population density
Accident record
Recent tickets
The type of car you drive
Other drivers on your policy

Finally, here are some discounts that you can receiver under Kemper car insurance coverage:

Paid in full
Prior insurance
Homeowner
Renter’s insurance policy
Multi-car
Bundle policies into Package Plus
Anti-theft devices
Away at school
Driver training
Good student
Passive restraint/airbags

Getting A Kemper Auto Insurance Quote

You can get Kemper auto insurance quotes in a few different ways depending on the company that you go through. If you’re looking for high-risk insurance coverage in California, you’ll have to contact a Kemper Specialty California agent directly. For other states, or for standard auto insurance, you can receive a quote online. Make sure to have the following information handy:

Your contact info and driving record
The make, model, and vehicle identification number (VIN) of your car(s)
Contact info and driving records of other people on your policy
Your current insurance coverage

Use our tool below or simply call our team at (855) 518-0148 to start comparing car insurance quotes:

Kemper Insurance Reviews

While the Kemper Corporation has an A+ rating from the BBB, customer satisfaction reviews shed a different light on the company. In fact, almost all BBB customer reviews gave the company 1 star. Here are a few examples from the company’s BBB customer reviews page:

“I have been waiting almost two months for an answer on whether or not my car will be fixed. They just ignore calls and emails. The managers are not helpful in any way. This insurance company is the worst I have ever dealt with.”

-Crystal J. via BBB

“This is the absolute worst insurance company in the world. It has been 30 days since an uninsured motorist hit me. Kemper is my insurance company and so far they have done nothing! They do not return calls no matter how many times you call or beg them to do so. They have simply horrible, horrible customer service.”

-via BBB

“Absolutely terrible claims service. Our vehicle was stolen, wrecked, and considered a total loss. It's been 3 months without resolution and a non-responsive claims representative. His manager doesn't even respond. Beyond frustrated at this point and will not be using them ever again.”

-via BBB

Often, Kemper insurance reviews mentioned a difficult claims process. To a file claim with the insurer, drivers would need to call a 24/7 claims number, fill out an online form, or message an online chatbot.

As we mentioned above, people in California rated Kemper auto insurance below any other company on J.D. Power’s insurance study. That’s not a good sign. The study took into account shopping experience, claims process, customer service, and more. Unfortunately, Kemper doesn’t have enough customers in other states to make it onto other studies by J.D. Power.

Kemper Technology And Apps

Kemper does offer a mobile app to start a claims process quickly. The app is designed to give drivers faster claims servicing overall, as they can quickly snap a photo of any damages. However, iPhone and Android users were not impressed with the app's abilities. Many reviews mentioned frequent app crashes and issues with submitting more than one claims photo.

Our Take On Kemper Auto Insurance: 4.0 Stars

We rated Kemper auto insurance 4.0 out of 5.0 stars. The car insurance provider is a decent solution for high-risk drivers and their families, but its poor customer reviews are a little concerning. If you're not a high-risk driver, we recommend looking into other auto insurance providers.

Pros	Cons
Coverage in all 50 states	High number of negative reviews
A+ rating from the BBB	More expensive for families with young drivers
A- financial strength rating from AM Best
Relatively easy claims process

Below, we've listed a few of our top picks for auto insurance coverage.

Top Recommendations For Car Insurance

A simple online search for car insurance reveals hundreds of companies. It’s always a good idea to get multiple quotes each time you shop, but no one has time to check out that many different companies.

We know that shopping for car insurance can be a pain, so we’ve reviewed and ranked a number of the best car insurance companies on the market. We only recommend car insurance companies that perform well across multiple categories like price, customer service, financial strength, and industry reputation. Here are three companies that we like.

Geico: Best Overall

In our Geico review, we gave the company 4.5 stars. Boasting an A+ rating from the BBB and an A++ financial strength rating from AM Best, Geico is one of our top-recommended auto insurance providers. The company offers strong coverage options to military members and students. Geico also has discounts up to 25 percent, depending on your eligibility.

Progressive: Best For High-Risk Drivers

Progressive is the third largest auto insurance company in the country, and it has an A+ financial rating from AM Best. One of the things we like about Progressive is the Snapshot program. This program tracks your driving with an app or a plug-in device and can give out some nice discounts. That means teens, drivers with poor histories, and other high-risk drivers can try to lower their premiums with the program. But consider yourself warned – if you aren’t a good driver, the program can raise your rates, too.

In our review of Progressive car insurance, we gave the company 4.5 stars overall. Looking across different sources, we found that Progressive’s customer service deserved a B+ rating. Make sure to check for discounts when you reach out for a quote.

State Farm: Best For Students

State Farm is the largest car insurance provider in the nation and offers a wide range of coverage options. People typically find affordable rates from State Farm since the company has a number of different discounts. State Farm also has a coverage option for high-risk drivers, plus it’s a great option for students.

The Steer Clear app helps young drivers learn road skills and gives out discounts upon completion. State Farm also gives a 20 percent discount to good students who qualify. The company has an A++ financial rating from AM Best and an A+ rating from the BBB.

Read more in our State Farm insurance review.

To start comparing car insurance quotes, use the simple tool below or call our team at (855) 518-0148.