Established in 2008, Avatar Property and Casualty Insurance Company became one of the most popular insurance companies in Florida, offering new property and casualty insurance to Florida locals. They participated to offer takeout policies to citizens that are having some difficulties finding insurance in the private market.
In addition to this, they have been writing new businesses since the company was founded. They had steady growth for nearly a decade which led the company to have a place in the Florida insurance market with assets approximating $50 million. In 2017, they made a deal with Elements Property Insurance Holdings to expand their business and reach other states.
They are located in Tampa, Florida, offering commercial property and homeowners insurance policies through their agents across Florida.
The Claim
They claim that they are providing stability and security for homeowners by offering comprehensive home insurance coverage across Florida. Other than that, they are also claiming that they treat their customers as if they were their own and promise to respond to claims with no delays, within 24 hours. Are their claims true?
The Truth
Since the only information available on Avatar’s website are about the coverage included in the standard homeowners insurance policy, their claim about offering comprehensive home insurance coverage is sort of untrue. Why?
Because there are no enhancements listed on their website that can be added to the standard home insurance policy. Their discount options are only two as well. Making them not as comprehensive as the other leading home insurance companies in the United States.
When it comes to their customer service, a lot of Avatar policyholders that wrote complaints on other website reviews gave the company a 1-star rating, complaining about their poor customer service and long waiting times for an adjuster to get in touch again with them after filing claims.
Other than that, their promise about responding to claims within 24 hours is also a little untrue because even though they offer online quoting, they don’t have an online claims form for easier and convenient claims processing. You can only file your claim through their local hotline and need to wait for long hours before Avatar in-person support answers.
Home Insurance Products
If you take a look at Avatar’s website, the details on the home insurance policies they offer are not complete. The company writes three types of home insurance policies, including:
- Homeowners Insurance Policy – Coverage includes other structures on the premises, the replacement cost of the home, and personal property. It also includes personal liability coverage.
- Condominium Insurance Policy – Covers the portion of the structure which the homeowner is responsible. Also covers personal liability and property. These are designed to provide for areas not covered by the condo association’s policy.
- Mobile or Manufactured Homes Policy – It’s similar to a standard homeowners insurance policy. It covers replacement cost for the structure. Personal property is covered with the option to upgrade to replacement cost, and personal liability is also included.
Additional enhancements aren’t listed on their website. Make sure to ask their agent to know what coverage can be added to your insurance policy.
Avatar Home Insurance Discounts
Discounts that apply to your policy include:
- Wind mitigation
- Monitored security alarm for policyholders age 55 and older.
Avatar Home Insurance Ratings
A.M. Best doesn’t have a rating for Avatar Insurance. However, the company can still pay out claims of their homeowners, even when multiple claims are filed to them each day because Demotech, gave them A or Exceptional rating when it comes to their financial stability.
Avatar earned 3.98 out of 5 stars in Clearsurance. 75% of the customer reviews have 4- and 5-star ratings, which means policyholders liked the company’s service. Some of them say that Avatar is a great home insurance company and that the company was a pleasure to work with. There are no customers that gave a 1-star rating. However, the customers that gave reviews in Clearsurance are only 8 people and these aren’t enough basis to rate them 100% excellence.
In the review website, Birdeye, there are over 100 1-star reviews rated by Avatar home insurance policyholders and there are various complaints. Some customers say that their premiums increased of up to 20% even without any filed claims. While others say that Avatar didn’t call them back after inspecting their home and that their policies got canceled without any reason. That’s why you should research more about Avatar before applying for quotes to know if they’re the best insurer for you.
Avatar is not included in the J.D. Power 2018 U.S. Home Insurance Study, unlike State Farm, Geico, and All-State.
The Pros and Cons of Avatar
Here are the advantages and disadvantages of Avatar Home Insurance:
PROS
- Financially stable
- Insurance available for mobile homes
CONS
- Negative reviews about claims handling and customer support
- Only available in Florida
- Few discounts
- Enhancement coverage not listed on websites
Excellent coverage amounts to homes at reasonable fee
lousy customer service