The Missouri Farmers Association, which is now called MFA Corporation launched the MFA Mutual Insurance Company in 1946 to provide its members with access to the insurance they needed at an affordable price. The company grew in just a couple of years and after a decade, it became the largest casualty insurer in Missouri.
The company expanded the products they are offering and their operating territories as well, moving into other states in the country. In 1981, MFA Mutual rebranded and became Shelter Insurance Companies. Today, Shelter writes personal insurance, including home insurance, auto insurance, life insurance, farm insurance, and business insurance.
They are now operating in 18 states and has sold through more than 1,300 agents. Areas of operation include Tennessee, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Nevada, Missouri, Mississippi, Louisiana, Kentucky, Kansas, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Colorado, and Arkansas.
The Truth
Shelter doesn’t offer the lowest rates. However, they have a comprehensive home insurance coverage and provides many discounts for homeowners. Their customer service reviews are mostly positive, which means a lot of their home insurance clients are satisfied with the services they provide.
But, there are some negative reviews revolving around claims that were denied or not covered as expected, lack of communication, and poor customer service. These are directed to the company’s agents, which don’t reflect the company overall. This means that the type and number of complaints don’t raise a major red flag.
The Claim
Shelter promises to provide affordable home insurance to Missouri locals. They claim that they have 1,300 agents, which provides professional advice to customers, helping homeowners to make an insurance choice that works for their needs and money. They also claim that they are one of the top regional insurance companies in the United States because of their friendly approach to their customers.
Is their claim true?
Their promise to provide affordable insurance might not be true because compared to other home insurance companies in the country, they are ranked as one of the top 10 most expensive companies. Their insurance rates are nearly twice as expensive as the costs of Allstate and Geico’s home insurance premiums. So, their claims aren’t that true. However, they offer comprehensive home insurance coverage and various discounts so you can still save on your premium despite the high rates.
When it comes to how their agents approach customers, there have been complaints about claims handling, lack of communication, and poor customer service. However, there are also numerous positive reviews about the company. That is why researching reviews about a company is important to know if they’re right for you.
Shelter Insurance Products
Shelter provides various home insurance coverage. Here are some of them:
- Dwelling – Applied to your private residence and any building structures that are attached to it. It also includes cooling systems, water heating systems, heating systems, water softeners, on-site construction materials, and working outdoor antennas or reception dish.
- Other Structures – Applies to structures that are permanently attached to your home’s premises but aren’t covered by your dwelling. This includes sheds and fences.
- Personal Property – Applies to the contents of your home and other structures. It will still be covered even if it’s just your vacation home.
- Additional Living Expenses – It will reimburse you for the increased cost of living away from home when your property is unlivable due to a fire or other covered loss.
- Personal Liability – This will help you pay for bodily injury and property damage that you are legally liable to pay.
- Medical Payments – This will help you pay for reasonable medical payments.
Other home insurance coverages included in their standard policy are:
- Debris removal
- Emergency removal of property
- Necessary repairs after a loss
- Fire department charges
- Trees, shrubs, plants, and lawns
- Credit card fraud and check forgery
- Property damage
- Family liability
- Legal Action
If their standard policy doesn’t suit your needs, you can consider their dwelling policy instead. On the other hand, here are their additional coverage options:
- Certain businesses
- Certain farming activities
- Additional premises
- Earthquake damage
- Protection from inflation
- Increased personal computer coverage
- Docks and Piers
- Damaged caused by sewers
- Claims brought against you for malicious prosecution and slander
- Identity fraud
Shelter Insurance Discounts
As mentioned above, they offer many discounts. You will be eligible for discounts if you:
- Install protective devices or home security
- Have an alarm system
- Make recent home improvements
- Have a new roof
- Installed home monitoring system
- Have smoke detectors
- Installed deadbolt locks on exterior doors
Shelter Ratings
Shelter earned 3.98 out of 5 stars from Clearsurance. 86% of the customer reviews have 4 and 5star ratings, which means policyholders liked the company’s service. Some of them say that Shelter responds a few days after they filed a claim, while some say that they have great customer service and offers affordable home insurance premiums. Only 2.8% gave a 1 star rating and they say that Shelter scammed them because it was charging them premiums which are twice as expensive as their original rate.
Shelter is not included in the J.D. Power 2018 U.S. Home Insurance Study, unlike State Farm, Geico, and All-State.
When it comes to their financial strength, A.M. Best gave the company an A or Excellent rating, which means they can really pay out claims of their homeowners, even when multiple claims are filed to them each day.
The Pros and Cons of Shelter Insurance
Here are the advantages and disadvantages of Shelter Mutual.
PROS
- Comprehensive home insurance coverage
- Excellent financial strength
- Many discounts
- Online quoting and claims processing
- In-person customer support
CONS
- Not affordable
- There are complaints about their agents
