The DFS ranks automobile insurance companies doing business in New York State based on the number of consumer complaints upheld against them as a percentage of their total business over a two-year period. Complaints typically involve issues like delays in the payment of no-fault claims and nonrenewal of policies.
Insurers with the fewest upheld complaints per million dollars of premiums appear at the top of the list. Those with the highest complaint ratios are ranked at the bottom.
Things to Consider When Using this Ranking:
- This ranking includes only complaints received by DFS. It does not include complaints sent only to insurance companies.
- Upheld complaints occur when DFS agrees with a consumer that an auto insurer made an inappropriate decision. Complaints not upheld by DFS or withdrawn by the consumer are not included in the final calculation.
- Large insurance companies doing a lot of business typically generate more complaints than smaller companies, so while ratios may allow you to compare small companies with large companies by looking at complaints as a percentage of premiums written, only one or two additional upheld complaints per year can have a significant impact on a smaller insurer.
- Because the ranking includes all of the auto insurers in New York, some must be at the bottom of each year’s list even if every company is performing well.
While this ranking might provide information to consider when choosing an insurance company, it should not be your only consideration. Visit our Automobile Owners Resource Center for more information on shopping for auto insurance.