PEMCO Mutual Insurance Company Review

Christine Lacagnina Written by Christine Lacagnina
Christine Lacagnina
Written by Christine Lacagnina

Christine Lacagnina has written thousands of insurance-based articles for TrustedChoice.com by authoring consumable, understandable content.

Updated

PEMCO Mutual Insurance Company at a Glance

  • Founded in 1949
  • Coverage offered in two states
  • Offers coverage for individuals
  • Offers a wide variety of coverages
  • “B++” (good) rating by A.M. Best
  • “A+” (excellent) rating by Better Business Bureau (BBB)
  • Several discounts available
  • 24/7 claims reporting
  • Strong financial stability
  • Good customer feedback

PEMCO Pros: Well-established carrier with more than 70 years of experience in the insurance industry. Offers many kinds of coverage for individuals, including home insurance, auto insurance, earthquake insurance, umbrella insurance, and more. High ratings through A.M. Best and the BBB. Offers 24/7 claims reporting. Several discounts available. Large volume of customer satisfaction.

PEMCO Cons: Coverage not available nationwide. Not a BBB accredited business.

What Type of Insurance Does PEMCO Offer?

PEMCO offers a large catalogue of insurance products for individuals. Their coverages include:

  • Auto insurance
  • Home insurance
  • Renters insurance
  • Condo insurance
  • Umbrella insurance
  • Boat insurance
  • Motorcycle and scooter insurance
  • Flood insurance
  • Earthquake insurance
  • Collector vehicle insurance
  • Manufactured home insurance
  • Water and sewer line insurance

Your independent insurance agent can help you find more information about the coverages offered by PEMCO, and help you decide if this insurance company is right for you.

What to Know about PEMCO

PEMCO Mutual Insurance Company was founded in 1949, giving the carrier more than 70 years of experience in the insurance industry. The insurance company is headquartered in Seattle, Washington, and currently only caters to Washington and Oregon residents. The carrier offers a wide variety of coverages for individuals, including auto insurance, home insurance, earthquake insurance, and more.

The insurance company’s LinkedIn profile states that they currently have between 501 and 1,000 employees, with nearly 700 found on the social media platform. PEMCO works with a network of independent insurance agents to sell their coverage. Independent insurance agents provide a more complete and personalized experience for customers shopping for the right coverage. The carrier is also regarded as being financially stable, with A.M. Best placing them in the $250-$500 million financial size category.

Thanks to its extensive history, network of independent insurance agents, and wide variety of insurance products offered for individuals, PEMCO has earned a reputation as an insurance company with a strong outlook for the future. A.M. Best, the leading global credit rating agency monitoring the insurance industry, gives PEMCO a “B++” rating, indicating the carrier is a good choice for insurance customers. High ratings from A.M. Best assure customers that PEMCO is capable of offering guaranteed, secure coverage from a trustworthy and reputable carrier.

Established in 1899, A.M. Best is one of the oldest rating companies in the world. Reviews from A.M. Best indicate an insurance company’s financial strength and creditworthiness, and are based on comprehensive evaluations of the company’s operating performance, business profile, and balance sheet. For customers who aren’t as familiar with insurance companies’ reputations, A.M. Best’s rating system allows them to make an informed decision about who they can trust to meet their needs in the short term, and also to remain a strong, financially sound company in the long term.

What Discounts Does PEMCO Offer?

PEMCO offers many competitive discounts on their products, especially on car insurance. Their discounts include:

  • Auto plus home discount: Offered to insurance customers who purchase both auto and home insurance through PEMCO. 
  • Educator discount: Offered to auto insurance customers who work for schools, colleges, or universities. 
  • Distant student discount: Offered to auto insurance customers with students who go to school more than 75 miles away and do not keep a car on campus. 
  • University of Washington alumni discount: Offered to graduates of the University of Washington who hold bachelor’s or other advanced degrees.
  • Low mileage discount: Offered to auto insurance customers who driver fewer than 8,000 miles per year. 

Your independent insurance agent can help you find even more information about discounts offered by PEMCO and other ways to save money through the insurance company, helping you to find the coverage you need at the rate you deserve.

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PEMCO Customer Service

PEMCO allows customers to report claims over the phone or online at any time. The carrier also provides the following customer service options:

  • Email claims reporting
  • Fax claims reporting
  • Phone claims reporting
  • Snail mail contact option
  • Online bill pay
  • Customer service hotline has the following hour restrictions:


Hours (PST)


Monday-Friday 7 am - 6 pm


Saturday 8:30 am - 5 pm

The best way to ensure a smooth customer service experience is to work with an independent insurance agent. These agents can help handle claims and other concerns for you, so you can relax and enjoy your coverage.

PEMCO FAQ

What is PEMCO's average claim response timeframe?

PEMCO allows customers to file claims at any time over the phone or online, but does not list a specific claims response timeframe promise on their official website, beyond stating it will be in touch with customers “promptly” after a claim has been filed.

What is PEMCO's customer service availability?

PEMCO allows customers to file claims at any time online, through email, or over the phone. Their hotline for customer service inquiries has generous hours, Monday-Saturday. Customers can pay their bills through the official website as well. The carrier also has a social media presence on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, which makes them more accessible to customers.

What is PEMCO's claims process?

PEMCO allows its customers to file claims anytime through multiple media. The official website states the following process for customers who need to file an auto insurance claim, including what to do after an accident occurs:

Safety first.

Determine if there are any injuries and call 911 for help, if needed.

Step away from traffic and move your car to the side of the road, if you can safely do so.

Limit statements.

Exchange insurance information.

Don’t discuss responsibility for the accident with anyone except the police.

Don't discuss policy limits with anyone.

Record the facts you can safely gather.

Date, time and location of the accident.

The names, addresses and telephone numbers of registered owners, injured people, occupants of other cars and witnesses.

Snap photos or get the descriptions and license plate numbers of the other cars involved.

Report the accident.

Report the accident to the police.

Call PEMCO at 1-800-467-3626 or sign in to your online account. We’ll get the information you’ve collected and begin the claims process.

Your claims representative will walk you through the claims process.

First, we’ll confirm the coverages in effect at the time of the accident and explain how they apply in your situation. Our Claims Department will investigate further and keep you updated on the progress of the investigation.

While every claim is different, we’ve established solid processes for evaluating the damages on a claim. These processes might include working with our Timesaver Repair Program, reviewing a submitted estimate or working with a contractor to get a bid for repairs.

Based on that evaluation, we’ll make payment under the provisions of your policy. This may entail getting a release from someone who has a claim against you or may be as simple as paying the towing company’s bill.”

Does PEMCO create a user-friendly experience for customers?

PEMCO’s official website is well done. The layout is intuitive and easy to navigate, and customers can easily locate pertinent information. The carrier would benefit from adding an official claims response timeframe promise, though. PEMCO provides 24/7 claims reporting through the website, over the phone, and through mail or fax. Overall, PEMCO creates a highly user-friendly experience for its customers.

Does PEMCO have good auto insurance?

PEMCO offers a variety of coverages for individuals, but is perhaps best known for its auto insurance. Their auto insurance policies include the following coverages:

  • Collision coverage
  • Comprehensive coverage
  • Underinsured/uninsured motorist coverage
  • Towing and labor coverage
  • Rental reimbursement coverage
  • Auto loan coverage
  • Replacing or recoding key coverage
  • Camper, canopy, and tonneau cover coverage
  • Custom parts and equipment coverage
  • Personal injury protection coverage
  • Accidental death coverage
  • Pet coverage
  • Property damage liability coverage
  • Bodily injury liability coverage
  • Rideshare and rental coverage

PEMCO provides a comprehensive picture of coverage for auto insurance customers. The carrier also offers specialty auto insurance coverage, such as rideshare insurance, collector car insurance, and boat insurance. Your independent insurance agent can help you find out even more about the insurance company’s auto coverage, as well as their many other products offered.

Is PEMCO a good insurance company?

PEMCO has more than 70 years of experience under its belt today. The carrier has been highly rated by both A.M. Best and the BBB. However, the carrier is not accredited through the latter organization, and has had a handful of complaints filed against them in recent years. That being said, customer feedback is largely positive, with many glowing reviews easily spotted across the web. The insurance company has sound financial strength and offers 24/7 claims reporting. Overall, PEMCO can certainly be considered a good insurance company.

PEMCO Customer Reviews

Consumer Affairs
5 Stars
“PEMCO has good relations with their insureds. They provide the coverage and defend well when needed. Their complaint rate with OIC is very good! Much better than Allstate & others.”


Consumer Affairs
“I have never filed a renters’ insurance claim but I trust PEMCO to do the right thing because I also have auto insurance with them and they always follow through and take care of those in a speedy manner. I got the policy years ago and it looked okay at the time. It is time to check to see how much I am covered for. I expect them to take my word for the damage done. If my house burned down it would be very difficult to provide proof of what burned up.”


Clearsurance
“My family has had PEMCO insurance for over 30 years. PEMCO helped us right away when my car was stolen just last year. They helped me pay for a rental car and paid for the damages when my car was found. PEMCO is a company that you can rely on.”


Clearsurance
5 Stars
“PEMCO is great company. It provides insurance within our budget and also gives discounts every year. It also has great customer support.”


Better Business Bureau
5 Stars
“These other reviews seem to be from people who don't understand how insurance works. My rates have gone up some in the last few years, but everything is more expensive now. Home values, cars, food, etc., especially if you live in or near a big city like Seattle. I've had a few claims over the last couple of years (two auto accidents that weren't my fault), and the customer service was great. My experience with their claims people was fine, too. They're sometimes hard to get ahold of, but everything got settled without a lot of hassle. There are probably cheaper companies to get insurance, but I think this is a case of ‘you get what you pay for.’"


TrustedChoice.com's Final Review

4.5/5 stars

We award PEMCO Mutual Insurance Company a final rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars. The insurance company has been around for more than 70 years now, and its rankings reflect that PEMCO has used this time to their advantage. PEMCO has high ratings from both A.M. Best and the BBB. Though coverage is only available in two states, the carrier provides a respectable catalogue of insurance options for many types of customers in need. PEMCO provides 24/7 claims reporting through multiple media, along with other modern customer service features such as online bill pay, finding quotes, or getting matched with an agent through their website. That being said, what we’re most impressed by is the high volume of glowing customer reviews spotted across multiple platforms on the web. Customers overall seem largely satisfied with the coverage and level of customer service they receive from PEMCO, which automatically gives the carrier high marks by our standards. So, if you’re located in the Pacific Northwest and are in need of any of their coverage offerings, we say don’t hesitate to look into PEMCO with your independent insurance agent to be your next trusted insurance company.

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