We only work with top-rated insurance companies. As a consumer, you can review the financial ratings and where a company invests. You can also look at J.D. Power for claim satisfaction. We review the companies and make sure we only use A-rated insurance carriers in this office.

Reputable, in the insurance world, has a specific meaning. It is not about which company has the catchiest commercial or the biggest billboard at the airport. It refers to two measurable things: financial strength, which is the company’s ability to pay claims even after a bad year, and claims satisfaction, which is how policyholders actually experience the claims process. Both can be checked by anyone with an internet connection, and both are part of how we vet every carrier we represent.

Financial strength ratings

Independent rating agencies — A.M. Best is the most widely used, with Moody’s, S&P, and Fitch close behind — publish letter grades that measure an insurer’s financial health. A-rated carriers and above are considered strong. Lower-rated carriers may quote cheaper, but they carry more risk that they will struggle in a major claims year. Our office only places business with A-rated insurance carriers. That is a policy, not a preference. If you want to see who that includes, our carriers and partners page lists them.

Where the company invests

Reputable carriers also publish how their reserves are invested. That information is in their annual report. Stable carriers tend to have diversified, conservative portfolios — government bonds, high-grade corporates, real estate — rather than concentrated bets. You do not need to read a financial statement to feel the difference; it shows up in how the carrier handles a big catastrophe year.

A cheap premium with a weak carrier is not a deal — it is a deferred problem you only notice at claim time.

J.D. Power and claims satisfaction

Financial strength tells you whether a company can pay. Claims satisfaction tells you what it is like when they do. J.D. Power publishes annual studies on auto, home, and life claim satisfaction, scoring carriers on speed, communication, and outcome. You can also read carrier reviews from policyholders, but take individual reviews with a grain of salt — claims involve emotions and expectations, not just numbers. Use the aggregate data, not one-off stories.

A five-step check you can run yourself

If you want to vet a carrier before you bind, here is a quick process:

1. Look up the A.M. Best rating. A or better is the floor.
2. Check the J.D. Power claim satisfaction score for that line of business.
3. Search the state department of insurance complaint index for the company.
4. Ask your agent how long they have placed business with that carrier and what their claims experience has been.
5. Compare the answer to why one quote is so much cheaper than another — sometimes the gap is the rating.

Want help running that check? Start a personal insurance quote and we will tell you exactly which carriers we are recommending and why.

Why we set the bar at A-rated

We have seen what happens when a financially weaker carrier hits a hard year. Renewals get non-renewed, rates jump, and clients are forced to shop in a hurry. By placing business only with strong carriers, we reduce that churn for our clients. It also makes our renewal review smoother — our annual review process works better when the underlying carriers are stable. For businesses comparing carriers, our take on business coverages to review before switching applies the same financial-strength lens to commercial accounts. If your business is shopping, request a commercial insurance quote and we will only present A-rated options. For life insurance, the same standard applies — start a life insurance quote and you will only see carriers we trust to be around for the long haul.