PEMCO Insurance Company Review

Company Overview

PEMCO Insurance Company is a regional insurance provider to insurance customers in the Northwest United States. It is a mutual insurance company, meaning it is owned by the policy holders. The acronym PEMCO stands for “Public Employees Mutual Insurance Company.” The company founder, Robert J. Handy, started PEMCO Insurance in 1942 as an insurance company for teachers who had a membership with the School Employees Credit Union of Washington. The company still holds an affiliation with this credit union for teachers.

From its early beginnings as an auto insurance company for educators, PEMCO insurance grew to include home, umbrella, renters, condo and boat insurance. PEMCO Life insurance company sells low-cost life insurance policies to members of the teacher’s credit union.

PEMCO’s company headquarters is based in Seattle, Washington. There are approximately 650 employees providing insurance to customers of the Northwest in the states of Washington and Oregon.

Financial Stability and Customer Service Ratings

PEMCO Insurance Company has a “B++” Good rating with A.M. Best insurance rating organization. In January 2016, the outlook was revised from stable to negative. In the customer service arena, PEMCO Insurance has received the J.D. Power and Associates award in customer satisfaction receiving the highest ranking for customer service among auto insurance companies in the Northwest region of the United States.

The J.D. Power and Associates study was based on a study which questioned consumers about 12 different providers of insurance in the Northwest region. This study received 45,521 responses which were used to score insurance companies and determine which ones were top in customer satisfaction.

PEMCO is not accredited with the Better Business Bureau. Although companies are under no obligation to obtain accreditation with the Better Business Bureau, it is a good way for insurance customers to determine how the company handles and resolves customer complaints. Even though PEMCO is not BBB accredited, it does have an “A+” rating.

Insurance Products

With PEMCO Insurance, customers living in the states of Washington and Oregon can purchase a policy for:

• Auto: Auto coverage options for PEMCO customers include collision, comprehensive, underinsured/uninsured motorist property damage and bodily injury, towing/labor, rental reimbursement, auto loan coverage, camper parts and equipment coverage, personal injury protection, accidental death coverage and pet coverage (pays $1,000 for your dog or cat if injured in a covered collision. This coverage is currently only available in Washington.) Also only available in Washington: replacing or re-coding key, camper, canopy, tonneau coverage and custom parts and equipment coverage.
• Home: Home coverage options from PEMCO include dwelling, personal property, replacement cost and other structures coverage. You can also purchase loss of use, personal liability and medical payments to others coverage. Coverage for sewerage backup up to $5,000 is included at no additional cost.
• Renters: Renters insurance is available for personal property such as furniture, appliances, clothing and expensive personal items such as a guns, jewelry, furs, computers, business equipment, etc. You can purchase replacement cost coverage and loss of use coverage. Personal liability coverage and medical payments to others coverage is also available.
• Condo: The condo policy covers replacement of plumbing, flooring, light fixtures, drywall and other internal amenities as well as coverage for your personal property. You can purchase replacement cost coverage, loss of use coverage, personal liability, loss assessment and medical payments to others coverage.
• Umbrella: Umbrella coverage is extra liability protection you can add to an existing auto home or boat policy to protect you from bodily injury or property damage caused to others. Umbrella insurance from PEMCO is available in limits of $1 million, $2 million or $3 million.
• Boat: Boat coverage is available anywhere in the continental U.S. (excluding Alaska) and Canada for all inland lakes, rivers, and navigable waterways. The coverage extends 75 miles off of the Pacific Coast of the continental U.S. (excluding Alaska) or Canada and includes the Queen Charlotte Islands but not more than 12 miles off the western shore. Coverage is available for boat damage, agreed value coverage, emergency service, replacement coverage for personal belongings, replacement coverage for fishing equipment and mechanical breakdown coverage.
• Other Coverages: For Earthquake, Classic Auto, RV & Trailer Insurance, or Motorcycle Insurance, call 1-800-467-3626, ext. 9311 or email agency@pemco.com.

Customers can receive a quote and purchase a policy online, by phone or through a local community agent.

Policy Services

From the website, policy holders can report a claim 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can find an affiliated repair shop that when manage the claim paperwork for you. For glass-chip repairs, you are not required to pay a deductible.

If you set up an account, you can login to make policy payments and choose to go paperless by receiving your bill by electronic statement. Even if you do not set up an account, you can still pay for insurance bill online, you'll just need to provide your policy number, last name and billing zip code.

Pros

If you live in the states of Washington or Oregon and have a clean driving record and good credit, you can qualify for the best insurance rates for home and auto insurance and receive an affordable insurance premium. PEMCO Insurance has a good financial strength and customer service rating. Customers can receive a quote for insurance online through the company website.

Cons

PEMCO Insurance is a regional provider and only offers coverage in the states of Washington and Oregon.

To obtain an insurance quote on the PEMCO website, you must give your social security number. Your credit score is used as part of the criteria for determining your insurance premium.

Customers with tickets or accidents may not find the best rates with PEMCO Insurance since they have tiered levels of policies and the preferred rates go to insurance customers with clean driving records. Because the company caters to good drivers, those who have claims may experience an increase in their insurance premiums.

Contact Information

To receive a quote or learn more about PEMCO Insurance products, you can visit the PEMCO Insurance website or call 1-800-467-3626.