Encompass VS. Kemper

[JAM]

We are looking to add another carrier next month. We are in Southern California. I was thinking either Kemper or Encompass. Who has the better rate and product in our area?

[Gunther]

I worked in a firm about 15 years ago that had Kemper and I remember they are good company back then. Time may have changed things.

I have been working in a firm for the past 4 years that has Encompass. They were originally owned by CNA. It is now owned by Allstate and all the email addresses for Encompass are allstate.com. We have been calling Encompass by it's true name "Allstate". If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck... Basically you are selling a CNA product/pricing with Allstate claim service. Doesn't matter what the insurance contract reads if the company will not back it up at claim time.

Allstate is a giant company and it's a giant bureaucracy that will have to be navigated. You are not assigned and underwriter and have to call into a call center. Consequently, there is no relationship building wiht Allstate.

As you can tell we are actively moving our Encompass business to other carriers.

[kevinraz]

Encompass is no longer CNA and Kemper is no longer Kemper, now owned by Unitrin. You folks need to get on ambest.com and do some free research. Neither company has any bearing or relationship to what it was in the past. Read up on Unitrin because that's what you are getting.

Encompass had a pretty lousy reputation with agents, did not fare well, got sold for cheap. The real Kemper died due to mismanagment and is still in runoff. Personal lines operations were sold to Unitrin 5ish years ago and the name lives on but nothing else. Ain't no cavalry coming over the hill to help policyholders.

For you youn'uns that was their commercials, find it on Youtube.

[Gunther]

Encompass is no longer CNA and Kemper is no longer Kemper, now owned by Unitrin. You folks need to get on ambest.com and do some free research. Neither company has any bearing or relationship to what it was in the past. Read up on Unitrin because that's what you are getting.

Clearly you skimmed my post and did not read it fully.

They were originally owned by CNA. It is now owned by Allstate

[KPIA]

Do you have a comparative rater, JAM? Might wanna try plugging the carriers in and finding out. U-Kemp is gonna wanna see that you have at least $1M - 1.5M with a true preferred carrier already, then they are gonna wanna see a number of recent risks that you placed that fits their preferred appetite and they want you to commit to production volume requirements.

As far as Encompass having Allstate claims service, Gunther, that can't be good as Allstate's Good Finger Claims Service is becoming the stuff of legend, from what I hear.

[JAM]

Ive been trying it out on EZ lynx. Kemper has a better price on the package and encompass is slightly better on standalone Auto. We might Hold out for Allied for now and ecide beteween kemper and encompass down the line.

[Wildwillie]

In this day in age you would be better to take them both and see how the dust settles down the road. More is better every time in this market. Look at all these package deals being offered - SIAA, Iroquois Buckeye, Ins. Noodle, esurance, etc. If you don't have them all your not in the market or will soon be gone from the competition.

[randrew54]

Do not sign up with Encompass. Their rates are high and their claim service is subpar.

[CSRQueen]

We are looking to add another carrier next month. We are in Southern California. I was thinking either Kemper or Encompass. Who has the better rate and product in our area?

I'm in Pennsylvania so can only speak for my state, we're banging away with Allied. We're actively moving our Encompass book to them - like their people, their claims & their pricing. Encompass' claims went in the crapper a few years ago and underwriting wasn't far behind. You definitely do NOT have a personal relationship with an underwriter which I hate - I want to be able to pick up the phone, call the person that I KNOW & who KNOWS me and the way I / our agency do business. I don't want to be the next call in a queue when it comes to something like an decision to reinstate or to write something that I know is good but just doesn't fit their predictive underwriting model. Allied is a nationwide company & they make no bones about that - they say who they are right up front and don't hide behind who they used to be.

Encompass USED to be a great company back when they were CNA - Allstate changed all of that, sad to say. Rates are all over the place (how the hell they got some of these rates by the DOI is beyond me) and they're now scrambling to shut the barn door after the horses have run out of the burning building.

Don't know much about Kemper - we don't have them here.

[wariline]

Can't comment on Encompass. The new Kemper (Unitrin company) is a preferred carrier here in Calif. Their approach is focusing on package (home & auto). The coverage is good, esp. on the home side. They, however, still need to work on their rates to be more competitive.

[jaspy]

I'm an Encompass agent. Our agency has represented Encompass for decades dating back to the 1960's and CNA. I serve on their NorthStar Agent Advisory Panel and have done so for many, many years. In my NorthStar role I have the opportunity to listen to and share Encompass experiences with fellow Encompass agents from all around the country with regular frequency. I can tell you first hand, Encompass is listening to their agents and working extremely hard to regain their reputation as a premier personal lines insurance company. Agent frustrations of a few years ago while still apparent in certain territories around the country is diminishing as Encompass strengthens their competitive position on a state by state basis, including CA. No one denies Encompass is an Allstate owned company, but to be fair, Encompass doesn’t operate like Allstate and has significantly different approaches in how they serve and define their target market. Encompass admits it was a mistake to move away from their niche a few years ago which in large part led to agent frustration countrywide, but they are very committed at getting back into that niche and working to become the carrier of choice again. Here's my suggestion for whatever it's worth. When I'm deciding on a new company appointment I look to the carrier to refer me to a few of their successful agents and preferably agents who sit on their advisory panel. I feel those agents are in a better position with a broader in depth understanding of the company and know what it takes to be successful with the company. From this I’m able to better assess where my agency fits or doesn't fit. If you're seriously thinking about Encompass you're in luck, because Encompass has the best agent advocacy advisory group in the country and their local marketing representative will gladly put you in touch with local NorthStar agents from your state. I can't think of a better more reliable source of unbiased agent information to help you in your planning and decision making. Best of luck in your endeavor…