Of the best homeowners insurance companies in the country, Liberty Mutual catered to five percent of the market in 2019, making it the third largest provider overall. Popularity isn’t everything, but it is something. You have to assume that at least some of that huge customer base arrived via word of mouth and personal recommendation.
And yet in the most recent JD Power Home Insurance survey Liberty Mutual scored a little lower than average for overall customer satisfaction. Respondents were reasonably satisfied with its policy offerings and claims process, but less so with its price, billing process and policy information, and the interactions they had with the company.
Despite that, a significant chunk of the nation trusts Liberty Mutual with its homeowners insurance needs, and it is most likely the features that are available that keep them coming back.
Liberty Mutual Homeowners Insurance review: Features
Information support: Good online information hub, tackling subjects beyond basic insurance.
Customer support: Telephone, online, live chat and email support available. The company is also on social media.
Interface: Browser, mobile app and Amazon Alexa.
- Long list of discounts
- One or two standout add-ons
Liberty Mutual makes a great play of its flexibility, claiming that it can create a policy that suits your individual requirements. There is some truth in that. It depends on what your personal requirements are, of course, but the company is the only one we’ve found that offers features like inflation protection endorsement, which protects you against price rises in labor, materials or building costs.
A Liberty Mutual policy will cover personal belongings as standard and can also cover your valuables. It will help you pay your living expenses if you can’t reside in your home while damages are being repaired. It can cover other buildings on your property, like a shed or outhouse, and boasts an add-on that has you covered for water backup and sump pump overflow. Check with a Liberty Mutual agent to see what features and add-ons might best protect your individual property.
Liberty Mutual also boasts a long list of potential discounts that could reduce your premium considerably. For example, you may receive a discount for installing protective devices, or when you insure up to 100 percent of the cost to replace your home. You might be entitled to money off simply by being a new home buyer. Newly built or renovated homes may qualify for a discount, and you may also be in line for savings if you choose to pay electronically, receive paperless documents, or if you’re serving in the military or have done in the past.
There are others and, taken as a whole, this is the longest list of discounts we’ve come across, and a considerably more comprehensive one than that offered by State Farm, the biggest company in the sector.
Liberty Mutual Homeowners Insurance review: Interface and usability
- Great online claims management
- In-depth coverage calculator
- Amazon Alexa skill
Liberty Mutual scores well for a clean, easy-to-navigate website and for a wide range of customer support channels. It has 24/7 claims assistance and will connect you directly to relevant local services if your home needs immediate repairs. You can live chat with a claims agent and file and manage claims online. Filing a claim through the browser takes just five to ten minutes, the company says.
It also boasts some very handy online tools. Its in-depth coverage calculator is one of the best we’ve seen, and will give you a very good idea of your likely premium. As well as standard questions, it will ask you about your tolerance to risk and whether or not you are worried about identity theft.
Liberty Mutual also offers a very well reviewed app for iOS and Android. The app lets you manage your policy, pay bills and file and track claims right from your mobile device. In what the company claims is a first, it also offers direct access to its online resource center through the Liberty Mutual Amazon Alexa skill.
Liberty Mutual Homeowners Insurance review: Quality of product
- Reasonable but not great financial stability
- Question marks over customer service and claims handling
Liberty Mutual appears to have quite a lot going for it, with excellent discounts and well-considered tools and resources. So what’s behind that disappointing JD Power customer satisfaction score?
Clearly, some customers think that, despite the discounts, the price they pay isn’t great for the coverage they receive. The score for interacting with the business is also a little below par, suggesting that Liberty Mutual should spend some time brushing up its customer service. The company does not have the best reputation for the speed and ease with which it handles claims.
We were also a little surprised that Liberty Mutual only receives an A score from A.M. Best, which is a measure of financial stability. An A rating isn’t bad, but it’s a couple of levels below State Farm’s A++ and a level below the A+ scores achieved by Allstate, Nationwide and Amica, among others.
Should you use Liberty Mutual Homeowners Insurance?
Liberty Mutual feels like one of those companies that has got it half right. In many ways, it is up with the best homeowners insurance providers in the sector, boasting a wide range of discounts, an excellent online portal and some helpful tools and resources.
On the other hand, customer satisfaction is clearly an issue, and too many customers seem to believe that Liberty Mutual promises more than it delivers.
In which case, should you look elsewhere? We’d argue that you should always try to look everywhere, and that Liberty Mutual should only ever be one of several quotes you receive. But it is worth including in your list, especially if the company’s unusual features and add-ons appeal, and you can make its long list of discounts work to your advantage.
