Our continued commitment to customers during coronavirus
At Safeco, the well-being of our customers and employees is always our top priority. From issuing refunds to our customers, to providing payment flexibility, to issuing grants for community partners responding to coronavirus, we're here to help in tough times, as we've done for over 100 years. Below we summarize all the ways we are helping our customers and how to access these benefits.
Personal Insurance Customers
Payment flexibility
From March 23 through June 15, 20201, we automatically waived all late fees and continued insurance coverage for customers with overdue payments. To make it easier for customers who are behind in payments, we're proactively taking the following action:- If you pay monthly on our direct bill payment plan and have an outstanding balance on your policy as of June 15, this balance will be spread out over the remaining bills in your policy period. Your new monthly bill amount will be higher to account for the previous unpaid balance. For example, if you owe $100 and have 10 months left on your policy, we will add $10 to each month.
- If you pay monthly on our direct bill payment plan and have one payment or fewer remaining in your policy term, your outstanding balance will be transferred to your renewal policy and spread out over your future policy term.
- If you pay annually, semi-annually or quarterly on our direct bill payment plan and currently have an outstanding amount due, please go online or contact us to make a payment to avoid receiving a cancellation notice. In addition, we have alternate payment options you may find helpful at this time, such as changing to a monthly payment plan.
- The easiest way to see your billing amount going forward and to manage your billing preferences is through our app or online.
- Customers who did not have an outstanding balance as June 15, 2020, will not see any changes to their current payment arrangements.
During this difficult time, we know you may be experiencing financial hardship and may have changed your driving pattern. You may contact us to review coverage, deductible, and other policy changes, including options to update mileage.
Payment Flexibility FAQs
Personal Auto Customer Relief Refund
In April, we announced our Personal Auto Customer Relief Refund, through which we returned approximately $250 million to our customers. Personal auto insurance customers received a 15% refund on two months of auto premium, based on your premium amount as of April 7, 2020.1- Refunds began in April and throughout the month of May and were issued in the manner you made your most recent payment, or by check.
- Refunds issued to credit cards and bank accounts were completed by May 20th, and refunds issued by check were mailed by May 20th.*
- Your refund amount is posted in your Payment History in the app or online.
Relief Refund FAQs
Find state-specific personal/casualty lines insurance information regarding Covid-19
Download Our Mobile App to View Your Billing Information and Your Refund Amount
We understand it's a challenging time. That's why the Safeco mobile app makes it easy to confirm you've received your refund and update your billing preferences, like changing your payment date, if you need to.
Changes to Auto & Property Claims Process to Protect Customers and Employees
- We have resumed on-site inspections of exterior damages to buildings and homes. We are also performing onsite interior inspections in select states. Prior to the inspection, our property adjusters will talk about the inspection process, social distancing, sanitization, and CDC Guidelines designed to keep our customers and employees safe. We may complete interior inspections using video chat or other video collaboration tools. We will ask customers for their approval before using these tools. Depending on the local risk environment, our claims staff or a vendor may perform an inspection. We're instructing any vendors who provide services to Safeco® and Liberty Mutual to follow the same guidelines.
- Auto appraisers will also slowly resume on-site appraisals, starting with exterior inspections of cars and will continue to complete appraisals virtually when on-site is not possible. You can submit photographs of vehicle damage online and through our app, including using our new assisted-photo tool which will show you step-by-step how to take damage photos. Prior to the going on site, our Auto adjusters will discuss the appraisal process, social distancing, sanitization and CDC Guidelines designed to keep our customers and employees safe.
- All other claims employees are working from home to handle claims as quickly as possible. For faster claims processing, we strongly encourage you to file new claims online, to manage claims online, and to use our digital tools including RealTime Review video chat and guided photo capture.
- We're instructing any vendors who provide services to Safeco and Liberty Mutual to follow the same guidelines.
Our communities
communities Our philanthropy program is helping people who are experiencing some of the greatest need during this time. Among our many efforts in the U.S., we've committed $15 million in crisis grants to community partners helping respond to the coronavirus; given donations to each of the over 800 nonprofits we partner with during our employee volunteering program; further supported employees' online charitable donations with company gifts; and created an employee phone outreach program to call those in the community who are socially isolated.
Across the globe, our varied and widespread philanthropic efforts range from providing meals to families in India and Hong Kong; donating masks in Singapore; and giving monetary contributions to many local nonprofits.
Measures to Keep Employees Safe and Prevent Spread of Coronavirus
We've taken measures to follow CDC guidelines and prevent the spread of coronavirus to our employees and customers:- We've enabled all our employees to work from home and implemented mandatory work from home across all offices in the US and Canada.
- All air, rail, and bus travel by employees is restricted.
Payment flexibility FAQs
- You can log in to review your balance and payment options.
- Please contact us to review options that may be available.
- If you are still unable to pay your bill, please contact us for more information about your payment options.
- If you don't pay your next bill after June 15, you may be subject to late fees and policy cancellation.
- If you don't pay your next bill after June 15, you may be subject to late fees and policy cancellation.
- If you are on automatic payments, there is no change to your payment schedule and those payments will continue to go through as they normally do.
Personal Auto Relief Refund FAQs
- If your refund was issued to a credit card or bank account, we sent you an email to let you know when that was completed, and your refund would appear in that account within 3-5 days. If your refund was issued as a check, we notified you by mail when that was processed, and the check was mailed through the United States Postal Service no later than May 20. Policyholders who pay through payroll deduction were also mailed a check.
- Yes, the refund is reflected in your online account.
- Please check your online account to confirm your refund was issued. If your credit or bank account refund could not be processed successfully, we mailed you a check. If you misplaced the check or cannot find your electronic refund, please contact us.
- No, this is a refund on your premium, and it is not taxable income.
- No, the refund has no impact to your coverage.
- No, the refund will not impact your future rate.
- The refund includes private passenger auto policies with liability coverage. Motorcycles, antique and classic cars, recreational vehicles (travel trailers and motor homes), off-road vehicles and personal transporters (such as golf carts) are excluded from this refund. Customers who believe their usage of these excluded vehicles has changed due to the pandemic should reach out to us to make changes to their policy.