Encompass Home Insurance Review
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Fast Facts
Availability:
In 39 states
Cost:
Three tiers to choose from
Quote process:
Only through an agent
Bundled policies:
Yes
Add-ons:
Offers various add-ons and discounts
Bundling and optional add-ons that can make customizing insurance policies easy are two of the biggest ways Encompass Insurance helps consumers save money and find insurance that meets their specific needs.
Encompass sells auto and home insurance, among other insurance products, that can be bought separately or through a bundle of home, car, and important possessions called the EncompassOne Insurance Package Policy. Whether bundled or separate, each type of insurance coverage is offered in three tiers that increase coverage options with higher premiums.
We review some of the best options for each tier and give an overview of how Encompass Insurance works.
Jump To
What is Encompass Insurance?
The company that would become Encompass began selling personal insurance in 1897 when the EncompassOne Package Policy of bundling policies was introduced.
The company became Encompass Insurance Co. in the 1990s when Allstate Insurance Company bought it from CNA and changed its name to Encompass. It is still a subsidiary of Allstate Insurance Company.
Encompass is available in 39 states. It is headquartered in Northbrook, Illinois. Its policies are only sold through independent insurance agents, not online. The Encompass website doesn’t provide quotes or allow insurance claims to be filed online.
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How does Encompass Insurance work?
To get insurance quotes from Encompass, contact one of its 2,600 independent agents in the 39 states where it’s available. A price quote can’t be obtained online from its website, though it will connect you with an agent to give you a quote. The page isn’t easy to find.
On the “Insurance Products” page is a “Request a Quote” link. Click on that, and it takes you to a short form that you fill out with your contact information. Encompass then sends it to an independent agent, who will contact you with a quote.
If you’d like to contact an agent directly, start by scrolling halfway down the Encompass homepage. Click on the green button “Find an agent.”
You’ll be asked to enter your city and state, or Zip code, to find an agent near you. A list of agents near you will be provided next.
When you click on an agent, a new tab will open with their information, such as their address and phone number so that you can schedule an appointment.
How much does Encompass Insurance cost?
The Encompass website doesn’t provide price quotes. However, it has plenty of information about the three tiers of coverage, whether bundled in an EncompassOne policy or sold as standalone home or auto insurance policies.
We assume that the optional add-ons and the higher tier levels cost extra, though the Encompass website doesn’t list how much.
Each tier has add-ons that we assume cost the customer more. The EncompassOne package policy contains one or more segments: auto, homeowners, boat, and personal umbrella. The package policy isn’t available in Florida, Massachusetts, North Carolina, and Texas.
The three tiers start with Special and go up in price and features to Deluxe and Elite. Here’s a look at some of the features each offers:
EncompassOne policy tiers
Features | Elite | Deluxe | Special |
Property location limit | 200% of home replacement value | 200% of home replacement value | N/A |
Water backup damage coverage | Highest coverage | Optional | Optional |
HOA extension | $50,000 of your share | $5,000 | $1,000 |
Jewelry & fur coverage | $10,000 | $5,000 | $1,500 |
The best feature of its bundled policy is a single deductible. If a covered peril damages your home and car, you’ll pay only the high individual deductible during the claims process. For example, if a thunderstorm damages your home and car, the home deductible is $500. The comprehensive coverage deductible for your car is $250; you’d only pay the $500 deductible for both claims.
Encompass has other ways to save, such as discounts for being a safe driver or not having a claim on your home for five years, which we’ll list later.
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- Rates subject to qualification and approval
Encompass Insurance features
Encompass gives customers standard insurance coverages and optional coverage they can pay extra for. Policies can be bought in any of the three tiers we listed above, either in a separate or bundled policy.
A homeowners policy, for example, can be bought by itself in a Special, Deluxe, or Elite tier or bundled with an auto policy in the same tier. Optional coverage can be added to build a policy that fits your needs.
Here are the features for each of the home insurance tiers. Any optional coverage is on top of the basic coverage Encompass provides.
Special home insurance
The entry-level Special tier starts with all the standard features you’d expect from a basic home insurance policy. The Special package also includes the following:
- Additional living expenses with no dollar limit for up to one year if your home is unliveable due to a covered loss.
- $1,500 of coverage for jewelry and fur, which covers items from theft.
- Pays $1,000 of Homeowners Association fees, or HOA fees, after a covered disaster if your HOA raises the assessment for a covered loss to common property.
- Medical expense coverage due to accidents that happen away from your insured home.
- Landscape and land restoration coverage to replace landscaping damaged by a covered loss.
- Burglary or theft recovery. Encompass will pay 10% of the loss up to $1,000 in reward money for information about someone who has broken into or damaged your home.
Three optional features can be added on for extra fees:
- Personal property is covered, in addition to your home
- Increased building costs if building code changes make reconstruction of your home more expensive
- Replacement cost is covered if the cost to rebuild is more than the original insured amount
Deluxe home insurance
For homeowners who own many valuable assets and want a higher level of protection, the Deluxe level is the mid-tier level of coverage. It includes all of the benefits of the Special package, including the optional extras.
200% property location limit
Some home policies set separate limits on homes, contents, and other structures. The limits are percentages based on the actual value of your home and can’t be combined if one limit is insufficient to cover the loss.
The Deluxe and Elite policies double the policy limits to 200% of the home’s value to cover the house, outlying structures, and contents. You can allocate your limit as necessary for any covered loss.
For example, a standard policy might limit structure coverage to its replacement value, such as $500,000. A separate limit of $350,000 may be set to cover the contents of your home. If your home’s contents sustained $400,000 in damage, you’d have to pay for the remaining $50,000.
Under the Encompass property location limit, all your property is covered up to 200% of the home's replacement value. In the above scenario, that equates to $1 million, which would more than cover $400,000 in damage to your personal belongings.
Other Deluxe home insurance features
Other benefits of this mid-tier policy package include the following:
- $5,000 of coverage for jewelry and fur, up from $1,500 in the Special level.
- Enhanced replacement cost coverage. You're protected if the cost to rebuild your home exceeds the original insured amount.
- Water backup. Protects against backed-up water or sump pump overflow.
- Walk-away coverage. The estimated value of your home will be paid if it is damaged in a covered loss.
- Mortgage rate protection up to $20,000 if a total loss requires a higher-rate mortgage.
- $5,000 in HOA fees, up from $1,000 in a Special policy, if your HOA is raised after a loss.
Elite home insurance
This top tier of coverage includes everything in the Deluxe package, along with:
- $10,000 of coverage for jewelry and fur
- Up to $50,000 in HOA fees
- Lock replacement with no deductible if your keys are lost or stolen
- Fine art protection. Replacement of glass protects fine art, including broken porcelain statuary or other fragile art pieces.
- Its highest water backup coverage, including damage to family furniture, treasured books, and children’s toys.
- Identity fraud expense coverage up to $20,000, including lost wages and attorney fees.
- Personal injury protection if you’re sued for libel and slander.
Home insurance discounts
Encompass home insurance discounts include:
- Claim-free for five years
- Home 20 years old or new.
- Home heating, cooling, plumbing, or roof systems have been updated in 10 years.
- Credit for protection devices such as fire alarms
- Bought a home less than 49 years old in the last five years
Who is Encompass Insurance best for?
You like customized policies
Encompass offers insurance policies with varying features in three tiers: Special, Deluxe, and Elite, in its EncompassOne policy package that bundles auto and homeowners insurance. The Elite level is the highest. It costs the most but has the most coverage.
Customers can customize their policies with optional add-ons, though some are only available at the top-tier level.
Auto and home policies can also be bought separately, with optional features that can be added. The standalone policies also have Special, Deluxe, and Elite levels of coverage. Customers with many assets may want the Elite level for the most coverage options. For example, a high water backup damage coverage level is only offered at the Elite level.
You want bundled policies
Through its EncompassOne policy package, Encompass offers discounted home and auto insurance and covers important possessions in one policy with one premium. One deductible is charged if a disaster strikes a car or home. For extra fees, optional features can be added to the policies.
Use Home Insure to Find Affordable Home Insurance
- Get Home (or Rental) Insurance as Low as $19/Month
- Compare rates in minutes
- No cost or obligation to check
- Rates subject to qualification and approval
Who shouldn’t use Encompass Insurance?
You want online insurance quotes
Encompass only provides price quotes through independent insurance agents. It doesn’t offer insurance quotes online, which may not be what you’re looking for if you don’t want to talk to an agent and prefer a price quote online.
The Encompass website lets users fill out a form so that an agent can contact them, or consumers can find an agent through the website and contact the agent on their own.
You live in areas not covered by Encompass
Encompass Insurance doesn’t provide insurance in 10 states: Alaska, Florida, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Financial strength. Encompass Insurance is owned by Allstate, which is one of the largest home and auto insurance companies in the country. Encompass Insurance Company has an A+ Superior rating from A.M. Best for financial strength. That’s the second highest of 13 types of ratings by A.M. Best.
- Customer satisfaction. Encompass has high customer service, according to NAIC complaint ratios and J.D. Power. It has a complaint ratio of 0.66 for homeowners insurance from the NAIC, against a national median of 1.0, meaning it has fewer complaints than expected for a company of its size. A J.D. Power homeowners insurance survey rated it 3 out of 5 for overall customer satisfaction.
- Wide range of policies. With bundling and three tiers of policies, shoppers can find several customizable insurance policy options at Encompass Insurance that are affordable and should be able to meet their insurance needs.
Cons
- Can’t file a claim or get a quote online. We’ve already discussed how Encompass doesn’t provide online price quotes for its insurance products. Potential customers must talk to an independent agent. Existing customers may also have problems with the company’s online service since it doesn’t allow insurance claims to be made online. Instead, a claim can only be filed by phone or mail. The website makes it easy to find a claims office to call. Though your insurance agent won’t be able to file a claim for you, Encompass encourages customers to contact them for explanations of policy coverage.
- Some perks aren’t add-ons. Some perks, such as high water damage coverage levels, are only available in the top tier called Elite. Water damage coverage is optional on the two lower tiers, but the higher level of coverage isn’t available as an add-on. If you live in an area on the border of a flood area, you may need to buy the higher-priced Elite insurance package to get the coverage you need.
- Not available in all states. Encompass operates in 39 states. Not all types of insurance it sells are available in every state it operates in.
Encompass vs. competitors
Insurer | J.D. Power ratings | A.M. Best ratings | Multiple discounts |
Encompass | 3/5 | A+ | Yes |
Safeco | 2/5 | A | Yes |
The Hartford | 4.1/5 | A+ | Yes |
Encompass vs. Safeco
Like Encompass, Safeco only sells insurance through independent agents. That can mean more specialized service and help to decide which insurance options are best for you.
Encompass has higher customer satisfaction ratings than Safeco, so you may find better service from agents working with Encompass than those for Safeco.
Safeco has an advantage in its online offerings. Claims can be filed online, and its website is easy to navigate, while Encompass doesn’t allow claims to be filed online.
Encompass vs. The Hartford
The Hartford Insurance is well known for serving customers 50 and older. Encompass doesn’t offer as many discounts to older drivers or homeowners as The Hartford does, which puts it at a disadvantage with older customers.
The Hartford offers two types of homeowners insurance, while Encompass has three levels of insurance and add-ons that give consumers more choices.
Both companies sell umbrella insurance, which retirees and others with high assets may need if their regular insurance doesn’t cover all their assets.
FAQs
How do I file a claim?
Encompass only allows claims to be filed by calling or writing. A phone call is probably easier, and the company’s website makes it easy to find that number or to find a claims agent in your area to call. It doesn’t allow insurance claims to be filed online.
How do I get a price quote from Encompass?
You must either fill out an online form on the Encompass website to have an independent insurance agent contact you, or click on the red “Find an agent” on pages throughout its website to find an independent agent in your area to talk to.
Should I bundle insurance through Encompass?
If you find auto and homeowners policies that meet your needs, then it can be worthwhile to bundle them through the EncompassOne policy package and receive a discount. The tier level you choose — Special, Deluxe or Elite — must be the same for home and auto. Each level is recommended for how many assets you have, so having similar levels of coverage for your car and home makes sense.
The bottom line
Shopping for insurance isn’t easy, but Encompass Insurance offers three tiers of coverage that can be applied to bundled or separate policies. Each tier is more expensive as you go up in levels, but it provides more coverage and more optional add-ons as you go up too.
Encompass doesn’t give price quotes or allow claims to be filed online. Instead, it steers consumers to call independent agents to review and buy coverage and to call or write its claims experts to file insurance claims.
Encompass is a good place to start shopping for home and auto insurance. It offers many coverage options, which should be discussed with an agent to see if they meet your needs and are worth buying.
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Writer
Aaron Crowe is a freelance journalist who specializes in personal finance writing and editing. He has worked at newspapers, where he won a Pulitzer Prize, and has written for numerous online publications. These include AOL, US News & World Report, WiseBread, Bankrate, AARP, and many websites focusing on housing, credit and insurance. He lives in California with his wife and daughter.
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