Great Northern Insurance Car Insurance Review (2024)

Great Northern Insurance Agency specializes in auto, home, and commercial coverage. This small insurance company serves residents of Illinois and Indiana and offers unique products like rideshare coverage and Mexico auto insurance. While the company earns an A+ from the Better Business Bureau and an A++ from A.M. Best, there are numerous customer complaints.

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Tonya Sisler

Content Team Lead

Tonya Sisler has been a technical insurance writer for over five years. She uses her extensive insurance and finance knowledge to write informative articles that answer readers' top questions. Her mission is to provide readers with timely, accurate information that allows them to determine their insurance needs and choose the best coverage. Tonya currently leads a team of 10 insurance copywrite...

Content Team Lead

Brad Larsen

Licensed Auto Insurance Agent

Brad Larson has been in the insurance industry for over 16 years. He specializes in helping clients navigate the claims process, with a particular emphasis on coverage analysis. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Utah in Political Science. He also holds an Associate in Claims (AIC) and Associate in General Insurance (AINS) designations, as well as a Utah Property and Casual...

Licensed Auto Insurance Agent

UPDATED: Nov 16, 2023

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Things to Know

  • Great Northern Insurance Agency serves residents of Illinois and Indiana
  • The agency offers car, commercial, RV, and motorcycle insurance, as well as several other products
  • Although Great Northern receives excellent ratings from A.M. Best and the Better Business Bureau, there are a few less than satisfied customer complaints

Great Northern Insurance Agency serves the residents of Illinois and Indiana. Unlike most car insurance companies, Great Northern doesn’t write its policies. Instead, the company partners with 20 insurance companies and offers special deals for customers.

While Great Northern focuses on auto insurance, it offers several other coverage options. Great Northern can meet most of your insurance needs, from business to boat insurance.

If you live in Indiana or Illinois, Great Northern insurance might be the right choice for you. However, you should always compare quotes to ensure you get the best price. Enter your ZIP code into our free tool to see what quotes might look like for you.

What types of auto insurance does Great Northern sell?

Picking the right car insurance can be tricky. The type of insurance you need will depend on your car and budget. Indiana and Illinois have different requirements for drivers to drive legally, while auto loan lenders usually require full coverage.

The Great Northern Insurance company is a small, local provider. As such, it doesn’t offer the same extensive list of insurance products as some of its larger competitors. Even still, Great Northern has everything you need for full coverage.

  • Liability. Liability coverage will pay for damage you cause to both property and people. Most states require a minimum amount of liability insurance, including Indiana and Illinois.
  • Underinsured/uninsured motorist. While car insurance is a requirement on the streets of Indiana and Illinois, it doesn’t mean every driver will have it. This coverage protects you from drivers with inadequate insurance, and both states require it.
  • Collision. As part of full coverage, collision insurance will help pay for damage to your car after an accident, regardless of who caused it.
  • Comprehensive. Another requirement for full coverage, comprehensive, covers damage caused from sources other than accidents. This includes damage from weather, vandalism, theft, and animal contact.
  • Personal injury protection (PIP). Medical bills build up quickly after an accident, but personal injury protection helps pay for them. Although some states require PIP, Indiana and Illinois do not.

These are the most commonly sold types of car insurance, and while Great Northern is vague about the products it sells, you can expect it to sell the legal requirements in the states it operates in, as well as enough for full coverage.

If you’re unsure how much insurance you need for minimum coverage, look at the graph below.

InsuranceIllinoisIndiana
Liability Bodily Injury$25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident$25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident
Liability Property Damage$20,000 per accident$25,000 per accident
Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury-$25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident
Uninsured Motorist Property Damage-$25,000 per accident
Underinsured Motorist (Underinsured/uninsured in Illinois)$25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident$50,000 per person, $50,000 per accident

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If you lease your car or have a loan on it, you’ll probably need full coverage. You can speak with a Great Northern agent to get more information on the extent of coverage you need.

Does Great Northern sell car insurance add-ons?

Smaller insurance companies often lack add-on options for insurance policies. Great Northern has a few add-on options, but not as many as you’ll find with larger companies.

  • Roadside assistance. If you break down on the roadside, this add-on will assist. From a battery jump to a tow to the nearest mechanic shop, roadside assistance can help you out of a jam.
  • SR-22 insurance. If you’re a high-risk driver, your local DMV might require an SR-22 form before it allows you to drive again. Great Northern can fill out the paperwork for you and submit it to the DMV.
  • Travel insurance. Accidents happen no matter where you are. If you’re traveling and you get in an accident, this add-on will reimburse you for a rental car while you wait for repairs.
  • Mexico auto insurance. Travelers that plan on driving in Mexico need insurance to be legal. Great Northern can provide you with the insurance you need in Mexico.

Of course, you’ll need to check with a Great Northern agent to see what add-ons you can purchase for your insurance policy. You can call the Great Northern Insurance company phone number if you want to check.

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What other types of insurance does Great Northern sell?

While Great Northern’s primary focus is auto insurance, it sells other products to cover the essential things in your life.

  • Commercial auto. Business owners who rely on vehicles to get the job done need commercial insurance. Great Northern covers cars, vans, trucks, tow trucks, and dump trucks.
  • Home insurance. While not a legal requirement, a homeowners policy can protect your house from fire, wind, vandalism, theft, lightning, and snow or ice damage.
  • Rideshare insurance. Like commercial auto, rideshare insurance is a must for anyone driving for companies like Uber or Lyft.
  • Boat, RV, and motorcycle insurance. Great Northern can still provide coverage for vehicles that aren’t a car, truck, or van.
  • Renters insurance. People that don’t own their own homes can still use insurance. Renters insurance protects your personal belongings from theft, fire, and other damage.

While Great Northern offers these insurance products, you’ll need to verify that they are available in your state.

How much does Great Northern insurance cost?

Unfortunately, Great Northern is not forthcoming about how much its insurance costs. To get a quote specific to your needs, you’ll need to contact an agent. However, you can get an idea of how much insurance will cost by looking at the average price in your state.

AgeIndianaIllinois
20$129$128
30$92$90
40$87$87
50$81$78
60$82$83

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Again, this is only an estimate of what you might pay. Great Northern will use a variety of factors to determine how much insurance will cost you.

Great Northern Insurance Company Reviews

Insurance companies can make any promise they want on their websites, but the best way to determine the quality of any provider is to look at reviews.

First, A.M. Best is a professional rating service that judges insurance companies by their financial stability. Great Northern’s parent company, Chubbs, receives an A++ (superior). This company certainly has the money to pay claims.

The Better Business Bureau gives Great Northern an A+, though there are complaints from customers on the site.

So, what do customers say about Great Northern auto insurance? Reviews are mixed.

Some customers say that Great Northern is the best insurance company they ever had. They enjoy the customer service and state that the best way to handle claims or pay bills is in person. However, most positive reviews are from people who haven’t filed a claim.

For customers that have filed claims, reviews tend to be negative. One of the biggest complaints is that the website’s online payment option works sporadically, leaving customers without an easy way to pay for months at a time.

While some people rave about the customer service, others say that Great Northern representatives can be rude and hard to contact.

Since Great Northern works with other insurance companies to write policies, many customers state that getting a claim paid is virtually impossible. There are numerous complaints that Great Northern makes customers jump through hoops before reaching or offering a resolution.

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Find the Best Insurance for You

While Great Northern might not be the biggest insurance company out there, it might have the best product for you. However, you should carefully consider customer reviews before you decide to purchase.

If you’re interested in Great Northern insurance and live in either Indiana or Illinois, you should compare quotes with other companies before deciding. Enter your ZIP code into our free tool to see what rates might look like for you.

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