Selective Insurance Review

  • With 2.9/5 stars in 2025, Selective is a decent insurance company.
  • Read Selective reviews, complaints and prices before you buy.
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Renata Balasco

Senior Content Strategist

Renata joined The Zebra in 2020 as a Customer Experience Agent. Since 2021, she has worked as licensed insurance professional and content strategist.…

Credentials
  • Licensed Insurance Agent — Property and Casualty
  • 5 years of experience in the insurance industry
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Ross Martin

Insurance Writer

Ross joined The Zebra as a writer and researcher in 2019. He specialized in writing insurance content to help shoppers make informed decisions.

Ross h…

Credentials
  • 5+ years in the Insurance Industry
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Beth Swanson

Insurance Analyst

Beth joined The Zebra in 2022 as an Associate Content Strategist. A licensed insurance agent, she specializes in creating clear, accessible content t…

Credentials
  • Licensed Insurance Agent — Property and Casualty
  • Associate in Insurance (AINS)
  • Professional Risk Consultant (PRC)
  • Associate in Insurance Services (AIS)

Selective insurance: Ratings and reviews

2.9 100% filled Star icon 100% filled Star icon 89.99999999999999% filled Star icon 0% filled Star icon 0% filled Star icon

Rating from The Zebra Question mark icon

Selective Insurance, a regional auto insurer with a robust footprint in various states, combines comprehensive coverage options with personalized customer service. While it may not be a household name like some larger companies, Selective Insurance boasts a rich history of reliability and is available in AZ, IL, IN, IA, MN, MD, NJ, OH, PA, RI, SC, TN, UT, VA, and WI. In this review, we delve into what sets Selective Insurance apart, from its coverage offerings to its discount opportunities.

100% filled Star icon 100% filled Star icon 89.99999999999999% filled Star icon 0% filled Star icon 0% filled Star icon
2.9 stars Rating from The Zebra
Ratings based on price, customer service, coverage, and financial strength.
Get a Quote at Selective
Pros
  • Affordable rates

  • Customizable coverage options

  • Strong financial reputation

Cons
  • Only available in select states

  • Mixed customer reviews


Is Selective a good insurance company?

The majority of The Zebra's review incorporates how well Selective scores in terms of customer service. In order to determine that we looked at the following third-party ratings.

Trustpilot reviews: 3/5

  • Selective earned 3/5 stars from Trustpilot[1]

BBB Customer Reviews: 1.29/5

  • Selective has a 1.29/5 rating from Better Business Bureau customers[2]

Complaint Index: Above average

  • The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) receives Above average customer complaints for Selective[3]

Financial Strength: Superior

  • Selective received an Superior financial strength rating from A.M. Best for its ability to pay out claims[4]

The Zebra Customer Satisfaction Survey

In addition to third-party ratings, we like to incorporate the results from our own consumer survey where we ranked which auto insurance companies are the best based on feedback from real customers. However, we did not collect a sufficient amount of data on Selective for it to be included.


How much does Selective Insurance cost?

While the national average cost of a 6-month car insurance policy is around $1,084, the cost of Selective Insurance coverage is $1,540, or roughly 42% more expensive than a typical policy. This reduced rate makes Seletive a relatively affordable insurance company on average. 

The table below shows how Selective auto insurance compares against other top insurers. 

Average Monthly Cost by Insurance Carrier

Updating data...

Company Avg. Monthly Premium
Allstate $201
Progressive $157
Selective Insurance $132
State Farm $131
GEICO $129
Nationwide $123
USAA $114

Source: The Zebra

Similar to any insurance company, pricing for Selective auto insurance does vary based on your age and generally will get cheaper the older you get. 

The table below shows Selective's car insurance premiums for different age brackets. 

Selective Costs by Age Group

Updating data...

Age Group Avg. Monthly Premium
Teens $235
20s $115
30s $81
60s $78
40s $77
50s $75

Source: The Zebra

The Zebra’s Dynamic Insurance Rating Tool data methodology

The Zebra’s Dynamic Insurance Rating Tool for home and auto insurance rates utilizes the latest ZIP code-level rate filings from across the U.S., sourced from Quadrant Information Services and S&P Global. These filings, typically updated annually or biennially by insurers, are verified through Quadrant’s QA process and then integrated into The Zebra’s estimator.

The displayed rates are based on a dynamic home and auto profile designed to reflect the content of the page. This profile is tailored to match specific factors such as age, location, and coverage level, which are adjusted based on the page content to show how these variables can impact premiums.

For a comprehensive understanding, see our detailed methodology.

Discounts offered

Selective Insurance offers several discount opportunities to policyholders, such as:

  • Multi-policy - You qualify for this discount if you bundle homeowners, condo or renters with auto
  • Advanced quote - If you receive a quote at least 8 days prior to your current auto insurance policy expiration date, you may earn this discount
  • Loss-free - You can apply this discount if you haven't experienced an auto insurance loss over a certain period of time
  • Anti-theft - A common discount, drivers can earn this if their vehicle has certain safety or anti-theft features 

Read more about Selective's discount options here.

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What types of coverage does Selective offer?

Selective offers standard coverage options, including liability, collision, and comprehensive coverages. They also over customized coverage options that can be added by endorsement to your policy. These include: 

  • Accident forgiveness - With this coverage, your first accident will not result in a rate increase.
  • Diminishing deductible -  This endorsement gives you an automatic $100 credit towards your deductible, plus an additional credit for every claim-free year ($500 max).
  • Newer car replacement - This pays the actual cash value for a car one model year newer and with 15,000 fewer miles.
  • Selective Choice Replacement CostSM - This add-on pays to replace a vehicle with the latest model year available at the time of the loss, and gives the option of coverage for 2, 4, or 6 years from the purchase date.
  • The Selective Edge - A policy package that includes roadside assistance, key replacement, pet injury coverage and more.

Read more about Selective's additional coverages here.


Selective insurance review: Summary

In summary, while not available nationwide, Selective insurance offers a broad array of coverage options and affordable rates. Its robust financial strength further solidifies its reliability as an insurer. The availability of multiple discounts presents an opportunity for savings, making Selective Insurance a worthwhile option for those residing in the states where it operates.

Methodology — how The Zebra reviews insurance companies

The team of insurance experts at The Zebra evaluates companies by focusing on customer experience first, with an emphasis on service quality, reliability, and ease of interaction. Unlike previous models, pricing is not scored but is instead presented separately as context for comparison.

Each category has been scored using a combination of our internal customer satisfaction survey results and published scores from reputable organizations such as AM Best and J.D. Power.

  • Service Accessibility & Support Quality (25%): This category measures how easy it is to get help when needed, evaluating factors such as support channel availability (phone, chat, in-person, app), response times, agent knowledge, service hours, and language accessibility.
  • Claims Experience (25%): This category assesses how smoothly the claims process works, considering ease of filing (online, app, or phone), transparency and communication, processing times, and fairness in dispute resolution.
  • Digital Experience & Policy Management (25%): This category evaluates the convenience of managing your policy: this includes mobile app usability, website experience, account management, digital document access, self-service options, and platform integrations
  • Trust & Reliability (25%): This category looks at a company’s overall reliability, measuring financial strength, market stability, regulatory history, communication transparency, and consistency in policy terms.

Price context: Pricing varies significantly based on individual circumstances and risk factors. Customers can evaluate cost-effectiveness based on their specific situation and the service quality scores provided.


Selective insurance: Frequently asked questions

Selective Insurance is a good option for residents in AZ, IL, IN, IA, MN, MD, NJ, OH, PA, RI, SC, TN, UT, VA, and WI, offering a wide range of coverage options, affordable rates, and strong financial stability. However, individuals outside of its coverage area or those concerned about mixed customer reviews may want to explore other insurance providers.

Selective Insurance is a legitimate insurance company that offers various insurance products, including auto, home, and business insurance, although they are not accredited by the Better Business Bureau.

Selective Insurance is licensed in AZ, IL, IN, IA, MN, MD, NJ, OH, PA, RI, SC, TN, UT, VA, and WI.

Selective Insurance has a Superior Financial Strength Rating from A.M. Best, meaning they are in a good position to fulfill their financial obligations, including paying out claims.

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About The Zebra

The Zebra is not an insurance company. We publish data-backed, expert-reviewed resources to help consumers make more informed insurance decisions.

  • The Zebra’s insurance content is written and reviewed for accuracy by licensed insurance agents.
  • The Zebra’s insurance editorial content is not subject to review or alteration by insurance companies or partners.
  • The Zebra’s editorial team operates independently of the company’s partnerships and commercialization interests, publishing unbiased information for consumer benefit.
  • The auto insurance rates published on The Zebra’s pages are based on a comprehensive analysis of car insurance pricing data, evaluating more than 83 million insurance rates from across the United States.