Covering a six-state area, United Security Health & Casualty offers a somewhat unusual combination of products, with a wide range of supplemental health insurance as well as personal auto insurance. They are a regional insurance company in business for over 45 years.
United Security was founded in 1973 in Bedford Park, Illinois. The company was created as a smaller, local alternative to major insurance companies. They write supplemental health and personal auto insurance but do not offer either life insurance or home insurance products, making their product lineup different from most other similar companies.
The company provides insurance in six states: Arizona, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, and Nebraska. Product availability differs from state to state, with auto insurance offered online in Illinois, Arkansas, and Indiana.
All products are sold through local independent agents.
United Security has a long list of health products as well as two unusual auto insurance products.
The list of products from United Security includes income replacement and lump sum benefit health plans, among others. They do not write Medicare Supplement at this time.
This plan is available in all six states and provides major medical insurance designed to bridge the gap in between jobs or other times when a regular major medical insurance plan is not available for a short period of time.
This all in one plan covers dental, hearing, and vision in one, with a $50 annual deductible and a maximum benefit per calendar year of $1,200. The plan has a 30-day waiting period for preventative dental and can be issued up to age 85.
This plan is available in all six states.
This plan is offered is all six states with coverage of up to $50,000. The base plan covers cancer, heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, and organ transplant. The extended plan includes a long list of diagnoses: paralysis, severe burns, and loss of sight, speech and hearing.
A return of premium option is offered in some states. Like most such plans, there is no restriction as to how the benefit money can be used.
This policy pays $200 a day for up to 90 days when the insured is hospitalized due to an accident. Accidents involved treatment in a burn unit have an added benefit of an additional $200 a day for 30 days, doubling the payout during that time period.
This plan also includes a benefit of $150 per visit for emergency room visits that do not require admission overnight. This plan is offered in all six states.
United Security offers a range of income protection disability plans. Coverage can start at a minimum of seven days and is available for up to five years depending on the plan you have selected.
Coverage is offered in all six states, and the site says that they can assist those that have had difficulty getting coverage elsewhere.
The First Benefit Cancer Plan is a lump sum benefit plan. Benefits range from $10,000 up to $50,000 and are paid out upon diagnosis with no restrictions on the use of the money.
This plan is also offered in all six states.
This plan is offered in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, and Nebraska. It pays for common medical needs at a variety of levels that can be selected by the insured. Details on this plan are not offered.
This plan provides access to doctors over the phone for routine needs, which can include prescriptions both new and refills. Visits can be over the phone or by video chat. This is a flat rate plan that can be paid annually or monthly at $110 a year.
United Security has two auto insurance products.
Road Warrior is a liability only policy – no comprehensive coverage or collision coverage are offered. It is available only in Illinois and Arkansas and meets state legal requirements for liability coverage.
In addition to base liability, the plan includes medical payments and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. The plan has a number of discounts available including good driver and multi-car. Discounts are also offered for renewal, homeowners, and even for non-owners – an unusual discount.
Road Ranger is a standard car insurance policy and includes a full range of coverage options and endorsements. The main difference is that while usage-based driver monitoring systems are an option with most car insurance companies, this program appears to make it a standard part of the policy.
Road Ranger uses an app to monitor mileage and driving habits and gives the driver a discount in return, which is up to 12.5%. This is a lot lower than other companies promise, but also a lot more realistic since it falls in line with the average actual discount most drivers see on these programs.
This program has a good list of options that can be added to the policy; in addition to the standards like roadside assistance and rental car coverage, the insured can also select a special equipment package, pet protection, locksmith services, and legal expenses, among other choices.
This plan also offers the same discounts as the others. It is offered only in Illinois and Indiana.
We were a little surprised to see that United Security does offer online quoting, and found the system easy to use.
Although they do not offer coverage in our usual comparison area, we did run a quote based on the company’s home zip code. We chose a 30-year-old male driver with a 2010 Honda Accord LX sedan.
The system returned a liability-only state minimum quote as a base, with a rate of $154 for six months on the Road Ranger program and $217 on the Road Warrior program.
While the system does not allow the visitor to adjust coverage manually, there are several levels of coverage quoted beyond the base. These are listed as good, better, and best.
The best option is on the Road Ranger program and includes liability limits of 100/300/100 for liability and uninsured/underinsured motorist, with $500 deductibles for comprehensive and collision. It also includes rental car coverage and roadside assistance.
The rate for this plan came back at $723 for six months.
Since we do not quote in this state usually, we are unable to compare this to other companies, but did find the quoting system simple if lacking in customizable functions.
United Security has an online claim form available for auto claims, and they can also be filed via a 24/7 toll-free claim reporting line. The claim will be sent to a local adjuster who will contact the insured as soon as possible to begin processing the claim. The site says contact can be expected the next business day.
There is no mention of a preferred repair shop network in the limited claims information presented on the website.
A different toll-free number is listed for health insurance claims. These have a different process, but not much detail is listed on the site.
The site offers a policyholder login area, where claims can be managed. They also offer a claims feedback contact phone number where complaints and comments regarding the process can be directed, showing an interest in the customer experience.
United Security has been Better Business Bureau (BBB) accredited since 2011 and holds an A+ rating. There is only one complaint on file in the past three years, and no reviews have been left on the page.
There are 45 reviews on Google for an overwhelmingly positive 4.6-star rating overall. Reviewers praise the company for good customer service and frequently comment on specific employees by name. The overall impression is of a company that responds to customers and leaves a very positive impression.
United Security has a specific range of products and will appeal to those seeking a local, regional insurance company for health or auto insurance needs. They do not have a one-stop shopping option like many others, but appear to make up for it with excellent customer service. They are a good choice if you live within their service area and like to work with an agent.