Cost-U-Less California Auto Insurance Review: Rates, Coverage & Reviews (2024)

Cost-U-Less Insurance is an insurance company that provides different coverage options, mainly for auto insurance, to California residents. It advertises affordable insurance rates and free quotes, including if you’re considered a high-risk driver because of your driving history.

But can Cost-U-Less compete with major, nationwide insurance providers?

In this Cost-U-Less Insurance review, you’ll learn what this insurance company offers and how it works. This will help you understand whether Cost-U-Less is a viable option for your insurance needs or if it makes more sense to explore other options.

In this Cost-U-Less Insurance review:

• What is Cost-U-Less?
• What insurance does Cost-U-Less offer?
• How does Cost-U-Less auto insurance work?
• How to maximize your savings with Cost-U-Less
• FAQs about Cost-U-Less auto insurance
• How to get started with Cost-U-Less
• How to cancel Cost-U-Less auto insurance
• Bottom line

What is Cost-U-Less?

Cost-U-Less Insurance was founded in 1989 as an affordable insurance company for California drivers. It began in the Sacramento area and has expanded into other cities and communities throughout Northern and Southern California. It’s part of the Confie Seguros family of companies, one of the largest privately-held insurance brokers in the U.S.

The Cost-U-Less headquarters are located in Huntington Beach, California, but the company has over 80 office locations throughout the state. This gives you options to get coverage in person, though it should be easy to call and get a quote over the phone as well.

While the company may not be well-known outside of California, it has helped more than 600,000 California residents find affordable car insurance plans. This includes over 100 different car insurance options to choose from. The company has a B rating with the Better Business Bureau (BBB), and 18 complaints closed in the last three years.

What insurance does Cost-U-Less offer?

Cost-U-Less offers many types of insurance coverage and other insurance services, including:

• Auto insurance
• SR-22 filing
• Commercial insurance
• Motorcycle insurance
• Renters insurance
• Homeowners insurance
• Motorhome and RV insurance
• Travel trailer insurance
• Boat insurance
• Other watercraft insurance
• Worker’s compensation insurance
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) benefits
• Identity theft protection
• Vehicle registration renewals
• Tax preparation services
• Tire hazard protection plan
• Paintless dent repair plan

As you can see, you have plenty of coverage to choose from with Cost-U-Less Insurance. This makes it easy to select different plans depending on your situation, whether you need the minimum amount of car insurance or car insurance plus motorcycle insurance and then coverage for your boat as well.

However, even with these loads of options, Cost-U-Less tends to focus more on its car insurance coverage. This is what the company initially offered when it was founded and continues to offer today.

Here are different types of car insurance and other related services you can expect Cost-U-Less to offer:

• Liability: Typically separated into bodily injury liability and property damage liability coverage, liability insurance coverage helps pay for injuries or property damage from a car accident that you cause.
• Comprehensive: Covers damage to your vehicle from situations that may not involve a car accident. For example, comprehensive insurance could cover damage from vandalism, storms, animals, and more.
• Collision: Collision insurance can help cover damages to your car if you collide with another car or an object, such as a telephone pole or your neighbor’s fence.
• Full coverage: This isn’t an actual car insurance policy, but it typically consists of having multiple coverages at the same time. For example, if you have liability, comprehensive, and collision coverage, you might say you have full coverage car insurance.
• Uninsured/underinsured motorist: Uninsured motorist coverage can help cover car accident expenses if the at-fault driver doesn’t have any liability coverage. Underinsured motorist insurance comes into play if the at-fault driver has liability coverage, but it’s not enough to cover all the expenses.
• Loan/lease payoff: Pays the difference between what you owe on a vehicle and what your insurance pays if your car is declared a total loss or stolen without being recovered. This coverage can only be added if you already have both comprehensive and collision coverage.
• Medical payments: Can help cover your medical expenses resulting from a car accident, regardless of who is at fault.
• Custom parts: Offers coverage for eligible custom parts on your vehicle, which could include special tires, custom paintwork, or camper tops.
• Rental reimbursement: Provides a certain reimbursement amount for a rental car if your vehicle has a claim covered by your comprehensive or collision insurance.
• Roadside assistance: Provides multiple options for support on the road, including locksmith assistance, rental car discounts, towing services, and more.

How does Cost-U-Less auto insurance work?

Cost-U-Less Insurance offers standard and specialized auto insurance policies. Standard policies are the typical policies most people buy for their coverage needs. Specialized policies are often for high-risk drivers who may not qualify for a standard policy because of their driving history.

Cost-U-Less can provide an SR-22 form if your license is suspended and you want to get your license back. This is typically a requirement for reinstating your license if it’s been suspended.

If you don’t need an SR-22 form, it’s easy to get a quote for your auto insurance needs by calling Cost-U-Less and speaking to a representative. They can guide you through the process and give you any details on potential discounts or answer any questions you may have.

How to maximize your savings with Cost-U-Less

One of the best ways to save money on car insurance is to make sure you’re getting the best deal possible. Many insurance providers automatically offer discounts as you go through the insurance quote process, though it depends on the information you provide.

Here are some possible car insurance discounts Cost-U-Less offers:

• Pay in full: Receive a discount for paying your car insurance policy upfront instead of in monthly installments.
• Multi-vehicle: If you have more than one vehicle on the same car insurance policy, you could be eligible for this discount.
• Homeowner multi-policy: If you own a home, you could package a home insurance policy with an auto insurance policy to receive a discount.
• Low mileage: Not everyone drives the same number of miles in a year. If you’re a low-mileage driver, you might be eligible for the low-mileage discount.
• Student: Student discounts can vary, but you might be eligible for one if you’re a full-time student and maintain a B average or better at school. You might also qualify if you have a student who’s away at school.
• Passive restraint: Vehicles with approved passive restraint systems installed, such as factory-installed airbags, could help you qualify for this discount.
• Anti-theft: Potentially qualify for this discount if your vehicle has an approved anti-theft device, such as an alarm, installed.

Keep in mind that the more coverage you have, the higher your premiums, or monthly payments, will likely be. So if you opt for the minimum required amount of liability insurance in your state, your payments should be lower than if you also add on comprehensive insurance, collision insurance, and uninsured motorist coverage.

However, it’s worth taking the time to consider how much money you might have to pay if you get in an accident and don’t have some of the additional coverage. Medical bills and vehicle repair or replacement expenses can easily cost thousands of dollars, which is often a lot more than what your additional premium payments would be for more coverage.

FAQs about Cost-U-Less auto insurance

Is Cost-U-Less a good company?

Cost-U-Less advertises as an affordable insurance company that focuses on auto insurance. This includes standard policies and specialized policies if you need an SR-22 because of a suspended license.

Cost-U-Less Insurance has a B rating with the Better Business Bureau. Its sister company, Freeway Insurance, has an A+ rating with the BBB. Both companies are part of the Confie group of companies.

How long does it take to get a policy with Cost-U-Less auto insurance?

Getting a Cost-U-Less auto insurance policy shouldn’t take too much of your time. You have the choice to get a quote over the phone or by filling out the online quote form on the Cost-U-Less website. The quote process should be a few minutes or less, and then all that’s left is choosing a policy and paying for it.

What types of coverage does Cost-U-Less auto insurance offer?

Cost-U-Less Insurance offers many types of car insurance coverages and other types of services, including these options:

• Liability
• Comprehensive
• Collision
• Uninsured/underinsured motorist
• Roadside assistance
• Medical payments
• Loan/lease payoff
• Rental reimbursement
• Custom parts

How do you contact Cost-U-Less Insurance?

To speak with a customer service representative at the Cost-U-Less Insurance center, call 855-505-6767. Or send an email to customercare@freewayinsurance.com.

Which insurance companies are associated with Cost-U-Less Insurance?

Cost-U-Less Insurance is part of the Confie group of companies, which also includes Freeway Insurance, InsureOne, Bluefire Insurance, OneSource, and USAgencies Insurance. Confie is a leading provider of personal lines insurance in the U.S.

How to get started with Cost-U-Less

If you’re wondering how to get car insurance with Cost-U-Less Insurance, the process is simple and straightforward. You have the option to start the quote process online at costulessdirect.com or by calling the customer service line at 866-505-6767.

Here are a few pieces of information you’ll need on hand to get your quote:

• Zip code
• First and last name
• Phone number
• Email address
• Home address
• Date of birth
• Gender
• Marital status
• Driving history (including accidents and/or violations in the past three to five years)
• Whether you require an SR-22
• Additional driver information
• Vehicle information
• Work mileage
• Annual mileage

As you fill out information for your quote(s), you’ll also choose your coverage options and possible discount options.

Filling out the quote form online shouldn’t take more than a few minutes of your time if you have the required information on hand. Once you get your insurance quotes, you’ll have to contact an agent to buy the policy.

How to cancel Cost-U-Less auto insurance

The process for canceling a Cost-U-Less insurance policy depends on which insurance provider is on your policy. Cost-U-Less is an insurance broker, so it acts as an agent in finding you the best insurance policy for your needs. However, your actual policy might come from Progressive or another company.

The typical process involves filling out a written statement and providing it to Cost-U-Less by fax or email. The statement should include:

• Full name
• Policy number
• Reason you’re canceling
• Signature

You might be able to go through the cancellation process in person if there’s a local office in your area. However, it’s typically not possible to cancel your policy over the phone through Cost-U-Less Insurance.

If you want to switch auto insurance providers, it’s easy to compare car insurance quotes quickly and easily using online resources. Find the best rates in your area using our best car insurance tool.

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Bottom line

Cost-U-Less Insurance is an option if you’re looking for different types of coverage, car insurance or otherwise, in California. It has the standard policies you need to meet minimum state requirements and it can also help if you need a specialized policy.

But if you’re outside of California or you want to deal directly with insurance providers and skip an insurance broker, it makes sense to explore other options. An online marketplace can easily help you find local deals in your area for the car insurance coverage you need.