Viking Auto Insurance Review 2024: Rates, Coverage & Reviews

If you drive a vehicle, you’re likely required by your state government to have a minimum amount of car insurance. But knowing how much car insurance coverage you need and where to buy it can get confusing. This is especially true if your driving record isn’t clean, as your options to get car insurance could be limited or the cost of your premiums might be higher.

There are insurance companies that specialize in offering policies for drivers who might be considered high risk, though. And drivers with clean driving records could also compare policies with these companies and may potentially qualify for different discounts. One of these companies is Viking Auto Insurance.

Viking Auto Insurance is no longer in business, but we’ll still discuss how they worked, what they offered, and what alternatives you might have today. This can help you understand whether a specialized insurance company would be the right fit for you.

In this article

• What is Viking Insurance?
• How did Viking Insurance work?
• What insurance did Viking Insurance offer?
• How to get an insurance quote
• How to maximize your car insurance savings
• Viking Auto Insurance FAQs
• Bottom line

What is Viking Insurance?

Viking Insurance Company was founded in 1971 in Wisconsin as a multiple-line insurance company, which means it bundled different types of coverage together into a single contract. Viking was acquired by Sentry Insurance in 2005. This acquisition saw Viking merge with Dairyland, another insurance company that was started in Wisconsin and acquired by Sentry in 1966.

Both Dairyland and Viking specialized in non-standard auto insurance, which is likely why the merger made sense. Non-standard policies typically included coverage for high-risk drivers, or drivers that may have had major traffic violations on their record and could have been more likely to file an insurance claim moving forward.

Both Dairyland and Viking had been in business for decades, while their parent company, Sentry, was founded over a century ago. This resulted in the two companies having helped customers with their auto insurance policies in most states nationwide and having provided jobs for hundreds of employees. Since the merger, Viking Auto Insurance is no longer in business, though Viking Insurance Company of Wisconsin continues to underwrite insurance policies as part of the Sentry Insurance Group.

How did Viking Insurance work?

Viking Insurance offered multiple types of insurance policies, including car insurance. Viking Auto Insurance provided different coverage options for your vehicle depending on what you were looking for. The types of policies available weren’t necessarily different from what you could find from most major insurance companies, but not every driver can qualify for an auto policy from the well-known names.

Traditional insurance companies might deny you the opportunity to get one of their policies if you’re a high-risk driver. Since Viking Auto Insurance focused on non-standard policies, it was likely easier to get coverage with them if you hadn’t had luck elsewhere. This could have been because you had major car accidents in the past, lapses in your car insurance, DUI convictions, or a high number of traffic tickets.

Non-standard policies typically cost more than standard policies, but having an option to get car insurance is better than no option at all.

What insurance did Viking Insurance offer?

Most states require you to have liability insurance as a bare minimum, but there’s a lot more coverage available. The types of car insurance you get may depend on where you live in the country, your financial situation, and what you feel you need.

The best car insurance companies offer a wide range of policies to choose from. The types of car insurance coverage you might expect include:

• Liability: Liability insurance coverage includes both bodily injury and property damage coverage and a minimum amount is required in most states.
• Personal injury protection: Covers medical expenses for injuries resulting from a car accident, regardless of who is at fault. This could also include expenses for lost wages or funerals.
• Medical reimbursement: Secondary type of health insurance coverage for injuries related to car accidents. You might consider this coverage if your health insurance doesn’t provide enough coverage.
• Collision: Collision insurance covers damages due to car accidents, regardless of who is at fault. This could include accidents with other cars or an object, like a neighbor’s fence or a telephone pole.
• Comprehensive: Covers damages due to events not related to collisions. Comprehensive insurance may include coverage of fire, water, vandalism, theft, and more.
• Underinsured motorist: Comes into play if another party involved in an accident with you doesn’t have enough insurance coverage to pay for damages.
• Uninsured motorist: Covers eligible damages if you’re not at fault for an accident and the person who is at fault doesn’t have any car insurance.
• Rental reimbursement: Reimburses you for a rental vehicle if your car is getting repaired because of an accident.
• Towing and labor: Covers certain expenses related to towing and labor if you’re in an emergency situation.
• Non-owner: Covers property damages and injuries you cause while driving someone else’s vehicle.

How to get an insurance quote

The easiest way to get quick, free quotes on insurance rates from multiple insurance companies is to use an online comparison tool. You typically start the process by putting in your zip code and then filling out any relevant personal and vehicle information. Alternatively, you could call and speak with an insurance agent, but the online process is likely quicker and easier, often only taking a few minutes.

Keep in mind that online insurance marketplaces are designed to help you comparison shop. This means you typically use them to get auto insurance quotes from different providers in your area so you can see what everyone has to offer. Once you find a few policies, look them over to see which companies have the best reviews and prices. This will give you a good idea of the value they offer and point you in the right direction.

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How to maximize your car insurance savings

If you want to save money on car insurance, be sure to see if you qualify for any discounts from your insurance provider. Many car insurance companies offer these types of discounts:

• Advanced quote: Getting your car insurance quote at least a week in advance of when you need your new policy to start can qualify you for this discount.
• Automatic payment: Set up automatic payments for your insurance premiums using a credit card or checking account for this discount.
• Defensive driving: This discount requires eligible proof of having taken and passed a defensive driving course.
• Distant student: If you have a full-time student that’s away from home and not using a vehicle at school, you may qualify for this discount.
• Good student: If you have a full-time student that gets good grades (typically an average of a B or higher), you’re likely eligible for this discount.
• Homeowners: If you own your home, you could qualify for this immediate discount.
• Multi-car: If you have multiple cars in your household, you could save money by putting all of them on the same car insurance policy.
• Multi-policy: Bundling multiple policies together with the same provider can net you this discount. For example, a car and home insurance bundle could qualify you for a multi-policy discount. Renters insurance may qualify as well.
• Pay in full: Paying your premiums in full and up front instead of on a monthly basis can help discount the overall cost.
• Payment frequency: Paying your premiums on a quarterly, semi-annual, or annual basis can qualify you for this discount. But you may have to pay more than the minimum required amount.
• Safe driver: Companies often offer discounts or benefits if you haven’t had any driving violations or accidents in a few years. You could also get a discount if you use a device or mobile app to monitor your driving habits.
• Safety equipment: If you’ve installed certain equipment on your vehicle, including an anti-theft device, you could be eligible for this discount.
• Teen driver: Certain car insurance companies offer a teen driver discount if you have a driver who’s 18 years or under on your policy.

In addition to getting discounts, consider other avenues for saving money on car insurance. This could include shopping around for lower prices with different insurance companies, maintaining a safe driving record, and improving your credit score to get better rates from insurers.

Viking Auto Insurance FAQs

Is Viking insurance the same as Dairyland Insurance?

Viking Insurance Company and Dairyland Insurance merged in 2005 as part of an acquisition deal by parent company Sentry. Viking is now part of Dairyland, which specializes in non-standard auto insurance policies for high-risk drivers. Dairyland provides options for drivers who may not have clean driving records, but can’t get insured from many traditional insurers.

Is Dairyland Insurance any good?

Dairyland Insurance advertises fast and free car insurance quotes to get you set up with affordable coverage options. Dairyland specializes in non-standard car insurance policies, which can be helpful if you have a bad driving record and are having difficulty getting insured from a traditional insurance company.

What is non-standard insurance?

Non-standard car insurance policies are typically for people labeled as high-risk drivers. You could be a high-risk driver if you have a bad driving record because of multiple major car accidents, loads of traffic tickets, DUI convictions, and more. Or you might have a high-performance vehicle or live in a high-risk neighborhood. There are companies that specialize in non-standard car insurance policies for high-risk drivers.

Bottom line

Paying for car insurance is basically a fact of life for most Americans. But that doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing. Having a proper amount of car insurance could protect you from the financial devastation caused by many car accidents. In most cases, it’s a good idea to get the amount of car insurance required or recommended by your state.

But past driving violations or other unique circumstances could make it difficult to find, and in some cases, qualify for a car insurance policy. In these cases, specialized companies and the independent insurance agencies that work with them might be able to help you.

If you’re not sure if a specialized insurer would be the right company for you, then do some comparison shopping on our list of the best car insurance companies.