CURE Auto Insurance Review [2024]: Is It the Cure for Run-of-the-Mill Insurance?

Insurance companies aren't always known for being customer friendly, but CURE Auto Insurance claims to buck that stereotype. It has not-for-profit status and a pricing model that focuses on your driving history, rather than on details such as your credit score or occupation.

But is CURE Auto Insurance really as friendly as it claims to be? CURE does include roadside assistance with every insurance policy, and it offers a variety of coverage options to meet specific needs. But CURE also has a higher-than-average number of customer complaints, and it’s only available in a few states.

CURE Auto Insurance will work best for people in Michigan, New Jersey, or Pennsylvania who have good driving records and don’t want to have their credit score checked as part of the insurance policy-buying process.

CURE Auto Insurance: Is it worth it?

Pros	Cons
Roadside assistance included in all policies Credit scores, occupation, and education do not affect your rates Not-for-profit corporate model	Limited information available about financial strength of the company Fees charged for making a payment online or over the phone Higher-than-average amount of customer complaints Limited availability (Only available in Michigan, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania)
Our verdict: CURE can be a good option if you have a decent driving record but you don’t want your credit score to affect your insurance rates. However, be aware that CURE is only available in three states and it may not be the most customer friendly due to a high number of complaints and the fact that it charges a fee to make certain bill payments.

What is CURE Auto Insurance?

CURE Auto Insurance began in 1990 in response to a problem in New Jersey where people were having a difficult time getting car insurance. The company was founded partially as a way to solve that problem. CURE is an acronym for Citizens United Reciprocal Exchange, a "cure" to the insurance issues of the time.

The thing that separates CURE is that it doesn't use many of the factors that affect car insurance rates, such as your education level, occupation, or credit score. That's good news if you don’t have a stellar credit score.

Instead, CURE focuses on how good of a driving record you have, which could be a downside if you're a newer driver or have had some accidents in the past. CURE also operates on a not-for-profit model, which may be a relief if you're tired of working with the big, for-profit insurance companies.

About CURE Auto Insurance

Year founded	1990
Types of coverage	Collision Comprehensive Liability Medical Extra personal injury protection Rental car reimbursement Uninsured/underinsured motorist
Discounts available	Multi-car Good driver Good student
Where you can use it	CURE.com. No app available
Customer support	Live chat or phone assistance available during open hours Hours: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Phone number: 800-535-CURE (2873)
Availability	Michigan New Jersey Pennsylvania

What insurance does CURE Auto Insurance offer?

The best car insurance options offer the exact type of coverage you need at a price within your budget. Your choices and coverage levels with CURE Auto Insurance may differ depending on which state you're living in (Michigan, New Jersey, or Pennsylvania), but here's an idea of what options you can expect to have when you go through the process of getting a quote.

Liability coverage

If you're driving a car on public roads, you'll need to purchase bodily injury and property damage liability insurance. In fact, most states have minimum insurance laws that require policyholders to have at least those two coverage types. (Check with your local government for exact requirements in your state.)

CURE Auto Insurance also offers uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, which is not generally required but good to have.

• Bodily injury: If you hurt someone else in an accident, this coverage will pay to help make things right. It covers things such as medical bills and lost wages.
• Property damage: If you hurt someone else's property in an accident while you're behind the wheel, this coverage will help pay for the damage.
• Uninsured/underinsured motorist: People are supposed to have car insurance, but not everyone does. Even if they do, it might not be enough to pay for your damages. Uninsured/underinsured motorist insurance protects you in that situation.

Vehicle coverage

You're required to carry insurance to pay for damage to other people in case of an accident, but what about your own car? If you opt for the most basic policy, you might be surprised to find that your insurance doesn't cover your own vehicle.

To protect your vehicle, CURE Auto Insurance offers collision coverage and comprehensive coverage, as well as rental car reimbursement.

• Collision: If you get into a car crash, this coverage option will pay to get your car fixed.
• Comprehensive: Your car can also be damaged by non-car-related accidents. If a tree falls on your car or a flood carries it away, for example, you’ll need comprehensive insurance to cover the damage.
• Rental car reimbursement: If you rely on your car for transportation and wouldn't be able to get around without it, consider paying for a rental car reimbursement policy. While your car is getting fixed, you can still drive to work and pay the bills. To get it, you'll also need to pay for comprehensive coverage through CURE.

Medical coverage

You might think you don't need medical coverage if you already have health insurance, but consider this: if you get in an accident, your health insurance doesn't cover other passengers in your car. (Neither does bodily injury liability coverage, by the way.) It also doesn't cover things such as lost wages if you or your passengers are stuck in the hospital.

CURE Auto Insurance offers personal injury protection (PIP) to cover things your regular health insurance doesn’t in case of an accident.

• Personal injury protection: Michigan and New Jersey require policyholders to purchase a minimum coverage level of PIP, but in most states, it's optional. PIP covers the medical bills for you and your own passengers, regardless of who's at fault. It can also cover other things you may need in the aftermath of an accident, such as money to cover lost wages or mobility equipment.
• Extra personal injury protection: CURE also offers an optional package with extra PIP coverage, which could benefit you in the case of a life-altering event. This extra PIP includes things such as disability payments, extra cash to help out with household expenses, and extra payments for death and funeral benefits.

CURE Auto Insurance: How cheap is it?

It's impossible to get an apples-to-apples comparison of how much companies charge for insurance because there are so many different things that come into play when determining your rates.

However, CURE has a unique rate-calculating model that doesn't factor in many of the traditional ingredients in calculating rates — notably, credit scores. Instead, CURE uses a model that focuses more on your driving record.

If you have a squeaky-clean driving history but can’t find affordable car insurance with other companies, CURE may be worth getting a quote from.

How to find discounts

One of the best ways to save money on car insurance is by looking for as many discounts as possible. Most car insurance companies have discount options available, and CURE Auto Insurance is no exception. CURE offers these discount categories:

• Multi-vehicle discount
• Good driver discount
• Good student discount

It’s hard to say exactly how much these discounts could save you, or how you can qualify. (CURE doesn’t post that information publicly.) It's also important to note that this is a smaller list of discounts than other auto insurance companies offer, especially ones that sell other types of insurance and offer bundling discounts for multi-line policies.

It's important to consider discounts when you're shopping around for insurance rates to make sure you’re really getting the lowest price. Sometimes an insurance company will look more expensive than another until you factor in applicable discounts. Double check to make sure you’re getting the best deal.

How to maximize savings

CURE Auto Insurance says that it offers affordable coverage, but there are several strategies you can use to save even more money.

• Ask about other available discounts. CURE states that there are other discounts available beyond what’s listed on its website, though it doesn't specify what they are. CURE also doesn't specify how much these discounts can save you, so it doesn’t hurt to ask a representative what else they can offer you.
• Opt for the minimum coverage amount. Each state has its own rules on minimum insurance coverage requirements, and you're always free to opt for the lowest amount of coverage possible. Keep in mind that if you get into a bad accident and the costs exceed the coverage amount you've paid for, you'll be on the hook for anything extra.
• Opt for a higher deductible. Each coverage amount has its own deductible level — i.e., how much you need to pay out-of-pocket before your coverage kicks in and you can file a claim. The higher your deductible, the lower your premium. It's best to select the highest deductible level you can afford based on how much you have saved in your emergency fund.
• Opt for the Limitation on Lawsuit option. This option, available for New Jersey residents, means that you won't be able to file any lawsuits for pain and suffering unless you suffer a catastrophic injury. In other words, you can't file a lawsuit for pain and suffering for any car crash and expect your insurance company to pay the lawyer. Choosing this option could save you anywhere from $75 to $1,240 on your bodily injury liability premium each year.

How to get auto insurance quotes from CURE

You can easily get a quote from CURE online in just a few minutes. You'll need to have your information handy as well as personal information for anybody else who lives in your home, even if they won't regularly drive your car. This includes spouses, children, and roommates.

You'll need to provide the following information:

• Name
• Address
• Zip code
• Email address
• Desired policy start date
• Current insurance information (name of carrier, current payment, expiration date)
• Whether you own or rent your housing
• Phone number, and the best time to call
• Date of birth
• Marital status
• Gender
• Age when you first got your driver’s license
• Driving history (DUIs, moving violations, etc)
• Information about other drivers and household members
• Coverage options you'd like to purchase (liability, PIP, etc)

CURE can automatically pull up vehicles registered to your address, which can save you some time. But if CURE can’t find the info on its own, you'll also need to provide your car's vehicle identification number, model year, and make.

Here are the steps you'll need to go through to get a quote:

1. Enter your zip code on the main page. Click the orange "START QUOTE" button anywhere on the site, but if you're going straight to the main page, it's easiest just to start from there.

2. Enter your email address. You're now in the quote form. To get the quote emailed to you, and/or to find the quote info again later, you'll need to enter your email address. You may also need to enter your zip code again.

3. Enter your current insurance situation. If you already have insurance, you'll enter your policy information here. You'll also use this section to let CURE know when you'd like your coverage to start.

4. Enter your personal information. This is where you'll enter in the details about yourself, including your name, address, contact information, etc.

5. Enter more personal details and driving history info. Here you’ll enter in a few more details about yourself, such as your marital status and how old you were when you first got your driver’s license. The form then begins to ask about any past driving infractions you may have.

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6. Add household members. This is where you'll need to add information about each person in your household, and any other drivers who will be listed on your policy. This is a bit more information than other car insurance companies collect.

7. Add your car. CURE uses public records to find vehicles registered to your address, so if you have one, it should show up here. Choose the one you need coverage for. You may need to provide the VIN for any vehicles that aren't yet registered to your address, such as if you're buying a new car.

8. Choose your coverage. This is where you'll see the coverage options available to you based on where you live. CURE includes handy explainers for each coverage type. You can see them by clicking on the question mark icon.

9. Get your quote. The next page shows your quote based on the information you provided and the coverage options you selected. If you're wondering how to get car insurance with CURE, it’s by clicking on the blue "JOIN NOW" button to complete your application and make your purchase.

CURE Auto Insurance FAQs

Bottom line

CURE Auto Insurance was launched at a time when many people didn’t have access to auto insurance, and it continues to solve a similar problem for many people today. CURE may offer better rates for people who face higher prices at other insurance companies because of things such as credit score. For CURE, you mainly need a clean driving record.

CURE also throws in extras such as free roadside assistance coverage on all policies, which is a nice bonus.

However, CURE Auto Insurance isn’t right for everyone. CURE doesn't have the greatest customer service record, though it has improved in recent years. There's also no information about its financial stability as a company. But if that doesn't deter you, CURE Auto Insurance may be a great pick for you.

Methodology

FinanceBuzz researches a number of factors in each auto insurance provider to create our reviews. These factors include cost and discounts, complaints and customer satisfaction, coverage, and ease of use. We also gather information from sources such as J.D. Power, AM Best, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), and the Better Business Bureau to ensure we provide the most useful information to our readers.