Dairyland Auto Insurance Review 2022

Jan 5, 2022

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Our Take

2.5

NerdWallet rating 

The bottom line:

Dairyland specializes in high-risk drivers, but with far more complaints than expected, you may find better coverage elsewhere.

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Dairyland Auto Insurance
Dairyland
NAIC complaints
Far more than expected
Ease of use
Above average
Discounts
Very few discounts

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Insures high-risk or “nonstandard” drivers.
  • Can offer a free SR-22 for most customers.

Cons

  • Has far more complaints than other companies of similar size.

Full Review

Dairyland Insurance specializes in auto and motorcycle insurance for drivers who typically can’t get coverage anywhere else, such as those with serious or repeated traffic-related offenses or DUI convictions. If you’ve been pegged as a high-risk driver, Dairyland might be right for you.

Based in Wisconsin, Dairyland has specialized in high-risk drivers since it was founded in 1953. It’s a part of the “nonstandard” market of auto insurance companies, and it charges accordingly high prices.

Dairyland insurance coverage

When you’re shopping for car insurance, it’s important to understand what car insurance coverage you want and what you’re required to buy. Most states require car insurance in order to drive a vehicle. Although minimum coverage requirements vary from state to state, they generally include liability insurance and uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage.

If you want extra protection, you may be interested in full coverage insurance. Full coverage isn’t a specific policy type; it's a combination of coverage types, like liability, collision and comprehensive insurance.

Check out the most common types of car insurance coverage below to see how they work:

Coverage type

What it pays for

Required?

Bodily injury and property damage liability

Costs for injuries, deaths or property damage from an accident you caused.

Typically required.

Uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage

Medical and property damage costs after an accident with a driver who has insufficient insurance or none at all.

Often required.

Collision coverage

Repair expenses from traffic-related accidents, regardless of who's at fault.

A car loan or lease may require it.

Comprehensive coverage

Repair costs from events outside of your control, including weather events, hitting an animal while driving, theft and vandalism.

A car loan or lease may require it.

Dairyland offers the usual auto policy options, in addition to towing and labor coverage, which pays to get your vehicle to a service center if it’s immobilized.

Other additional coverage options include:

  • Special equipment coverage, which pays for damage to custom parts that you’ve added to your car.

  • A lienholder policy, which is often required by the lender if you lease or finance a vehicle. It covers the cost of the loan if you’re in an accident before paying it off.

  • Non-owner insurance, which offers coverage if you cause an accident while driving another person’s car. This secondary insurance helps pay for damage that doesn’t fall under the car’s primary policy. You might need this coverage if you don’t own a car, need an SR-22 or drive sparingly.

SR-22 forms are typically available for free through Dairyland. Your state may require an SR-22 form to prove that you meet your state’s minimum car insurance requirements after a DUI or another serious violation.

Auto insurance discounts

  • Multicar discount.

  • Discount for getting a quote at least a week before your insurance policy starts.

  • Anti-theft device discount.

  • Discount if you have other auto insurance coverage in place for at least six months before becoming a Dairyland customer.

  • Discount for being a homeowner.

  • Discount for having renters insurance (not available in all states).

  • Discount for customers who pass a driver safety course.

  • Discount for paying your bill once a quarter, every six months or once a year. The payment must be higher than the minimum amount due.

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Auto insurance buying guide

Before you compare car insurance companies, you’ll need to collect some basic information. This includes the driving history of everyone who will be on the policy, as well as facts about your car, such as safety features and annual mileage driven. You’ll also want to determine which types of coverage you need. For example, do you want only the bare minimum insurance that your state requires, or do you need more extensive coverage, such as gap insurance or rideshare coverage? Check that each company you’re considering has the options you want.

When comparing rates among insurers, make sure each is offering the same coverage limits and deductibles. You may not want to make your decision based on price alone. Look at how many consumer complaints each company has, as a high number of complaints could be a red flag about the quality of service you'll receive.

Depending on which company you choose, you may be able to buy insurance online, over the phone or through an agent. For more guidance, see how to get car insurance.

Dairyland motorcycle insurance

Dairyland motorcycle coverage offerings include collision, comprehensive, bodily injury and property damage liability, personal injury protection, medical expense, and uninsured motorist property damage and bodily injury. Underinsured motorist property damage and bodily injury coverage is also available. These coverage types protect you when the at-fault driver doesn’t carry enough insurance to pay for repairs of damage to your bike, and if the at-fault driver doesn’t have enough insurance to cover any injuries you sustain from an accident.

Dairyland also offers:

  • Replacement cost coverage, which pays for a replacement bike if yours is destroyed in a covered claim. It’s available only for motorcycles 3 years old or newer.

  • Guest passenger coverage, which pays to treat injuries that passengers sustain on your bike.

  • Physical damage-plus coverage, which pays to repair your damaged bike with parts from the original equipment manufacturer.

  • Rental reimbursement to cover the cost of a rental when your bike is being repaired for a covered claim.

  • Special equipment coverage. If you get into an accident that damages any special equipment or nonstandard modifications you’ve made to your bike, this will cover the cost difference between the changes you’ve made and the standard equipment you replaced.

Motorcycle insurance discounts

  • Discount if you’ve passed a safety course within the past five years.

  • H.O.G. discount for members of the Harley Owners Group.

  • Rider group discount.

  • Discount for having coverage before becoming a Dairyland customer.

  • Loyalty discount for customers who’ve been with Dairyland for more than a year before replacing or adding a bike.

  • Homeowner discount.

  • Multicycle discount.

Complaints 

Dairyland had far more than the expected number of complaints about auto insurance to state regulators relative to its size, according to three years’ worth of data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.

More about Dairyland insurance

Website: Dairyland doesn’t have the online tools and resources that some other insurance companies do, but its website is functional and easy to navigate. On its homepage, you’ll see links to find an agent, get a quote, retrieve a saved quote and make a payment. If you prefer to work with an agent, enter your ZIP code and you’ll receive a list of Dairyland representatives in your area.

Mobile app: Available for Apple and Android devices, Dairyland’s mobile app allows customers to pay bills, receive bill alerts, access account information and view insurance cards.

Dairyland offers insurance in 38 states. Dairyland insurance is unavailable in Alaska, Hawaii, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Rhode Island and Washington, D.C.

Other insurance from Dairyland

Dairyland also offers off-road insurance for ATVs, snowmobiles, side-by-sides and dirt bikes.

Methodology

Insurer complaints methodology

NerdWallet examined complaints received by state insurance regulators and reported to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners in 2018-2020. To assess how insurers compare to one another, the NAIC calculates a complaint index each year for each subsidiary, measuring its share of total complaints relative to its size, or share of total premiums in the industry. To evaluate a company’s complaint history, NerdWallet calculated a similar index for each insurer, weighted by market shares of each subsidiary, over the three-year period. Ratios are determined separately for auto, home (including renters and condo) and life insurance.

Auto insurance ratings methodology

NerdWallet’s auto insurance ratings reward companies for customer-first features and practices. Ratings are based on weighted averages of scores in several categories, including financial strength, consumer complaints and discounts. Our “ease of use” category looks at factors such as website transparency and how easy it is to file a claim. Using our editorial discretion, we also consider customer satisfaction surveys. These ratings are a guide, but we encourage you to shop around and compare several insurance quotes to find the best rate for you. NerdWallet does not receive compensation for any reviews. Read our editorial guidelines.

Frequently asked questions