If you’re a Wyoming or Montana driver on the hunt for a local insurance company, you may want to check out Mountain West Farm Bureau. Branded as a customer-focused, local business, Mountain West Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company is a solid option for state residents seeking personalized customer care. Since 1948, the company has served the needs of farmers and, more recently, local individuals, families, and businesses.
Considering Mountain West Farm Bureau as your auto insurance provider? Here are a few basics you need to know.
In this article:
About Mountain West Farm Bureau
- Mountain West Farm Bureau is part of the Farm Bureau Federation, a national members organization that supports farmers and rural communities.
- It is a multi-line insurance company, meaning you can bundle different types of insurance for a lower annual premium.
- Mountain West maintains a small-business energy with 170 employees based out of Laramie, WY.
- Free perks like roadside assistance are included with policies.
The positives of choosing Mountain West Farm Bureau—like cost-saving options and friendly representatives—balance out with a handful of negatives. Last year, credit rating agency AM Best downgraded Mountain West Farm Bureau’s financial strength rating to a B++ (Good). Additionally, several customer reviews mention a complex claims process and occasionally unresponsive customer service.
We’ll take a deeper look into what you need to know about Mountain West Farm Bureau below and whether it’s your best bet to stay safe on mountain and country roads.
Coverage With Mountain West Farm Bureau
As a member of Mountain West Farm Bureau, you can choose from five different categories of auto insurance:
- Liability
- Comprehensive
- Collision
- Medical
- Underinsured/uninsured motorist
Keep in mind that as a company serving Wyoming and Montana, Mountain West Farm Bureau specializes in helping you fulfill each state’s required auto insurance minimums.
Montana requires bodily injury and property damage liability at a 25/50/20 level. This means that you need at least $ 25,000 in bodily injury per person, $ 50,000 in bodily injury per accident, and $ 20,000 in property damage per accident. Wyoming is very similar, but works on 25/50/20 scale. Wyoming and Montana are also both at-fault states, meaning that the person who causes the accident has to consult their own insurance company for coverage.
Here is a basic rundown of coverage options offered by Mountain West Farm Bureau:
Coverage | Details | Additional Notes |
Liability | Covers bodily injury and property damage to others and their vehicles when you are at fault | No deductible |
Comprehensive | Repairs or replaces your car when damaged from a non-collision event like theft or vandalism | Includes windshield chip repair and car rental costs of $ 50 in the case of theft |
Collision | Covers damage to your own vehicle in the event of collision | |
Medical Payments | Covers reasonable medical or funeral expenses for each occupant of your vehicle | No deductible |
Uninsured and Underinsured Driver | Pays for damages caused by an uninsured or underinsured driver’s negligence | |
Emergency Roadside Assistance | 24/7 assistance for towing, jump starts, flats/spares, winching, lockout services, and fuel delivery through Agero | Coverage up to $ 250 |
Coverage | Details | Additional Notes |
Rental Car Expenses | Rental coverage for covered comprehensive events, collisions, or theft | Up to $ 1,000 |
Glass Breakage | Lower deductible for glass breakage | $ 100 deductible |
Personal Property | Covers you or your passenger’s personal property damage in a covered comprehensive or collision event | Up to $ 500 |
Pet Protection | Covers vet or funeral costs in a covered comprehensive or collision event | Up to $ 1,000 |
Meals and Lodging | Coverage for meals and lodging when a covered accident occurs more than 100 miles from home | Up to $ 500 |
Mountain West Farm Bureau also offers specialty coverage for equipment you want to protect. This includes car features like:
- Custom wheels or paint
- Lift kits
- Toppers
- Lights
- Handicap equipment
- And more
Mountain West Farm Bureau Cost And Discounts
You can begin the quote process for Mountain West Farm Bureau Insurance online, but it will eventually lead to a one-on-one chat with your local agent. The company determines your monthly premium and deductibles based on typical factors such as your type of car, your location, history of accidents and traffic violations, and your age. According to the Insurance Information Institute, Wyoming comes in at one of the lowest-cost car insurance states in the United States with Montana only slightly behind.
Mountain West Farm Bureau also offers several cost-saving deals for lowering your monthly payments. These programs include discounts for:
- Safe Drivers: Accident-free drivers for 3 or 6 years
- Good Students: Student drivers with a 3.0 GPA or higher
- Low Mileage: Those who drive their cars less than 7,500 miles a year
- Multi-Car: Those with more than one car on their insurance plan
- Patriots: Both for military members or those who have taken a military-sponsored defensive driving course
- Seniors: Members over 55 who have completed a defensive driving course
- Loyal Customers: Drivers who have been with their current plan for 3, 6, or 10 years
- Homeowners: Those with home insurance from Mountain West Farm Bureau
Claims Process
According to the website, filing a claim with Mountain West Farm Bureau is a four-step process:
- Contact your local office by phone or email with the situation and damage details.
- Your agent will file the appropriate claim.
- The claims department will reach out to you directly in approximately 48 hours.
- Your claim will be processed after an investigation into the circumstances.
When you look at online reviews, the claims process is where Mountain West Farm Bureau struggles the most. Complaints on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) website often highlight miscommunication issues before and after a claim has been resolved.
Many of the issues stem from the inability to reach an agent and clear up incorrect data or start the claims process. For example, one customer describes being sent from one office to the next before finding someone who was available to take their claim. We recommend speaking to your agent about the claims process before signing on to avoid confusion.
Mountain West Farm Bureau Reviews
As is the case with many smaller insurance companies, local reviews tend to be more positive than those reported to large sites like the BBB. Many customers express enthusiasm for their individual agent and the personalized care provided during the setup and claims processes with Mountain West Farm Bureau.
Since first-hand reviews are always the best window, we’ll cover a few highs and lows among customer experiences with Mountain West Farm Bureau:
“My agent is wonderful and explains everything to me very clearly. It’s nice having an actual person to turn to when I have a question about my policy.”
-Jennessa J. via Google
“They have competitive rates and are willing to take the extra time to answer any questions you have. I highly recommend Farm Bureau to anyone looking for insurance or assistance with financial services.”
-Cindy G. via Google
“I spent hours on the phone trying to get the issue straightened out once they agreed to address the issue at all.”
-via BBB
Additional reviews discuss general complications when making changes to plans. Past customers reported being charged for cars after removing them from their plan or cancelling their service altogether. As was the case with the claims process, communication is key. If you opt for Mountain West Farm Bureau, be sure to find an agent you feel comfortable with before getting started.
Verdict On Mountain West Farm Bureau
We recommend keeping an eye on the financial well being of Mountain West Farm Bureau due to its recent downgrade by AM Best. However, individuals in Wyoming and Montana can depend on this company for personalized service with caring local agents.
On the plus side, the company provides thorough coverage options and opportunities to save money. However, we do advise a word of caution about the claims process after hearing that many customers have had issues resolving claims in the past.
Our Recommendations For Car Insurance
If you’re on the fence about Mountain West Farm Bureau, you can also check out some of our top picks from our recent survey of 30 of the industry’s best car insurance companies for 2020. Coming in at first and second place were USAA and Geico, two large organizations that have a long history of offering affordable and reliable insurance plans to all 50 states.
USAA: 5 Stars
The main difference between the two companies is eligibility. USAA auto insurance is only offered to members of the military and their families. This often means that it’s left off major rankings by J.D. Power despite receiving high scores. Both Montana and Wyoming, however, have large populations of veterans, so this could be a great choice if you’re looking for a personalized plan for people who share a community.
Top perks of USAA include:
- Both traditional and unique coverage including roadside assistance and accident forgiveness programs
- Extensive discount opportunities
- Personalized customer service
- Helpful website and mobile app
Geico: 4.5 Stars
Coming in right behind USAA is Geico, the agency with commercials starring a now-widely recognizable gecko. Its marketing may be light-hearted, but its plans and customer attention really impressed our team during our recent study. In addition to standard coverage, here are a few things that caught our eye:
- Roadside assistance operable from a mobile app
- Extensive discounts, including those for basic car safety features, student drivers, and military members
- Easy and efficient claims process with easy-to-use technology options
- An above-average number of positive customer reviews
We recommend speaking directly to a representative at a few companies while shopping around for the best quote. You can also check out our recent review of USAA vs Geico.
Whether you choose Mountain West Farm Bureau as your local Wyoming and Montana favorite or go with a larger, nationwide company, the best business often comes down to which company you can turn to and trust when accidents occur.
