Updated October 31, 2026 · Facts checked against countryfinancial.com, AM Best and the NAIC on October 31, 2026
COUNTRY Financial is an agent-first insurer built around long relationships rather than clicks, selling auto coverage in 19 mostly Midwestern and Western states through its own captive agents. It carries a rating from AM Best and draws fewer complaints than expected for an insurer of its size, and its discount list leans heavily toward families, bundlers and safe drivers. The trade-offs are the limited footprint, the absence of a true start-to-finish online purchase, and a coverage menu that skips gap insurance.
Key facts
- Financial strength (AM Best)
- A+
- Complaint index (NAIC)
- 0.15 (2025)
- US market share (NAIC)
- 0.4% (2025)
- Sold in
- 19 states
- Safe-driving program
- DriverIQ
- Young-driver program
- Simply Drive
- How you buy
- Own agents, Online or phone
Good for
- Drivers in COUNTRY's 19 states who want a local captive agent
- Families bundling auto with home and adding a teen driver
- Teachers, firefighters, police, EMTs and paramedics
- Safe drivers willing to use a telematics app
Watch out for
- Not sold outside its 19-state footprint
- No gap or loan/lease payoff coverage reported
- Quotes start online but must be finished with an agent
- Captive agents can't compare rival carriers for you
- Many discounts need documents you must supply yourself
Who COUNTRY Financial is
COUNTRY Financial is an Illinois-based insurer that writes most of its auto business through COUNTRY Mutual Insurance Company, with other group companies (COUNTRY Preferred and COUNTRY Casualty) also issuing policies. It is part of the COUNTRY Insurance & Financial Services Group and sells a full range of personal lines alongside auto, which is why so much of its pitch is built around bundling.
The company is available in 19 states: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Washington and Wisconsin. If you live outside that list — or you move out of it — COUNTRY is not an option, so it suits drivers who expect to stay put.
There is no membership, employer or affiliation requirement. Anyone in a served state can apply.
How you buy a policy
COUNTRY sells through captive agents — representatives who work for COUNTRY alone rather than shopping several carriers on your behalf. You can start a quote online or call, but in practice the policy is finished with a local agent. That means you will not complete a purchase entirely on your own at midnight the way you can with some direct writers.
For some drivers that is the attraction: a named person in your town who handles your auto, home and other policies and who you can call after a claim. For others it is friction. Decide which camp you are in before you start, because it shapes the whole experience.
If you want an independent agent who can compare COUNTRY against rival carriers side by side, you will need to shop elsewhere as well — COUNTRY's distribution is its own.
Coverage you can buy
The core menu is conventional and complete for most drivers: liability, collision, comprehensive, uninsured-motorist, medical payments, and personal injury protection where the state uses it. Rental reimbursement and roadside assistance are available as add-ons.
The notable gap is gap insurance. Independent reviewers consistently report that COUNTRY does not offer loan/lease payoff coverage, which matters if you are financing or leasing a new vehicle that will be worth less than you owe for the first couple of years. If that describes you, ask your agent directly and, if confirmed, look at coverage through your lender or dealer — or consider a different insurer.
Availability of individual coverages varies by state, so treat the list above as a starting point for a conversation rather than a guarantee.
Telematics and young drivers
DriverIQ is COUNTRY's smartphone-based safe-driving program. It scores acceleration, braking, cornering and phone use, and enrolling earns a discount. As with any telematics app, the scoring works both ways in principle — ask the agent how your result affects renewals in your state before you sign up, and understand that the app needs location and motion access on your phone.
For households with a newly licensed teenager, Simply Drive is a safe-driving course that earns its own discount on completion. It pairs with the Good Student discount for full-time students holding a B average, and the College Graduate discount for recent grads under 25 who send in a transcript or diploma.
Discounts worth asking about
COUNTRY's discount list is unusually family- and loyalty-shaped:
- Multi-Policy for carrying auto plus home or another COUNTRY policy, and Multi-Car for two or more vehicles on one policy.
- Legacy, which passes your Multi-Car and Multi-Policy discounts down to an unmarried child under 25 — a genuinely useful one for families with a young driver on a separate policy.
- Engaged Couple, for couples 21 or older who insure all household vehicles with COUNTRY.
- Occupation, for full-time K-12 teachers, firefighters, police officers, EMTs and paramedics.
- Good Driver after three years clear of accidents and tickets, and Advanced Quote for getting a quote before your current policy expires.
- Defensive Driving Course (retakeable to requalify) and Anti-Theft for an alarm or similar device.
None of these apply automatically in every case. Bring documentation — transcripts, course certificates, occupation proof — to the agent rather than assuming the system catches it.
Financial strength and complaints
COUNTRY carries a rating from AM Best, the main rating agency for insurer financial strength; the current grade is shown alongside this review and kept up to date. The practical point is that this is a well-established carrier with the reserves to pay claims.
On service, state regulators collect complaints through the NAIC and measure them against each insurer's market share. COUNTRY's record shows fewer complaints than would be expected for a company its size — a good sign, though complaint data is a blunt instrument and your experience will depend heavily on the individual agent and claims adjuster you deal with.
Discounts COUNTRY Financial lists
- Multi-Policy Discount — Carry both auto and home (or another) policy with COUNTRY.
- Multi-Car Discount — Insure two or more vehicles on the same COUNTRY policy.
- Legacy Discount — Pass your Multi-Car and Multi-Policy discounts to an unmarried child under 25.
- Engaged Couple Discount — Be engaged, 21 or older, and insure all household cars with COUNTRY.
- Occupation Discount — Work full-time as a K-12 teacher, firefighter, police officer, EMT or paramedic.
- Good Student Discount — Be a full-time student maintaining at least a B average.
- College Graduate Discount — Recently graduate college under age 25 and submit transcripts or diploma.
- Good Driver Discount — Go three years without an accident or traffic ticket.
- Advanced Quote Discount — Get a quote before your current policy with another insurer expires.
- DriverIQ Discount — Enroll in the DriverIQ smartphone app that scores acceleration, braking, cornering and phone use.
- Simply Drive Discount — Have a newly licensed teen driver complete the Simply Drive safe-driving course.
- Defensive Driving Course Discount — Complete a state-approved defensive driving course (can be retaken to requalify).
- Anti-Theft Discount — Equip your vehicle with an alarm or other anti-theft device.
Questions
Can I buy a COUNTRY Financial policy entirely online?
Not usually. You can begin a quote online or by phone, but independent reviewers report the purchase is completed with a local COUNTRY agent. If a fully self-service online checkout matters to you, look at direct writers instead.
Does COUNTRY Financial offer gap insurance?
Multiple independent reviewers say it does not offer loan/lease payoff coverage. If you are financing or leasing a new car, confirm this with an agent and consider gap protection through your lender or dealer.
Do I need to be a member of anything to qualify?
No. There is no membership, occupation or affiliation requirement for auto insurance — coverage is open to the general public in the states COUNTRY serves.
How does the DriverIQ app work?
It is a smartphone program that scores acceleration, braking, cornering and phone use while driving, and enrolling earns a discount. Ask your agent how your driving score affects your policy at renewal in your state before enrolling.
What happens if I move to a state COUNTRY doesn't serve?
You would need to find a new insurer. COUNTRY writes auto in 19 states, so a cross-country move can end the relationship — worth bearing in mind if you are bundling several policies with them.
Is COUNTRY Financial reliable for claims?
It holds a rating from AM Best for financial strength and receives fewer complaints to state regulators than expected for its size, both of which are encouraging. Day-to-day experience still depends on your local agent and the adjuster assigned to your claim.