Is Otto Insurance Legit?
Otto Insurance is not an insurance agent, carrier, or broker. They are a lead-generator that does not provide direct quotes but instead matches you to agents, brokers, and carriers who can sell you a policy. Completing their form permits Otto to sell your information to third-parties.
Types of Insurance Otto Offers
Otto offers auto, pet, home, life, and commercial insurance. While it’s great that they provide a one-stop shop for insurance, Otto Insurance does not sell these policies on their site. Otto calls itself a “concierge service for insurance” and their main focus is to match your information with insurance companies, agents, brokers, or other providers who want customers like you.
How does Otto Insurance work?
We've seen many ads for Otto Insurance online, particularly on social media sites like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook and they all focus on how easy it is to get a lower rate on your insurance through Otto. According to these ads, you can fill out a form that takes less than two minutes, instantly compare quotes, and receive better prices for the insurance you're currently buying. If you're using Otto Insurance, what can you expect? - Enter your information: As a lead generation site, Otto Insurance asks for a few key pieces of information related to the different types of insurance they offer. For car insurance, for example, this includes the number of drivers you're insuring and your car make, model, and year. Their form is short and easy to fill out, especially if you're on a phone or smaller screen.
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Compare quotes: While Otto Insurance’s website shows easy online comparisons between various insurance companies, entering your information usually doesn’t provide the advertised quote comparison. Finishing a form only links you to one insurance company or another lead-generator site such as Insquote.com or Everquote.
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Fill out more forms: If you choose to click on a link Otto Insurance provides, you’re often required to re-enter the information you just provided. Most customers don’t receive the instant quote Otto Insurance shows on their websites or ads. Some websites import your information from Otto Insurance fairly quickly but ask for more information — while others require you to enter all your information again.
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Answer phone calls and emails: The primary way that lead generators make money is by selling your information to other companies. Lead generators are not a scam, however, because they sell your information to actual insurance agents and carriers. It is possible some customers find cheaper policies through Otto Insurance if they answer the sales calls or emails they receive when they sign up. But providing your name, number, and email also opens you up to be contacted by any or all of their carriers. While you can ask Otto Insurance to remove you from their call or mailing lists, you need to opt-out or unsubscribe from each service provider once they have your information.
For a list of the hundreds of companies that Otto Insurance can provide your name, email, phone number, and information to when you fill out their form, click here.
Pros and Cons of Otto Insurance
Pros
Advertises a one-stop shop for multiple types of insurance.
Coverage available in all 50 states.
Easy online application.
Cons
Otto can't directly sell you policies.
Filling out Otto's form results in calls and emails from many companies.
You're required to fill out multiple forms to see actual quotes.
Ratings and Customer Feedback for Otto Insurance
Otto Insurance has limited information on its website, but they provide reviews from their, “community of over 10 million satisfied customers.” Unfortunately, because Otto Insurance is not an insurance company, they don’t receive independent ratings through companies like A.M. Best. Review sites like Trustpilot and Quora provide unfiltered reviews from real customers, but we found limited customer reviews for Otto Insurance overall. Their rating on Trustpilot is 2.3, but only based on seven reviews.
According to limited Trustpilot reviews, Otto Insurance receive one to three-star ratings for providing too few quotes for the amount of price-comparison websites you have to visit, providing your information to other companies, repeated sales calls and emails, and misleading advertising.
Real Trustpilot reviews for Otto Insurance
Cindy, August 2022
I entered my information into this site and it gave me two more comparison websites which led me to more comparison websites which led me to more comparison websites which led me to more comparison websites... In all, I visited about 16 price-comparison websites, and got 3 actual quotes (of which one is the lowest I've seen anywhere.)
James, September 2022
They called me ~12 times within 3-4 hours from several numbers, so I couldn't block them. I answered twice and asked them to stop. I understand sales calls, but this is blatant harassment & I will be filing a report with the appropriate government agencies. Don't give your information to this website unless you want your phone to ring incessantly.
Aaron, June 2023
Not actually car insurance. Advertising is very misleading.
Bruce, June 2023
Lied about rate comparisons, shared our info w/ many, many insurance providers who will not stop calling, texting, and emailing.
Get customer support for Otto Insurance
Navigating Otto Insurance's website for live support can be tricky because they focus on directing you to their various quoting forms. If you need help from Otto, or want to cancel a request you can contact them via — - Phone: While Otto Insurance advertises online insurance comparison, they also encourage you to call them at 1-855-586-2848, to speak with a live insurance agent.
- Email: You can contact customer support at info@ottoinsurance.com
How to cancel Otto Insurance
If you have submitted your information to Otto Insurance and want to cancel your request, you can complete the following steps: 1. Click unsubscribe at the bottom of their emails.
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Send an email to info@ottoinsurance.com with your phone number and email address.
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Wait 24-48 hours for a response from Otto Insurance state that your information will be erased.
According to Otto's terms of service filling out their forms means you consent to receive communications from any of their service providers. Once those companies have received your information, “any request to opt-out or unsubscribe from their communications must be made directly.” We found that calls and emails from Otto Insurance-affiliated companies started quickly after filling out their form, so canceling those requests requires contacting every company that calls, texts, or sends an email.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Otto Insurance so cheap?
Otto insurance is a free service because they are a lead generator or referral service, providing your name, details, and contact information to insurance companies, agents, brokers, and other lead generators.
Is Otto Insurance legit?
Otto Insurance is a real company, offering a real service connecting you with insurance providers. Customers who review their service, however, complain that Otto’s ads are misleading and that they receive too many spam calls or emails after completing Otto's forms.
How do I stop calls from Otto Insurance?
If you’ve provided your information to Otto insurance, you can cancel your request by emailing info@ottoinsurance.com and providing your name and email address. Unfortunately, once your phone number has been distributed to companies in Otto’s network of carriers, you’re required to contact each company individually to stop calls.
Summary of Otto Insurance and Customer Reviews
Otto Insurance is not an insurance company or a broker. They’re a lead generator designed to connect you with insurance companies or agents that can offer you actual policies. While it’s possible to find a policy and save money through Otto Insurance, you will also receive many phone calls and emails — from companies you have not directly agreed to work with. Their website provides an easy-to-use form and they’re able to connect you with home, auto, pet, life, and commercial insurance, but Otto does not provide policies to compare or sell them directly. While their website displays positive reviews, we found that independent reviews were limited and customer feedback on the amount of calls and Otto’s advertising were largely negative.
Still Interested in comparing insurance quotes?
While lead generators can connect you with legitimate insurance companies, agencies, and brokers — Coverage Cat recommends working directly with these companies if you want to avoid unsolicited calls or emails. An insurance broker or independent agent, like Coverage Cat, can compare multiple policies and companies, without selling your information. Brokers and agents can also sell policies directly, cutting out middlemen like lead generators and advertisers. Hate phone calls or spam emails? Optimize your insurance today with Coverage Cat — we promise never to call or spam you, and find you the best policy and price through data science.
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