- Introduction to RLI Insurance
- What Kinds of Insurance Does RLI Insurance Offer?
- Does RLI Insurance Sell Umbrella Insurance or Liability Insurance?
- How RLI Insurance Work?
- Pros and Cons of RLI Insurance
- Get Customer Support Or File A Claim For RLI Insurance
- Frequently Asked Questions
Introduction to RLI Insurance
RLI, or RLI Corp. is an insurance company that sells General Liability or Umbrella insurance. Founded in 1965 in Peoria, Illinois, where it is headquartered to this day, as Replacement Lens Insurance, then an early insurer of contact lenses.
What Kinds of Insurance Does RLI Insurance Offer?
RLI Insurance provides Umbrella insurance sometimes called General Liability insurance. Additionally, while not the focus of this review, RLI Insurance also offers coverage for home businesses and Hawaii homeowners.
RLI Insurance's primary focus is Umbrella insurance — with coverage available for up to $5 million. As one of our agents Jazzmin Lu describes these policies : " Personal umbrella policies are sometimes referred to as excess liability insurance because they provide excess coverage on top of existing policies. They kick in after you've exhausted the limits of other personal insurance policies, like your auto, homeowners, renters, landlord, boat, or motorcycle insurance."
Does RLI Insurance Sell Umbrella Insurance?
Yes, RLI primarily sells personal umbrella insurance. Terms can vary largely between umbrella or liability risk exclusions, so be sure to check with your insurance agent to ensure you are purchasing the policy best matched to your risks.
Per their personal umbrella page RLI policies can offer some standout features: the flexibility to keep your existing auto/home insurance and, in some cases, greater latitude in who they are able to insure. An example of this is how buyers with lower auto insurance limits or one DUI/DWI per household can buy through RLI.
How Does RLI Insurance Work?
RLI offers insurance to buyers through both agents and their consumer portal. They note that buyers in California and Florida have to be made through an agent like Coverage Cat. For their other lines of business in home you can visit them here or here for the business-related lines.
Pros And Cons of RLI Insurance
Pros
- Their approach to customer service has led to a low rate of complaints by buyers to the NAIC.
- Long history and "Strong", A+ "Superior" ratings for financial stability.
- Standalone umbrella insurance carrier available in all 50 states, customers can keep their existing auto/home insurance.
- Flexible coverage and options, including for new drivers, drivers with lower auto insurance limits, or one DUI/DWI per household.
Cons
- Californians and Floridians you'll need to buy through an agent like Coverage Cat.
- Requires annual payment in full.
- Highest available limit is $5 million, customers who need more could still be underinsured.
Get Customer Support For Or File A Claim With RLI Insurance
RLI offers a claims form for policyholders to use here. Their claims email is New.Claim@rlicorp.com with a support phone 800-444-0406 and fax 866-692-6796 provided.
According to their claims site, all claims related mail should be sent to the following address: RLI Claim Department, P.O. Box 3961, Peoria, IL 61612-3961
If you're searching for phone support, RLI offers one unified phone line for Claims, Member Services, Roadside Assistance at 888-813-7873.
If you purchased your RLI policy through Coverage Cat we'll do our best to help you through your claim. Let us know how we can help via our support channel.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I Buy RLI Insurance?
For RLI insurance, make sure you need umbrella coverage before you buy.
The company's site calls out homeowners, car owners, boat or rec vehicle owners, "future earnings", personal assets, and people likely to get targeted by lawsuits as potential customers.
We recommend buying umbrella insurance if you: - Have a net worth over $1 million
- Own a home, car, boat or recreational vehicle
- Own non-commercial investment properties
- Want or need personal asset protection over $500,000
Is RLI Insurance a Real Insurance Company?
Yes, RLI Insurance is a real insurance company. It has a long history as an insurer and a relatively low ratio of official complaints relative to their market size according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners national complaint index report.
As a helpful caricature of the business: RLI creates policies that reflect their understanding of liability risk that individuals take in addition to what is covered by other lines of insurance and offer insurance on that additional risk.
RLI Insurance's subsidiaries are rated A+ “Superior” by AM Best and A “Strong” by Standard & Poor’s, two ratings companies that report on the financial stability of insurance companies.
How Does RLI Insurance Make Money?
RLI Insurance gets paid premiums from its policyholders for risk coverage provided by its umbrella policies. With its focus on individuals seeking to insure at least $1 million in liability risk as well as other unique lines of insurance, a flattering profile of which was published in Rough Notes Magazine.
Is Using RLI Insurance Worth It?
RLI insurance is a great fit if you want to buy umbrella insurance quickly and online. They offer a dedicated online quoting system, but you can also purchase from a licensed broker (if you live in CA/FL you'll need to purchase directly from Coverage Cat ). If you want to keep your current home/auto policies or need the flexibility to switch companies, RLI is a standalone umbrella insurance carrier, meaning you can pair them with any auto/home insurer. You should also consider RLI if you're not eligible for coverage elsewhere due to older/younger drivers, a DWI/DUI in your household, or certain restricted occupations (police officers, teachers, county/city officials). Depending on your level of risk, RLI can also provide lower auto limits for certain drivers (as low as 100/300/50) and can provide coverage for Citizens Policyholders in Florida.
Prior to any insurance purchase, you should always search across the marketplace for the best possible coverage and price fit for your needs.
Reviewed by
Max Cho
, Licensed Insurance Broker NPN 20377411
