Homeowners FAQs - Frequently Asked Questions for Western Mutual Insurance

What is Western Mutual’s A.M. Best rating?

Western Mutual has received a secure rating of A (EXCELLENT) from A.M. Best Company. This rating represents A.M. Best's opinion of Western Mutual’s ability to meet its obligations to policyholders - an opinion grounded in painstaking analysis of Western Mutual’s reported financial performance for at least the past five years, utilizing over 100 key financial tests and supporting data.

Where is The Western Mutual Insurance Group located?

The Western Mutual Insurance Group is headquartered in California, with our two primary operations in Agoura Hills and Irvine. These two offices handle all the inbound Sales, Customer Service and Claims communications, to help control our operating costs. We also maintain experienced adjusters, agents, brokers and home insurance specialists throughout our direct states for our customers' convenience.

Where does Western Mutual advertise?

As a mutual insurance company, Western Mutual has always managed the company in the best interests of our policyholders which includes offering the lowest possible homeowners rates and premiums. Therefore, many of our preferred policyholders have been our best source for new customers. In support of our cost effective goals, we only maintain a small advertising budget. Sustaining larger marketing efforts would adversely affect our low preferred rates. The Internet presents a cost-effective way for us to make our preferred rates more available to the select homeowners who qualify for our programs.

Contact Us

Can I buy Earthquake Insurance only?

No. Western Mutual only offers earthquake coverage in addition to a Homeowners Insurance Policy or our Dwelling Fire Policy. All insurance providers who offer homeowners coverage to California consumers are required by law to make earthquake insurance available as well. The Western Mutual Insurance Group offers a Basic Earthquake Policy, which carries a 15% deductible.

Western Mutual also offers earthquake coverage as an endorsement for its Preferred Homeowners Insurance policyholders in Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah.

What is a CEA policy?

In 1996, the California Legislature established the California Earthquake Authority (CEA) as a privately financed, publicly managed entity to help California residents protect themselves against earthquake loss.

The CEA policy is written in an industry “pool” which in the event of a major earthquake is going to rely on a variety of financial resources to compensate insured individuals for losses – bonds, reinsurance, assessments on insurers, as well as premiums from, and assessments against, policyholders. If the amount authorized by the Legislature in creating this CEA pool is not sufficient to pay all losses, policyholders could receive only a pro-rata portion of their loss in the event of a large earthquake.

Western Mutual does not participate in the CEA pool. We offer private earthquake insurance to our homeowners policyholders, which is backed, among others, by Maiden RE, an AM Best rated 'EXCELLENT' reinsurance company.

Do you offer other coverages such as auto, life insurance and umbrella?

No. Western Mutual only offers preferred homeowners insurance, dwelling fire insurance, condominium owners insurance, earthquake insurance and flood insurance options. Specializing in only home insurance helps Western Mutual offer lower rates, while maintaining its high quality homeowners' services.

What premium credits do you offer?

Western Mutual offers several premium credits - some of which relate to a new home purchase or its security features.

Does my homeowners policy cover flood?

Homeowners policies do not cover flood damage. If you have homeowners policy with us, you can get a flood quote by calling us directly at 1-800-234-2114. You can visit the National Flood Insurance Program of the U.S. Government at http://www.fema.gov/nfip/ for more information about this type of coverage.

How can I lower my homeowners premium?

You can lower your premium by increasing your deductible – the higher the deductible, the lower the premium. You can also earn premium credits by upgrading the security features of your home, for example by installing an alarm system.

What is the maximum liability coverage you offer?

We offer liability coverage in the following amounts: $300,000 and $500,000.

About the Quote

Will anyone come to my home to perform an inspection?

We inspect most of the properties we insure. While the inspectors are not required to enter your home, they will examine it from the outside and take pictures for our files.

Can you send an agent to my home to answer my questions?

Although we cannot send someone to your home to meet with you personally, we are available to answer any of your questions Monday through Friday at 877-WMUTUAL between 8:00 am and 4:45 PM (PST - Pacific Time) or you may contact us via the Internet at your convenience.

Will my insurance premium and coverages be different when I receive my policy?

No. During the quote process, several pieces of information are collected from you in order to accurately rate and underwrite your request for insurance coverage. Once you have answered all of our questions, we perform some off-line verifications of your information. Should our verifications produce information different from yours that would affect your coverages or premium, you will be notified of that change prior to policy issuance.

How do you know so much about my property?

Western Mutual accesses public information found in county tax records. Information such as the size of your home and the year it was built is necessary for us to accurately determine your premium.

About Payment Options

What payment options do you offer?

Western Mutual has developed several payment options to suit your needs. If your homeowners insurance is impounded by your lender, you do not need to do anything at all; we will bill your lender directly for payment. If your insurance is not impounded, we offer you the choice to pay in full by check or by credit card at the time of purchase or renewal. However, if you wish to budget your insurance costs over a year’s time, we offer a convenient installment plan. After an initial down payment, you will be billed monthly for the remaining premium.

To make a Payment Online, click here.

Where should I mail my payments?

For faster payments, use our Internet Customer Service Center and pay online.

To make a Payment by Phone call toll free: 1-888-467-7736

To mail any Insurance Payments*, use the following address:

Will my premium increase at time of renewal?

It may. For example, if you have a new home, you receive a discount based on the age of the home. Over time, this discount decreases, and your premium will increase correspondingly.

Do I need to contact Western Mutual if I move and rent my home to tenants?

Yes. Changing the occupancy and/or use of the property without notifying us may result in a reduction or elimination of coverages. We would need to convert your homeowners policy to a dwelling fire policy. A dwelling fire policy is similar to a homeowners policy but does not provide coverage for items such as personal property and liability. However, these coverages can be added to this policy for a minimal charge. Since your coverage requirements for this property would be reduced, your premium will likely be lower as well.

If I decide to cancel my Western Mutual policy before it expires, do you charge a penalty fee?

No. We do not charge a penalty or cancellation fee. We will provide to you a prorated refund of your policy premium paid to date.

Do I need to contact Western Mutual if I have made any changes, additions or upgrades to my property?

Yes, in most cases. If your improvements result in increased property value, your original coverages may not provide adequate protection for you. We recommend that you notify us of these improvements so that we may assist you in determining if you would benefit from an increase to your policy coverages. Further, your policy may require you to report such improvements to us in order to recieve full policy benefits in the event of a loss.

What should I do if I have a loss?

If I file a claim on my homeowners policy, will my premium increase at renewal?

The rating of your policy is not affected by claims experience. However, we may review a policy’s claim history prior to the renewal date to determine the eligibility for continuance of coverage.

In the event that my automobile was broken into and personal property was stolen, what would be covered under my homeowners policy?

While your homeowners policy would cover the loss of your personal property, any damage to your automobile would be excluded. This type of damage would be covered under your automobile insurance policy.

Do you have adjusters that handle claims in my area?

We use independent adjusters and contractors to investigate and research our policyholder claims in areas not served by our company adjusters.

If I have a loss, do I need to show proof of what was in my home?

You will need to provide a list of items that were destroyed or damaged. We suggest you keep all receipts for personal property purchases. You may also want to keep an inventory of all the contents inside your home. You may accomplish this by completing an inventory list or by photographing or videotaping each room to create a visual record. Go to our Homeowners' Resources page for one method for creating an inventory.

What does my claim involve?

The insurance policy must be reviewed to determine the applicable coverage, and the value of damage to the property must be determined.

What number do I call to report a claim?

It's now easier to file any claim using our Policyholder Customer Service Center.

If you need to use the phone, please call 1-800-927-2142 to report a claim. If your claim occurs during non-business hours and is an emergency, leave a detailed message and you will be contacted as soon as possible.