California Casualty auto insurance

Overview

California Casualty, which brands itself "CalCas," sells auto and home insurance to what it calls community heroes: educators, higher-education employees, peace officers, firefighters and healthcare workers such as nurses. Its lead insurer is California Casualty Indemnity Exchange, and the group ranked #70 among U.S. private passenger auto insurers by 2025 direct premiums written according to NAIC market share data, with $270.4 million, or 0.07% of the national market.

The business runs on endorsements. CalCas is the official insurance partner of member and employee groups such as state education associations, peace officer and firefighter associations, universities and nurses' associations, and it sells to their members directly by phone and online rather than through agents. It describes the program as a member benefit "vetted by your organization."

The company has shrunk to its core markets. Its 2025 and 2026 announcements say it serves customers in seven states, California, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Oregon and Wyoming, with almost 80% of its business in California.

History

Carl G. Brown Sr. founded California Casualty Indemnity Exchange in 1914 as a customer-owned company writing workers' compensation for California's growing industries. It is a reciprocal exchange, managed by California Casualty Management Company and led by four generations of the Brown family. Milestones from the company's timeline:

• 1917: Began selling auto insurance.
• 1951: Won the endorsement of the California Teachers Association, which the company describes as a pioneering affinity insurance program.
• 1954: Began selling homeowners insurance.
• 1965: Introduced the California Casualty Code, its statement of business ethics.
• 1969–1989: Added group sponsors including the Peace Officers Research Association of California (1969), the University of California (1970), the California Association of Highway Patrolmen and the California State Firefighters' Association (1974), education associations in Oregon (1974), Arizona and Idaho (1982) and Wyoming (1987), and California State University (1989).
• 1994–1999: Opened service centers in Kansas (1994), Colorado (1996) and Arizona (1999).
• 2007: Carl B. "Beau" Brown became the fourth generation to lead the company; he is chairman, president and CEO.
• 2019: Introduced automated claims inspections.

In recent years CalCas "right-sized" the company, in the words of chief operating officer Mark Pitchford, to concentrate on customers and affinity groups in its core states. In September 2025 it filed for a 6.9% California homeowners rate increase under the state's Sustainable Insurance Strategy, saying the filing would let it write more homeowners policies and help people leave the California FAIR Plan.

Auto insurance coverage

CalCas offers the standard coverages: bodily injury and property damage liability, uninsured/underinsured motorist, medical payments, personal injury protection where applicable, comprehensive and collision. Transportation expense (rental reimbursement) is included automatically when you carry collision or comprehensive, with higher limits available, and towing and roadside assistance is optional.

Several extras are built into the policy:

• $500 personal property coverage for non-electronic belongings stolen from your car.
• $0 rental vehicle deductible if you crash while driving a rental car (not a substitute for your own car in the shop).
• Pet injury protection for pets riding in your insured vehicle.
• Broad policy protection extending coverage to people you allow to drive your car and to you when driving borrowed or rented cars.
• Free ID Defense, help resolving identity theft at no added cost.

Discounts and programs

CalCas lists multi-policy, good student, mature driver, safe driver, paid-in-full and loyalty discounts. Its EZ Pay installment program includes options to skip a payment in summer or over the holidays. CalCas does not advertise a telematics or usage-based program. For how group endorsements compare with ordinary discounts, see affinity and occupation discounts.

Claims

Claims can be reported online 24 hours a day or by calling 800-800-9410, option 4; after hours, an answering service takes the report and the claims team calls back the next business day. Glass-only claims can be filed online, and roadside assistance is at 800-331-7350.

CalCas's Guaranteed Repair Network is a nationwide network of body shops that do not need repair authorization from CalCas, so work is not held up. The company says these shops use only OEM or high-quality certified aftermarket parts and come with a lifetime workmanship warranty for as long as you own the car. You can still choose any shop; see choosing a repair shop.

Ratings and reputation

On August 17, 2026, AM Best upgraded the financial strength rating of California Casualty Group's companies to B+ (Good) from B (Fair), and their issuer credit ratings to "bbb-" from "bb+," with a stable outlook, citing a strong balance sheet and improved risk management and operating results. B+ is still below the A-range ratings held by most large auto insurers; AM Best ratings explained covers what the scale means. Demotech rates California Casualty Indemnity Exchange A (Exceptional), a rating announced in April 2025.

The company was named to Forbes' America's Best Insurance Companies list for 2024.

Who it suits

CalCas suits educators, public safety officers and healthcare workers in its seven states who belong to an endorsing group and like perks designed around their jobs, such as skip-payment billing, plus direct phone and online service. Shoppers outside those occupations or states are not eligible, and drivers who put a premium on top-tier financial ratings may want to compare A-rated carriers, including Horace Mann, which also focuses on educators.

• Strengths: More than a century of group-endorsed service; extras such as $500 personal property, $0 rental car deductible and pet injury coverage; summer and holiday payment skips; Guaranteed Repair Network with lifetime workmanship warranty.
• Weaknesses: Only seven states; eligibility limited to endorsed occupations and groups; AM Best rating of B+ (Good), recently upgraded from B (Fair); no telematics program.

How to contact California Casualty