PEMCO Insurance auto insurance

Overview

PEMCO Mutual Insurance Company is a Seattle-based mutual insurer that sells only in the Pacific Northwest, writing auto, home, renters, condo, umbrella and boat insurance for residents of Washington and Oregon. It ranked #60 among U.S. private passenger auto insurers by 2025 direct premiums written according to NAIC market share data, with $364.4 million, or 0.10% of the national market. PEMCO calls itself the Northwest's largest locally based insurance company.

PEMCO sells directly by phone (800-467-3626, advertised as 1-800-GO-PEMCO) and online, and through local PEMCO agents who also help customers with claims. It is owned by its policyholders, who can vote by proxy at its annual meeting. Stan McNaughton is chief executive officer.

History

PEMCO has served Northwest residents since 1949 and has stayed deliberately regional for more than 75 years. Its mission, in the company's words, is to "free our communities to worry less and live more." It backs that with prevention and safety programs it calls Mutual Good, which focus on youth education, the environment and community safety.

Recent milestones include two executive hires in May 2024: Shashi Reddy as chief data and analytics officer and Calvin Strong, a veteran of Farmers and MetLife Auto & Home, as chief claims officer. PEMCO has also been named one of America's Best Insurance Companies by Forbes and one of Newsweek's Greatest Midsize Workplaces (2025 and 2026).

Auto insurance coverage

PEMCO's auto policy includes bodily injury and property damage liability, collision, and comprehensive, which covers theft, fire, vandalism and glass. Personal injury protection (PIP) is required in Oregon and recommended in Washington. Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage is required in Oregon and optional in Washington. Towing coverage pays for on-the-spot repairs or a tow after a breakdown.

Two details stand out. When you rent a car in the U.S. or Canada, a Washington PEMCO policy also covers fees rental companies charge after damage, such as administrative fees, diminished value and loss of use. For rideshare drivers, PEMCO sells a rideshare endorsement that applies from the moment you turn on the Uber or Lyft app, fills gaps in the rideshare company's insurance and lets your regular PEMCO deductible apply instead of the rideshare company's higher one.

Discounts and programs

PEMCO's discount list is long. It includes bundling discounts for auto with home (owned or rented), boat or umbrella policies, and an Educator Discount for anyone who works at a school, college or university, which retirees keep. Students can earn good student (ages 16–24 with a 3.0 GPA) and away-at-school discounts, and drivers 55 and older a defensive driver discount. Other discounts cover loyalty, homeownership, low mileage (under 8,000 miles a year), vehicles under five model years old, leased cars, paying in full, paperless documents and quoting at least a day before coverage starts. A spin-off discount applies when someone leaves a PEMCO policy to start their own.

PEMCODOMETER My Driving Discount is PEMCO's telematics program. The Go PEMCO app runs in the background to score habits like speed and phone use. After 91 days it decides your discount, up to 20%, and each driver earns a discount during monitoring just for trying it. PEMCO also offers accident forgiveness to every driver on the policy after five years with PEMCO, and minor ticket forgiveness after five clean years.

Claims

Claims can be reported 24 hours a day online or at 800-467-3626. PEMCO's Timesaver Repair Program uses body shops that manage repairs and paperwork for you, though you can choose any shop. Glass-only claims go through Safelite Solutions (877-646-8966), and chip repairs carry no deductible. If you have towing coverage, roadside help is at 229-469-2585, and you can submit a form to be reimbursed for a tow you paid for.

Ratings and reputation

J.D. Power ranked PEMCO highest in customer satisfaction among Northwest auto insurers every year from 2013 through 2019 and again in 2024. In 2024 it outranked 13 competitors in a region that also covers Idaho, Montana and Wyoming. In the J.D. Power 2026 U.S. Auto Insurance Study, released in June 2026, PEMCO ranked fourth in the Northwest, up from eighth in 2025. PEMCO said its score rose 15 points and that it placed second in the region for trust.

Who it suits

PEMCO suits Washington and Oregon drivers who value consistently high service scores and a long discount list, especially educators, homeowners who bundle and families with students. Anyone who may move out of the Northwest will need a new insurer.

• Strengths: Eight first-place J.D. Power Northwest finishes; accident forgiveness for every driver; up to 20% telematics discount; educator discount kept in retirement; rental-fee coverage in Washington.
• Weaknesses: Available only in Washington and Oregon; fell from first to eighth in J.D. Power's Northwest ranking in 2025 before recovering to fourth in 2026; rental-fee coverage applies only to Washington policies.

How to contact PEMCO Insurance