Penn National Insurance auto insurance

Overview

Penn National Insurance is a regional mutual insurer based in downtown Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. It sells personal auto, homeowners and business insurance exclusively through independent agents, about 1,200 agency operations in 13 states: Alabama, Delaware, Iowa, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and Wisconsin. Its affiliate Partners Mutual Insurance Company serves Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin from a regional office in Waukesha, Wisconsin.

The Pennsylvania National Insurance Group ranked #73 among U.S. private passenger auto insurers by 2025 direct premiums written according to NAIC market share data, writing $248.9 million in personal auto premium (about 0.07% of the U.S. market). Personal auto is one of the group's principal lines, along with commercial auto, other liability and homeowners. AM Best's October 2025 report puts the mix at 57% commercial and 43% personal lines, with most business written in Pennsylvania, followed by North Carolina and New Jersey.

The company employs more than 800 people and reported admitted assets of $2.4 billion and policyholder surplus of $930.2 million at the end of 2025. John V. Foster, a longtime Penn National executive who earlier worked in personal lines at Grange Mutual and GEICO Direct, became president in 2026 and now serves as president and CEO.

History

Penn National's roots go back to 1913, when Pennsylvania farmers formed the Pennsylvania Threshermen's and Farmers' Protective Association to fight state weight limits on farm equipment. On January 6, 1919, the group filed the charter for the Pennsylvania Threshermen's and Farmers' Mutual Casualty Insurance Company, which began by writing workers' compensation for farm workers who ran steam-driven threshing machines.

Auto insurance became a major focus in the 1940s, and home and fire coverage followed after World War II. The company adopted the Penn National Insurance name in 1967. After a ratings slide in the 1980s, it rebuilt capital and in 1996 moved into Penn National Insurance Plaza, a 15-story building on Market Square in Harrisburg, where it remains.

Today the group consists of Pennsylvania National Mutual Casualty Insurance Company, Penn National Security Insurance Company and Partners Mutual Insurance Company, among others, and its executive team also oversees Inservco, an affiliated claims administration business. Penn National does not own separate consumer auto brands; everything is sold under the Penn National name, or Partners Mutual in the upper Midwest.

Auto insurance coverage

A Penn National personal auto policy includes the standard coverages: bodily injury and property damage liability; medical payments, no-fault or personal injury protection depending on the state (Pennsylvania and New Jersey are choice no-fault states); uninsured and underinsured motorist; collision; and other-than-collision (comprehensive).

Optional add-ons include:

• Auto PennPac, a package that adds pet coverage, a death benefit and a seat belt and restraint benefit. Drivers who carry collision and comprehensive also get towing and labor, travel interruption, locksmith services, air bag replacement, personal effects, non-owned trailer and sound equipment coverage and deductible waivers.
• Auto loan/lease coverage, which pays the gap between what you owe and the car's value if it is totaled; see loan/lease payoff coverage.
• Replacement cost auto coverage for cars bought within the last 30 days, which pays for damage without deducting depreciation (fire and theft losses are paid at actual cash value).
• Towing and labor and roadside assistance. Roadside costs as little as $10 a year and covers towing, jump starts, fuel and fluid delivery, tire changes, lockouts and winching, with text-message tracking of the service truck.

Discounts and programs

Penn National lists these auto discounts:

• Placing your homeowners policy with Penn National
• Paying the premium in full
• Passive restraints such as air bags, daytime running lights and antilock brakes
• Good student (B average or better)
• Students away at school more than 100 miles from home
• Drivers who passed an approved driver's education course
• Insuring multiple vehicles

Penn National does not advertise a telematics or usage-based program. Discounts vary by state and eligibility.

Claims

Report a claim by phone at 800-766-2245 (option 1, then 3) or online for non-emergency auto and property losses. For non-emergency, non-injury claims reported by phone, a claims adjuster contacts you no later than the next business day. Glass claims go to Safelite at 866-683-9808, and the comprehensive deductible is waived if a damaged windshield can be repaired instead of replaced.

You can choose your own body shop; if the car is safe to drive, Penn National encourages you to get an estimate from the shop of your choice. Claims can also be filed in the Penn National mobile app, and claim payments can be received electronically.

Ratings and reputation

AM Best upgraded Penn National's financial strength rating to A (Excellent) in October 2023 and affirmed it, with a stable outlook, on October 28, 2025. AM Best describes the group's balance sheet as very strong, with risk-adjusted capitalization at the strongest level and surplus growth in nine of the last ten years.

Penn National says it has received a "Superior Rating" for personal lines claims customer experience from Ward's ExperienceMonitor program for seven consecutive years. It was not among the regional leaders named in J.D. Power's 2026 U.S. Auto Insurance Study; Erie Insurance led the Mid-Atlantic region. Complaint records for each Penn National company are available on the NAIC's Consumer Information Source.

Who it suits

Penn National suits drivers in Pennsylvania and its other 12 states who value an independent agent, want auto and home with one carrier and like a package of extras rather than buying each add-on separately. Its claims practices, such as next-business-day adjuster contact and free choice of body shop, are customer-friendly. It is less suited to drivers who want to quote and buy online, want a telematics discount, or live outside its territory.

• Strengths: A (Excellent) rating with a stable outlook affirmed in October 2025; Auto PennPac bundles many extras; low-cost roadside assistance; windshield repair deductible waived; choice of repair shop.
• Weaknesses: Sold only through agents in 13 states; no telematics program; commercial lines make up most of the business, so personal auto is not the company's main focus; replacement cost coverage is limited to recently purchased cars.

How to contact Penn National Insurance