Washington National Insurance Company Review

Washington National Insurance Company at a Glance

Washington National pros: Well-established carrier with almost a century’s worth of experience in the insurance industry. Highly rated by AM Best and the BBB. Strong financial stability. BBB accredited since 8/9/2013.

Washington National cons: Not much information about claims process or coverage provided on official website. Official website could use a major update. Limited coverage options. Negative customer reviews. No 24/7 or online claims reporting. Policies, benefits, and riders are subject to state availability.

What Type of Insurance Does Washington National Offer?

Washington National is a specialized insurance company, with a focus on life and health insurance coverage. Their insurance products offered are as follows.

Your independent insurance agent can help you find more information about the coverage offered by Washington National, and help you decide if this insurance company is right for you.

What to Know about Washington National

Washington National was founded in 1923, giving the carrier almost a century’s worth of experience in the insurance industry. For almost 100 years, Washington National’s mission has been to help customers prepare for the unexpected at every stage of life with the right life and health insurance solutions.

Today, Washington National still focuses its efforts on providing life and health insurance solutions for customers in their time of need. Coverage varies from state to state. The insurance company's LinkedIn profile states that Washington National has between 1,001 and 5,000 employees, with over 400 of them found on the social media platform. As far as financial size, AM Best places the carrier in the $2 billion or greater category.

Because of its long history, wide reach, and financial strength, Washington National has earned a reputation as a stable insurance company with a stable outlook for the future. AM Best, the leading global credit rating agency monitoring the insurance industry, gives Washington National an “A-” rating, indicating the carrier is an excellent choice for insurance customers. High ratings from AM Best assure customers that Washington National can offer guaranteed, secure coverage from a financially sound carrier.

Established in 1899, AM Best is one of the oldest rating companies in the world. Reviews from AM Best indicate an insurance company’s financial strength and creditworthiness and are based on comprehensive evaluations of the company’s operating performance, business profile, and balance sheet. For customers who are not as familiar with insurance companies’ respective reputations, AM Best’s ratings system allows them to make an informed decision about who they can trust to meet their needs in the short term, and who will remain a strong, financially sound company in the long term.

What Discounts Does Washington National Offer?

While Washington National does not make information about their specific discounts readily available, there are several standard discounts commonly offered by many life and health insurance companies today. These discounts include the following.

An independent insurance agent can provide better discount information and premium quotes for coverage through Washington National. When it comes to coverage, independent insurance agents work hard to get you the most out of your money.

Washington National Customer Service

Washington National offers phone, mail, or fax claims reporting for its policyholders. The carrier also provides the following customer service options.

The best way to be sure to have a good customer service experience is to work with an independent insurance agent. Independent insurance agents can help handle claims and other matters for you, so you don’t have to.

Use our directory to find the best insurance companies to meet your needs. Locate companies that specialize in your specific coverage needs and get connected to an agent near you.

Washington National FAQ

What is Washington National's average claim response time frame?

Washington National offers claims reporting through a couple of mediums. However, the insurance company does not provide an official claims response time frame promise.

What is Washington National's customer service availability?

Washington National allows customers to file claims over the phone during business hours or through fax or mail. Their business hours are located on the carrier’s official website. The carrier’s social media presence extends across Facebook and LinkedIn, which makes them a tad more available to customers.

What is Washington National's claims process?

Washington National offers a couple of options for claims reporting. However, the insurance company does not detail their claims process on their official website or social media platforms. If customers have questions about filing or the claims process itself, they should contact the carrier via phone or get in touch with their independent insurance agent.

Does Washington National's insurance create a user-friendly experience for customers?

Washington National’s official website could certainly use an update. The carrier does not provide much information about their claims process or detail a claims response time frame. Online bill pay is available, as is claims reporting via phone during business hours. So, while Washington National is not horrible in terms of user-friendliness, they could stand to update their information in a few sections.

Washington National Customer Reviews

bbb.org

“I have mailed and faxed my claim documents twice and it still shows as no claims filed. I've called and have been put on hold only to be sent to another department to be put on hold and eventually hung upon. Surely in this day of technology, a better way and method can be found for simple communication. Forms can be faxed but not scanned and emailed? Does this company even have an email address?” —Jeff M.

bbb.org

“I submitted a claim to them back in August of 2020, for an injury that occurred in December 25, 2019. I have had to do all the work getting anything else they needed. They denied the claim the beginning of September saying it wasn’t an accident injury. I then had to get a letter from the doctor stating it was an accident injury. I submitted this form with appeal wrote at top like they told me on September 10th. I keep getting the run around when I call them asking for updates on the status of this. Horrible to deal with. Beyond frustrated.” —Brandi M.

bbb.org

“We are receiving yearly statements from Washington National Insurance stating that we have an annuity policy, dated 1975, that has a value of slightly over $1,000.00. The fees are eating away at this amount and we want to cash it in. We wrote a letter to Washington National requesting that it be liquidated and the funds sent to us. We received a reply saying we must get have a letter sent from American Funds in order for them to know where to disburse the funds. The person we talked to could not give us a number or address to contact American Funds. We called our broker, and they gave us a number to call at American. American has no record of any annuities, and is not able to help us. Where do we go from here?” —Glenn

bbb.org

“I was sold three policies several years ago while working as a 9-1-1 dispatcher. Late last year I retired from dispatching and reached out to the company to attempt to set up self payments ( I had been having automatic deductions while I was working). I was sent a payment notice which showed a due date at the end of January. I made an online payment on the due date and received a confirmation via email. I later received notification that two of my three policies had been canceled. I was completely confused and devastated. I had been paying premiums for over 15 years and this was my first round of attempting to my payments directly with the company. Through a series of phone calls, I learned some very valuable information: #1 - make sure you allow for 3 to 4 days of processing when you make an online payment. IT IS NOT credited to your account the business day you make the payment online. #2 - each policy is handled separately. So, even if you have all your policies in your name, you must ask about each one by policy number to obtain accurate information ( this is especially important when submitting a change of address and attempting to make a single payment for several policies). Long story short(er), after several calls, someone (and I don’t know who but I am very grateful) decided to do the right thing. I received a notice that two policies are now active and I was given the opportunity to bring them both up to date (it is now the end of April). It’s easy nowadays to get frustrated and angry when you feel that you are being treated unfairly and to start to think that big business is always out to cheat you and take your hard earned money and trust for granted. I certainly can’t speak to every situation (nor would I try). However, I can say that in my circumstance Washington Mutual looked beyond procedure and did the right thing and I thank you.” —Adrienne M.

bbb.org

“Have had Washington National for nearly 30 years and have had very good experiences with them. They've paid out their share consistently, no problem. The only issue is that sometimes they can be a bit slow in paying. However, this usually turns out to be the provider being impatient or not recording that they've already been paid. I'd recommend them.” —Douglas H.

TrustedChoice.com's Final Review

We award Washington National Insurance Company a final rating of 2.8 out of 5 stars. The insurance company has been around for almost a century now, which is significant within the industry. And it seems the carrier has used this time to their advantage. Washington National has received high ratings through AM Best and the BBB, and they have been accredited through the latter organization since 2013. While policies, benefits, and riders are subject to state availability, their catalog is kind of limited, with a focus on life and health insurance. The insurance company provides claims reporting via phone during business hours and online bill pay, and it lists its business hours for the customer service department on their official website. There is limited information about the carrier’s coverage on their official website, and there is not a claims response time frame promise or an outline of their claims process at all. It is challenging to find any positive customer feedback about the insurance company online, but there are a few really good reviews available on bbb.org. Currently it is not easy to say many positive things about this carrier. So, our recommendation is that if you are in the market for life or health coverage, survey your other options for trusted carriers with your independent insurance agent, and perhaps take a better look into Washington National.