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OTTO is an insurance lead generation site that connects you with its marketing partners in the insurance industry. OTTO only matches you to one company at a time, and you will need to enter your data again with that company to get a real quote. This makes it hard to compare policies side by side. When you do get a quote, it's important to get a detailed breakdown of what each policy covers so when you do compare it to another quote, you are comparing the same type of policies.
Overall, this makes OTTO a cumbersome tool for sourcing and comparing insurance quotes. Additionally, sharing your information with multiple providers may lead to unsolicited contacts or marketing communications. Getting multiple quotes could be helpful for finding the best rate on auto insurance, but OTTO may not be the best option for doing so.
How we evaluate products
FinanceBuzz researches a number of factors in each auto insurance provider to create our reviews. These factors include cost and discounts, complaints and customer satisfaction, coverage, and ease of use. We also gather information from sources such as Insurify, J.D. Power, AM Best, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), and the Better Business Bureau to ensure we provide the most useful information to our readers.
- Convenient insurance price comparison
- Potential savings by comparing multiple companies
- User-friendly interface
- Quote accuracy could be off since it is a middle man
- Personal information shared with multiple companies
- Affiliated companies could sway matches
How much does Otto Insurance cost?
Since OTTO Insurance isn't actually an insurance company, it doesn't offer insurance coverage products itself and doesn't actually cost anything to use. However, the company claims to work with more than 300 affiliate insurance companies that offer different types of car insurance coverage at varying rates based on a range of factors.
OTTO says you can save $500+ a year on car insurance using their marketplace, but this is hard to validate because you are never directly quoted a rate when you go through the quote process. Instead, you are redirected to the website of a recommended insurance company where you have to fill out more information, some duplicated from OTTO, to get an actual quoted price.
For a general frame of reference, though, consider the following data showing national average rates for liability-only and full-coverage policies across a range of driver types:
| Driver type | National average liability-only monthly premium | National average full coverage monthly premium |
| Clean driving record | $105 | $192 |
| Speeding ticket on driving record | $141 | $265 |
| At-fault accident on driving record | $146 | $274 |
| DUI on driving record | $166 | $313 |
| Teen driver | $194 | $364 |
| Senior driver | $85 | $160 |
| Data sourced from Insurify | ||
How Otto Insurance works
Using OTTO is simple. The site is a lead generator, meaning once you provide somer personal information, OTTO shares it with its marketing partners. Its partners include major insurance providers such as Progressive, Geico, State Farm, and Allstate. Its partner list also includes regional carriers and other marketing companies.
When I tried out the platform myself, I was matched to a few insurance companies that I have never heard of, including Provide Car Insurance, which is not available in my area. This is the risk with using a lead generator when trying to find a lower car insurance rate. You may receive matches with lesser-known companies because these affiliates offer more advantageous payouts to the referring platform. With any platform like OTTO, it's crucial to conduct your own research on each matched provider, verify their legitimacy, and ensure they offer the coverage you need.
Otto Insurance vs. competitors
If you want to compare several different insurance quotes to try to save money on your car insurance, lead generators like OTTO can help. However, it is important to note that lead generators have some disadvantages. Quotes might be less personalized and might not give you the most accurate pricing for your insurance needs.
Other sites, like Gabi or The Zebra, function more like marketplaces and allow more direct comparison of rates across insurers.
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Otto vs. Gabi
Gabi is an insurance marketplace operated by Experian. Gabi differs from OTTO significantly in that it provides a number of quotes at once rather than redirecting users to individual insurer sites.
Gabi only partners with about 40 companies compared to OTTO's 300+ affiliate providers so your pool of potential results won't be as deep. However, if you value a more direct comparison experience, Gabi may still be the better choice.
Otto vs. The Zebra
The Zebra is another insurance marketplace comparison site that could be a more useful alternative to OTTO, depending on what you're looking for. The Zebra performs very well on consumer review sites, with an A- rating from the Better Business Bureau and 4.5 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot.
The Zebra works with more than 100 insurers, so less than OTTO, but ultimately that might be a good thing, as more affiliates could mean more spam.
Learn more in our The Zebra review.
Average rate:
What customers are saying
Company ratings:
- BBB: Not rated
- Trustpilot: 2.4 out of 5 stars
My personal experience with OTTO wasn't the best, and a look around different user review forums indicates I'm not the only one. The company is not rated by the Better Business Bureau (though it has a robust record of complaints with the organization), and scores just 2.4 out of 5 stars on consumer review site Trustpilot.
If you go through the OTTO quote process, be prepared for a lot of phone calls. Most negative customer reviews for OTTO Insurance online are about consumers getting multiple calls, emails, and texts after applying for a quote through OTTO.
As of this writing, of OTTO's 51 reviews on Trustpilot, 69% rated the company one star. The company does get its share of five-star reviews, but most reviewers point to the dichotomy between what OTTO claims it does in its advertising (removing the middleman from insurance shopping) and what it actually does, with one user calling it a "glorified redirection link Platform."
FAQs
How do I contact Otto Insurance?
The only contact info OTTO provides on its site is an email address:
OTTO does have a number of social media accounts, including Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, so you could possibly reach a representative via one of those channels as well.
What is the difference between Otto Insurance and Hartford Insurance?
Hartford Insurance is an actual insurance company, while Otto Insurance isn't an insurance company. Otto Insurance is a lead generation website that partners with insurance and marketing companies.
What is the minimum coverage for Otto Insurance?
There is no minimum coverage for Otto Insurance. However, nearly all states have a minimum level of car insurance required for all drivers. You should find out what your state requires before getting car insurance quotes.
Bottom line
If you're shopping around for car insurance, it's probably better for you to do your own research rather than use a lead generation website like OTTO. Other insurance marketplaces like The Zebra may provide a better experience, but in general, sourcing multiple quotes direct from insurers is likely the best way to go.
For some options, check out our list of the best car insurance companies.
Average rate:
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