Is Bamboo Insurance Legit?
Yes, Bamboo is a real company that can sell you homeowners insurance in California and Arizona. They often provide highly competitive premiums in areas where other insurers might not be able to underwrite your home. That said, many customers have complained about the quality of customer service.
Updated 2024-02-02
By: Gabriel Botelho
Insurance Types
Homeowners
- Introduction to Bamboo Insurance
- What Kinds of Insurance Does Bamboo Offer?
- Does Bamboo Sell Homeowners Insurance?
- Does Bamboo Sell Liability Insurance?
- How Does Bamboo Insurance Work?
- Pros and Cons of Bamboo Insurance
- Ratings and Customer Feedback for Bamboo Insurance
- Get Customer Support Or File A Claim For Bamboo Insurance
- Frequently Asked Questions
Introduction to Bamboo Insurance
Bamboo Insurance, a Utah-based company founded in 2018 that serves clients in California and Arizona, specializes in providing homeowners insurance in areas where more traditional insurance companies may have withdrawn from the market due to unfavorable risk conditions. The company is best known for its competitive prices, but has received negative marks from customers for challenging sales, claims, and customer support processes.
What Kinds of Insurance Does Bamboo Offer?
Bamboo offers homeowners insurance with standard and specialized dwelling fire policies for non-primary residences. While their website also advertises auto and renters insurance options their FAQ clarifies that these types of policies are provided through affiliate-like arrangements found through their sales associates reaching out through a partner carrier network.
Does Bamboo Sell Homeowners Insurance?
Yes, Bamboo offers standard homeowners insurance policies for both primary and non-primary residences like vacation homes and investment properties. Their policies cover homes’ dwellings and other structures, and customers can add liability or personal possessions coverage.
Does Bamboo Sell Liability Insurance?
Bamboo Insurance offers liability coverage as part of its homeowners and dwelling fire insurance policies.
How Does Bamboo Insurance Work?
Bamboo Insurance operates by offering a variety of insurance policies tailored to individual needs. Technically they operate as an MGA, a managing general agent, which allows them to sell custom insurance policies with the support of a larger insurer. Their services can be purchased on the phone with one of their agents, or via an online insurance broker like Coverage Cat that doesn’t require a sales call and can also assess the marketplace for other options.
Pros and Cons of Bamboo Insurance
Pros
- Competitive pricing.
- Often available in areas that traditional insurers have chosen not to service.
- Strong financial backing and ratings from agencies that rate insurance companies
Cons
- Coverage is limited to California and Arizona and can be even more restrictive based on their internal underwriting guidelines.
- Customers report that support and claims can be frustrating to deal with.
Ratings and Customer Feedback for Bamboo Insurance
Bamboo has a wide range of reviews and customer feedback across a variety of platforms. On Trustpilot they average three stars across eight reviews. On Yelp they average one star out of five across fourteen reviews. On Clearsurance, an insurance review site, they average 1.44 out of five stars across twenty four customer reviews. On Google Maps they rate at 3.9 stars out of five over 128 reviews. On the Better Business Bureau they average one out of five stars based on an average of four customer reviews. And on their own reviews page Bamboo Insurance averages 4.9 stars out of five across 79 reviews.
Overall, customer satisfaction with Bamboo Insurance's service is mixed. To the company's credit though some of the folks with the harshest reviews complaints are repeat posters across platforms, and Bamboo's customer service team does seem to make an effort to reach out to them to remediate their problems.
Customers most often complain about challenges in the claims process, and Bamboo often replies that they are have gone through a period of explosive growth during which they have worked to adjust the claims process to better meet users' needs. A smaller group of users also complain about having to purchase through agents, but as a counterpoint some also praise the ease of signing up for coverage.
Real reviews for Bamboo Insurance
Quick and easy process- gave us different options based on my insurance budget. The agent was great and was able to help me with a policy.
Was a bit confusing as had agents from 2 or 3 different offices contact me regarding same issue. Finally got it, but with different offices.
This was an insurance that took the longest to get. Not completely satisfied. Can't blame the holidays either because it was initiated before the holidays. Coverages were however better than previous insurance.
This is one of the worse companies I ever had to deal with just trying to talk to anyone!!!! I've called three times in the past two weeks and every time I've waited over an hour with no luck!
We submitted a claim from hurricane Hillary on August 21st…it's October 10th! We have still not had any communication whether or not this claim will be covered and in the meantime our walls are probably growing mold! We've contacted Mark, who is supposedly supposed to be the manager overseeing claims and have only received a text saying he will get back to us, but hasn't. This company is a scam. If I could rate zero stars, I would. Pay for a legit company like all state or farmers. Now we can't switch insurance because we have an existing claim. This company is a joke.
You get what you pay for with this company. From day one it has been a nightmare. My home flooded when the city turned my water back on when I wasn't home, causing me to file a claim very early into my policy. It's been a month and a half since I filed my claim, and there is still no authorization of coverage. My claims adjuster Chelsea always has an excuse for why we can't move forward. It seems like they are trying to find any way to not pay me my benefit. It's clear that Bamboo is not here to help
Get Customer Support For Or File A Claim With Bamboo Insurance
Customer support for Bamboo Insurance is available through a contact form on their website. Contact can be made via phone, or email. Customer support can be reached at (833)-922-6266 and the email [email protected] while claims can be reached at the number (877)-333-6938, and the email address, [email protected].
If you are a Coverage Cat customer we can help with insurance support (troubleshooting, claims, etc.) and can often contact Bamboo on your behalf.
How to Cancel Bamboo Insurance
To cancel Bamboo Insurance, contact their customer service or your assigned insurance agent. They will guide you through the cancellation process. If you’re a Coverage Cat user we can handle your cancellation for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I Buy Bamboo Insurance?
Deciding whether to purchase Bamboo Insurance depends on your specific insurance needs, location, and evaluation of other available options. Before making a purchase decision you should compare their offerings with other insurance providers and consider the pros and cons of any given policy.
Is Bamboo Insurance a Real Insurance Company?
Yes, Bamboo Insurance is a legitimate insurer. It is backed by reputable carriers in the industry and offers a range of products that help thousands of homeowners every year. They have an A “Excellent” rating from AM Best, a company that rates the financial stability of insurance companies, as well as an AA- rating for long-term issuer credit.
In 2023 Bamboo was acquired by White Mountains, a holding company that owns a number of insurance companies operating across the United States.
How Does Bamboo Insurance Make Money?
Bamboo Insurance earns revenue through the premiums paid by its policyholders for the insurance coverage provided. The company focuses on offering competitive pricing and various insurance types to attract a wide range of customers.
Is Using Bamboo Worth It?
Bamboo Insurance can be a good fit for homeowners in California or Arizona who need competitively priced insurance for their properties. The only way to know if they are the best fit for you is to shop across the marketplace for all homeowners insurance options before you make a decision. Coverage Cat can do this for you with our commission-blind search and evaluation tools that put your needs before our commission.
Reviewed By
Max Cho Licensed Insurance Agent
I’m Max, the founder and CEO of Coverage Cat. Insurance has been a big part of my life since I lost my two front teeth in an accident and had to advocate for myself to get them replaced. Previously, I worked at Google, Microsoft, and at Two Sigma.
Licensed NPN 20377411 | Agency NPN 20397593
More Reviews
Copyright © 2024 Coverage Cat. All rights reserved.
Built with ♥ in 🗽
Coverage Cat, Inc. is a licensed insurance broker (or producer). In California Coverage Cat does business under the name Coverage Cat Insurance Services. Coverage Cat’s license numbers are listed here. Coverage Cat places insurance with a number of insurance companies, each of which is not an affiliate of Coverage Cat.