Kemper Auto Reciprocal
Carrier website links, underwriting access points, mapped product lines, and appetite notes in one place.
This appetite summary is only a guide. Confirm eligibility, submission requirements, restrictions, and binding authority directly with the carrier or underwriter before relying on it.
Carrier appetite summary
Product/segment - Kemper Auto Reciprocal (Kemper Reciprocal) personal auto program, written as a non‑standard/specialty auto product. Manual referenced is the Illinois Metro Underwriting Manual, effective 09‑21‑2023 for new and renewal business. Preferred / target business - Illinois personal auto risks needing non‑standard coverage but with stable garaging and ownership (vehicles registered/titled to the named insured, a listed driver, or an excluded driver in the household). - Private passenger autos; semi‑annual or annual policy terms only, up to 8 vehicles per policy. - Liability‑only and full‑coverage (liability + physical damage) policies acceptable. - Business/Artisan use acceptable on private passenger vehicles if: vehicle is titled to an individual; visits no more than 3 job sites per day; is the only vehicle used/owned for business purposes; only the applicant or family members operate it (no employees); and it is used within a 100‑mile business radius. Surcharges apply per manual. - FR‑filings/SR‑22s are acceptable, consistent with Kemper Auto’s specialty/non‑standard focus. Baseline underwriting rules - All applications must use Kemper Reciprocal‑approved forms and may be submitted via internet upload, fax, or mail. Named insured must be at least 18. - Liability coverage must be written on all vehicles insured under the policy. - Roadside Assistance and Rental Reimbursement are allowed with all coverage combinations on owner policies. Rental Reimbursement requires at least one rated driver age 18+ with a valid license. - Split deductibles are allowed by vehicle and by policy. - All household residents old enough to hold a permit or license must be rated or formally excluded. If excluding, an Illinois Named Driver Exclusion endorsement must be fully completed and signed by the applicant. - At new business, vehicles for which no make/model/symbol or value data exists in the Kemper/AAXIS rating system are rejected. On existing policies, such vehicles are subject to the program’s “unacceptable” 300% surcharge across BI, PD, Comp, and Collision. Restricted / declined business - Risks that fall under the manual’s “unacceptable risk” criteria (including vehicles lacking rating data in the AAXIS system on non‑new business, or other serious risk factors defined in the full manual) are not written on standard program terms and instead carry a 300% surcharge on major coverages; producers should treat these as highly discouraged placements. - Vehicles not registered/titled to the named insured, a listed driver, or an excluded household driver are not eligible. - Vehicles owned by businesses or used in broader commercial operations beyond the narrow Business/Artisan rules are not eligible in this personal auto program. - The company is not obligated to accept any application; it may cancel or reject risks consistent with Illinois law. Geographic notes - Manual explicitly applies to Illinois Metro business; eligibility, forms, and rates are Illinois‑specific. Other states/programs may use different guides and should not be assumed to follow these rules. - Business/Artisan use is limited to a 100‑mile radius from the garaging/usage base for business purposes. Submission and binding expectations - Producers must operate within authority granted in their Producer’s Agreement; refer to that document for specific binding limits and when to submit for prior underwriting approval. - All applications to be on Kemper Reciprocal‑approved forms and submitted electronically (preferred), by fax, or by mail, with full household driver disclosure and appropriate signatures (including any Named Driver Exclusion endorsement). - Financial Responsibility filings are acceptable; submissions must clearly identify the driver requiring the filing and applicable state requirements. Broker/producer notes - The guide emphasizes that the company reserves the right to reject or cancel any risk in accordance with Illinois law; producers should avoid representing any risk as “guaranteed acceptable” even if it technically meets basic rules. - Carefully screen for any household member who could be licensed or permitted and either rate or exclude them via signed Illinois Named Driver Exclusion to avoid post‑bind underwriting issues. - For vehicles with atypical characteristics or limited VIN data, verify rating availability in the Kemper AAXIS system prior to quoting to avoid new‑business rejection or large surcharges. - Paperless and customer servicing functions for Kemper Auto (including Kemper Reciprocal) are supported through the Kemper Auto Customer Portal, but this does not alter underwriting rules; use it for policy documents and communications, not risk eligibility decisions.