Best Auto Insurance: Choosing The Right Coverage For You

When it comes to auto insurance, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. The best auto insurance company for you will depend on your individual needs, such as your budget, coverage requirements, and eligibility.

- Amica

- Geico

- Progressive

- Auto-Owners

- Nationwide

- State Farm

- Liberty Mutual

- USAA

- Safeco

- Travelers

Best for affordability: Travelers, Progressive, Geico, Auto-Owners, and Erie are some of the most affordable car insurance companies

When it comes to affordability, Travelers, Progressive, Geico, Auto-Owners, and Erie are some of the most affordable car insurance companies.

Travelers

Travelers has been in the insurance business for over 165 years. They offer auto insurance, homeowners insurance, renters insurance, flood insurance, pet insurance, and more. In addition to liability and full-coverage car insurance, they also offer gap insurance, rental car reimbursement, roadside assistance, rideshare insurance, and new car replacement coverage.

Travelers has lower rates for car insurance than Progressive. However, their rates are nearly half the national average. They also have lower rates for drivers with poor credit, who typically pay more for insurance.

Progressive

Progressive is one of the largest car insurance companies in the US. They offer car, home, renters, commercial, and other types of insurance. They have lower rates than Travelers, but their rates for drivers with DUIs are the cheapest among the companies evaluated.

Geico

Geico is one of the largest insurance providers in the country. They offer liability and full-coverage car insurance, as well as mechanical breakdown insurance, which covers repairs when your air conditioner stops working or your engine light comes on.

Geico has great rates for seniors, who are typically expensive to insure. They also have lower rates for parents who are adding a teen driver to their policy.

Auto-Owners

Auto-Owners has been in business since 1916. They offer auto insurance, homeowners insurance, renters insurance, flood insurance, pet insurance, and more. They have affordable premiums with high customer satisfaction ratings. They are one of the least expensive options for liability insurance, which is the minimum amount of insurance required in most states.

Erie

Erie has been in business since 1925. They offer auto insurance, homeowners insurance, renters insurance, flood insurance, pet insurance, and more. They have affordable premiums and high customer satisfaction ratings. They are only available in 12 states, but they have the best rates for drivers who have caused an accident.

Best for customer satisfaction: Erie, State Farm, and Amica are some of the car insurance companies with the highest customer satisfaction ratings

When it comes to customer satisfaction, Erie, State Farm, and Amica are some of the top-rated car insurance companies.

Erie has a high rating from J.D. Power and a better customer complaint score from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) than State Farm. However, State Farm has a higher customer review score on WalletHub and is the largest provider of private-passenger car insurance in the nation, selling 16% of personal auto insurance premiums written in 2021. State Farm also has a good standing with leading credit rating agencies like AM Best, S&P, and Moody’s Investors Service, reflecting its financial strength and claims-paying ability. Erie, on the other hand, has not received ratings from S&P or Moody’s. Both companies have received more customer complaints than expected for insurance providers of their size, according to the NAIC.

Amica, like Erie, has excellent customer satisfaction ratings, with Amica being recommended for its unbeatable customer service. Amica also offers additional discounts for "loyalty", a "tenure" discount for the length of time you were with your prior company, and a legacy discount for drivers under 30 who were covered by Amica on a family member's policy.

Best for discounts: American Family, Amica, and Geico offer a wide range of discounts

When it comes to auto insurance, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. The best auto insurance company for you will depend on your driving record, location, age, and other factors. However, American Family, Amica, and Geico stand out as excellent options for those seeking discounts.

American Family Insurance offers a wide range of discounts to help customers save on their premiums. One of their most significant discounts is the Multiple-Product Discount, where customers can save up to 23% on their auto insurance by bundling it with their home insurance policy. They also offer a Multiple-Vehicle Discount for customers who insure more than one vehicle with them. Additionally, American Family rewards safe driving habits with their Good Driving Discount and Pay-How-You-Drive Safe Driving Program. Young drivers can also benefit from various discounts, such as good student discounts and volunteer work discounts.

Amica, while not offering as wide a range of discounts as American Family, still provides several opportunities for savings. One of their standout discounts is the Loyalty Discount, which rewards customers for their continued business. The longer you stay with Amica, the greater the discount you receive. They also offer a Multi-Product Discount for customers who bundle their auto insurance with another policy, such as home or life insurance. Amica also has a good student discount for students with good grades and a Young Driver Discount for families with teen drivers.

Geico, another leading insurance provider, offers a variety of discounts to help customers save. One of their most notable discounts is the Good Student Discount, which rewards students for maintaining good grades. Geico also offers a variety of discounts for those in the military, including a discount for those who garage their vehicles on a military base. Additionally, they provide discounts for federal employees and members of certain organizations. Geico also has a Daytime Running Lights Discount, encouraging drivers to use their headlights during the day to increase visibility and safety.

By taking advantage of the discounts offered by American Family, Amica, and Geico, customers can significantly reduce their auto insurance premiums. These companies understand the importance of providing value to their customers and offer a wide range of discounts to meet their diverse needs. Whether you're a safe driver, a student, or a member of the military, these insurance providers have tailored discounts to help you save.

Best for military members: USAA is the best car insurance company for military members and veterans

USAA is the best car insurance company for military members and veterans. It offers the lowest rates overall among insurers in our rating and has the highest scores among companies reviewed for customer service, claims handling, discounts, and as an insurer for senior drivers. USAA's auto insurance is available exclusively to current and former service members and their families, with discounts if you store your vehicle on-base or are deployed and not driving your car.

USAA has some of the lowest rates for both liability-only and comprehensive coverage. It also has the highest scores from J.D. Power in claims reliability and customer satisfaction. However, it can't officially be ranked because it restricts membership to the military community and family members.

USAA offers a variety of possible discounts for its policyholders. It also has the lowest average annual rate overall, and comes in well below the national average in many specific driver categories.

USAA is rated No. 1 in our analysis for customer service, claims handling, and discounts. It is also rated No. 1 in the best car insurance companies rating.

Best for high-risk drivers: Progressive is the best car insurance company for high-risk drivers

Progressive is a leading auto insurance company that has been in the business since 1937. It is one of the best car insurance companies for high-risk drivers, including those with poor credit or a DUI on their record. Progressive offers a wide range of discounts and has lower-than-average rates for drivers with a history of DUIs. In fact, their rates for drivers with a DUI are more than $1,000 less than the national average. Progressive also offers non-owner car insurance and SR-22 filings, which are often required for high-risk drivers.

Progressive has a user-friendly website and app that make it easy to manage your policy and file claims. They also provide 24/7 customer support and guarantee repairs for as long as you own or lease your vehicle when you use one of their network shops.

In terms of customer satisfaction, Progressive falls a bit short. They ranked below average in the 2024 J.D. Power Overall Customer Satisfaction Index Rating and scored below the region average in all 11 major markets. Additionally, Progressive was ranked last in the "most likely to be renewed" subcategory in a consumer survey.

Overall, Progressive is a good choice for high-risk drivers looking for affordable rates and a wide range of discounts. Their low rates for drivers with a history of DUIs and non-owner car insurance options make them a top choice in this category.

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