Who are the top car insurance companies?
The top car insurance companies for customer satisfaction are USAA and Geico. In terms of market share, the top car insurance companies are State Farm, Geico and Progressive.
Who has the best car insurance?
USAA has the best car insurance, though State Farm is the best car insurance company for people who do not meet USAA’s membership requirements.
Who has the cheapest car insurance?
USAA has the cheapest car insurance. If you do not qualify for membership with USAA, Geico and State Farm offer the cheapest rates for most drivers.
How much car insurance do I need?
You need enough car insurance to meet the minimum coverage requirements required by the laws in your state, and you may need additional insurance depending on your situation.
How do I find the best car insurance?
The best car insurance provides good customer service at affordable rates. Our rankings and reviews show what nine of the top national car insurance companies charge to different types of customers, as well as insight from real customers of these companies.
The Best Car Insurance Companies
- USAA 4.45 out of 5
- State Farm 4.11 out of 5
- Geico 4.08 out of 5
- Nationwide 4.06 out of 5
- Farmers 3.96 out of 5
- American Family 3.95 out of 5
- Progressive 3.77 out of 5
- Travelers 3.76 out of 5
- Allstate 3.66 out of 5
Methodology: How We Found the Best Car Insurance Companies and Collected Our Rates
We surveyed 4,806 consumers who filed a car insurance claim in the last five years, asking questions about their car insurance company. These questions covered satisfaction with the ease of filing a claim, customer service, claim status communication, claim resolution, and overall value. We also asked whether they’d recommend the company and if they planned to renew their policy. We used their responses to build our Best Car Insurance Companies ranking.
To get comparative insurance rates for this study, U.S. News worked with Quadrant Information Services to analyze a report of insurance rates in all 50 states from most of the largest national car insurance companies, though not every company operates in every state. Quadrant obtained publicly available rate data that car insurers file with state regulators. Our study rates are based on profiles for both male and female drivers aged 25, 35, and 60. Vehicles used include the 2015 Honda Civic, 2015 Toyota RAV4, and 2015 Ford F-150, with annual mileage ranging from 6,000 and 12,000. Three car insurance coverage levels were used, as were credit tiers of good, fair, and poor. Clean driving records, as well as records with one accident, one speeding violation, or one DUI were also used in the calculations of certain driver archetypes.
To get the study rates shown here, we computed the mean rate for male and female drivers ages 25, 35, and 60 who drive 12,000 miles per year, have medium coverage, good credit, and a clean driving record. The rates shown here are for comparative purposes only and should not be considered “average” rates available by individual insurers. Because car insurance rates are based on individual factors, your car insurance rates will differ from the rates shown here.
Who Has the Best Car Insurance?
In addition to determining the best car insurance companies overall, our survey helped us determine how these companies stack up in five key areas. We identified the companies with the best customer service, claims handling and customer loyalty. We also noted the companies that policyholders are most likely to renew with or recommend to a friend.
USAA swept all five of these subrankings in addition to taking the top spot in our overall ranking for the Best Car Insurance Company. However, not all policyholders will meet USAA’s membership requirements. For that reason, we’ve identified the runner-up in each category so that all consumers can learn about the best option in each of these areas.
We asked policyholders to rate their experiences with their insurance companies on a five-point scale and explain their reasoning. Respondents were split into two groups, those who opened a policy in the last five years and those who filed a claim. The latter group was asked additional questions about their satisfaction with the process during and after filing the claim, as well as their satisfaction with how the claim was handled.
This information was compiled into the subrankings below to determine the company with the best customer satisfaction in specific areas.
Best for Customer Service: State Farm
If you don’t qualify for USAA but customer service is your top priority, check out State Farm. Our survey shows that State Farm customers are generally happier than customers of rival companies.
One of State Farm’s specific advantages is that many areas have local offices. This provides a more personal customer service environment when compared against insurers that offer primarily phone- and web-based interaction. One survey respondent noted, "I know if I ever have a problem, I can visit their office and speak face to face with an actual person who is a member and supporter of our community."
Best for Claims Handling: Nationwide
The best possible outcome with car insurance is that you’ll never have to use it, but that’s unlikely. When it comes time to file a claim, Nationwide is the best choice for consumers who want a claims process that’s as pain-free as possible. Of survey respondents who had filed a claim with Nationwide, 76% were completely satisfied with the ease of claims filing, 62% were completely satisfied with claim status updates, and 74% were completely satisfied with the claim’s resolution.
