Best Car Insurance Companies (2024)
State Farm is the best large car insurance company for most drivers, based on a mix of rates, customer service ratings and financial strength.
And although Erie Insurance is not available in every state, it still stands out as the best midsize car insurance company.
Best car insurance companies at a glance
The best car insurance for you will depend on several factors, including your driving record, age and the area where you live. We analyzed rates, satisfaction rankings and complaint data to help you start your search.
| Company | Average full-coverage rate | Difference from national average | Claims satisfaction score (out of 1,000) | LendingTree Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USAA | $1,203 | -$769 | 900 | 4.1  |
| Erie | $1,270 | -$702 | 902 | Not Rated |
| Westfield | $1,481 | -$491 | - | 3.4  |
| Pemco | $1,483 | -$489 | - | Not Rated |
| State Farm | $1,487 | -$485 | 891 | 4.5  |
| Grange | $1,638 | -$334 | - | Not Rated |
| American Family | $1,920 | -$52 | 882 | 4.1 |
| Amica Mutual | $2,548 | $576 | 909 | Not Rated |
| Allstate | $2,609 | $637 | 882 | 3.2  |
Best large company: State Farm
- Average full-coverage rate: $1,487 a year ($124 a month)
- Claims satisfaction: Very good
- Complaint rating: Good
- Availability: Nationwide
State Farm’s ability to combine low rates with high customer service scores has helped it grow into the nation’s largest car insurance company. It charges less for full-coverage car insurance than every other large company — except USAA, which is only available to the military community. Along with cheap rates, State Farm offers a great multi-policy discount that can save you up to $1,073 on your car and home insurance policies.
Pros
State Farm consistently ranks among industry leaders in J.D. Power’s claims satisfaction rankings.
Discounts for bundling your auto and home insurance make its rates more affordable.
State Farm’s easy-to-use website makes it a breeze to connect with an agent near you.
State Farm offers a local presence, with 19,000 agents all over the U.S.
Cons
State Farm doesn’t offer accident forgiveness insurance coverage, which protects you from a rate increase after your first accident.
Best midsize company: Erie
- Average full-coverage rate: $1,270 a year ($106 a month)
- Claims satisfaction: Very good
- Complaint rating: Good
- Availability: 12 states plus Washington, D.C.
Even though Erie is only available in 12 states and Washington, D.C., the company holds its own against larger competitors. Along with offering low rates, it also ranks well for customer service.
As part of its comprehensive coverage, Erie offers some unique coverages, which include glass repair and locksmith services.
Pros
Lower rates than most large and midsize companies.
Add-on coverages include protection from a rate increase after an accident.
Roadside assistance includes limited coverage for locksmith services, which many other companies don’t cover.
Cons
Only available in a limited number of states.
Best small company: Westfield
- Average full-coverage rate: $1,481 a year ($123 a month)
- Complaint rating: Very good
- Availability: 10 states
Westfield provides solid nuts-and-bolts auto insurance coverage at a reasonable price in the 10 states it serves. It also offers a few optional coverages, such as loan and lease gap coverage. This helps cover the cost difference if your totaled car is worth less than what you owe on your car loan or lease.
Along with homeowners insurance, Westfield offers boat, RV and motorcycle insurance, which makes it easier to get discounts for bundling multiple policies.
Pros
Strong complaint rating reflects an ability to meet customer expectations.
Bundling your home and auto can get you extra perks for both policies, including gap coverage for your car and replacement cost coverage for your belongings.
Westfield’s rates for drivers with a prior ticket are also reasonable.
Cons
Only available in 10 states.
No online quotes.
Best for claims: Amica Mutual
- Average full-coverage rate: $2,548 ($212 a month)
- Claims satisfaction: Very good
- Complaint rating: Very good
Availability: 49 states plus Washington, D.C. (not available in Hawaii)
If you’re ever in an accident, you don’t want your insurance company to add to your frustration. Amica Mutual has the highest rating from J.D. Power for claims satisfaction. The rating reflects the company’s ability to settle claims in a fair, convenient manner.
Amica Mutual also offers Platinum Choice Auto as its premium package. This package includes new car replacement coverage, which replaces your new car if it’s totaled. Platinum Choice Auto also includes rental car coverage that doesn’t have a daily limit and has a $5,000 maximum.
Pros
Excellent customer service ratings.
Optional glass coverage provides deductible-free window repair or replacement.
Cons
Amica Mutual’s rates are 71% higher, on average, than those from State Farm.
Best complaint rating: American Family
- Average full-coverage rate: $1,920 a year ($160 a month)
- Claims satisfaction: Average
- Complaint rating: Very good
- Availability: 19 states
Insurance commissioners in each state regularly review car insurance customer complaints. Those that lead to a finding of fault are called “confirmed complaints.” American Family has less than one-fifth as many confirmed complaints as is typical for its size.
If you’re also a safe driver, American Family can be a good choice. American Family offers a safe driving program that helps drivers become safer on the road by offering up to a 20% discount based on how safe a driver you are.
Pros
Well-respected company with strong customer service ratings.
Options available to bundle your auto policy with home, renters and/or motorcycle insurance.
Mileage-based MilesMyWay program lets you save money if you don’t drive much or have a car you only drive now and then.
Cons
American Family’s average rates are 29% higher than those from State Farm.
Only available in 19 states. Its sister company — Connect, Powered by American Family Insurance — is available in more than 40 states and Washington, D.C.
Best policy features: Allstate
- Average full-coverage rate: $2,609 a year ($217 a month)
- Claims satisfaction: Very good
- Complaint rating: Average
- Availability: Nationwide
While a low price is important for upfront savings, Allstate — the fourth-largest car insurance company in the U.S. — offers policy features that may save you money down the line. Allstate also offers many different coverage types, such as classic car insurance. You can also save up to 25% if you bundle your home and car insurance policies.
Pros
Deductible Rewards program lowers your deductible at no extra cost when you avoid claims.
Allstate’s Accident Forgiveness program protects you from a rate increase after your first accident.
Allstate’s pay-per-mile Milewise program can save you money if you don’t drive much or have a car you don’t drive often.
Cons
Allstate charges an average of 75% more for full-coverage car insurance than State Farm.
Best for military families: USAA
- Average full-coverage rate: $1,203 a year ($100 a month)
- Claims satisfaction: Very good
- Complaint rating: Average
- Availability: Nationwide
USAA serves the military community with reliable car insurance at an affordable price. USAA caters to military members with its products and discounts. You can save up to 15% when you store your car on base, for example.
USAA is also highly rated for its customer service. The company has the highest overall customer satisfaction ratings from J.D. Power in all 11 U.S. regions. USAA also rewards good drivers with savings of up to 30% if they use its SafePilot program.
Pros
Low rates extend to young drivers in military families.
Mileage-based insurance provides more savings if you don’t drive much or have a car you don’t use very often.
Cons
Customers don’t get an individual agent to work with on an ongoing basis.
Best for discounts: Amica Mutual
Amica Mutual offers a variety of discounts as well as great savings. You can save up to 30% if you bundle your car insurance with home, umbrella and life insurance policies. You can also save up to 25% if you insure two or more cars.
Amica Mutual also offers a few discounts that stand out from competitors, including a legacy discount for drivers. If you’re under the age of 30 and have parents who’ve had a car insurance policy with Amica Mutual for at least five years, you may qualify for its legacy discount.
Amica Mutual offers these discounts:
- Loyalty
- Multi-policy
- Multicar
- Good student
- Legacy
- Student away at school
- Young driver training
- Accident-free
- Anti-theft
- Defensive driver training
- Electronic stability control
- Passive restraints
- Forward-collision warning
- Adaptive headlights
- Paid in full
- Autopay
- Paperless
Best rates for drivers with a prior incident: Erie
Erie has the best full-coverage car insurance rates for drivers with a prior speeding ticket or an at-fault accident.
Small and midsize companies offer some of the best car insurance rates for drivers with either a ticket or an accident.
Erie’s average rate for drivers with a speeding ticket is $1,456 a year, or $121 a month, which is 40% less than the national average.
Best car insurance rates for drivers with a speeding ticket
| Company | Annual rate |
|---|---|
| Erie | $1,456 |
| USAA | $1,457 |
| Westfield | $1,481 |
| State Farm | $1,616 |
| Auto-Owners | $1,822 |
| Pemco | $1,850 |
| U.S. average | $2,427 |
Erie’s average rate for drivers with a prior at-fault accident is $1,597 a year, which is 45% less than the national average.
Best car insurance rates for drivers with an accident
| Company | Annual rate |
|---|---|
| Erie | $1,597 |
| USAA | $1,658 |
| State Farm | $1,843 |
| Grange | $1,999 |
| Pemco | $2,014 |
| Westfield | $2,126 |
| U.S. average | $2,930 |
Best rates for drivers with bad credit: Grange
Available in 13 states, Grange has the best car insurance rates for drivers with bad credit, averaging $2,072 a year for full coverage.
Small and midsize companies account for 4 out of the 5 best car insurance rates for drivers with bad credit.
Nationally, drivers with bad credit pay an average of 88% more for car insurance than those with good credit. However, a few states, including California, Hawaii and Massachusetts, don’t let insurance companies factor credit into your rate.
| Company | Annual rate |
|---|---|
| Grange | $2,072 |
| Westfield | $2,097 |
| Hanover | $2,116 |
| USAA | $2,183 |
| Pemco | $2,302 |
| U.S. average | $3,705 |
Best rates for young drivers: Pemco
Pemco, only available in Washington and Oregon, has the best rates for young drivers, charging 18-year-olds an average of $896 a year for liability-only car insurance.
Country Financial has the best rates for a full-coverage policy, with an average of $2,226 a year.
Best car insurance rates for 18-year-old drivers
| Company | Liability-only coverage | Full coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Pemco | $896 | $2,945 |
| Hanover | $997 | $3,970 |
| USAA | $1,030 | $2,847 |
| Erie | $1,264 | $3,086 |
| Westfield | $1,366 | $4,619 |
| Country Financial | $1,401 | $2,226 |
| U.S. average | $2,433 | $5,824 |
Best for rates: Erie and USAA
Erie and USAA offer the cheapest rates for full-coverage policies for adult drivers with a clean record. USAA and Westfield have the cheapest rates for liability-only policies.
| Company | Average full-coverage rate | Average liability-only rate |
|---|---|---|
| USAA | $1,203 | $412 |
| Erie | $1,270 | $497 |
| Westfield | $1,481 | $439 |
| Pemco | $1,483 | $464 |
| State Farm | $1,487 | $597 |
| Grange | $1,638 | $570 |
| American Family | $1,920 | $728 |
| Amica Mutual | $2,548 | $1,098 |
| Allstate | $2,609 | $1,158 |
Best companies by state
Although Erie and USAA offer some of the cheapest car insurance rates for a full-coverage policy, you might find cheaper rates from other insurers in your state. State Farm offers the cheapest rates in 25 states.
Best cheap car insurance in your state
| State | Cheapest full coverage |
|---|---|
| Alabama | State Farm |
| Alaska | Geico |
| Arizona | State Farm |
| Arkansas | State Farm |
| California | Geico |
| Colorado | State Farm |
| Connecticut | State Farm |
| Delaware | State Farm |
| Florida | State Farm |
| Georgia | Farm Bureau |
| Hawaii | Geico |
| Idaho | State Farm |
| Illinois | Travelers |
| Indiana | Auto-Owners |
| Iowa | State Farm |
| Kansas | State Farm |
| Kentucky | Farm Bureau |
| Louisiana | Farm Bureau |
| Maine | Concord |
| Maryland | Geico |
| Massachusetts | Safety |
| Michigan | Progressive |
| Minnesota | State Farm |
| Mississippi | State Farm |
| Missouri | State Farm |
| Montana | State Farm |
| Nebraska | State Farm |
| Nevada | State Farm |
| New Hampshire | Hanover |
| New Jersey | Geico |
| New Mexico | State Farm |
| New York | Progressive |
| North Carolina | Progressive |
| North Dakota | State Farm |
| Ohio | State Farm |
| Oklahoma | State Farm |
| Oregon | State Farm |
| Pennsylvania | Erie |
| Rhode Island | Travelers |
| South Carolina | Auto-Owners |
| South Dakota | State Farm |
| Tennessee | Erie |
| Texas | Texas Farm Bureau |
| Utah | Auto-Owners |
| Vermont | State Farm |
| Virginia | Erie |
| Washington | State Farm |
| Washington, D.C. | Geico |
| West Virginia | State Farm |
| Wisconsin | Erie |
| Wyoming | Geico |
How to find the best car insurance company
Comparing quotes from multiple car insurance companies is a great way to find the best deal for you. Here are four steps to simplify the process.
Think about the coverages you need
Having a general idea of the type and amounts of car insurance you need ahead of time can help speed up the shopping process.
Use the declarations from your current auto policy (if you have one) as a starting point. You can share your current policy’s limits and coverages with the insurance companies you contact and see if they can give you a lower rate and/or better coverage.
As an alternative, discuss your options with an insurance agent for an initial quote. Then just shop the quote around with other companies. Quotes are free, and car insurance companies expect savvy customers to shop around.
Don’t judge car insurance companies by size alone
As you shop for car insurance, make sure to get quotes from car insurance companies of all sizes.
Large companies tend to have more resources to invest in advertising and technology. However, small and midsize companies often offer lower rates and/or better customer service than their larger competitors.
Compare coverages as well as rates
As you compare quotes, account for any differences in the coverages shown in each proposal. A proposal that costs a little more than others may be a better deal if it provides a lot more coverage.
Consider car insurance company ratings
While price is important, a car insurance company’s customer service ratings also matter.
Factors like the ease of communication with an agent and the convenience of a company’s digital platforms are worth considering, too.
Sometimes, paying a little more for insurance is worth the price if the company you choose has a track record for reliable service and is easy to work with.
Frequently asked questions
Rates, customer service ratings and financial strength are the key factors used to determine the best car insurance companies.
Since car insurance companies are secretive about their rate formulas, you’ll typically have to compare quotes from multiple companies to find the best price. Quotes are free, no-obligation estimates of the coverages and rates you are eligible to receive.
Most car insurance companies offer the same basic coverages, like liability, collision and comprehensive. Some of the best companies also offer accident forgiveness and deductible savings. Further, a few offer pay-per-mile insurance for occasional drivers.
The best car insurance companies give discounts to young drivers for getting good grades and older drivers for completing a defensive driving course.
They also offer most of the normal discounts: those for bundling your auto and home insurance, avoiding claims and driving a car with an antitheft device, among others.
State Farm is the most popular car insurance company, based on business volume, followed by Progressive and Geico. The three companies account for 45% of the U.S. auto insurance market.
Spikes in traffic accidents and car repair costs have increased the amounts that insurance companies have had to pay out in claims in recent years. Insurance companies are passing these costs along to customers in the form of higher rates. This is making car insurance more expensive for many drivers.