Progressive vs. State Farm: Which is Better?
- Expertise: Auto insurance, home insurance and renters insurance
- Education: University of California-Berkeley (BA in History)
Rob Bhatt is a licensed insurance agent and joined the staff of Lending Tree in 2021. Previously, he spent more than 20 years writing for and editing regional publications in California, Nevada and Washington. Rob enjoys helping readers understand how different coverages work so they can make informed purchasing decisions, and he specializes in producing research-backed content for LendingTree about auto, home and renters insurance. His work has been cited by ABC, Business Insider, MSN and Yahoo.
State Farm has cheaper home and car insurance quotes than Progressive. It also has higher customer satisfaction ratings. However, Progressive offers more discounts and coverage options, including gap insurance.
Progressive vs. State Farm: Which is better?
State Farm has cheaper rates than Progressive for homeowners and most drivers. It also has higher customer satisfaction ratings.
Progressive is better for specialized car insurance coverage. For example, its loan/lease protection is similar to gap insurance, which State Farm does not offer. Progressive is also cheaper than State Farm for drivers with a DUI or bad credit.
Progressive often offers home insurance from other companies. These companies’ customer service standards are not always the same as Progressive’s standards.
Progressive
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Loan/lease coverage similar to gap insurance | Higher home insurance rates than State Farm |
| Many discounts to help you save money | Below-average satisfaction ratings |
| Accident forgiveness available to safe drivers | Home insurance often provided by other companies |
| Cheaper than State Farm for drivers with a DUI or bad credit | |
| Average savings of 7% for bundling home and auto |
State Farm
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Cheaper than Progressive for homeowners and most drivers | Doesn’t offer gap insurance or accident forgiveness |
| Above-average satisfaction ratings | Fewer discounts and optional coverages than Progressive |
| Young drivers get discounts for good grades and driver training | |
| Rental car reimbursement covers some travel expenses |
Best insurance ratings: State Farm
State Farm has better ratings than Progressive in several major categories.
State Farm’s ratings for overall satisfaction and claims satisfaction meet or exceed industry averages, according to J.D. Power. Progressive’s ratings are below these averages.
However, Progressive has a better auto complaint rating than State Farm from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).
Progressive vs. State Farm ratings comparison
| Rating | Progressive | State Farm | Industry average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auto satisfaction (higher is better) | 812 | 833 | 820 |
| Home satisfaction (higher is better) | 791 | 829 | 819 |
| Auto complaint rating (lower is better) | 0.7 | 0.8 | 1.0 |
| Home complaint rating (lower is better) | NA | 1.1 | 1.0 |
| Auto claims (higher is better) | 870 | 891 | 878 |
| Home claims (higher is better) | 851 | 873 | 869 |
Sources: J.D. Power, NAIC
Cheapest car insurance for most drivers: State Farm
State Farm’s liability car insurance quotes average $597 a year, or $50 a month. This is 25% less than Progressive’s rate of $791 a year, or $66 a month.
State Farm charges an average of $1,487 a year for full coverage. This is 27% less than Progressive’s rate of $2,032 a year.
State Farm’s car insurance rates are more than 20% lower than national averages. Progressive’s rates are slightly higher than national averages.
Liability and full-coverage car insurance rates
| Company | Liability annual rate | Full-coverage annual rate |
|---|---|---|
| State Farm | $597 | $1,487 |
| U.S. average | $772 | $1,970 |
| Progressive | $791 | $2,032 |
Liability insurance covers injuries and property damage you cause to others in a car accident. Full coverage includes collision coverage and comprehensive coverage, which pay to repair damage to your own car.
Cheapest car insurance after a ticket or accident: State Farm
State Farm charges drivers with a ticket or accident far lower rates than Progressive.
For example, State Farm charges drivers with a prior speeding ticket $1,616 a year for full coverage. This is 38% less than Progressive’s rate of $2,606 a year.
State Farm’s full-coverage rate for drivers with a prior at-fault accident averages $1,843 a year. This is 39% less than Progressive’s rate of $3,026 a year.
Car insurance rates after a ticket or accident
| Company | Speeding ticket annual rate | Accident annual rate |
|---|---|---|
| State Farm | $1,616 | $1,843 |
| U.S. average | $2,427 | $2,930 |
| Progressive | $2,606 | $3,026 |
Cheapest for drivers with a DUI or bad credit: Progressive
Progressive is cheaper than State Farm for drivers with a DUI and drivers with bad credit.
Progressive charges drivers with a DUI $2,547 a year for full coverage, or $212 a month. This is 42% less than State Farm’s rate of $4,402 a year.
Progressive’s rate for drivers with bad credit is 39% less than State Farm’s rate.
Car insurance rates for drivers with a DUI or bad credit
| Company | Prior DUI annual rate | Bad credit annual rate |
|---|---|---|
| Progressive | $2,547 | $3,472 |
| U.S. average | $3,626 | $3,705 |
| State Farm | $4,402 | $5,654 |
Cheapest car insurance for teen drivers: State Farm
State Farm is much cheaper than Progressive for teen drivers.
State Farm charges 18-year-olds an average of $1,811 a year for liability insurance, or $151 a month. Progressive’s rates average $3,193 a year, or $266 a month.
State Farm’s full-coverage rate for 18-year-olds is less than half of Progressive’s rate.
Car insurance rates for teens
| Company | Liability annual rate | Full coverage annual rate |
|---|---|---|
| State Farm | $1,811 | $4,128 |
| U.S. average | $2,433 | $5,824 |
| Progressive | $3,193 | $8,495 |
Best car insurance discounts: Progressive
Progressive offers several car insurance discounts that can make its rates more competitive with State Farm.
Some of the easiest ways to save with Progressive include:
- Getting a quote online
- Buying your policy online
- Having insurance before you switch to Progressive
- Owning a home, regardless of who insures it
State Farm and Progressive both offer discounts to young drivers who get good grades. Both also offer an away-at-school discount to parents whose children go off to college without a car.
State Farm’s Steer Clear program gives teens a discount for improving their driving skills. The program includes online learning and real-world driving with a parent.
State Farm also offers discounts to:
- Young drivers who complete an approved driving training program
- Mature drivers who complete an approved defensive driving class
- Those who drive fewer than 7,500 miles a year
Car insurance discount comparison
| Discount | Progressive | State Farm |
|---|---|---|
| Bundling | Yes | Yes |
| Homeowner | Yes | No |
| Driver training | No | Yes |
| Defensive driving class | No | Yes |
| Good student | Yes | Yes |
| Distant student | Yes | Yes |
| Online quote | Yes | No |
| Buy online | Yes | No |
| Low mileage | No | Yes |
Best usage-based car insurance: Tie
Progressive and State Farm both offer a significant discount for using their smartphone-based safe-driving programs.
These programs, also known as usage-based insurance (UBI), usually use a smartphone app to monitor your driving. Driving safely gets you future discounts when you renew. Progressive may raise your rate if its system detects unsafe driving. State Farm will not.
In 2023, Progressive, State Farm and Geico ended up in a three-way tie for highest UBI satisfaction rating from J.D. Power.
Snapshot vs. Drive Safe & Save
| Features | Progressive | State Farm |
|---|---|---|
| Program name | Snapshot | Drive Safe & Save |
| Potential savings | $94 average at sign-up | Up to 30% at sign-up |
| Rate increase for bad driving | Yes | No |
Best auto insurance coverage options: Progressive
Progressive has more car insurance coverage options than State Farm. These include loan/lease payoff, which is similar to gap insurance, and three forms of accident forgiveness.
Progressive also offers custom parts insurance, while State Farm does not.
State Farm’s rental reimbursement coverage includes a small trip interruption benefit. Progressive offers trip interruption coverage as an add-on to its roadside assistance plan.
Progressive’s vehicle protection coverage is a cheap alternative to an extended warranty. It covers your car’s major systems, minor dents and lost keys. Prices begin at $12 a month, according to Progressive.
Both companies offer all the standard car insurance coverage types, such as liability and collision. However, Progressive’s collision coverage includes up to $1,000 for injuries to your pet.
Car insurance coverage comparison
| Coverage | Progressive | State Farm |
|---|---|---|
| Gap or loan/lease | Yes | No |
| Custom parts | Yes | No |
| Pet injury coverage | Yes | No |
| Vehicle protection | Yes | No |
| Accident forgiveness | Yes | No |
Cheapest home insurance: State Farm
State Farm’s home insurance quotes average $2,427 a year. This is 8% less than the average rate offered by ASI, Progressive’s home insurance subsidiary. Progressive also offers home insurance from other companies.
Home insurance rate comparison
| Company | Annual rate | Monthly average |
|---|---|---|
| State Farm | $2,427 | $202 |
| ASI Progressive | $2,648 | $221 |
| U.S. average | $2,801 | $233 |
Best home insurance discounts: Progressive
Progressive offers more home insurance discounts than State Farm. These include discounts for newer homes and new home purchases. Progressive also offers an early shopping discount for getting a quote 10 days before your policy starts.
Both companies offer the usual discounts for bundling and having home security systems. In many states, State Farm offers an additional discount for impact-resistant roofing.
Home insurance discount comparison
| Discount | Progressive | State Farm |
|---|---|---|
| Bundling home and auto | Yes | Yes |
| Home safety/security | Yes | Yes |
| Impact-resistant roofing | No | Yes |
| Early shopping | Yes | No |
| Newer homes | Yes | No |
| New home purchase | Yes | No |
Best home insurance coverages: Tie
Progressive and State Farm both offer all the standard insurance coverages for your home and belongings. Their standard policies also include liability and guest medical coverage, as well as loss of use. The latter covers temporary living expenses after a covered disaster.
State Farm offers upgrades to replacement cost coverage for your belongings, which translates into higher payments for stolen or damaged items. This upgrade may not be available from all the different companies Progressive uses to provide home insurance.
Methodology
The coverages and discounts described in this article are not available in every state.
Rates are based on home insurance and auto insurance quotes for sample customers across the U.S. from Quadrant Information Services.
Unless otherwise noted, our sample driver is a 30-year-old male with a clean driving record and good credit. The sample vehicle is a 2015 Honda Civic EX. Our sample teen driver is an 18-year-old male with no tickets or accidents.
Liability policies include the minimum coverages required in each state. Full coverage includes:
- Bodily injury liability: $50,000 per person/$100,000 per accident
- Property damage liability: $25,000
- Uninsured/underinsured motorist: $50,000 per person/$100,000 per accident
- Personal injury protection/medical payments: Minimum limits, where required
- Collision: $500 deductible
- Comprehensive: $500 deductible
Sample home insurance policies include:
- Dwelling coverage: $400,000
- Other structures: $40,000
- Loss of use: $80,000
- Personal liability: $100,000
- Medical payments: $5,000
- Deductible: $1,000
Customer satisfaction and claims satisfaction ratings obtained from:
- J.D. Power 2023 U.S. Auto Insurance Study
- J.D. Power 2023 U.S. Home Insurance Study
- J.D. Power 2023 U.S. Auto Claims Satisfaction Study
- J.D. Power 2024 U.S. Property Claims Satisfaction Study
Complaint ratings are based on confirmed complaints from 2023 reported to the NAIC. A confirmed complaint is one that leads to a finding of fault.
Rates are shown for comparative purposes only. Yours may vary.