Top Car Insurance Companies

Progressive is one of the top car insurance companies, and honestly, they’ve earned that reputation. They have solid policies across the board. What I really like about Progressive is their fairness with rates – they’ll insure pretty much anyone, even if you’ve had accidents or tickets in the past. Plus, their claim payout record speaks for itself.

To find the best car insurance companies, check out our “best car insurance company” category at the end of this article and learn more about Progressive. State Farm and their network of partner garages are Progressive’s biggest competitors. Worth noting though – State Farm’s claim settlement ratio is actually lower than Progressive’s.

The main difference between Progressive and State Farm comes down to coverage types. State Farm has this “safe driver only” discount, while Progressive offers a “good driver with clean record” discount. Both have reasonable deductibles and reward drivers who keep their records clean.

Geico is another solid choice in the car insurance world. They’ve got quite a few policy options. Their “non-risk” and “risk” car insurance categories work differently – if you cause an accident, you can get full coverage from Geico. But if you’re at fault and no one else is involved, you’re only paying your deductible.

Here’s how Geico’s auto insurance actually works in practice. Say you have an accident with a passenger and nobody’s really at fault – you’ll cover the passenger’s deductible and handle the rest of the bill. But if your passenger causes the accident, Geico only pays their deductible, then gives you a quote for the full rental reimbursement amount. This only applies if your passenger doesn’t have previous accidents on their record. And here’s the catch – if you’ve had a prior accident with a passenger where no one was at fault, you’re still stuck with the remaining bill.

I hear people talking about “rate adjustments” all the time, but that’s not the same thing as rate changes. What one insurance company does with your information can actually affect what another company charges you for identical coverage. If you want to know about rate adjustments, you’ll need to call each company separately.

Some insurance products are labeled “all risk” coverage. These work great if you’re single, don’t own a home, and aren’t driving for work. People in this situation should seriously consider rental reimbursement coverage, plus collision and comprehensive. Most people won’t need all these extras, but having them doesn’t hurt. More protection is usually better. I’ve seen too many people get disappointed when their insurance doesn’t cover what they thought it would, but there are ways to avoid that.

One smart way to get the most coverage for your money is buying a policy with plenty of excess coverage. Excess coverage is exactly what it sounds like – it’s the money you’ll pay out if you get in an accident before touching your premiums. If you’re found at fault in a claim, your policy’s excess coverage pays the balance on your claim, minus whatever deductible you set up. This gives you real peace of mind knowing you’re covered if something happens. And if your car gets totaled, roadside assistance comes to help at no extra cost. Taking advantage of these benefits and services saves you money over time.