Allstate, Geico, Progressive and State Farm are four of the largest insurance companies in the United States. Their policies can cover the loss of your most important assets, including your car, your home and your possessions. Life insurance policies offered by these companies can help your loved ones financially in the event of your death.
All four companies have been in business for decades, enjoy top financial strength ratings and are well-respected in the industry. NerdWallet has done some digging to help you compare these insurers for factors that matter to your decision, whether you are looking for the best car insurance, home insurance, life insurance or some other coverage.
Allstate
In addition to auto insurance, Allstate sells home and renters insurance, commercial insurance and retirement and investment products. Allstate’s products are sold through its own agents nationwide.
Although Allstate’s customer satisfaction ratings for auto insurance claims, price and customer service put it in the middle of the pack, the company got high marks in a recent J.D. Power survey for customer satisfaction among life insurance companies.
Allstate’s Drivewise program offers an opportunity for good drivers with low mileage to save money. The usage-based insurance program sets your price based on mileage, speed, time-of-day driving and braking.
The Allstate Mobile app offers several convenient features for car insurance customers: You can view your insurance card, submit a claim, get roadside help and even find your parked vehicle.
Allstate: The bottom line
Allstate’s agents can provide a helping hand when you want to understand your insurance and options, and they offer a wide variety of insurance products. But the company’s satisfaction ratings suggest that you can find better options elsewhere for car insurance. Click here for NerdWallet’s full Allstate review.
Geico
Geico is a good option for shoppers who are primarily interested in an affordable car insurance policy. Studies from both Consumer Reports and J.D. Power place Geico as better than average for price.
Reviews of Geico’s customer service tend to be lukewarm. It’s in the middle of the pack in Consumer Reports’ rankings of car insurance customer satisfaction. J.D. Power had similar findings of Geico’s customer service as “about average.”
Geico can get you set with coverage for a variety of vehicles in addition to your cars: recreational vehicles, all-terrain vehicles, motorcycles and boats. Geico services about 13 million auto insurance policies and offers insurance through agents who sell exclusively for Geico.
Although Geico does not sell homeowners or renters insurance, it makes it easy for customers to get these policies from other companies through the Geico Insurance Agency.
The Geico mobile app helps you easily keep track of your policy and billing details. It lets you access your Geico policies and a digital auto insurance ID card, pay bills and submit claims.
Geico: The bottom line
If the price of your auto insurance policy is your main concern, it’s worthwhile to get a quote from Geico. Click here for NerdWallet’s full Geico review.
Progressive
Progressive offers coverage for a range of vehicles, including cars, motorcycles, boats, RVs, snowmobiles, business vehicles and even Segways. It sells insurance through independent agents. Progressive, the No. 4 car insurance provider, specializes in vehicle insurance and offers other types of coverage, such as home and life insurance, through third parties.
Progressive’s website offers ways to research auto insurance rates beyond traditional online quotes: Its “Name Your Price” tool helps you find a policy that fits within your budget — although a low price will come with the trade-off in coverage.
Progressive is unusual in that it allows customers to view competitors’ prices alongside Progressive quotes; a NerdWallet comparison found Progressive prices to be about average. Claims satisfaction does not stand out: Progressive was “about average” for auto insurance claims, according to a J.D. Power study.
Progressive was a pioneer in usage-based insurance with its Snapshot program, which bases your premiums on how much and when you drive, along with driving habits such as hard braking and acceleration. But it was also the first insurer to announce that customers who switch to its usage-based program might see their rates go up.
Its drive-in auto claims service offers convenience to customers who have had a crash. And with Progressive’s smartphone app you can easily find your policy details and insurance card, see payments, report claims, find a repair service center and more.