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Quality Verified
When it comes to finding the best car insurance company, Insure has the definitive guide to the top auto insurers in the U.S. Insure editors and data analysts synthesized top auto insurers’ rate data, AM Best financial stability scores and National Association of Insurance Commissioners complaint records.
We also surveyed their customers to gauge each company’s level of customer experience, claims expertise and policy offerings. We also asked customers if they trusted their insurer, whether they planned to renew and what they thought about their insurance company’s digital experience.
“Even if you have had the same provider for years or decades – it may pay to hop online and do research to see if you are still receiving the best protection for your policy premiums,” says Jim Brau, a professor of finance at Brigham Young University’s Marriott School of Business.
“With the easy access of the internet, searching car insurance companies online is probably the most efficient way to compare and choose a provider. Nowadays, consumers are able to provide feedback on national and local insurance companies — think of the five-star rating system. As such, consumers can be aware before they buy,” he says.
Top car insurance companies
Based on that data and other essential insurance metrics, we rated the best car insurance companies of 2024 and gave each from one to five stars. In 2024, the top car insurer is Erie with 4.67 out of 5 stars, followed by Auto-Owners with 4.65 stars and Travelers with 4.62 stars – the three top-scoring companies were within less than half a percentage point. Nationwide and the Auto Club Group (ACG) rounded out the top five.
What are the best car insurance companies?
Below is Insure.com’s 2024 list of the best-rated car insurance companies from first to 15th – with their star rankings. All these companies are among the market leaders, and the list features industry heavyweights like State Farm, Geico and Progressive as well as smaller companies such as Auto-Owners and Erie.
Rank | Company | Overall Ranking | Customer Satisfaction | Learn More |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1. Erie | Overall rating | Customer satisfaction rating: | |
2 | 2. Auto-Owners | Overall rating | Customer satisfaction rating: | |
3 | 3. Travelers | Overall rating | Customer satisfaction rating: | |
4 | 4. Nationwide | Overall rating | Customer satisfaction rating: | |
5 | 5. The Auto Club Group | Overall rating | Customer satisfaction rating: | |
6 | 6. State Farm | Overall rating | Customer satisfaction rating: | |
7 | 7. Geico | Overall rating | Customer satisfaction rating: | |
8 | 8. Progressive | Overall rating | Customer satisfaction rating: | |
9 | 9. American Family | Overall rating | Customer satisfaction rating: | |
10 | 10. Amica | Overall rating | Customer satisfaction rating: | |
11 | 11. Allstate | Overall rating | Customer satisfaction rating: | |
12 | 12. Farmers | Overall rating | Customer satisfaction rating: | |
13 | 13. Mercury | Overall rating | Customer satisfaction rating: | |
14 | 14. CSAA Insurance Group | Overall rating | Customer satisfaction rating: | |
15 | 15. Auto Club of Southern California | Overall rating | Customer satisfaction rating: |
How we picked Insure.com’s top-rated auto insurance companies
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In the fall of 2023, Insure.com surveyed 1,750 people about insurance for its 2024 survey. Online market research company Slice MR conducted the survey, in which respondents ranked their auto, home, life and health insurers.
Insure.com’s editors then gathered and analyzed the companies’ annual premiums, AM Best grades, NAIC scores and more to select the nation’s best auto insurance companies.
USAA is excluded from the overall ranking because it only provides services to military community members. General, The Hartford, Liberty Mutual and Safeco were also omitted because they don’t provide pricing information – one of our key rating metrics – to our data partner, Quadrant Information Services.
The best auto insurance companies, by category
So, how do you find the best insurance company that’s right for you?
“You should feel comfortable with your insurance purchase, whether you buy it from a local agent or directly from the company,” says Mark Friedlander, director of corporate communications for the Insurance Information Institute. “Make sure that the agent or company will be easy to reach if you have a question or need to file a claim.”
Based on Insure.com’s analysis, we selected the best companies for specific situations and needs. This list includes all the companies included in our insurance-consumer survey – like USAA – that may have been excluded from the final rankings.
![insure badge](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insure.com/uploadedfiles/bic_auto_2024.png)
- Best for cheapest rates: Erie
- Best for customer satisfaction: Erie
- Best for ease of service: Erie
- Best for policy offerings: Erie
- Best for claims handling: Allstate
- Best digital experience: Geico
- Best discounts: Auto Club of Southern California
- Best military discounts: USAA
- Best for young drivers and teens: Auto Club Group (ACG) – AAA
- Best for college students:Auto Club of Southern California – AAA
- Best for senior drivers: Auto Club of Southern California – AAA
- Best for drivers with tickets: Auto Club Group (ACG) – AAA
- Best for high-risk drivers: Allstate
- Best for auto and home bundling: Travelers
- Most likely to be recommended to others: Erie
- Most trustworthy: Erie
- Best for renewals: Erie
The top 10 car insurance companies in the U.S.
The top 10 auto insurance companies in the U.S. are Erie, Auto-Owners, Travelers, Nationwide, Auto Club Group, State Farm, Geico, Progressive, American Family and Amica.
Find additional details about all 15 best auto insurance companies of 2024 below. Read more about each insurer by clicking the “Learn More” button.
Erie
![Erie](/images/bic/companies_logo/auto/erie.png)
Erie ranked as the top auto insurer in Insure.com’s Best Car Insurance Companies ranking for 2024, rating 4.67 stars out of 5.
Erie ranked as the top choice in six of 16 categories, well above the competition: best for the cheapest rates, best for customer satisfaction, best for ease of service and most trustworthy. And 100% of customers surveyed said they were renewing their policies and would recommend the company.
Insure’s data team found that Erie had the cheapest annual premium of the companies we ranked, garnered an A+ rating from AM Best and had a low complaint score from NAIC.
Auto-Owners
![Auto-Owners](/images/bic/companies_logo/auto/auto-owners.png)
Auto-Owners ranked No. 2 in the survey with a rating of 4.65 stars out of 5. It is rated highly for affordable monthly premiums and trustworthiness. Customers rated it as one of the top companies for young drivers and teens.
The Fortune 500 company has received many accolades and is ranked A++ (superior) by AM Best, a national independent insurance rating authority.
Travelers
![Travelers](/images/bic/companies_logo/auto/travelers.png)
Travelers ranked No. 3 in Insure.com’s Best Car Insurance Companies ranking for 2024 with a star rating of 4.62 stars out of 5 – lagging the first and second-place winners by only three-hundredths of a point.
Travelers was rated the third-best company for auto/home policy bundling and 90% of customers said they’d renew their policies.
Nationwide
![Nationwide](/images/bic/companies_logo/auto/nationwide.png)
Nationwide auto insurance came in at No. 4 in Insure.com’s ranking of the Best Car Insurance Companies for 2024 with 4.33 stars out of 5. Nationwide is ranked highly for affordable premiums. Respondents to Insure.com’s survey also said Nationwide is a great company for drivers with tickets.
And its many different policy options make it a good choice for one-stop insurance shopping.
Auto Club Group (ACG) – AAA
![The Auto Club Group](/images/bic/companies_logo/auto/the_auto_club_group.png)
The Auto Club Group (ACG) – an AAA-affiliated company – is a top auto insurance company in Insure.com’s 2024 Best Insurance Companies with 4.29 stars out of 5. The company rated well for its affordable rates and 91% of the customers we polled said they would recommend it to others. ACG also was the best for drivers with tickets and best for young drivers and teens in our survey results.
State Farm
![State Farm](/images/bic/companies_logo/auto/state_farm.png)
State Farm ranked No. 6 in Insure.com’s ranking of the Best Car Insurance Companies for 2024 with a ranking of 4.27 stars out of 5.
State Farm customers report being highly satisfied with the company’s claims handling and ease of service. It was one of the top companies most likely to be recommended to others, and 92% of its customers said they would sign up again with the company.
Geico
![Geico](/images/bic/companies_logo/auto/geico.png)
Geico ranked No. 7 in Insure.com’s ranking with a star ranking of 4.20 stars out of 5.
Geico customers ranked it as having the claims handling and its digital experience. It has a 91% renewal rate and an AM Best score of A++.
Progressive
![Progressive](/images/bic/companies_logo/auto/progressive.png)
Progressive ranked No. 8 on Insure.com’s list of the Best Car Insurance Companies for 2024 with 4.14 stars out of 5. Progressive gets high marks for its experience and discounts, and, in Insure.com’s survey, was rated one of the top companies for drivers with tickets.
American Family
![American Family](/images/bic/companies_logo/auto/american_family.png)
American Family was No. 9 in Insure.com’s Best Car Insurance Companies ranking for 2024 with 4.01 stars out of 5. American Family was rated highly for customer satisfaction, policy offerings and trustworthiness. Ninety-one percent of its customers said they would recommend the company to others.
Amica
![Amica](/images/bic/companies_logo/auto/amica.png)
Amica ranked No. 10 with 3.93 stars out of 5. The company was rated highly for its policy offerings and 92% of its customers said they would recommend the company to friends and family. Amica also has a low level of customer complaints, according to NAIC data.
Allstate
![Allstate](/images/bic/companies_logo/auto/allstate.png)
Allstate ranked No. 11 with 3.78 stars out of 5. The company had the highest rating for claims handling in our survey. Customers also liked its digital experience and bundling.
Farmers
![Farmers](/images/bic/companies_logo/auto/farmers.png)
Farmers is ranked No. 12 in the 2024 Insure.com Best Auto Insurance Companies survey with 3.69 stars out of 5. Farmers has higher premiums than other companies but is highly rated for customer satisfaction and trustworthiness.
Mercury
![Mercury](/images/bic/companies_logo/auto/mercury.png)
Mercury Insurance is ranked No. 13 in Insure.com’s Best Auto Insurance Companies survey for 2024 with 3.64 stars out of 5. Ninety-five percent of Mercury customers said they would renew their policies. Only Erie and Auto Club of Southern California ranked higher in the renewal category. Insure.com’s survey also found that it’s a great company for senior drivers.
CSAA Insurance Group – AAA
![CSAA Insurance Group](/images/bic/companies_logo/auto/csaa_insurance_group.png)
CSAA Insurance Group is ranked No. 14 in Insure.com’s Best Auto Insurance Companies ranking for 2024 with 3.50 stars out of 5. This AAA-affiliated insurer is highly rated for its digital experience. In addition, 85% of its customers said they would renew their policies and recommend the company to others.
Auto Club of Southern California – AAA
![Auto Club of Southern California](/images/bic/companies_logo/auto/auto_club_of_southern_california.png)
The Auto Club of Southern California, an AAA affiliate, ranks 15th in Insure’s 2024 Best Insurance Companies auto survey. It received 3.30 out of 5 stars for its high renewal rates and extensive discount program. It also scored well for customer satisfaction and ease of service.
The best-rated car insurance companies for the price, customer service, and more
So, how do you find the best insurance company for you? Insure.com editors surveyed consumers of more than a dozen top insurers and ranked them based on our findings, third-party data, and rate information.
In some instances, we did not have an insurer’s rate information and could not rank it. We are, however, showing certain non-ranked companies here if they performed notably well in the survey.
Car insurance companies with the cheapest rates
Price is undoubtedly a top concern for auto insurance consumers. The top-rated car insurance companies in this category offer the lowest rates for full coverage for a 40-year-old male with a good driving record.
USAA, Erie, Auto-Owners and Nationwide have the cheapest monthly rates for auto insurance, according to our latest data. USAA isn’t available to all consumers – only to military members, veterans and their families – so keep that in mind.
Company | Monthly rate for full coverage |
---|---|
USAA | $115 |
Erie | $123 |
Auto-Owners | $129 |
Nationwide | $129 |
Travelers | $132 |
Auto Club Group (ACG) – AAA | $135 |
American Family | $142 |
Geico | $147 |
State Farm | $165 |
Progressive | $166 |
Amica | $185 |
Auto Club of Southern California – AAA | $192 |
Mercury | $193 |
Farmers | $199 |
Allstate | $209 |
CSAA Insurance Group – AAA | $217 |
Best car insurance companies for customer satisfaction
Customer satisfaction was one of the most critical factors in our auto insurance customer survey. Erie and The Hartford came out on top with 90% of customers satisfied with their insurance company. American Family was in second place at 89% satisfaction, followed by State Farm and Farmers, with an 84% customer satisfaction score.
Company | Percent of customers that are satisfied |
---|---|
Erie, The Hartford | 90% |
American Family | 89% |
Farmers, State Farm | 84% |
Top-rated car insurance companies for ease of service
Ease of service measures how easy it is for consumers to access policy documents and services, and USAA won this category with 91% of its customers giving it high marks. USAA was followed by Erie and The Hartford, tying for second place with 90%.
Company | Ease of service |
---|---|
USAA | 91% |
Erie, Hartford | 90% |
Safeco, State Farm, Travelers | 86% |
Best car insurance companies for policy offerings
Some companies offer more policy options – telematics, accident forgiveness, home/auto bundling, etc. – and The Hartford took the top spot with 93% of customers satisfied with the company’s offerings, followed by Erie at 88% and American Family at 87%.
Company | Percent of customers satisfied with the company’s policy offerings |
---|---|
The Hartford | 93% |
Erie | 88% |
American Family | 87% |
Car insurance company most likely to be recommended
Most of the companies in our survey earned scores in the 80th or 90th percentile for consumer recommendations, but 100% of Erie customers said they would recommend Erie. More than 93% of The Hartford and 92% of USAA and State Farm customers recommend their companies.
Company | Customer recommendations |
---|---|
Erie | 100% |
The Hartford | 93% |
State Farm, USAA | 92% |
Most trustworthy car insurance company
Erie again tops the list for trustworthiness among its competitors, scoring three percentage points higher than its closest competitors – The Hartford and USAA. Across the board, the scores for trustworthiness were lower than those for customer satisfaction or renewal rates. In most cases, insurers saw percentages in this category in the 70-80% range.
Company | Trustworthiness |
---|---|
Erie | 86% |
The Hartford, USAA | 83% |
State Farm | 82% |
Best auto insurance provider for renewals
For policy renewals, Erie took the top spot with 100% of survey respondents saying they plan to renew their policies, followed by 95% of customers from The Hartford, the Auto Club of Southern California and Mercury.
Company | Plan to renew |
---|---|
Erie | 100% |
The Hartford | 95% |
Auto Club of Southern California – AAA | 95% |
Mercury | 95% |
How much does car insurance cost in each state?
The states of Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont have the cheapest full coverage car insurance rates in the nation. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Louisiana, Florida and California residents pay the most for car insurance.
See full coverage rates for every state in the table below.
State | Average annual premium | Average monthly premium |
---|---|---|
Alabama | $1,860 | $155 |
Alaska | $1,676 | $140 |
Arizona | $1,812 | $151 |
Arkansas | $1,957 | $163 |
California | $2,416 | $201 |
Colorado | $2,337 | $195 |
Connecticut | $1,725 | $144 |
Delaware | $2,063 | $172 |
Florida | $2,694 | $224 |
Georgia | $1,970 | $164 |
Hawaii | $1,517 | $126 |
Idaho | $1,428 | $119 |
Illinois | $1,532 | $128 |
Indiana | $1,515 | $126 |
Iowa | $1,630 | $136 |
Kansas | $1,900 | $158 |
Kentucky | $2,228 | $186 |
Louisiana | $2,883 | $240 |
Maine | $1,175 | $98 |
Maryland | $1,746 | $145 |
Massachusetts | $1,726 | $144 |
Michigan | $2,266 | $189 |
Minnesota | $1,911 | $159 |
Mississippi | $2,008 | $167 |
Missouri | $1,982 | $165 |
Montana | $2,193 | $183 |
Nebraska | $1,902 | $159 |
Nevada | $2,060 | $172 |
New Hampshire | $1,265 | $105 |
New Jersey | $1,902 | $159 |
New Mexico | $2,049 | $171 |
New York | $1,870 | $156 |
North Carolina | $1,741 | $145 |
North Dakota | $1,665 | $139 |
Ohio | $1,417 | $118 |
Oklahoma | $2,138 | $178 |
Oregon | $1,678 | $140 |
Pennsylvania | $1,872 | $156 |
Rhode Island | $2,061 | $172 |
South Carolina | $2,009 | $167 |
South Dakota | $2,280 | $190 |
Tennessee | $1,677 | $140 |
Texas | $2,043 | $170 |
Utah | $1,825 | $152 |
Vermont | $1,319 | $110 |
Virginia | $1,469 | $122 |
Washington | $1,608 | $134 |
Washington, D.C. | $2,157 | $180 |
West Virginia | $2,005 | $167 |
Wisconsin | $1,664 | $139 |
Wyoming | $1,758 | $146 |
How to find an insurance company that’s right for you
When it comes to shopping for car insurance, consider your top priorities and coverage needs and get at least three quotes from the top-rated car insurance companies.
“Prices vary greatly from one insurer to another, so it really pays to shop around. Get at least three price quotes from a mix of national and regional carriers,” Friedlander says. “You can obtain quotes through independent and exclusive agents, company websites and online comparison sites.”
Here are some things to keep in mind when shopping for car insurance:
- Determine your needs: Determining your specific needs will help you narrow down the carriers you should consider and the different coverages you may need to carry.
- Find local insurers: Consider national insurers (ones that operate in all states) and more regional insurance companies that write policies in your state. Look for insurers that offer the coverages and services you would use.
- Gather quotes: Be sure to compare apples to apples regarding coverage levels and deductibles. Get at least three different quotes.
- Figure out your non-negotiables: If you prefer to work with an agent, you’ll need to keep that in mind. The same goes if you prefer to make changes using an app – some companies are better than others for digital experience and customer service.
Friedlander says that not every company is licensed to operate in each state: “As a general rule, you should buy from an insurer licensed in your state, because then you can rely on your state insurance department to help if there’s a problem. To find out which companies are licensed in your state, contact your state’s insurance department.”
Our recommendation
When it comes to the best car insurance companies, the best company for you is the one that offers the level of service you need at a price you can afford.
What our expert says
Q. What’s the best way to shop for car insurance?
![expert-image](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.insure.com/uploadedfiles/James-Brau.png)
Methodology
Insure.com in the fall of 2023 surveyed more than 1,750 insurance consumers (1,459 people with auto insurance). Online market research company Slice MR conducted the survey. Respondents were asked to name their auto insurer and then grade it in the following categories – customer satisfaction, ease of service and policy offerings. The percentage of respondents who said they were satisfied or very satisfied with their insurer is presented in the results.
Respondents were then asked to pick their insurer’s top three attributes out of more than a dozen presented – trustworthiness, claims satisfaction, digital experience, discounts and best for auto/home bundling. The responses for each attribute were totaled and then divided by the number of each company’s customers who responded to that survey question to create a percentage.
Respondents were then asked if they would recommend their auto insurer to someone else and whether they would renew with their company. The percentage who said yes is presented in the results.
Finally, respondents were given the statement “I trust my insurance company” and asked if they strongly agreed, agreed, disagreed or strongly disagreed with the statement. The percentage of those who said they agreed or strongly agreed is presented in the results.
The editors compiled the survey results and then selected – based on the number of survey responses – the top companies for further evaluation.
They then collected AM Best data, which measures financial strength, and National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ complaint data, which ranks a company by the number of customer complaints it receives. The Insure.com team identified the NAIC company code or codes that were the primary underwriting companies for each carrier and line of business using total annual premiums. The associated NAIC complaint index score was used in the calculations. If more than one underwriting company was identified for a line, the editors used a weighted average of the NAIC complaint index scores. The editors also collected insurance rate data from Quadrant Information Services.
With the help of Prof. David Marlett, Ph.D., Managing Director of the Brantley Risk and Insurance Center at Appalachian State University, the editors created a rating system to determine which insurance companies were best in each sector. For auto insurers, we took the following and gave each a weight.
- Survey: 40% of the total score (10% customer satisfaction, 10% recommended, 10% renewal rate and 10% claims handling)
- Annual premium: 20% of total score
- AM Best: 25% of total score
- NAIC: 15% of total score
Each insurer was awarded from half a star to 5 stars. No insurer in our star ranking received less than half a star and 5 stars was the most any insurer could receive.
On company review pages, the editors compared the profiled insurers in various categories against the leaders in that category or against other top insurers that match up well against the profiled company in terms of size and/or coverage area.