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We’ve taken guesswork out of finding the best car insurance companies by analyzing important factors that will affect your customer experience.
We evaluated large auto insurance companies based on average rates for a variety of drivers, coverage features available, levels of complaints, grades for collision claims from auto body repair professionals and how understandable the insurers’ websites are. See our top picks below.
$1,182
$1,579
Low
$1,182
$1,579
Low
Geico has very competitive car insurance rates for many types of drivers, which makes it worth a look if you want cheap auto insurance. Its low level of auto insurance complaints are another reason to consider Geico.
Collision repair grade: C-. Collision repair professionals surveyed by the CRASH Network gave Geico’s collision repair process only a so-so score.
Website readability: Geico’s website received a readability score of 28 out of 100, according to an analysis by VisibleThread, a language analysis platform. A score of at least 60 is preferred. Geico’s website is written at a 12th-grade reading level, making it difficult for the average reader to understand.
$1,540
$1,970
Very low
$1,540
$1,970
Very low
Nationwide offers decent car insurance rates for some types of drivers and many helpful add-on coverages. The level of complaints against it for auto insurance is very low, making it a company to check out if you’re shopping for auto insurance. Notably, Nationwide offers both a usage-based insurance program and a pay-per-mile option for drivers who want to potentially lower their rates based on actual driving.
Collision repair grade: C. The CRASH Network’s surveyed collision repair specialists found Nationwide’s collision repair process to be just average.
Website readability: Nationwide’s website scored 41 out of 100 for readability, according to an analysis by VisibleThread, a language analysis platform. A score of at least 60 is preferable.
Nationwide’s website is written at a 10th-grade reading level, making it fairly difficult for the average reader to comprehend.
$1,435
$1,828
Very Low
$1,435
$1,828
Very Low
Travelers has decent rates overall for many types of drivers. The company also has many optional offerings that can give you better insurance protection, making it a good choice to look at when comparison shopping.
Read more: Travelers Car Insurance Review
Collision repair grade: C+. Collision repair experts surveyed by the CRASH Network judged Travelers’ collision repair process to be just OK.
Website readability: Travelers’ website received a readability score of 40 out of 100, according to an analysis by VisibleThread, a language analysis platform. The preferred score is 60 or better. Travelers’ website is written at a 10th-grade level, making it moderately difficult for the average reader to understand.
$1,141
$1,381
OK
$1,141
$1,381
OK
USAA has pretty affordable rates for motorists with many types of driving records, making it a good company for various driver profiles. Note that you must be a military member, veteran or military family member to be eligible for USAA insurance.
Read more: USAA Car Insurance Review
Collision repair grade: C+. Collision repair experts surveyed by the CRASH Network scored USAA as average for collision claims.
Website readability: USAA’s website received a readability score of 49 out of 100, according to an analysis by VisibleThread, a language analysis platform. A score of at least 60 is preferred. Long sentences and passive voice brought down USAA’s website readability score.
$1,532
$2,024
Low
$1,532
$2,024
Low
Auto-Owners Insurance shines with its optional coverage options, its claims process and low level of complaints, which helps it overcome only average rates.
Read more: Auto-Owners Car Insurance Review
Collision repair grade: B+. Collision repair professionals gave Auto-Owners a fairly high mark for its claims service in an annual survey by the CRASH Network.
$1,402
$1,607
Low
$1,402
$1,607
Low
State Farm’s highly competitive car insurance rates and low complaint level make it worth checking out.
Read more: State Farm Car Insurance Review
Collision repair grade: C. The CRASH Network’s survey of collision repair experts found State Farm’s collision repair process to be only average.
Website readability: State Farm’s website received a readability score of 47 out of 100, according to analysis by VisibleThread, a language analysis platform. A score of 60 or greater is preferred. Long and complex sentences brought down State Farm’s readability score.
$2,022
$2,301
Allstate offers a superior selection of coverage options, from accident forgiveness to disappearing deductibles. It also has a track record for low auto insurance complaints to state insurance departments, which helps offset rates that are usually higher than its top competitors.
Collision repair grade: C-. The CRASH Network’s surveyed collision repair professionals found Allstate’s collision repair process to be merely average at best.
$1,419
$1,600
Higher than the industry average
$1,419
$1,600
Higher than the industry average
Erie has good coverage offerings and a top score for its collision repair claims processes. These advantages offset Erie’s car insurance rates, which are a mixed bag depending on your driving record.
Read more: Erie Car Insurance Review
Collision repair grade: A-. Collision repair specialists surveyed by the CRASH Network gave Erie’s collision repair process a great grade, the highest of the companies we analyzed.
Website readability : Erie’s website received a readability score of 51 out of 100, according to an analysis by VisibleThread, a language analysis platform. A score of 60 or higher is preferred, but above 50 is decent. Erie’s website is written at an 8th-grade reading level, making it understandable for many readers.
Company | Average annual rate for good drivers | Collision repair grade | Complaint level | Forbes Advisor rating |
---|---|---|---|---|
Geico | $1,182 | C- | Low | |
Nationwide | $1,540 | C | Very Low | |
Travelers | $1,435 | C+ | Very Low | |
USAA | $1,141 | C+ | OK | |
Auto-Owners | $1,532 | B+ | Low | |
State Farm | $1,402 | C | Low | |
Allstate | $2,022 | C- | Low | |
Erie | $1,419 | A- | Higher than the industry average | |
Farmers | $2,124 | C | Higher than the industry average | |
Progressive | $1,892 | C | OK |
Here’s a look at car insurance rates based on averages nationwide among the largest insurance companies.
Type of driver | Average annual rate | |
---|---|---|
For good drivers | $1,569 | |
Driver who caused an accident with property damage | $2,272 | |
Driver who caused an accident with an injury | $2,304 | |
Driver with one DUI | $2,623 | |
Driver with one speeding ticket | $1,947 | |
Driver with poor credit | $2,876 | |
Driver caught without insurance | $1,822 | |
Once you decide how much car insurance you need, it’s time to start shopping for a policy. Rates often vary widely among companies for the exact same coverage, so it’s smart to compare car insurance quotes from multiple insurers. For example, in California, rates for a good driver range from $1,668 (Wawanesa) to $3,940 (The Hartford)—a range of about $2,270 for the exact same driver.
If you don’t shop around you won’t know if your rates are on the high end. You can find free quotes online or by working with an auto insurance agent. Independent insurance agents can provide quotes from multiple companies.
Insurance quotes are always free.
Ask about car insurance discounts when you’re getting car insurance quotes. You can typically knock down your car insurance costs with discounts for:
Here are types of car insurance that are generally required by states.
Liability insurance: Required in most states. Car liability insurance pays for injuries and property damage you cause to others. A good rule of thumb is to buy enough liability insurance to cover what can be taken from you in a lawsuit.
Uninsured motorist coverage (UM): Mandatory in some states and optional in others. Uninsured motorist insurance pays for you and your passengers’ medical bills and other expenses if someone crashes into you and they don’t have any liability insurance. A related coverage, underinsured motorist coverage, helps with you and your passengers’ medical bills when a driver with insufficient coverage causes an accident resulting in injuries.
Collision and comprehensive insurance: Required if you have a car loan or lease. These are two separate coverage types often sold together. Collision and comprehensive insurance pay for your vehicle repair bills due to problems such as car accidents, car theft, fires, floods, severe weather, falling objects, vandalism and collisions with animals.
Personal injury protection: Required in some states. Some states use a no-fault car insurance system. In these states you’ll make smaller injury claims on your own auto insurance no matter who was to blame. These claims fall under personal injury protection, which is required in no-fault states and available in some others.
Sometimes getting the best car insurance means adding extra coverage in order to get more protection or guard against unexpected out-of-pocket expenses. Here are some other auto insurance types to consider.
Accident forgiveness. Raising your car insurance rates after you cause an accident is standard operating procedure for car insurance companies. If you get “accident forgiveness” coverage from your insurer, you can escape a rate increase after your first at-fault accident. Some insurers go a step further and also “forgive” a moving violation, such as a speeding ticket.
Gap insurance. Do you have a large car loan balance or lease? If your car is totaled, the insurance payout for the vehicle could be much less than your balance. Gap insurance pays the difference.
New car replacement. If you’re the unlikely driver who totals your new car, this coverage can help. It will pay to replace your car with a similar new car, rather than compensating you only for the depreciated value of your car. New car replacement coverage rules can vary among insurers for what qualifies as a “new” car so check the details.
Pay-per-mile insurance. If you drive very little, pay-per-mile auto insurance could be a good bet for you. Part of your premium hinges on exactly how many miles you drive each month. The other part, called the base rate, doesn’t change from month to month.
SR-22 insurance. An SR-22 is definitely not something you want, but you may need an insurer that provides it. Your state could require you to obtain an SR-22 form to prove that you have auto insurance. Your insurance company needs to send this form to the state to verify you have coverage, but not all insurers perform this service. You might end up with an SR-22 requirement if, for example, you rack up a lot of moving violations or you cause an accident while driving uninsured.
Usage-based insurance. This type of policy has the potential to reduce your car insurance bill if you’re a really good driver. This typically means no speeding, hard braking, hard cornering and other factors. Usage-based insurance (UBI) programs use either an app or a device that plugs into your car to track your driving habits.
But don’t count on savings from usage-based insurance. Less than half (48%) of drivers who opt into a usage-based insurance program actually see savings, according to TransUnion’s 2022 Insurance Trends and Outlook Report. Premiums stayed the same for 30% of drivers using UBI.
Vanishing deductibles. If you have a collision or comprehensive insurance claim, your insurance check will be reduced by your deductible. Some auto insurers take the sting out of deductibles by offering a vanishing deductible. Generally this means a set reduction (such as $100) for every year you don’t make a claim.
Your car insurance cost will vary depending on several factors that include:
If you’re lucky, you’ll have very little experience with collision repairs. That also means you won’t necessarily know if you’re getting superior claims service compared to other insurers.
Collision repair professionals have the advantage of dealing with insurers daily and seeing which companies try to cut corners on claims, and which companies have processes that slow down the repair process.
For this reason we incorporated grades of insurance companies from collision repair professionals, supplied by CRASH Network.
“Drivers pay their auto insurance premiums every month, yet they only find out how well that insurer will take care of them when they file a claim—which happens about once a decade for the average driver,” says John Yoswick, editor of CRASH Network, which has a weekly newsletter covering the collision repair and auto insurance market segments.
“But auto body repair shops see every day which insurance companies prioritize cost-savings by pushing to use the cheapest parts and repair methods, and which insurers take better care of their policyholders by prioritizing repair quality and the use of automaker-recommended repair methods and parts,” he says.
CRASH Network produces an annual Insurer Report Card that gives insight into insurers’ claims processes that others don’t see. Auto body repair professionals across the country are asked, “How well does this company’s claims handling policies, attitude and payment practices ensure quality repairs and customer service for motorists?”
“This knowledge gives body shops a unique perspective on which insurance companies consistently earn an ‘A’ when it comes to customer service and a proper repair for their policyholders, and which insurers deserve a ‘C’ or ‘D,’” says Yoswick.
Among 75 insurers scored by CRASH Network, only North Carolina Farm Bureau, Chubb, Erie and Michigan Farm Bureau received grades in the “A” range.
Geico sells insurance for cars, motorcycles and classic cars. For those who enjoy a little more adventure, Geico also sells insurance for RVs, ATVs and boats.
Optional coverage types for auto insurance includes emergency road service, rental reimbursement and mechanical breakdown insurance.
If you’re concerned about a rate increase after an accident, Geico offers accident forgiveness insurance, which you can pay to add to your policy or earn by maintaining a clean driving record. Geico will waive the first at-fault accident caused by an eligible driver listed on your policy.
Geico also sells Mexico auto insurance if you plan to drive south of the border.
Geico offers many discounts, especially for drivers who practice safe driving habits. If you’re in the military or are part of an emergency deployment, you could receive between 15% and 25% off your policy. And, if you’re a loyal customer, you can benefit from the multi-vehicle discount or the multiple policy discount. Other auto insurance discounts include:
Nationwide sells insurance for cars, classic cars, RVs, motorcycles, ATVs, scooters, golf carts and boats. For winter-fun enthusiasts, Nationwide sells insurance for snowmobiles.
For drivers concerned about paying a high deductible in the event of an accident, Nationwide offers a vanishing deductible. Every year you go without an accident, you can earn $100 off your deductible, up to $500 total.
Nationwide also offers accident forgiveness, which helps drivers avoid a rate increase due to an at-fault accident. While you have to pay to add this coverage to your policy, it can help offset the premium increase that typically applies after an at-fault accident.
Nationwide has two options for customers looking to reduce their car insurance bills through low mileage or superior driving skills.
For low-mileage drivers, Nationwide offers SmartMiles, which provides the same coverage as a traditional Nationwide auto insurance policy but largely bases your premium on the actual mileage driven. Your rate consists of two components: a base rate and a variable rate (the cost per mile). Since your variable rate is determined by how much you drive, your monthly rate will vary month-to-month.
Nationwide also offers savings potential with its SmartRide usage-based insurance program. When you sign up you can earn up to 10%. Then, if your driving habits are good enough, you could earn up to 40% off your auto insurance.
Nationwide offers several discounts, especially for drivers with safe driving habits. If you have a driver in high school or college, look for Nationwide’s discounts for good students.
Other car insurance discounts from Nationwide include:
Travelers sells car, boat and yacht insurance (for those who prefer traveling via water). Optional auto insurance add-ons include roadside assistance coverage and rental reimbursement coverage.
For drivers who want to protect a vehicle when it’s financed or leased, Travelers offers loan/lease gap insurance. If your vehicle is totaled, this coverage can pay your the difference between the actual cash value of the car and the remaining balance of your loan or lease.
Travelers offer many possible discounts. If you enjoy getting ahead of your bills, look for EFT and pay-in-full discounts. Travelers’ car insurance discounts include:
USAA sells insurance for cars, motorcycles, ATVs, motorhomes, boats and classic cars. And, for those who fly to their destinations, aviation insurance. Optional coverage types include roadside assistance and rental reimbursement.
Current and former U.S. military members, and spouses and children of U.S. military members are eligible for USAA insurance.
For drivers concerned about a rate increase after they cause an accident, USAA offers accident forgiveness insurance. If you remain accident-free for five years, your premium won’t go up after one at-fault accident.
USAA also offers rideshare coverage for drivers with Uber, Lyft and other services.
If you’ve had USAA auto insurance for a few years, you can benefit from “length of membership savings.” And if you add auto insurance to a USAA homeowners or renters insurance policy, you could save up to 10%. Other USAA car insurance discounts include:
Auto-Owners sells vehicle insurance for cars, ATVs and off-road vehicles, motorcycles, trailers, and boats. For those who enjoy exploring the nation in a motorhome, Auto-Owners sells motorhome and RV coverage.
Optional add-ons include roadside assistance coverage, additional expense coverage, and lease or loan gap coverage. If you choose to purchase the Personal Automobile Plus Package from Auto-Owners, you’ll receive 10 other coverage add-ons including identity theft protection, re-keying locks and cell phone replacement.
Auto-Owners also sells “diminished value” coverage. With this coverage, you receive compensation if you’re in an accident and the damage depreciates the value of the vehicle even after it’s repaired.
Auto-Owners Insurance customers may be eligible for a few additional benefits, including “collision coverage advantage.” With this benefit, your collision deductible is waived if you’re in an accident with another vehicle insured by Auto-Owners Insurance.
Auto-Owners offers several discounts, especially for students. If you have a young driver who’s in school, look for Auto-Owners discounts for good students and students away at school. If you’re passionate about saving the environment, you can benefit from the green discount. Other discounts include:
State Farm is currently the largest auto and home insurer in the U.S. It sells vehicle insurance for cars, motorcycles, RVs, off-road vehicles and boats. For those who have antique and classic cars, State Farm provides coverage for vintage vehicles.
Whether you’re a safe driver or have multiple vehicles under one policy, you might be able to save on State Farm auto insurance rates.
Allstate sells vehicle insurance for cars, motorcycles, classic cars and boats. For those that enjoy the outdoors and adventure, Allstate also offers coverage for ATVs and RVs.
Optional coverage that can be added to an Allstate policy include roadside assistance, rental reimbursement and sound system insurance. Allstate also offers add-on coverage of gap insurance, new car replacement and diminishing deductible.
Gap insurance helps if your car is totaled in an accident and you owe more than the vehicle’s value. Alllstate’s new car replacement coverage will pay to replace your car with a new car of the same make and model if it is two model years old or less and totaled in an accident covered by your policy. And enrolling in the diminishing deductible gets you $100 off your collision deductible immediately, and if you remain claim-free you can continue to reduce your deductible each year, up to a maximum of $500 off.
Allstate offers a variety of car insurance discounts, particularly for safe drivers. Teen drivers and their parents can take advantage of discounts such as the smart student discount and teenSMART driver education program. Car features like anti-lock brakes and anti-theft devices can also result in discounts. Other discounts include:
Erie’s vehicle insurance is available for cars, motorcycles, recreational vehicles, classic cars and boats. You can also purchase insurance for snowmobiles, RVs, ATVs and golf carts. Optional add-ons include:
For drivers who recently purchased a new car, Erie sells new car protection. With this coverage, your car will be replaced with the latest model if it’s deemed a total loss due to an accident covered by your policy. Erie also offers “better car protection” that pays to replace your vehicle with a car two years newer.
Erie offers several auto insurance discounts, especially for safe drivers. If you have a driver under age 21on your policy, look for Erie’s discount for young drivers. If you don’t use your car for an extended amount of time, you could benefit from the reduced usage discount. Other discounts include:
State | Cheapest company for good drivers | Average annual rate | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Alabama | Geico | $1,081 | ||
Arizona | Geico | $992 | ||
Arkansas | State Farm | $1,314 | ||
California | Wawanesa | $1,668 | ||
Colorado | Geico | $1,160 | ||
Connecticut | Geico | $719 | ||
Delaware | Geico | $1,205 | ||
Florida | Geico | $1,699 | ||
Georgia | Geico | $1,210 | ||
Idaho | American National | $585 | ||
Illinois | Pekin Insurance | $1,060 | ||
Indiana | Geico | $787 | ||
Iowa | State Farm | $887 | ||
Kansas | Travelers | $1,312 | ||
Kentucky | Geico | $1,073 | ||
Louisiana | Louisiana Farm Bureau | $2,438 | ||
Maine | Geico | $590 | ||
Maryland | Travelers | $1,287 | ||
Massachusetts | Geico | $1,019 | ||
Michigan | Geico | $1,045 | ||
Minnesota | State Farm | $1,090 | ||
Mississippi | Direct General Insurance | $1,026 | ||
Missouri | State Farm | $1,402 | ||
Nebraska | Farmers Mutual of Nebraska | $1,368 | ||
Nevada | Geico | $1,379 | ||
New Hampshire | Concord | $762 | ||
New Jersey | Plymouth Rock | $1,160 | ||
New Mexico | Geico | $1,065 | ||
New York | Progressive | $1,047 | ||
North Carolina | Geico | $872 | ||
North Dakota | Geico | $758 | ||
Ohio | Geico | $764 | ||
Oklahoma | Geico | $1,151 | ||
Oregon | State Farm | $1,006 | ||
Pennsylvania | Erie | $1,164 | ||
Rhode Island | Geico | $1,330 | ||
South Carolina | American National | $721 | ||
South Dakota | Geico | $1,072 | ||
Tennessee | State Farm | $875 | ||
Texas | Texas Farm Bureau | $1,035 | ||
Utah | Geico | $830 | ||
Vermont | Geico | $591 | ||
Virginia | Geico | $1,041 | ||
Washington | Geico | $1,006 | ||
West Virginia | Geico | $1,159 | ||
Wisconsin | Geico | $793 | ||
Related: Cheapest Car Insurance of 2022
Complaints collected nationwide against car insurance companies reveal problem spots for some insurers. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners calculates a complaint ratio for each company that reflects the number of complaints in relation to the insurer’s business size.
Car insurance rates have been steadily rising for decades, except for a sharp dip in 2020, when auto insurance companies offered refunds and credits in order to provide financial relief for customers dealing with pandemic-related income drops and to account for the deep reduction in driving.
Over the years, spiking medical costs and increasingly expensive car repairs have conspired to continually push up what we pay for car insurance. But for the most part, consumers think that auto insurance rates are fair or have no strong feelings about them. A new survey by YouGov for Forbes Advisor found that 48% of adult Americans think that car insurance rates are “fair” or “very fair.” Another 18% are on the fence, judging rates to be neither fair or unfair.
Of the 31% who judge car insurance rates to be “unfair” or “very unfair,” half (50%) nonetheless took no action in the last 12 months to seek a solution. About one-third say they at least got an insurance quote from a different company, and 11% switched companies. A notable portion (12%) say they reduced their overall auto insurance coverage in the last 12 months.
While almost half of Americans think car insurance rates are fair, a closer look under the hood reveals that “fairness” quickly drops when people are asked about specific pricing factors that are commonly used in setting car insurance rates.
For example, 69% of survey respondents didn’t think that a driver’s credit score should be used in auto insurance rates, yet many insurers put significant weight on credit-based insurance scores when setting prices.
Insurers say they can correlate poor credit with the chances that a person will make auto insurance claims. Although insurance rates are regulated by each state’s department of insurance, states generally allow pricing factors like credit when insurers can show a connection to higher claims. Only California, Hawaii, Massachusetts and Michigan ban the use of credit in auto insurance rates.
When Washington state’s insurance commissioner put a ban on the use of credit for insurance rates earlier this year he was immediately hit with pushback from the insurance industry and a lawsuit. But the ban on credit ultimately prevailed, taking effect June 20.
Because the use and extent of credit in rates can vary considerably among insurers, a driver with poor credit could especially benefit from shopping around.
Company | Average rate increase nationally due to poor credit |
---|---|
Nationwide | 35% |
Geico | 43% |
Allstate | 56% |
Farmers | 64% |
Travelers | 66% |
Progressive | 67% |
USAA | 68% |
Erie | 128% |
Auto-Owners | 161% |
State Farm | 174% |
Many auto insurance companies give education-related discounts, rewarding drivers who have achieved a bachelor’s or master’s degree or Ph.D. But 67% of survey respondents don’t agree that education level should be a factor in car insurance rates.
Still, 21% supported the idea. Insurers might include education level in rates when they’ve drawn a connection between an advanced degree and lower claims.
While using credit or education level in auto insurance pricing was contentious, the use of occupation wasn’t as controversial: 44% didn’t believe a driver’s occupation should affect rates, but 36% thought it was OK.
Like other pricing factors that aren’t about actual driving, some insurers give discounts for certain occupations. For example, lawyers, doctors and educators may be able to score lower rates.
Usage-based auto insurance, which utilizes actual driving data in rates, could reduce reliance on non-driving price factors such as education. Using telematics, these insurance programs monitor and score actual driving such as speeding, braking and cornering.
About half (51%) of survey respondents said they’d be “very comfortable” or “somewhat comfortable” with having their driving closely monitored if it could lead to lower car insurance rates. A smaller portion (44%) had reluctance, expressing discomfort with such oversight.
So while auto insurance companies seek more precise ways to price individual “risk,” drivers may find fewer and fewer options that don’t use highly personalized measurements.
YouGov polled 2,000 U.S. adults. The survey was conducted on June 24, 2021. The survey was carried out through YouGov Direct. Data is weighted by age, gender, education level, political affiliation and ethnicity. Results are nationally representative of adults in the United States. The margin of error is 3.0%.
To identify the best car insurance companies we took a holistic view of each company that incorporates scores for auto insurance rates, the coverage options offered, complaints against the company, collision repair and how easy it is to understand the information on their websites.
Auto insurance rates: 50% of score. We used data from Quadrant Information Services to find average rates from each company for good drivers, drivers who have caused an accident, drivers with a speeding ticket, drivers with a DUI, drivers with poor credit, drivers caught without insurance, adding a teen driver, senior drivers and young drivers.
Car insurance coverage options: 25% of score: Any auto insurance company can provide the basics of liability insurance, collision and comprehensive coverage and other standard offerings. But it’s also important to have access to additional coverage types that can provide greater protection or cost savings. In this category we gave points to companies that offer accident forgiveness, new car replacement, vanishing deductibles, usage-based or pay-per-mile insurance, and SR-22s.
Complaints (20% of score): We used complaint data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. Each state’s department of insurance is in charge of logging and monitoring complaints against the companies that operate in their states. Most auto insurance complaints center on claims, including unsatisfactory settlements, delays and denials.
Collision repair (5% of score): Auto body shop professionals have an insider view of each company’s approach to repairs. The better insurers don’t apply pressure to cut costs or install lower-quality repair parts. Some insurers also have processes that help speed up repair and claims processes, making for more happy customers. We used data provided by CRASH Network, a weekly newsletter covering the collision repair and auto insurance market segments. CRASH Network’s 2021 Insurer Report Card used grades from more than 1,000 collision repair professionals to gauge auto insurers on the quality of their collision claims service.
Website readability: Bonus points. It’s important to understand the coverage you’re buying, and insurance company websites should help you do that. But many insurer websites don’t do a good job explaining the products they sell. Many insurer sites are filled with passive voice, jargon, complex words and long sentences..
Forbes Advisor asked VisibleThread to analyze the readability of insurance company websites. VisibleThread is a language analysis platform that improves the efficiency, clarity and compliance of mission-critical business writing. Read VisibleThread’s Forbes Advisor Research Report.
Most states (except New Hampshire and Virginia) require liability auto insurance, to pay for damage and injuries you cause to others.
Many states also require uninsured motorist coverage. This does not pay out to other motorists. It pays for medical bills to you and your passengers if you’re hit by someone who doesn’t have auto insurance—or not enough.
And states that have a no-fault insurance system require that car owners buy personal injury protection (PIP). PIP pays your medical bills no matter who caused the accident.
The main key in finding a good deal is to get car insurance quotes from multiple companies. That’s the only way you’ll know what companies are going to charge, based on your personal factors.
Another strategy is to bundle your auto insurance with another policy, such as homeowners or renters. Buying more than one policy from the same company typically results in a decent discount.
Discounts on vehicle safety equipment, such as air bags, are easy to get. Make sure to get a bundling discount by buying from the same company if you need more than one type of insurance policy.
Good driver car insurance discounts are common. If you have a teen or young adult driver, you may be able to get a good student discount. And you may be able to get a small discount for things you would do anyway, like going paperless by receiving insurance bills and policies electronically.
Penny Gusner is an insurance analyst for Forbes Advisor. For nearly two decades, she has been helping consumers learn how insurance laws, data, trends and coverages affect them. She enjoys translating the complexities of insurance into easy-to-understand advice and tips to help consumers make the best choices for their needs.