Unveiling the Top 5 Largest Car Insurance Companies: A Comprehensive Guide
Unveiling the Top 5 Largest Car Insurance Companies: A Comprehensive Guide
It may seem like you see an advertisement for a new insurance company every day. However, the list of car insurance companies that have withstood the test of time is much smaller. These companies have survived by changing their business models over time.
Liberty Mutual, for example, originally launched in 1912 to underwrite workers’ compensation insurance policies for businesses. GEICO famously started by serving government and military employees in 1936. But by 1996, Warren Buffet’s investment firm Berkshire Hathaway had purchased the company, and it now provides policies to the general public.
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The 5 best auto insurance companies
We compiled a list of car insurance companies that balance lower-than-average full-coverage premiums, high Quality Scores, strong customer satisfaction ratings, and stable financial outlooks.
| Insurance Company | Average Monthly Quote: Full Coverage | Quality Score |
|---|
NJM
NJM — short for New Jersey Manufacturers — got its start in 1913 selling workers’ compensation insurance policies to factories.
The downside is that NJM personal auto insurance is currently only available in five states: Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. It offers the standard suite of liability and full-coverage options, plus endorsements for rideshare drivers, roadside assistance, and more.
NJM offers several standard discounts as well, such as for bundling policies together and for having certain vehicle safety features. It also offers a few unique discounts, such as for older drivers who have taken certain safety courses or even for purchasing a full-coverage policy.
NJM pros and cons
Pays out dividends to some policyholders
Extremely low volume of customer complaints with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC)
Very active with community-based teen driver safety programs
No mobile app to manage your policy
Available in only five states
Poorly rated telematics-based app
USAA
USAA consistently ranks as one of the top auto insurance companies based on its high-scoring marks in nearly every category. The big downside of this company is that you can only purchase a policy if you’re a current or former military member, or a family member of one.
This reflects the company’s original mission. Founded in 1922 by five Army officers, it was created to help serve the unique needs of military members, and that’s something it still excels at today by offering special discounts for things like storing your car on-post or even deploying. It offers the standard suite of coverages, plus extras such as a rideshare endorsement.
USAA pros and cons
Lower-than-average premiums
A++ (Superior) A.M. Best rating
Lots of military-specific discounts and services
Doesn’t offer gap coverage
Not available to the general public
Only five branch locations available
State Farm
State Farm commands more than 16% of the U.S. car insurance market, making it the largest car insurance company in the country. It’s a particularly good choice if you’re looking for an overall good experience with your insurance company because J.D. Power ranked it better-than-average in most areas of the U.S. in terms of customer satisfaction.
If you’re tech-savvy, State Farm is also a good choice because J.D. Power also gave its mobile app a high rating. It carries the highest-possible A.M. Best rating, an important consideration in making sure the company is financially sound and will be able to pay your claims no matter what happens.
State Farm pros and cons
Highly-rated mobile app
High ratings for overall customer satisfaction
Also offers banking and investment services to streamline your finances
Not available in Massachusetts or Rhode Island
Rates are higher than average if you have bad credit
Doesn’t offer coverage for custom aftermarket equipment
American Family
American Family started in 1927 and currently receives rave reviews from its customers, who appreciate the many ways this insurer can help them save on car insurance without sacrificing quality. It’s one of the few large insurers to offer a pay-per-mile option for low-mileage drivers in Arizona and Oregon, as well as 17 additional discount options.
American Family offers a standard set of coverage options but doesn’t have a lot of extra options you need to sort through. Unfortunately, it’s only available in 19 states, mostly located in the Midwest and West.
American Family pros and cons
Higher-than-average number of discounts for younger drivers
Diminishing Deductible program can reduce your deductible down to $0
Rated second-best for overall customer satisfaction in the Central region by J.D. Power[2]
Low mobile app satisfaction in J.D. Power’s digital experience study
Available in only 19 states
Received lower A.M. Best rating compared to top insurers
GEICO
GEICO is the third-largest auto insurance company in the U.S., with more than 43,000 employees. It receives top marks for financial stability and a low level of customer complaints, and it’s cheaper than other insurers, on average.
In addition to standard full-coverage and liability-only options, it offers a few unique coverages, such as mechanical breakdown insurance. It features 14 different discount options, with some discounts — such as for emergency military deployment — offering premium reductions of up to 25%.
GEICO pros and cons
A++ A.M. Best rating
Low number of NAIC complaints for a company of its size
Offers some unique coverage options
Doesn’t offer gap coverage
Doesn’t offer rideshare coverage
Very limited network of local agents
How we rates car insurance companies
We uses an in-house, proprietary method to rate and review the best car insurance companies. Our Quality (IQ) Score uses more than 15 crucial criteria, including average premiums, customer satisfaction, discounts, and third-party ratings, to calculate a final score for a company.
Criteria are weighted by importance to the consumer — factors such as customer reviews and affordability influence the score more than availability and third-party ratings. With the IQ Score, we are able to provide quantitative ratings for drivers to better compare car insurance companies and make informed decisions to meet their coverage needs.
The 5 cheapest car insurance companies
You’re required to purchase at least a minimum level of liability coverage in most states in order to legally drive. It’s a good idea to consider higher coverage levels if you have the budget for it, but you must meet your state’s liability minimums. The cheapest car insurance companies for liability-only coverage are COUNTRY Financial, NJM, and Auto-Owners, each with liability premiums of less than $100 a month.
| Insurance Company | Average Monthly Quote: Liability Only |
|---|---|
| COUNTRY Financial | $60 |
| NJM | $63 |
| Auto-Owners | $76 |
| USAA | $106 |
| Erie | $107 |
Compare Car Insurance Quotes
How much does car insurance cost?
Car insurance companies base their prices on many factors, so you may get car insurance quotes that differ from the average rate. Here are a few factors that car insurance companies use to price your premiums:
Your car: You may pay higher rates if you drive an older vehicle with fewer safety features, if you put a lot of miles on your car, or if your car is an expensive model that would cost more to repair or replace.
Your credit score: In most states, insurance companies can use your credit score to calculate your rates and decide whether it’ll allow you to buy a policy.
Coverage amounts: Full-coverage insurance costs more because it adds collision and comprehensive coverage to your policy. For example, State Farm and The General charge an average of $50 and $192 more per month, respectively, for full coverage than for liability-only insurance.
Demographic information: Insurers charge higher premiums for younger drivers, men, single people, and people who live in urban areas with higher rates of theft and car accidents.
How much car insurance should you have?
This is one of the trickiest questions to answer because there’s no way to definitively tell what amount of car insurance is correct. It’s a matter of weighing your risks versus the cost of the insurance.
If you’re financing your car, the answer is a bit easier: Most lenders require you to purchase a full-coverage policy since they have a financial interest in your car.
A financial advisor may be able to help you determine how much car insurance you need. Nycole Freer, certified financial advisor and owner of Eden Financial, specializes in helping mothers and young professionals achieve their financial goals. She recommends that her clients purchase a full-coverage policy and max out their liability coverage to $500,000 to provide the most financial protection possible.
“You don’t want to be in a position where [you] get into an accident and are underinsured,” says Freer. “That could put you into a financial hole you don’t want to climb out of.”
If you cause an accident, insurance will only pay up to your coverage limits, and you’re responsible for the rest.
How to choose a car insurance company
The list of car insurance companies seems endless, but you can quickly zero in on the best options by following a few tips:
Research reviews. Look at various review websites to get an idea of which companies people choose, how much they charge, and what their pros and cons are.
Work with a broker. An independent insurance broker works with multiple companies and can do the legwork for you in terms of finding the best quote with the best auto insurer.
Be clear on your insurance needs. Most people do just fine with standard car insurance options, but it’s worth thinking about your situation. Are there any features you’d really prefer in a company or any certain types of coverage options you need? This can be a quick way to narrow down the field.
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