Key Takeaways:
- The difference between the cheapest provider for you and a more expensive one could be hundreds of dollars per year.
- Car insurance quote marketplaces are the fastest way to get multiple quotes to compare.
- In addition to rates, you’ll also want to compare car insurance companies by coverage, industry reputation and customer experience. We’ve made that easy for you.
Comparing car insurance quotes can be an effective way to save money on auto coverage. It’s often difficult to find rate estimates that apply to your driver profile without sifting through endless tables and text or providing your personal information.
To get actual quotes to compare — and eventually purchase car insurance — you’ll have to hear from the providers themselves. After years of working with more than a hundred insurers and hearing from thousands of auto insurance customers, we at the MarketWatch Guides team have found that the most comprehensive way to compare quotes is to use a comparison marketplace tool to get personalized quotes in just a few minutes.
We at the MarketWatch Guides team have spent more than 800 hours researching auto insurance to bring you information you can rely on to help you make the best possible decision about your policy and provider. Here’s where our information comes from:
- Research into 130 of the country’s top auto insurance providers
- 9.1 million car insurance rate estimates from Quadrant Information Services
- 8,500 data points about the coverage, availability, industry reputation and customer sentiments of each company in our study
- Surveys totaling more than 8,500 car insurance policyholders
Why Trust Us? How We Put Our Advice To the Test
To verify our advice and get a first-person perspective of the auto insurance shopping process, we also sent one of our team members, Connor Bolton, into the field. In search of a new auto policy, Bolton compared our suggested process to other ways of getting car insurance quotes.
There are a few terms you’ll see used in this and other auto insurance content that may be a little confusing. Here’s what they are and what they mean.
- Premium: The cost of your auto insurance policy.
- Quote: An offer from an auto insurance provider that includes a premium price.
- Rate: A more general term used to refer to the cost of a car insurance policy.
- Estimate: An approximate valuation of what rates are likely to be based on factors considered.
Example:
Estimates can be very helpful, which is why we’ve included many of them for a wide variety of driver profiles. But to get an accurate rate for your premium, you’ll have to get actual car insurance quotes. To do that, use any of the ZIP tools on our page when you’re ready.
Comparing Car Insurance Quotes: What Matters Most
The cost you see on car insurance quotes is likely your number one point of comparison. But sometimes paying a little more than the cheapest quote can be worth it.
When shopping for car insurance, we recommend that you consider these four things: cost, coverage, industry reputation and customer experience. However, most carriers have similar products so coverage is typically not the only reason to choose one carrier over another.
Major factors that drivers should consider when comparing car insurance quotes are the types of coverage — including liability, collision, comprehensive and uninsured motorist coverage, policy limits, deductibles, an insurer’s financial strength and the quality and reputation of its claims service.
Jeungbo Shim, Associate Professor in the Risk Management and Insurance Program at the University of Colorado at Denver
We also surveyed 2,000 insurance customers on what they look for and nearly half said cost and discounts:
Car Insurance Cost (and the Factors That Drive It)
The table below shows the national average minimum- and full-coverage rate estimates from top national providers based on our standardized driver profile.
Note that we use the term “estimates” for this and other rate tables on this page. The reason you’re seeing “estimates” rather than “quotes” is that insurers use a long list of factors about you and your vehicle to calculate what you pay. The good news is that we can give you a better idea of what your premiums are likely to be, based on some of the key factors that apply to you.
While there are many factors that go into rate calculations, there are four that have the largest impact on your premiums, according to our research. In the list below, we listed the main factors that influence your rates, stacked in order of importance:
- Age: Younger drivers typically pay much more than middle-aged drivers for coverage. Teen drivers usually pay the highest rates.
- Credit score: In states where car insurance companies can use your credit score as a factor in your rates, it can have a substantial impact on your premiums. People with higher credit scores typically pay much lower rates than those with lower scores.
- Location: Rates vary significantly between states based on differences in regulations and local risk factors. Even within states, there can be large differences between ZIP codes in average premiums.
- Driving history: A clean driving record will get you the lowest rates on car insurance. Any “dings” on your record such as an accident, speeding tickets or a DUI.
- Other factors: Information such as your gender of record, marital status and the car you drive also impact your rates — but usually to a lesser degree than the factors listed above.
In the following sections, we use a series of tables to display average rate estimates based on different combinations of factors. Outside of the specific variables explored in the tables, all other factors fit our standard driver profile which includes the following details:
- 35 years old
- Male and female drivers
- Clean driving record
- Good credit score
Minimum-coverage rates at the state level are based on minimum coverage requirements for that state. At the national level, minimum-coverage rates are based on a combined average of state rates.
Full-coverage rates are based on a standard policy that includes the following:
- $50,000 bodily injury (BI) liability coverage per person per accident
- $100,000 BI liability coverage total per accident
- $50,000 property damage (PD) liability coverage per accident
- $500 comprehensive and collision coverage deductibles
Compare Car Insurance by Credit Score
In most states, a poor credit score could increase your premium by as much as 103% for standard coverage and 140% for minimum coverage. This is partly due to the fact that insurance companies associate poor credit with the risk of not maintaining required payments — similar to how lenders use scores. Lower credit scores are also correlated with a higher rate of claims filing.
Chris Johnson, Senior Producer at All About Insurance, said car insurance shoppers are often surprised by just how much of a difference their credit score can make.
Almost daily I run across insureds who have no idea how much their credit score factors into their insurance premiums. I see swings as much as $700 annually between poor credit and excellent credit. In addition, many carriers will deny coverage to insureds who do not have an acceptable credit score for their programs. Generally, auto insurers correlate higher credit scores with more stability, less likelihood for initiating claims as well as less chance for a policy canceling due to non payment.
California, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Oregon and Utah have outlawed the practice of using credit scores as a determining factor in car insurance rates. In all 43 other states, it can play a significant role.
In the table below, you can compare car insurance estimates for good credit and poor credit car owners of different ages.
Car Insurance Rates by Credit Score
Compare Car Insurance by State
Auto insurance premiums vary quite a bit between states for two main reasons: differences in minimum insurance requirements and variations in local risk factors. For how and why rates change from one state to the next, we created guides to auto insurance for every state, which you’ll find linked after the map below.
You’ll often find an insurance policy summarized by a series of numbers separated by slashes. Each number represents the limit for a specific type of coverage on a policy.
For example, you may see a policy summarized as 50/100/50. In most cases, this breaks down like this:
- $50,000 in BI liability coverage per person
- $100,000 in BI liability coverage per accident
- $50,0000 in PD coverage
You can also use this system to list state car insurance requirements. To refresh your memory, these are the abbreviations you’ll see in the table below and what they mean:
- BI: Bodily injury liability
- PD: Property damage liability
- UM/UIM: Uninsured/underinsured motorist
- PIP: Personal injury protection
Compare Car Insurance by Driving Record
Any marks on your driving record can raise your premiums because insurance providers will view these customers as a higher-risk. The good news is that, with time, these marks fall off of your record and your rates can go back down again — yet another reason to comparison shop car insurance quotes every other year or so.
See average rates and estimates from insurance providers for different driving record infractions in the table below. You can use the tabs to navigate.
MarketWatch Guides Tip: What Is an SR-22 Form?
An SR-22 form is a filing sometimes referred to as a “financial responsibility form” that most state motor vehicle departments require for high-risk insurance policies. You may be required to have an SR-22 form if you’ve had your license suspended or revoked, been caught driving without insurance or had serious or multiple infractions on your driving record, such as a DUI.
In most cases, the need for an SR-22 expires after three years, except in the case of a DUI when it may take as many as five years for the requirement to expire. When you have satisfied the need for an SR-22, your insurance provider will file an SR-26 form with your state government to officially certify cancellation of the SR-22 requirement.
Compare Car Insurance Companies
There’s more to comparing car insurance than just rates. The ideal auto insurance provider is a company that offers the coverage you need with a strong reputation within the industry and with customers. In the following sections, we’ll compare each company by individual categories.
Compare Car Insurance Companies: Coverage
In our most recent auto insurance survey, coverage offered was the second-most important consideration for car insurance buyers, with 99% indicating it was important to them. Options like roadside assistance, trip interruption, rental coverage and others can help take care of some of the other costs associated with an insurance loss that aren’t covered under basic policies.
Types of Basic Coverage
You’ll find the same basic types of coverage that make up minimum liability and full coverage policies at every provider. What varies between insurers is the add-on coverage options they offer.
- Bodily injury (BI) liability: Covers medical care and related expenses for other parties injured in a collision you’re found at fault for.
- Property damage (PD) liability: Covers repairs and replacements for other parties damaged in an accident for which you are found at fault.
- Uninsured/Underinsured motorist (UM/UIM): Covers medical and property damages caused by a driver who lacks sufficient coverage.
- Personal injury protection (PIP): Covers you and your party’s medical expenses and lost wages following an accident, no matter who is at fault.
- Collision: Covers your vehicle following an accident, regardless of who is at fault.
- Comprehensive: Covers your vehicle from damage sources other than a collision, including weather, theft, fire, vandalism and more.
Minimum and Full Coverage: What You Should Know
Minimum coverage policies are those that only meet the state minimum auto insurance requirements for liability coverage. They always include BI and PD coverage. In some states, they include UM/UIM or PIP coverage and sometimes both.
Minimum coverage insurance is the cheapest coverage you can buy. These policies keep you in compliance with state laws and cover damages to other parties in an accident you’re found at fault for, but for the most part that’s it. As a result, they open you up to serious financial risk.
Full coverage policies, on the other hand, cover much of that risk. These policies include comprehensive and collision coverage alongside liability and other required insurance. While they cost more, they protect your assets and finances in addition to others.
How To Choose Between Minimum and Full Coverage
The vast majority of insured drivers — around 76%, according to an Insurance Information Institute (III) analysis of National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) data — have either comprehensive or collision coverage, or both. And while we and other insurance experts recommend full coverage for most drivers, it may not be the right choice for you. Here are some things to consider.
Minimum coverage might be right for you if:
- You simply need the cheapest car insurance you can find
- The value of your vehicle doesn’t justify the extra expense of full coverage
- You drive less than 500 miles per month
- You mostly use other ways of getting around, such as public transportation or a bicycle
- You could get by without a car for an extended period of time
You should strongly consider full coverage if:
- Not having access to a vehicle would negatively impact your life
- You can’t afford to replace your vehicle if it is totaled
- You live in an area with elevated risk factors such as frequent severe weather, high theft rates or wildfires
- You don’t have the cash to pay for repairs out of pocket
- You simply want the peace of mind that comes from reducing your financial risk
Additional Coverage Options To Consider
Car insurance providers also offer add-on policies such as rental car reimbursement to help you cover some of the adjacent costs that come with an insurance loss. The selection of these coverages varies between providers, making them a useful point of comparison worth considering.
The table below shows which providers typically rank high across the U.S. in the coverage category.
MarketWatch Guides Tip: Choosing Your Coverage
In many cases, you may not have a say in whether or not you buy full coverage. Many lenders require you to have full coverage on your vehicle if they are financing it. This also tends to be true when you lease a vehicle. Make sure you get the required coverage for your car to fulfill your end of your auto loan or lease agreement.
Compare Car Insurance Companies: Industry Reputation
Just like in any industry, some insurers are more reputable within the auto insurance industry than others. If the provider you choose has a reputation for handling claims poorly, isn’t in good financial standing or hasn’t performed well in industry evaluations, the money you save on a policy may not matter.
Paying for your policy is your end of the agreement. Handling claims in a satisfactory manner is theirs. A company’s reputation within the industry can tell you a lot about whether or not you can trust your insurer to be there when you need them.
The claims experience can vary depending on the situation and claims adjusters involved. Our team members have experience filing claims with different companies. Here’s what Victoria Addison said about filing a claim with Progressive:
I didn’t really have any issues with the process and felt I received quality service. If I could change anything, it would have been the ability to use a mechanic of my choice for the repairs.
Another team member recounted their experience with State Farm:
I had a very hard time getting someone who knew my case on the phone. I would call the customer service number from the app and end up with a generic customer service rep. They would have to transfer me to a case officer who was constantly out of office. I must have left 10 voicemails. […] I will say that the actual State Farm agent I’ve had for over 10 years is great. When I call him he answers, he’s able to help me navigate the process and when he calls corporate I get a call back much faster.
We reached out to State Farm for a comment and received the following response:
As an organization, we take pride in our customer service and are committed to paying what we owe promptly, courteously and efficiently. State Farm values the relationships we have with our customers. If a customer has any questions, we encourage them to reach out through their agent, online at StateFarm.com or by calling 1-800-STATE-FARM.
Compare Car Insurance Companies: Customer Experience
Customer service is where you’ll find some separation between insurance providers. Some companies are known for providing polite, professional and otherwise helpful customer service, while others are not.
Customer Reviews
When we asked for tips on comparing car insurance companies, Prachi Gala, assistant professor of marketing in the Coles College of Business at Kennesaw State University, told us that customer reviews online can be a valuable source of information.
Check customer reviews and seek recommendations to gauge overall satisfaction with the insurer’s services
Prachi Gala, Assistant Professor of Marketing and Professional Sales at Kennesaw State University
You can find ratings scores and reviews for auto insurance companies on sites such as Google, Trustpilot, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and more. We thought it would be helpful to provide some additional context for those review scores and combine them into one, easy-to-compare metric. You’ll find our combined customer review score for each provider in their listing.
Customer Experience: Tools and Features
Another aspect of the customer experience is the actual experience of interacting with your insurer and your policy. Some companies provide a useful array of apps and online services that make it easy to understand and use your car insurance policy. Others fall short in this department.
This part of the policyholder experience is becoming increasingly important. That’s why we’ve made it a more significant part of our analysis.
Compare Top Car Insurance Carriers Head-to-Head
Our research team took the time to create and document detailed, head-to-head matchups between car insurance providers to help you find the right one. See direct comparisons of the most popular providers by following the links below.
Comparison | Bottom Line |
---|---|
Geico vs. Progressive | Progressive has more coverage options and Geico has lower average rates. |
State Farm vs. Geico | Geico has more discounts and State Farm has higher claims satisfaction ratings. |
Allstate vs. Progressive | Progressive has more coverage offerings while Allstate has better claims satisfaction ratings. |
USAA vs. Geico | USAA has higher coverage ratings and Geico has higher availability ratings. |
Allstate vs. Geico | Allstate has slightly higher coverage ratings and Geico is a better provider overall. |
AAA vs. Geico | Geico is available in every state, while AAA car insurance is only available through one of its member clubs. |
Allstate vs. State Farm | State Farm offers more affordable policies while Allstate has more coverage options. |
Farmers vs. State Farm | Farmers has more coverage options and State Farm offers more affordable policies. |
Farmers vs Geico | Farmers has more discounts and Geico has lower average rates. |
Liberty Mutual vs. Allstate | Liberty Mutual has more coverage options while Allstate is generally cheaper. |
Liberty Mutual vs. Geico | Liberty Mutual offers more discount opportunities and Allstate has cheaper premiums on average. |
Liberty Mutual vs. State Farm | State Farm has lower average rates for drivers, while Liberty Mutual provides strong programs for young drivers. |
State Farm vs. Nationwide | Nationwide is generally more affordable but State Farm has stronger customer service scores. |
USAA vs. State Farm | USAA has strong customer service and industry study scores, while State Farm offers more discount opportunities and availability. |
Car Insurance Discounts and Bundling
Car insurance discounts don’t just save you money, they are also a useful point of comparison between providers. Most car insurance companies offer at least a few discounts on coverage, but the discounts they offer vary from one provider to the next.
Car Insurance Discounts
Seeing which discounts are available and applying them is one of the last steps in getting a new auto policy. You’ll have to check with an agent to learn which discounts apply in your area. But learning which providers have discounts that apply to you can help you narrow down your choices.
These are some of the most common car insurance discounts you’ll find on the market:
- Multi-car: Insurers typically offer a discount for insuring more than one car under the same policy.
- Military: Many insurance companies offer a discount to active duty and retired military members. Sometimes this discount is extended to close family members.
- Retiree: Drivers who are of retirement age may qualify for a discount on their auto policy.
- Good student: Some insurers offer a discount for maintaining good grades while you’re in school.
- Safe driving: If you’ve gone for a predetermined period of time — often three years — with no violations or at-fault accidents on your record, you may qualify for a discount on car insurance.
- Drivers education: Many insurers offer a discount for completing an approved safe driving course, even if you have a clean driving record.
- Autopay: Switching from manual payments to automatic billing can often get you a discount on car insurance.
- Paperless billing: Insurance companies often offer discounts for opting out of getting paper bills in the mail and instead handling it completely online.
- New car: You may be able to qualify for a discount with some insurers if your car is a recent model year.
- Safety feature: Insurers often offer discounts for having additional safety features such as side airbags, anti-theft devices or anti-lock brakes installed.
Read more: Car Insurance Discounts
Bundling Your Insurance
You’re almost guaranteed to find a discount for “bundling” insurance policies with every provider. Sometimes referred to as a multi-policy discount, this refers to when insurers offer savings — often significant — for bringing home insurance and other insurance products onto the same policy under the same insurer.
Here are some of the types of insurance you may be able to bundle with your auto policy:
- Homeowners insurance
- Renters insurance
- Motorcycle insurance
- Pet insurance
- Life insurance
- Boat insurance
- RV insurance
- Umbrella insurance
What Now? Your Next Steps
If you’ve made it this far, you now know everything you need to compare car insurance quotes and get the best price on the best policy from the best provider for you. When you’re ready to get started, you can use the ZIP widget below to get multiple car insurance quotes from EverQuote, a convenient comparison marketplace. If you want to learn a little more about how the process works, keep reading.
MarketWatch Guides Tip: Choosing Car Insurance Coverage
When determining which company to choose, make sure to compare apples to apples. This means, for example, comparing similar quotes from different companies to the coverage they offer. If you find that one company offered you a middle of the road rate but provides the best coverage out of three to five companies you shopped around with, that might give you the most peace of mind.
Steven Gattuso, assistant professor in the economics and finance department at Canisius University, told us that squaring up your coverage needs ahead of time is critical to getting an accurate quotes comparison.
When comparing prices, make sure that you are comparing apples to apples. You may have one insurer who tells you that they can save you money on the premium but does so by reducing coverage.
Steven Gattuso, Assistant Professor of Economics and Finance at Canisius University
How To Get Personalized Auto Quotes
There are a few ways to get car insurance quotes. Not all of the ways are easy or efficient. So, whatever you choose, there are a few steps to the process.
First, auto insurers need some key information about you and your vehicle to generate a quote. Secondly, preparing this information ahead of time and having it ready can significantly cut down on the time you spend shopping for a policy.
Information You May Need To Get a Quote
Insurance providers vary in what they ask for, but in general, you’ll need at least a few of the following pieces of information:
- Vehicle identification number (VIN)
- License plate number
- Drivers license number
- Contact information
- Home address, including ZIP code
- Coverage choices
- Vehicle make, model, year, trim and features
- Additional installed equipment
- Current auto policy details
- Marital status
- Homeownership status
- Military service history
- Approximate credit score
Why Use a Comparison Tool for Car Insurance Quotes
Earlier this year, our auto insurance team member Connor Bolton tested out the three main methods of getting car insurance quotes and choosing a policy. We’ll go over his experiences in this next section to provide a better idea of what getting quotes and comparing them actually looks like.
Comparison Tool | Individual Quotes | Insurance Broker | |
---|---|---|---|
How It Works | 1) Enter your ZIP code and other information into an online tool. 2) Receive calls, emails and texts with car insurance quotes. | 1) Look up car insurance providers in your area. 2) Contact each company one by one and provide your information. 3) Wait for quotes to come back from each company. 4) Ensure each quote is based on the same policy needs. | 1) Contact a car insurance broker in your area. 2) Provide your information. 3) Get one or more quotes.Check for insurers not in the broker’s network. |
Bolton’s Experience | “Going through the workflow of these tools usually took between twotothree minutes to get quotes to compare. Afterward, I started getting calls and emails from providers I selected in just a few minutes. In total, the entire process lasted around nine to 10 minutes.” | “I had to spend three days total to find the car insurance I needed. In total, I spent the most time on phone calls with single company agents when comparing. Agents also typically didn’t help me figure out what coverage I needed and were more focused on matching my current coverage and completing the sale.” | “Working with brokers was very similar to my agent experience, but instead of a variety of quotes, they only show you the cheapest option at your current coverage. Most make you fill out a sheet with your info, search for you, and then call back.” |
Average Time To Receive Quotes | 2-3 hours | 3 days | 2 days |
Pros | • Most efficient process • Large selection of providers to consider • Only need to submit information once | • Personal attention when visiting in person • Ability to gauge customer service | • Only need to provide information one time • Searches multiple companies for the lowest rate |
Cons | • Generates a high volume of calls, texts, and emails | • Least efficient process • Requires lots of manual work and time • Must submit information for each provider | • Often receive only one quote |
Bolton’s Rating | 8/10 | 3/10 | 5/10 |
After wrapping up the experiment, we asked Bolton which method he would use when it came time to shop for car insurance again. For him, there was no comparison.
I would recommend comparing online and through brokers since it is easier to find the best and cheapest option.
What To Expect With Comparison Tools
We firmly believe that online quote tools are the best way to get and compare car insurance quotes. They allow you to receive multiple offers quickly after entering your information just once. But it’s still a process. That’s why we’ve created a guide to prepare you for that process and help you get through it as quickly as possible.
The tool you’ll find on this page and others like it will guide you through the process one step at a time. At each step, you’ll be asked a question about your vehicle and personal information.
Once you complete the process and provide your contact information, your responses will be shared with insurers. Companies that can provide the coverage you’re seeking will then reach out to you with actual quotes that you can compare.
Different tools vary in how long they take and how involved they are. The process for the EverQuote tool we use takes about seven minutes in total. If you do not have all your information at hand, it will likely take longer.
You’ll need to provide the comparison tool with the same information you’d need to hand over to agents, brokers or other online quote retrieval services. This includes information about your vehicle, your driving habits and record, your demographic features and a few other details.
Our tool guides you through these questions one at a time to help simplify the experience.
For the most efficient process, it’s a good idea to prepare this information ahead of time. Skip back to our list of information you’ll need to learn what to get ready before you start the quote retrieval process.
Once you complete the process, you’ll start receiving communications from representatives of different companies about car insurance quotes. These will come in the form of calls, emails and text messages.
In our experience, companies start reaching out almost immediately. Agents may try to reach you for up to a few days after you submit your information. This can be overwhelming, but you can easily opt out by responding to calls, texts or emails and asking to stop communication.
MarketWatch Guides Tip: How To Get Cheaper Car Insurance Quotes
Once you find a policy and provider you like, start looking for discounts you qualify for to save on your annual rate. If you enjoy a good challenge, are consistently trying to be a better driver and don’t drive often, signing up for a telematics program could save you a good amount. Finally, don’t be discouraged if you don’t qualify for many discounts, you can always work toward qualifying for one in the future.
Emily Goener, assistant professor of business communications at the St. Cloud State University Herberger Business School, also gives a few of her best tips for getting cheaper rates now and setting yourself up for lower premiums in the future.
When researching companies, watch for discounts you may qualify for — such as military, good student and more. Try to maintain a safe driving record and good credit scores. Insurance companies consider both factors when preparing quotes. Finally, shop often. You may qualify for new discounts or changes in company ratings, so be sure to review your policies annually.
Emily Goener, Instructor of Business Communication at St. Cloud State University
Comparing Car Insurance Quotes: The Bottom Line
Taking the time to source and compare auto insurance quotes is one of the best ways to save money on coverage. There are many ways you can do that, but a quote comparison tool is an efficient method that you can start right now.
Compare car insurance quotes quickly with your ZIP code below to find the best rate and coverage for your needs.
Compare Car Insurance Quotes: FAQ
Below are some frequently asked questions about comparing car insurance quotes.
Based on a standardized profile in 2024, Geico typically offers the cheapest rates in terms of national average. However, car insurance quotes are unique to individual drivers, so the cheapest rates for you may very well come from a different provider.
Geico is cheaper than Progressive for many drivers, but not always. Car insurance quotes are tailored to an individual and their vehicle, so while Geico may have cheaper premiums than Progressive for some drivers, the opposite is also true. Progressive tends to have comparatively affordable rates for high-risk drivers.
Middle-aged drivers with good credit scores and clean driving records typically pay the cheapest rates for car insurance.
Our Methodology For Comparing Car Insurance Companies
Because consumers rely on us to provide objective and accurate information, we created a comprehensive rating system to formulate our rankings of the best car insurance companies. We collected data on dozens of auto insurance providers to grade the companies on a wide range of ranking factors. The end result was an overall rating for each provider, with the insurers that scored the most points topping the list.
Here are the factors our ratings take into account:
- Coverage (30% of total score): Companies that offer a variety of choices for insurance coverage are more likely to meet consumer needs.
- Cost and Discounts (25% of total score): Auto insurance rate estimates generated by Quadrant Information Services and discount opportunities are both taken into consideration.
- Industry Standing (20% of total score): Our research team considers market share, ratings from industry experts and years in business when giving this score.
- Customer Experience (15% of total score): This score is based on volume of complaints reported by the NAIC and customer satisfaction ratings reported by J.D. Power. We also consider the responsiveness, friendliness and helpfulness of each insurance company’s customer service team based on our own shopper analysis.
- Availability (10% of total score): Auto insurance companies with greater state availability and few eligibility requirements score highest in this category.
Our credentials:
- 800 hours researched
- 130+ companies reviewed
- 8,500+ consumers surveyed
*Data accurate at time of publication.
If you have feedback or questions about this article, please email the MarketWatch Guides team at editors@marketwatchguides.