What are the 10 best insurance companies

The best car insurance companies give their customers more than just coverage they want at a reasonable price. They also provide a customer-first experience, including a headache-free way to manage policies and make payments.

To pinpoint the best auto insurance companies, we looked at customer complaints data, consumer experience and financial strength. We also researched coverage offered and how easily you can interact with an insurer online when you’re getting a quote or filing a claim.

Based on these factors, these are our top auto insurance companies for 2022.

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Why you can trust NerdWallet: Our writers and editors follow strict editorial guidelines to ensure fairness and accuracy in our coverage so you can choose the insurance policy that works best for you. These carrier ratings are specific to auto insurance — a company's rating for other products may be different on our site. That's why it's smart to compare car insurance rates from several different companies before choosing an insurer.

The best car insurance companies of October 2022

The following companies received 5 stars out of 5 in NerdWallet’s analysis of the best auto insurers in the U.S.

How we ranked the top auto insurers

NerdWallet’s editorial team considered pricing, discounts, complaint data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners and more to determine the best car insurance companies. Our “ease of use” category includes factors such as website transparency and how easy it is to file a claim. As we continue to evaluate more insurance providers and receive fresh market data, this list of best auto insurance companies is likely to change.

Best car insurance companies: Pros and cons

Learn more about our top auto insurance companies by reading our brief summaries below. For more details, check out our comprehensive reviews.

American Family: Best overall

Bottom line: American Family tops our list as the best auto insurance company of 2022. In addition, it really shines when it comes to discounts, with savings for insuring multiple vehicles, completing a defensive driving course and having a student away at school.

Cost: About average.

Policies available in: 19 states, mainly throughout the Midwest and Pacific Northwest.

Pros: American Family offers a wide range of discounts and many coverage types.

Cons: American Family policies aren't available in all states.

Company overview: In J.D. Power’s 2021 customer satisfaction studies, American Family ranked first among a dozen midsized insurers for satisfaction with the insurance shopping experience and first for overall satisfaction in the Southwest region. J.D. Power ranked American Family ranked No. 7 out of 18 companies for auto insurance claims satisfaction in 2021.

American Family offers a range of discounts to drivers in some states, including for loyalty, completing a defensive driving course and for students away at school. The company also has apps to monitor driving, allowing good drivers to earn discounts.

Auto-Owners: Best for few customer complaints

Bottom line: People who need several insurance policies may benefit from the convenience of bundling them with Auto-Owners, which has many coverage options and few customer complaints.

Cost: About average.

Policies available in: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia and Wisconsin.

Pros: Auto-Owners has fewer complaints when compared to other companies and offers a wide variety of products with the opportunity to bundle.

Cons: The company only sells policies in 26 states.

Company overview: In J.D. Power’s 2021 studies, Auto-Owners ranked No. 4 among 12 mid-sized insurers for customer satisfaction regarding insurance shopping and ranked No. 9 out of 18 companies for customer claims satisfaction in 2021.

If you're in Ohio, Auto-Owners has an app to track your driving. You can earn a discount based on driving behavior such as when you drive and how many miles you’re on the road.

NJM: Best for Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio and Pennsylvania drivers

Bottom line: NJM is one of a handful of insurers with a five-star rating, offering some of the cheapest car insurance rates on average. However, its policies are available only in five states.

Cost: Cheaper than average.

Policies available in: Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

Pros: NJM has high customer satisfaction ratings and low customer complaints. New Jersey policyholders may also receive dividend payments.

Cons: Policies are not available in many states. NJM customers also do not have access to a mobile app to manage their policy.

Company overview: New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance (NJM) gets high scores in J.D. Power’s studies of customer satisfaction. It's ranked No. 1 among 14 insurers in the mid-Atlantic region in the 2021 U.S. Auto Insurance Satisfaction Study, which measures overall customer satisfaction.

You can get all the standard auto coverages from NJM, along with extras including new car replacement coverage and pet coverage, which pays for vet bills if they are injured in a covered car accident. You can also add gap insurance to help pay off your car loan if your vehicle is stolen or totaled.

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Amica: Best for wide range of discounts

Bottom line: High marks for customer satisfaction and numerous discounts make Amica a great choice for most drivers.

Cost: About average.

Policies available in: Every state but Alaska and Hawaii.

Pros: Amica has high customer satisfaction ratings and low consumer complaints. It also offers many policy perks and discounts.

Cons: Amica doesn’t sell policies in Alaska and Hawaii.

Company overview: In J.D. Power’s 2021 studies, Amica ranked first for overall satisfaction in the New England region and No. 2 among 12 midsized insurers for insurance shopping satisfaction. J.D. Power also ranked Amica No. 4 out of 18 insurers for overall auto claims satisfaction in 2021.

If you do have to go through the claims process, you may not even see an increase in your rates. Customers who opt for certain upgrades can earn “Advantage Points” for good driving, renewing a policy and referring other drivers. These points can be used to keep your current rate after an accident.

Progressive: Best large insurer for pet owners

Bottom line: Progressive’s customer satisfaction scores aren’t as high as other companies’, but it offers enough discounts and insurance products to accommodate most people.

Cost: About average.

Policies available in: All 50 states and Washington, D.C.

Pros: Progressive, one of the largest insures in the nation, offers unique perks such as pet injury insurance in most states if you buy collision insurance.

Cons: Progressive has a below average rating for car insurance shopping, according to J.D. Power’s customer satisfaction survey.

Company overview: Progressive has different features and options depending on your state. Some of the more interesting additions include pet injury protection, which is included with collision coverage, and a deductible “savings bank,” which knocks your deductible down by $50 each claim-free policy period to a minimum of $0.

In J.D. Power’s 2021 U.S. Insurance Shopping Study, Progressive ranked No. 7 out of eight large insurers for customer satisfaction. J.D. Power rated Progressive No. 17 out of 18 companies for customer satisfaction regarding its claims process in 2021.

State Farm: Best large insurer for customer satisfaction

Bottom line: With generous coverage and discounts for good driving habits, State Farm is a popular insurer with better customer satisfaction ratings compared to other large competitors and low customer complaints.

Cost: About average.

Policies available in: You can buy a State Farm auto insurance policy in all states except for Massachusetts and Rhode Island, where it does not sell new policies. You can also buy a car insurance policy in Washington, D.C.

Pros: State Farm's customer satisfaction ratings for purchasing auto insurance are better than average, according to J.D. Power. The company also offers numerous discounts, including two programs — one for safe driving and the other for young drivers.

Cons: State Farm doesn’t offer gap insurance.

Company overview: The largest personal auto insurer in the country, State Farm ranked No. 2 among eight large insurers in J.D. Power's 2021 U.S. Insurance Shopping Study. The same year, it ranked first for overall satisfaction in New York, Florida and the Midwest and No. 6 out of 18 companies for customer claims satisfaction.

The company offers discounts to drivers in some states for having multiple cars, being a good driver and taking a defensive driving course. State Farm has a safe driving app where you can earn a discount by following the rules and driving sensibly.

Travelers: Best for ease of use

Bottom line: One of the largest auto insurers in the nation, Travelers offers a broad range of coverage options and discounts to help you customize your car insurance policy.

Cost: About average.

Policies available in: Forty-two states and Washington, D.C. (Not available in Alaska, Hawaii, Louisiana, Michigan, North Dakota, South Dakota, West Virginia and Wyoming.)

Pros: Travelers has fewer customer complaints than the median and offers many coverage options for auto insurance.

Cons: Travelers' customer satisfaction ratings are below average.

Company overview: Travelers offers potential discounts in some states for using the company’s telematics program, a system that tracks your driving. Optional plans offer forgiveness for one accident and one minor violation so your rates don’t go up after an incident.

In J.D. Power’s 2021 study, Travelers ranked No. 6 among eight large insurers for customer satisfaction regarding buying insurance. Travelers ranked No. 13 out of 18 companies for customer claims satisfaction in 2021.

See what you could save on car insurance

Easily compare personalized rates to see how much switching car insurance could save you.

Auto Club Group: Best insurance that requires a membership

Bottom line: Auto Club Group insurance is generally available only to members, but the perks and discounts might make joining worth it.

Cost: About average.

Policies available in: Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, South Carolina, Tennessee and Wisconsin. Auto Club Group may not cover all counties in each state.

Pros: Auto Club Group has few consumer complaints.

Cons: To get insurance from Auto Club Group, you need a AAA membership.

Company overview: With a wide variety of discounts and far fewer complaints for auto insurance than other companies its size, the Auto Club Group is a good option for many drivers. Before you can get coverage, however, you’ll need to become a AAA member. Once you join, you’ll have access to AAA’s perks, including discounts on hotels and restaurants.

Auto Club Group offers plenty of auto insurance options, such as rideshare insurance and original equipment manufacturer coverage, which pays for replacement parts from the manufacturer, rather than aftermarket parts, if you’re in a covered crash.

Unlike some AAA insurers, the Auto Club Group has an app where you can manage both your car insurance policy and AAA membership.

See what you could save on car insurance

Easily compare personalized rates to see how much switching car insurance could save you.

Finding the best car insurance company for you

Pricing and discounts made up a portion of each insurer’s score, but we know that cost is the top factor for many auto insurance shoppers. Since pricing is based on personal factors including your age, location, vehicle, credit history and gender (in most cases), it’s important to shop around for car insurance quotes to find the cheapest option.

You may find that your shopping experience also sheds light on a company’s customer service standards.

To find the top car insurance companies:

Visit your state insurance commissioner’s website to find complaints and other information about companies in your area.

Ask your agent or a customer service representative questions to make sure you’re getting all the coverage you need — and nothing you don’t want.

Consider smaller auto insurance companies, too. Small companies offer rates well below large competitors in many locations.

If you’ve had a ticket, DUI or other violation, be sure to shop three and five years after the incident, when surcharges can drop significantly.

Want to see rates? Use the cheap full coverage calculator and compare average rates from the three cheapest car insurance companies where you live.

Car insurance by state

When you're looking for the best car insurance company, keep in mind that location can have a big impact on your auto insurance rates. This is because each state has different insurance requirements.

To give you a better idea of what you'll pay in each state, NerdWallet analyzed full coverage insurance rates for 35-year-old drivers with good credit and no recent accidents, DUIs or traffic violations.

The map below shows the average annual car insurance rate in each state. For more information, including the cheapest insurer on average from each state, visit the state page linked in the map.

Car insurance rates for full coverage insurance by state

Frequently asked questions

What is the best car insurance company?

There is no single best car insurance company. The best company for you will depend on your own personal needs.

To help you with your search, NerdWallet ranked insurers based on pricing, discounts, complaint data and more. The following companies received 5 stars out of 5 in NerdWallet's analysis of the best auto insurers: American Family, Auto-0wners, NJM, Amica, Progressive, State Farm, Travelers, Auto Club Group.

How can I find the best car insurance?

To find the best auto insurance policy for you, think carefully about what kind of coverage you need. For instance, if you're looking for a specific type of coverage such as rideshare insurance, check to make sure the company offers this before purchasing a policy.

When comparing insurers, make sure to select the same coverage levels so you can compare quotes equally. You'll also want to look at a company's customer complaints on your state insurance commissioner’s website and financial strength through a rating site like A.M. Best.

What company has the cheapest car insurance?

Across the U.S., Geico has the cheapest car insurance on average per year for minimum coverage. However, this is based on average premiums, and your own rate will vary based on factors such as your age, location and car make and model. Shop around to find the cheapest rate for you.

Methodology

Auto insurance ratings methodology

NerdWallet’s auto insurance ratings reward companies for customer-first features and practices. Ratings are based on weighted averages of scores in several categories, including financial strength, consumer complaints and discounts. Our “ease of use” category looks at factors such as website transparency and how easy it is to file a claim. Using our editorial discretion, we also consider customer satisfaction surveys. These ratings are a guide, but we encourage you to shop around and compare several insurance quotes to find the best rate for you. NerdWallet does not receive compensation for any reviews. Read our editorial guidelines.

Insurer complaints methodology

NerdWallet examined complaints received by state insurance regulators and reported to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners in 2018-2020. To assess how insurers compare to one another, the NAIC calculates a complaint index each year for each subsidiary, measuring its share of total complaints relative to its size, or share of total premiums in the industry. To evaluate a company’s complaint history, NerdWallet calculated a similar index for each insurer, weighted by market shares of each subsidiary, over the three-year period. Ratios are determined separately for auto, home (including renters and condo) and life insurance.

Average rates methodology

NerdWallet averaged rates based on public filings obtained by pricing analytics company Quadrant Information Services. We examined rates for men and women for all ZIP codes in any of the 50 states and Washington, D.C. Although it’s one of the largest insurers in the country, Liberty Mutual is not included in our rates analysis due to a lack of publicly available information.

In our analysis, “good drivers” had no moving violations on record; a “good driving” discount was included for this profile. Our “good” and “poor” credit rates are based on credit score approximations and do not account for proprietary scoring criteria used by insurance providers.

These are average rates, and your rate will vary based on your personal details, state and insurance provider.

Sample drivers had the following coverage limits:

• $100,000 bodily injury liability coverage per person.

• $300,000 bodily injury liability coverage per crash.

• $50,000 property damage liability coverage per crash.

• $100,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage per person.

• $300,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage per crash.

• Collision coverage with $1,000 deductible.

• Comprehensive coverage with $1,000 deductible.

We used a 2019 Toyota Camry L in all cases and assumed 12,000 annual miles driven.

These are rates generated through Quadrant Information Services. Your own rates will be different.

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