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Progressive and State Farm have both been around for almost 100 years, and each has plenty of happy car insurance customers. But which one is the best choice for you?

In this article, we will compare Progressive vs State Farm to see which provider comes out ahead. We can tell you already that, in a competitive insurance market, both have great discounts and financial strength to fulfill claims. So, will Jake from State Farm bring it home for the red team, or will Flo steal it for the blue team?

In this article:

*Market share statistics are from a 2018 report by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). J.D. Power statistics are from the 2019 U.S. Insurance Shopping Study and the 2019 U.S. Auto Claims Satisfaction Study.

Progressive has been in the insurance business since 1937. Since then, the company has introduced a number of innovations. For example, Progressive was the first major auto insurance company to launch a website, the first to sell premiums online, and the first to offer usage-based insurance. The company is the third largest auto insurer in the United States and wrote $27 billion in premiums in 2018, according to the NAIC.

When comparing Progressive vs State Farm, keep in mind that Progressive has a strong app that lets drivers request roadside assistance, initiate claims, and manage their policy. You can also chat with the company or call a representative 24/7 not all insurance companies offer 24/7 customer support, believe it or not.

With Progressive, you can get car insurance that satisfies your states minimum requirements or goes beyond them. Here are the standard options that Progressive offers:

When shopping for insurance, youll see liability limits written as three numbers, like this: 100/300/100. In this example, the limits provide $100,000 bodily injury per person, $300,000 bodily injury per accident, and $100,000 property damage liability. That might sound excessive, but its actually a good coverage level to have to avoid lawsuits with other drivers.

You can get a few other coverage options from Progressive:

Progressives customer service track record is average, which is an important thing to know when comparing Progressive vs State Farm. Its not the best, but its not the worst. On J.D. Powers Auto Claims Satisfaction Study, Progressive ranked in the middle of the pack. However, on the Insurance Shopping Study, Progressive came in second-to-last place, with 18 other companies faring better.

Buying insurance can be confusing. You might be looking at a policy with 10 or more types of coverages, and each of those affects your total price. Finding a combination under your budget takes time, but the Name Your Price Tool can speed that up.

The Name Your Price Tool lets you plug in your desired budget first. Then it shows you policy options that fit under your budget. It cuts out a good chunk of busy work, and you can still tweak your plan after you get recommendations.

Comparing Progressive vs State Farm, the number of discounts available from each company is the same, but the actual discount offerings vary. With Progressive, you may qualify for the following discounts:

Even if you dont end up buying a policy from Progressive, it could be a good idea to get a quote from the company. Thats because you can compare quotes from other popular providers right on Progressives website at the same time. We think comparing multiple quotes at once is easier than filling out multiple online forms.

Also, Progressive wouldnt offer a price comparison tool unless it offered competitive prices. In fact, many people find cheap car insurance through Progressive. Certain things can help you find a better rate, like having good credit scores, a clean driving record, and being a safe driver. The type of car you drive can also influence your premiums.

As of 2020, State Farm will have been in business for 98 years. Its not quite the oldest car insurance company, but it is the largest in the United States it wrote $48 billion in premiums in 2018 according to the NAIC. The State Farm website says that the company had 43.7 million auto policies in force at the end of 2018. Thats a lot. Chances are, if you dont have State Farm, you know someone who does. So, lets compare Progressive vs State Farm and see if the latter is worthy of that many customers.

Like most car insurance companies, State Farm offers standard coverage. You can also get a few more options, including:

Comparing customer service between Progressive vs State Farm doesnt really tip the balance in either direction. State Farm scores high ratings in some areas but average ones in others. For example, State Farm was ranked in fifth place on J.D. Powers Auto Claims Satisfaction Study 11 places ahead of Progressive. However, it didnt impress on J.D. Powers Insurance Shopping Study.

The company has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB). Also, it has fewer complaints on its BBB page than Progressive does, even though it has many more customers than Progressive.

You could qualify for the following discounts with State Farm auto insurance:

For some drivers, State Farm offers better discounts than Progressive. For example, if youre a student, you could get 25 percent off with State Farms good student discount and another 15 percent off by completing the Steer Clear program. However, the quotes you see between Progressive vs State Farm can vary you might find Progressive to be cheaper even after those discounts.

Neither State Farm nor Progressive provides discounts to seniors or members of the military. However, that doesnt mean seniors or military personnel cant find good rates from these companies.

Progressives Snapshot program and State Farms Drive Safe and Save both provide usage-based discounts to good drivers, but whats the difference?

If youre thinking about joining Progressives Snapshot, consider yourself warned: Not everyone is a good driver, and not everyone gets discounts. In fact, about 20 percent of Snapshot program participants actually see their rates increase, according to Progressive. Rates can increase because of high-risk driving habits, not just by losing the introductory discount.

If you drive late at night and tend to take corners fast, Snapshot wont be worth it. However, if you really are a good driver, it could pay off. You can save about $25 on your first policy and about $145 on average after that.

State Farms website says that drivers can save up to 30 percent with Drive Safe and Save. Drivers get a 5 percent discount for signing up. Drive Safe and Save tracks speeding, fast corners, hard braking, acceleration, and distracted driving. The good thing about this program is that it cant raise your rate because of high-risk driving. Now, your rate might increase if you become ineligible for a low-mileage discount you previously had, but thats different.

Considering all the evidence, we think both of these companies would make a great choice for auto insurance. If youre a student, it would be unwise to pass up a quote from State Farm. If youre looking for affordable car insurance after college, Progressive is a great option. Plus, with Progressives comparison tool, you can also check out a few other companies at the same time.

We recommend getting free quotes from both providers to ensure that you are getting the best rate and coverage possible.

Great for Discount Bundles

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Offers a number of ways to get a discount, including the Snapshot tool or bundle options.

Most Popular Car Insurer in the U.S.

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Most popular auto insurance company that services over 83 million policies.

Speaking of getting multiple quotes, there are a few other great providers out there. We recently reviewed the best auto insurance companies in the industry, and along with Progressive and State Farm, USAA and Geico rounded out our top four choices.

You should check out USAA car insurance if you or your family have any military affiliations. USAA tends to be an affordable option for those who qualify and can be cheaper than State Farm or Progressive. After comparing multiple insurance companies, USAA was the only provider that we gave five stars for its prices and reputation for great customer service.

Its also a good idea to include Geico auto insurance in your search. Geico has affordable coverage and is one of the better options if you have a speeding ticket on your driving record. The point is to look at multiple rates so you dont just pick the first quote you see, whether thats from Progressive, State Farm, or another insurance company.

Read the rest here:
Progressive Vs State Farm: Cost, Coverage, And Reviews - Motor1