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Best car insurance of 2021

The 10 best car insurance companies ranked and chosen from 100+ top brands

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Roslyn McKenna
Updated . What changed?
Fact checked

This article was reviewed by Andrew Flueckiger, a member of the Finder Editorial Review Board and certified insurance counselor and licensed insurance agent in five states.

How did we choose these picks?

Finder’s editorial team spends thousands of hours analyzing hundreds of car insurance companies, comparing their customer satisfaction scores, car insurance coverage, discounts, rates and ability to pay claims.

To find the best insurers, we rank every car insurer we review on our site, using a star rating of 0 to 5 stars. We exclude companies that don’t make the cut — those that don’t sell insurance directly, cover a small number of states or don’t offer enough info for you to make an informed decision.

What’s changed for 2021?

We overhauled our rankings and added rankings for new insurers. We removed any insurer with less than 4 out of 5 stars from our best list. USAA and Amica continue to top the list for the third year in a row due to their highly-rated customer support scores. Companies known for cheap rates like Geico jumped up on the list because cost is the top reason most drivers switch car insurance, according to a Finder study.

Best auto insurance companies list

Progressive logo
Finder Rating: 4 / 5

★★★★★

Get a quote

Best wide coverage: Progressive

Optional
Roadside assistance

New car protection

Accident forgiveness
Progressive offers coverage that most drivers need, plus extras like custom parts, rideshare or high-risk driver coverage. Its free perks like a lowering deductible reward safe driving, and its free tool helps you buy coverage within a budget.
  • Wide options with 12+ coverage choices and 17 discounts
  • Popular brand with 80 years of experience in the industry
  • Free accident forgiveness for small claims or staying claim free
  • Bundle any two policies for a multipolicy discount
  • Average customer service scores
  • Lower than average customer satisfaction rating
States served All 50 states
Roadside assistance Optional
Pay schedule 12 months, 6 months
Claims methods online, phone
New car protection Yes
Accident forgiveness Yes
Geico logo
Finder Rating: 4 / 5

★★★★★

Read review

Cheapest rates: Geico

Optional
Roadside assistance

New car protection

Accident forgiveness
Geico offers some of the lowest rates around including for high-risk drivers, based on our independent review of car insurance rates. You can bundle many policies through Geico's convenient bundle partners. And its streamlined website and app let you handle everything from quotes to claims online.
  • Discounts up to 40%
  • App lets you get roadside service, view ID cards and more
  • Guaranteed repairs through Geico's mechanic network
  • Poor customer reviews
  • Claims typically handled online only
  • Local agents not available in every city or state
States served All 50 states
Roadside assistance Optional
Pay schedule 12 months, 6 months, custom
Claims methods Online, Phone, Agent
New car protection Yes
Accident forgiveness Yes
Metromile logo
Finder Rating: 5 / 5

★★★★★

Get a quote

Best for telematics: Metromile

Optional
Roadside assistance

New car protection

Accident forgiveness
Metromile's usage-based insurance offers some of the lowest rates available for safe, low-mileage drivers. It tracks your driving through Metromile's app or device installed in your car and sets rates accordingly. Safe drivers considered high risk due to their age, location or other demographics could save the most.
  • Only pay for the miles you drive
  • Low-mileage drivers could save up to $611/year
  • All miles over 250/day are free
  • Convenient app claims, plus 24/7 customer support
  • Limited to only 7 states
  • Older vehicles excluded
  • Not all drivers eligible
States served Arizona, California, Illinois, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington
Roadside assistance Optional
Pay schedule monthly
Claims methods Online, Phone
New car protection Yes
Accident forgiveness No
Allstate logo
Finder Rating: 4.5 / 5

★★★★★

Get a quote

Best free perks: Allstate

Optional
Roadside assistance

New car protection

Accident forgiveness
With many coverage options, ways to save and convenient features, Allstate has earned its top spot among insurance companies. Enjoy redeemable rewards through its safe driver program, plus perks for luxury cars.
  • Experienced service with nearly 90 years in the industry
  • Earn gift cards and more for safe driving with Allstate Rewards
  • Bundle with home to save 25% on home and 10% on car insurance
  • No homeowner, military or multi-car discounts
  • Customer service is ranked average
States served All 50 states
Roadside assistance Optional
Pay schedule Monthly
Claims methods Online, Phone
New car protection Yes
Accident forgiveness Yes
USAA logo
Finder Rating: 5 / 5

★★★★★

Get a quote

Best for military and teens: USAA

Optional
Roadside assistance

New car protection

Accident forgiveness
USAA consistently tops the charts for customer satisfaction with customers praising its cheap rates and claims support, saving many hundreds of dollars a year. To become a USAA member, you must be connected to family with current or past military service.
  • Some of the cheapest rates available
  • Conveniently track claims in app
  • Members get dividends from company profits
  • Flexible payment schedules
  • Only military members and their families qualify for coverage
  • Online-focused customer support
States served All 50 states
Roadside assistance Optional
Pay schedule 12 months, 6 months, custom
Claims methods Online, Phone
New car protection No
Accident forgiveness Yes
State Farm logo
Finder Rating: 4.5 / 5

★★★★★

Get a quote

Well-rounded policies: State Farm

Optional
Roadside assistance

New car protection

Accident forgiveness
This popular company is known for personalized service through its large network of agents. State Farm's wide coverage includes standard options plus rideshare, SR-22 or temporary car insurance. Plus, bundle almost any vehicle and home policies for savings.
  • Top customer choice as the largest US auto insurer
  • Save by bundling car, home, renters or even life insurance
  • Nearly 20,000 local agents for personal support
  • Higher prices than competitors
  • Customer experience varies by agent
  • Expect hard upselling
States served All 50 states
Roadside assistance Optional
Pay schedule 12 months, 6 months, Monthly
Claims methods Online, Phone
New car protection Yes
Accident forgiveness Yes
Amica logo
Finder Rating: 4.5 / 5

★★★★★

Read review

Best customer service: Amica

Optional
Roadside assistance

New car protection

Accident forgiveness
Amica’s customer satisfaction scores consistently top the charts on many review sites like J.D. Power. The insurer also stands out with many free perks, and it offers one of the steepest discounts for bundling policies.
  • High customer service ratings
  • Up to 30% discount for bundling car, home or renters policies
  • Earn dividends if Amica makes a profit
  • No deductible for glass repairs or replacing locks
  • Costs more than competitors
  • Not available in Hawaii
States served Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming
Roadside assistance Optional
Pay schedule 6 months, monthly
Claims methods online, email, phone
New car protection Yes
Accident forgiveness Yes
Travelers logo
Finder Rating: 4 / 5

★★★★★

Read review

Best agent support: Travelers

Optional
Roadside assistance

New car protection

Accident forgiveness
Travelers keeps high customer service standards, reflected in its solid business ratings and few customer complaints. Get a quick quote online, potentially qualify for multiple discounts and let an independent agent finalize your policy.
  • Save over 20% for safe driving
  • Personal support from nearly 14,000 local agents
  • Few customer complaints, much lower than competitors
  • Charges service fees with some payment methods
  • You'll find higher multipolicy discounts elsewhere
  • Not available in 8 states
States served Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin
Roadside assistance Optional
Pay schedule monthly
Claims methods online, phone
New car protection Yes
Accident forgiveness Yes
Titan logo
Finder Rating: 4.5 / 5

★★★★★

Read review

Best for high-risk drivers: Titan

Optional
Roadside assistance

New car protection

Accident forgiveness
Titan offers a range of coverage for high-risk drivers who can't get coverage elsewhere, including gap, roadside service and non-owner coverage. It also offers cheap state-minimum policies for as low as $1 a day, according to Titan's website.
  • Wide coverage and add-ons not typical of SR-22 insurers
  • 15 discounts to save 15% or more
  • Backed by Nationwide, a well-known, experienced brand
  • Poor customer service
  • No online claims
  • Available in 23 states
  • No mobile app
States served Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia
Roadside assistance Optional
Pay schedule monthly
Claims methods online
New car protection No
Accident forgiveness Yes
PURE logo
Finder Rating: 4 / 5

★★★★★

Read review

Best for luxury cars: PURE

Included Free
Roadside assistance

New car protection

Accident forgiveness
If you're insuring a high-value, classic or rare car like a Maserati or Aston Martin, Pure accepts these luxury cars that don't qualify with traditional insurers. You can customize policies with agreed value coverage and more. Also, get convenient, free perks like unlimited roadside service or getting a hotel after an accident.
  • Agreed-value coverage to replace your car at its assessed value
  • Repairs with original parts
  • Free worldwide rental car insurance
  • No deductible if you're hit by an uninsured driver
  • Expensive rates compared to traditional insurers
  • Offered through brokers, not online
  • Prefers low-risk drivers with high-value cars
States served All 50 states
Roadside assistance Included free
Pay schedule custom
Claims methods online, email, phone
New car protection Yes
Accident forgiveness No

How do I find the best car insurance company for me?

While coverage doesn’t differ much among auto insurers, their quality of service can be worlds apart, affecting you during claims. Follow these steps to find the right company for you.

  1. Decide which factors matter most to you. Consider a company’s monthly payment fees, service availability and customers’ satisfaction with claims.
  2. Research companies. Narrow your list by comparing coverage, costs and how a company treats customers and claims.
  3. Get multiple quotes. Go online or work with an independent insurance agent to get multiple quotes from your top picks and compare your options.
  4. Ask for discounts. You can ask your ideal insurer to try and match another quote and ask for discounts to get the lowest rate.
  5. Review your insurance. Make sure you still have the best deal after buying a home, moving or not shopping around in a while.

What’s the best type of car insurance?

Whether it’s liability only or full coverage policies, the best policy for you has all the coverage you need and nothing you don’t.

  • Liability only for cheap cars. Personal property and bodily injury liability coverage pay for damage you cause after an accident.
  • Full coverage for new cars and frequent drivers. Full coverage includes collision to cover repairs after at-fault accidents and comprehensive for nearly anything else.
  • Roadside assistance for most cars. Most manufacturers offer free towing coverage with your new car warranty. For an older car, you may need collision and comprehensive to add towing to your policy.
  • Mileage-based for low mileage. You might pay less with a pay-per-mile policy that charges you based on how much you drive.
  • Gap insurance for car loans. If your car is stolen or totaled, gap insurance pays the difference between what the car is worth and the remaining balance your car loan.

Compare more top car insurance companies

Name Product Roadside assistance New car protection Accident forgiveness Safe driver discount Available states
Progressive
Progressive
Optional
30%
All 50 states
Discover coverage that’s broader than competitors, valuable discounts up to 30% off and perks like shrinking deductibles that reward no claims.
Get quotes
More Info
The AARP Auto Insurance Program from The Hartford
The AARP Auto Insurance Program from The Hartford
Optional
Yes
All 50 states
Enjoy low rates for mature drivers, plus perks like new car replacement and lifetime repair guarantees. Only for drivers over age 50.
Get quotes
More Info
USAA
USAA
Optional
Yes
All 50 states
Affordable car insurance with highly rated customer service. Only available to military members and veterans and their family.
Get quotes
More Info
Savvy
Savvy
Optional
Optional
Yes
All states & DC
Enter your current policy and get quotes in 30-seconds from 100+ companies, then get help to switch insurers for free.
Get quotes
Root
Root
52%
Available in 30 states
Track your driving to receive a low rate that reflects your driving skills, and enjoy a fully app-based policy experience.
Get quotes
More Info
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Compare up to 4 providers

Bottom line

Compare car insurance companies by balancing the cost with the value and coverage options. What’s important to you may be different from other drivers, such as quality customer service and good coverage options to buying the cheapest possible car insurance.

Start your search by comparing car insurance options to find the right policy for you.

  1. AM Best
  2. Better Business Bureau
  3. Consumer Insurance Search Results, National Association of Insurance Commissioners
  4. US Auto Claims Satisfaction Study, J.D. Power, 2020
  5. US Auto Insurance Satisfaction Study, J.D. Power, 2020

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