The best online-focused companies know how to balance coverage costs, variety of options and customer service. But if you’re more adventurous about trying new companies, many online brands are small and don’t have many customer reviews but may offer interesting coverage or benefits.
When researching online car insurance companies, we started with insurers that had limited or no local agents, a helpful online or app-based customer account and online claims. Most insurers on our list also have a wide service area and a convenient mobile app.
Our top choices received the highest Finder ratings as well as high customer reviews from Trustpilot or the Better Business Bureau. High-rated phone customer support was considered a benefit that showed the company’s customer-centered focus. In addition, these companies balanced high customer ratings with low-cost premiums.
Next, we looked at the number of coverage and discount options offered. We factored in how those companies stood in the industry by market share. And finally, we narrowed the list down to the companies that offered the best balance of these factors.
What are the best online car insurance companies?
We’ve identified these companies as the best online car insurance providers out there.
Metromile stands at the top of the telematics insurance market, which rewards safe drivers who don't drive much.
Premiums starting at $30. If you don’t drive for a month, you could pay as little as $30. Metromile then charges a few pennies per mile up to 250 miles each day.
App updates. As an added bonus, the app makes tracking mileage simple while giving you reminders about local parking or your car’s check engine light.
Deductible-free benefits. You won’t have to pay a deductible with comprehensive coverage for glass repairs, or with collision coverage if you’re hit by an uninsured driver.
States served
Arizona, California, Illinois, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington
If you’re looking to shop multiple car insurance companies with the least amount of work, this online broker could set you at ease.
Compares up to 20 quotes hassle free. After creating your account, simply choose the types of insurance you’re looking for and connect any relevant accounts. Then, wait to receive up to 20 quotes without any other work.
Policy bundling. Gabi can compare the lowest bundles with car, home, renters, landlord and umbrella insurance.
All-in-one policy management. Once you buy insurance through Gabi’s partners, you can access policy documents and manage your accounts all with your Gabi account.
Insurance advisers. If you have questions, Gabi has personal advisers to assist you.
Geico consistently drives down premiums for car insurance customers across the board.
Steep discounts.You could qualify for one or more of Geico’s many discounts. And some discounts could save as much as 40% off your premium.
24-hour customer service. Despite its online focus, you can get in touch with a representative any time either online or over the phone. In a few locations, you can even find a local office.
Guaranteed repairs. If your car needs repairs, use one of Geico’s vetted repair shops and receive a guarantee on the work provided.
This small brand is a rising star in the online car insurance world.
Wide list of policy options.Of all the brands we compared, Electric Insurance offers a wide variety of options with at least 13 types of coverage and 15 discounts, meaning Electric has all the coverage you’d expect from a much larger company.
Friendly rates for electric cars. Receive an extra discount if you own a fully electric or hybrid vehicle.
Two-day claims payments. Once your claim gets approved, you can expect the repair shop to receive a check within two business days, which is much faster than many other companies promise.
If you can't get Metromile's coverage in your state, Root car insurance follows close behind as a top company for telematics policies. Root offers benefits like these to its drivers:
Rewards safe driving. You get a customized rate based on how safe of a driver you are after taking the driving test.
Speedy claims. Root allows quick online claims that are typically processed within 10 business days.
Free roadside assistance. Access roadside help through the app whenever you need it. Most insurance companies require you to buy this coverage as an add-on.
States served
Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia
Roadside assistance
Included free
Pay schedule
6 months, monthly
Claims methods
Online, Email, Phone
New car protection
No
Accident forgiveness
Yes
How are online car insurance companies different from standard insurers?
The main differences between online and standard car insurance companies are the lack of local agents and in-person offices. Some companies keep a few local offices available, but these are limited and not accessible to most customers.
Another main difference is the company’s online services. Many companies offer an online account. But online-only companies give you more flexibility to update your account or policy yourself. They also tend to offer an app, online calculators, self-help articles and the ability to connect with customer service online.
Pros and cons of online car insurance companies
Pros
Low-cost premiums. Online-based companies keep low business overhead, and that savings transfers to your car insurance premiums.
Streamlined customer service. Online companies tend to have a better process for filtering customer’s needs, so you can get your questions answered quickly.
Intuitive online services. Expect a suite of self-service options like a customer account, app, self-help articles, calculators or chat features. Customer accounts may also let you change coverage and add or delete cars or drivers, online services not found at every company.
Free benefits. Many online companies offer additional services or coverage free of charge, such as app-based programs or no-deductible coverage.
Cons
Lack of in-person support. Online-based companies won’t have many offices or local agents for you to interact with. Contact is usually limited to email or online chat. This could steer you away if you prefer that face time.
New or smaller brands. Most online-only companies have a decade or less of industry experience.
Specialty coverage. Although we found brands with more general coverage, many online companies only specialize in certain states or regions, prefer certain types of cars or offer a specialty policy.
Limited company options. You won’t find too many online-only companies on the market, limiting your choices.
Get quotes from top online car insurance companies
Bottom line
Online car insurance companies tend to keep their applications, customer service and claims processes online. So you might consider these companies if you’re looking to save money and are comfortable with online interactions.
Common questions about online car insurance companies
Yes, most online-based companies still have a customer support number. You can search for this number on the website and look up customer reviews to find out whether customer service meets policyholders’ needs.
Not every online-based company starts your coverage immediately. However, a few small online companies do offer this feature, including HiRoad Assurance and Pact.
Sarah George is a writer at Finder who unravels complicated topics about insurance, business and finance. She's been wordsmithing for nearly five years, after earning an English education degree. Her insurance know-how has been featured on CarInsurance.com. You can usually find Sarah sipping hot tea and talking through movie plots in her downtime.
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finder.com is an independent comparison platform and information service that aims to provide you with the tools you need to make better decisions. While we are independent, the offers that appear on this site are from companies from which finder.com receives compensation. We may receive compensation from our partners for placement of their products or services. We may also receive compensation if you click on certain links posted on our site. While compensation arrangements may affect the order, position or placement of product information, it doesn't influence our assessment of those products. Please don't interpret the order in which products appear on our Site as any endorsement or recommendation from us. finder.com compares a wide range of products, providers and services but we don't provide information on all available products, providers or services. Please appreciate that there may be other options available to you than the products, providers or services covered by our service.
