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Progressive car insurance review 2023
Transparent pricing with plenty of coverage options but service is plain average.
finder.com's rating: 4 / 5
★★★★★
Bottom line: You’ll find wide coverage options for new cars, ridesharing and more, plus low rates for many drivers with steep discounts. But Progressive’s customer service is average.
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Details
| States served | All states except CA MA ME NJ NY WA |
|---|---|
| Roadside assistance | Optional |
| Accident forgiveness | Yes |
| New car protection | No |
| Pay schedule | 12 months, 6 months |
| Claims methods | online, phone |
| Rideshare coverage | Yes |
| SR-22 support | Yes |
Pros
- Top-rated insurer with 80 years of experience
- Easy online sign-up and reporting
- Transparent quoting
Cons
High number of customer complaints
Average customer satisfaction rating
| Anti-theft device discount | Yes |
|---|---|
| Bundling discount | Yes |
| Defensive driving discount | Yes |
| Good student discount | Yes |
| Loyalty discount | Yes |
| Homeowner discount | Yes |
| Military discount | Yes |
| Safety device discount | Yes |
| Special employment discount | No |
| Usage-based discount | Yes |
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What we think of Progressive car insurance
Progressive offers a long list of discounts and perks that add value to your policy. Those include its over 30% claim-free discount, free accident forgiveness and $145 or more in yearly savings with its Snapshot driving app if you drive safely.
Also, Progressive’s transparent pricing lets you compare quotes from other companies right on its website, a feature typically provided by brokers. And you can name your price before buying to find coverage that’s in your budget.
However, customers and rating sites rank Progressive about average for customer service, and it’s not known for strong claims satisfaction.
If you’re a fan of cheap rates and perks, getting a quote from Progressive is worth your while. But if service is the #1 factor for you, consider getting quotes from other companies who score higher on customer satisfaction, like USAA or Amica.
finder.com's rating: 4 / 5
★★★★★
| Category | Our rating | Why we gave this score |
|---|---|---|
| Coverage | ★★★★★ 5/5 | It goes beyond coverage offered by competitors with options for accident forgiveness, rideshare insurance, and more. |
| Discounts | ★★★★★ 4/5 | It offers a variety of discounts on par with other insurance companies, such as discounts for an antitheft system or bundling policies. |
| Customer service | ★★★★★ 3.6/5 | It gets high J.D. Power and Better Business Bureau ratings, but an average number of complaints reported to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). |
| Financial strength | ★★★★★ 4.5/5 | It receives an A+ financial rating from AM Best, showing that it has the finances to pay your claims. |
Progressive car insurance rates
We pulled full-coverage car insurance rates using Progressive’s online quote tool for good drivers living in California with a clean driving record.
| Age | Premiums |
|---|---|
| 18 | $406.68 |
| 21 | $233.43 |
| 30 | $160.92 |
| 40 | $154.41 |
| 50 | $143.58 |
Get a Progressive car insurance quote in minutes
Apply online, by phone or by finding an agent near you. Use Progressive’s name your price tool to find a policy within your budget. The quickest and easiest way to apply is online.
- Hit the Go to site button to start the application form.
- Enter your ZIP code and personal info.
- Add your vehicle information and driver information.
- Choose your coverage and budget.
- Review final details and enter your payment information.
- Sign your documents online and pay for your policy.
What discounts can I get from Progressive?
Aside from its unique Name Your Price tool and Snapshot telematics discount, Progressive offers a long list of car insurance discounts that you can stack to save over 30% on your car insurance.
However, Progressive doesn’t advertise a military or low-mileage discount apart from its Snapshot telematics program.
- Advance quote. Get up to 15% off for getting a quote before your policy starts, with the highest discount for 30 days ahead of time.
- Automatic payments. Sign up for automatic monthly payments by credit or debit card, or EFT.
- Away at school. Get a discount if a student on your policy goes to school over 100 miles from home without a car. Applies to students under age 22.
- Bundling. Bundle auto and home insurance to save an average of 15%, or bundle car plus RV or boat insurance for 5% off.
- Claim free. Save an average of 31% if you have a clean driving record with no tickets or accidents in the past three years.
- Continuous insurance. Save based on how long you maintain active car insurance with any insurer.
- Education. If you have a college degree, you might receive a small discount.
- Good student. Save an average of 10% if a student on your policy maintains a B average or better.
- Homeowner. Save on auto insurance if you own a home or condo, no matter who insures it.
- Multiple cars. Save an average of 12% when you insure multiple vehicles on the same policy.
- Online quote. Save an average of 4% when you apply for a quote online.
- Online application. Save an average of 8.5% when you sign your policy application online.
- Paperless. Save on paper and your premiums by getting your documents electronically.
- Paid in full. Pay for your six-month policy in a single, lump-sum payment.
- Safe car. Save if your car comes with safety features like blind spot warning, antilock brakes or daytime running lights.
- Teen driver. Get a discount when you add a driver under the age of 18 to your policy.
- Telematics. Snapshot is Progressive’s pay-as-you-drive car insurance program that discounts your premium if you brake and accelerate smoothly, avoid late-night driving and drive less than average. The average annual Snapshot savings is $145, and you typically get a $47 discount at signup.
Our take on Progressive Snapshot
Progressive Snapshot was one of the first telematics programs available by a major insurer, according to the Insurance Information Institute. Its experience serving customers makes it one of the more developed programs available.
The result? Thousands of customers give it high app ratings — 3.9 out of 5 stars on Google Play and 4.6 of 5 stars on the Apple store.
Also, Snapshot’s discount is substantial but common among other telematics programs. You start out with a 10% signup discount, but you have to wait a full six months before you can earn higher savings.
In some states, your premiums can go up if you don’t drive safely.
Snapshot also uses your data for verifying details of a claim or for research outside of setting rates. Read more about Snapshot and our take on the program to see if it’s right for you.
How Snapshot scores your driving
Progressive weighs your driving based on these key areas:
- Hard braking — Slowing down faster than 7+ mph per second
- Speeding — Driving above the speed limit
- Distracted driving — Using your phone while driving, only factored in some states
- Night driving — Driving from midnight to 4 a.m.
- Driving time — How many minutes you spend on the road
- Number of trips — How many times you get behind the wheel
What add-ons and perks can I get with Progressive?
These perks and optional coverage add value to your policy by offering wide coverage or helping you save money in the long run.
- Accident forgiveness means your premium won’t go up for your first small claim less than $500 or large claims after being three years accident-free. You must be a Progressive customer for five years to qualify.
- No claims bonus, also called the deductible savings bank, drops your deductible by $50 for every six months without claims.
- Glass repairs. Get your windshield repaired with a $0 deductible if the crack is less than six inches long and doesn’t need replacement. Your eligibility also varies by state.
- Guaranteed lifetime repairs for using any repair shop in the Progressive network.
- Price comparison tool. Progressive stays transparent about its rates by letting you compare prices with other companies right from its quote tool.
- 24/7 online chat. Ask questions in the chat 24/7 and get automated answers, or call customer service any time of the day at 888-671-4405.
Progressive car insurance reviews and complaints
Progressive isn’t accredited with the Better Business Bureau (BBB), as of November 2022. Progressive also ranked right around the industry average for most regions in J.D. Power’s 2020 auto insurance satisfaction survey — though it scored well below average for its claims satisfaction.
Progressive scores 1.09 stars out of 5. While low, its rankings pull ahead of other big names like Allstate and Liberty Mutual.
Progressive also scored a 0.89 on the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) complaint index for private passenger cars. The industry standard is 1.00, and anything below this number shows that a company gets fewer complaints than normal for its business size.
However, the company also has almost 1,800 BBB customer complaints in the past year, many citing billing issues, a drawn-out claims process or denied claims. Reviews on Trustpilot tell a similar story with recent customers frustrated with the service during claims, leading to a 1.2 out of 5 Trustpilot score.
| AM Best financial rating | A+ |
| BBB accredited | No |
| BBB rating | Not rated |
| Trustpilot score | 1.2/5 out of 359 customer reviews |
| Customer reviews verified as of | November 2022 |
Progressive customer reviews
Progressive review: Ryan’s experience
Ryan Brinks
Banking and Investment Publisher
Progressive has insured my vehicles for more than a decade. And even though I’ve received quotes from other companies every few years, it’s always the most affordable option. Progressive’s flexibility and discounts were key to getting me as a customer in the first place, and they’ve only improved since. I was able to bundle my home and auto insurance even though my home is covered by another insurer. And a few years into my policy, I knocked off a chunk of my premium through Progressive’s Snapshot analysis of my driving habits.
Fortunately, the only claim I’ve had to make was a windshield replacement with a $0 deductible. And now my loyalty benefits offer both small and large accident forgiveness. I’ve also used roadside assistance on occasion.
Progressive Snapshot review: Dawn’s experience
Dawn Daniels
Staff Associate Editor
The first time I used Snapshot, I was driving long distances several times a week, and hard brakes on 55 mph roads in deer territory are sometimes unavoidable. At the end of six months, my rates went up and I switched to another insurer.
But when I got a new car and moved to the city, Progressive offered the cheapest rates by far, so I switched back. The participation discount for using the Snapshot device once again lured me in.
This time around I was driving a lot less, and I was more mindful of the device. At the end of another six-month period, I got an email from Progressive that I would save $133 when I renewed.
Unfortunately, that was a little misleading, because I was also losing the Snapshot participation discount now that I had to send the device back. My policy actually cost $18 less this term — but that’s still a lot less than it would’ve cost if I’d never signed up for Snapshot.
Progressive review: Julia’s experience
b
Julia Cameron
Writer
Unlike some reviewers, my experience with Progressive’s customer service has been great. Speaking with a representative on the phone not too long ago saved me a ton of money.
She helped me bundle all of our policies together when we purchased a new car. We already had two cars insured with Progressive and needed to insure a third.
Which leads me to a tip about bundling: Just because you have multiple cars insured with Progressive doesn’t mean your policies are bundled. I didn’t realize we had two separate policies for each of our cars. When I called to get insurance on the third one, the representative brought this to my attention.
After all was said and done, I ended up with a lower monthly premium on all three cars than I had with just the two cars on separate policies.
Compare Progressive to alternatives
If you’re comparing the cheapest rates available, Geico is worth a quote for this reason and for its highly rated app, solid list of coverage and deep discounts. But if you’re wanting a mix of wide coverage and local service, State Farm is known for both as the largest US car insurance company with a huge network of local agents.
Speaking of customer service, give USAA a try if you want the highest-rated service, though you need to have served in the military or have a family connection to qualify. USAA consistently shows up as one of the cheapest car insurance companies available.
Since every company majors on different benefits, check out their coverage, free perks and customer service ratings, then select Get quotes to see your customized policy.
What car insurance coverage can I get with Progressive?
Progressive offers a comprehensive list of coverage to meet nearly any driver’s needs. You can get standard coverage like collision and comprehensive, plus less common add-ons like rideshare and custom equipment.
- Collision. When you’re found at fault for an accident, collision pays for your car’s repairs. Plus, Progressive includes free pet injury protection with this coverage.
- Comprehensive. Pays for car repairs if your car is damaged by something other than a car crash, like fire or vandalism.
- Custom equipment. Pays to repair or replace custom car equipment, including paint, stereos, TVs, grills and spoilers.
- Liability. Covers damage to the other driver if you cause an accident.
- Medical payments. Helps cover you and your passengers’ medical bills after a car accident.
- Personal injury protection. Pays for healthcare and related costs after an accident, such as income loss or ambulance rides.
- Gap coverage. Pays up to 25% more than your car’s actual cash value toward your car loan if your car is declared a total loss.
- Pet injuries. Pays for vet bills if your dog or cat is hurt in an accident, a rare perk that’s included free with collision coverage.
- Rental car reimbursement. Pays for a rental car for up to 30 days while yours is getting repaired from an accident.
- Rideshare. Progressive can cover you even if you drive for Uber or Lyft.
- SR-22. Progressive offers SR-22 coverage for drivers who need help filing this form.
- Underinsured motorist. Protects you if you’re in an accident caused by another driver without enough insurance.
- Roadside assistance. Pays for towing, roadside help, fuel delivery, lost keys or breakdowns.
What does Progressive include in roadside assistance?
If you clock up enough miles, you’re going to run into car issues at some point. Progressive offers emergency roadside service as an add-on, which could save your road trip in an emergency.
Progressive’s roadside assistance covers the costs of towing and labor for up to one hour. If it takes longer to get your car running, you must pay the difference. The good news is the most common roadside repairs typically take an hour or less.
If your car breaks down or can’t be driven, Progressive will cover these costs:
- Mechanical, on-scene labor. Covers up to one hour of labor.
- Towing. Get your car to the nearest repair facility or the mechanic of your choice within 15 miles.
- Battery jumpstart. If your battery dies, call a professional to jump it.
- Flat tire change. An expert will put the spare tire on your car at the scene.
- Fuel and fluid delivery. Progressive will deliver gas and oil so you can get back on the road.
- Locksmith labor. Covers up to an hour of labor if the key is lost, stolen or accidentally locked in the car.
- Winching. The insurer will pull out your car if it’s stuck in mud, snow, water or sand within 100 feet of the road or highway.
Find a Progressive agent near me
Progressive has local agents in all 50 states, plus Washington DC. Locate one of Progressive’s 38,000 agents on its website. Get started with a quote.
Car insurance ratings
★★★★★ — Excellent
★★★★★ — Good
★★★★★ — Average
★★★★★ — Subpar
★★★★★ — Poor
Our insurance team analyzes car insurance providers to help you choose the best car insurance for you.We rank insurers from one to five stars based on key factors including customer satisfaction, policy options, price, billing, claims, and support. We create these rankings to help you narrow down an insurance provider that best suits your budget and coverage needs.
