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State Farm car insurance review 2021
Get a long list of discounts and personalized support, but you won't find the cheapest rates on the market.
finder.com's rating: 4 / 5
★★★★★
Bottom line: State Farm’s agent support can help you find the right policy, but your quotes and experience all depend on the agent you pick.
optional
Roadside assistance
New car protection
Accident forgiveness
Details
| States served | All 50 states |
|---|---|
| Roadside assistance | Optional |
| Accident forgiveness | Yes |
| New car protection | No |
| Pay schedule | 12 months, 6 months, Monthly |
| Claims methods | Online, Phone |
| Rideshare coverage | Yes |
| SR-22 support | Yes |
Pros
- Local agent support
- Top-ranked for customer satisfaction
- Easy-to-use website
- Top-rated mobile app
Cons
- Higher prices than competition
- No live chat
- Expect hard upselling
| Anti-theft device discount | Yes |
|---|---|
| Bundling discount | Yes |
| Defensive driving discount | Yes |
| Good student discount | Yes, Up to 25% |
| Loyalty discount | Yes, up to 20% |
| Homeowner discount | Yes |
| Military discount | No |
| Safety device discount | Yes, up to 40% |
| Special employment discount | No |
| Usage-based discount | No |
Review by
Sarah George
sarah.george@finder.comSarah George is an insurance writer at Finder who’s penned over 400 articles, unraveling complicated topics about car, home and life insurance. Her insurance know-how has been featured in online publications, including Breeze, CBS, CNET and Reviews.com, as well as Finder’s YouTube channel. Sarah is working to become a Certified Educator in Personal Finance (CEPF).
Expert review
State Farm is one of the highest-rated auto insurance companies in the country, and for good reason. It provides personalized service through its large agent network, and its online platform lets you buy coverage and file claims from the comfort of your home. Plus, State Farm’s mobile app gets overwhelmingly positive reviews for ease of use and policy accessibility.
State Farm also offers a number of discounts and policy features to keep its rates and coverage competitive. If you’re looking for a good line-up of coverage and personalized agent support, State Farm might be right for you.
But expertise may come with higher prices than you could find elsewhere for comprehensive coverage. If you like the idea of a popular company offering lots of name-brand products, it’s worth comparing rates and options to other insurers in your area.
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.
Finder experts pick State Farm as a 2021 best brand for car insurance.
State Farm car insurance rates
We pulled 2021 full-coverage car insurance rates using State Farm’s online quote tool for good drivers living in California with a clean driving record.
| Age | Premiums |
|---|---|
| 18 | $381.58 |
| 21 | $264.07 |
| 30 | $209.05 |
| 40 | $196.51 |
| 50 | $187.96 |
How to get a free quote from State Farm car insurance
Getting auto insurance coverage with State Farm can be done over the phone by calling 855-733-7333 or in-person through an agent. You can also easily get a quote online with these steps:
- From the State Farm website, choose auto, enter your ZIP code and tap Get a quote.
- Enter your personal information and car information or VIN, then click Next.
- Enter driver information, like your driver’s license number, then click Next.
- Enter details about your driving history and tap Next.
- Add contact and any other details, then click Next.
- Review and customize your policy. If you’re satisfied, submit the quote to your local agent or buy online by entering your payment info.
What discounts can I get with State Farm?
State Farm offers a number of discounts to help customers lower their premiums:
- Accident-free. Stay claim free for three years back to back, even if you just switched to State Farm.
- Away at school. Get a discount if your student is under 25 and only drives during school vacations and holidays.
- Defensive driving. Take a defensive driving course or complete State Farm’s Steer Clear program, which tracks your driving to improve your abilities.
- Good student. Save up to 25% for your student’s good grades, and apply the savings after graduation until age 25.
- Multipolicy. Save up to 17% if you have State Farm homeowners, renters, condo, or life insurance.
- Multivehicle. Shave 20% off your premium when you insure several cars on the same policy.
- Safe car. Save up to 40% on medical coverage if your car was made after 1994. Get another discount if it’s equipped with anti-theft devices.
- Telematics. State Farm can track your driving through OnStar or its app, offering discounts for signing up and driving safely.
Our review of State Farm Drive Safe and Save
State Farm Drive Safe and Save is a telematics car insurance program, which tracks how safely you drive and gives a discount personalized to you.
Overall, customers give the app a thumbs up with ratings of 4.1 out of 5 stars on Google Play and 4.6 of 5 on the Apple store.
You can earn up to 30% off your premium, although you’ll start out with a smaller discount at signup. State Farm then applies your personalized discount at your policy renewal every six months, which is a long time to wait for your full discount. Other programs like Liberty Mutual RightTrack have significantly shorter timelines, such as 90 days.
Because you’re giving permission to track data, it’s a good idea to review State Farm’s privacy policy. State Farm uses the data to set your premiums as well as share it with consumer reporting agencies, companies that offer marketing services and State Farm employees for other business purposes.
How Drive Safe and Save scores you
You can concentrate on these three factors to keep you safe on the road:
- Hard braking — How many hard stops you make
- Speeding — Driving 8+ mph above the speed limit
- Phone use — Using your phone while your car is moving
What add-ons and perks can I get with State Farm?
This major brand offers several coverage options like rideshare insurance that you won’t find everywhere, plus an app with a stellar customer experience.
- Car rental and travel expenses. Covers renting a car if your car needs repairs after an accident as well as covering meals, hotels and transportation if an accident happens away from home.
- Rideshare. You can get coverage if you drive for Uber, Lyft or other rideshare services.
- Roadside and accident assistance. Get reimbursed for assistance, towing and labor costs and rental car coverage required after an accident.
- Top-rated mobile app. You can file and manage claims, access your ID cards, get roadside assistance, connect with your agent and call for roadside assistance easily through the app. Although many top insurers offer a mobile app, customers rave about this easy-to-use app and its features.
State Farm car insurance reviews and complaints
State Farm holds a solid A rating with the Better Business Bureau (BBB). However, about 1,350 BBB complaints were filed from 2018 to 2020, checked as of 2021. Customers report denied claims, unwanted soliciting and unauthorized payments.
State Farm received 847 out of 1,000 points in J.D. Power’s 2020 car insurance study for its customer satisfaction in California. The score puts State Farm above the region’s average of 821 points.
However, in May 2017, the company faced legal action from California’s Insurance Commissioner for overcharged premiums. It issued refunds to almost 250,000 customers, totaling over $13 million.
| AM Best financial rating | A++ |
| BBB accredited | Yes |
| BBB rating | A+ |
| Trustpilot score | 1.8/5 out of 75 customer reviews |
| Customer reviews verified as of | 28 June 2021 |
Our star ratings for State Farm, explained
Finder’s car insurance experts rate State Farm above average because of its well-rounded coverage, high BBB score and solid customer ratings overall. But since State Farm doesn’t have the cheapest rates for many drivers, its pricing lowered its overall score slightly.
Case study: Kelly’s experience
Kelly Waggoner
Editor-in-Chief, Finder US
In August 2010, our car was swiped in a hit-and-run within two grand of its total life. Our rear bumper was smashed into our rear door, no damage to any other cars in sight.
It was late when I called State Farm’s claims number. But I got an agent nearly right away to guide us through the remarkably easy process. State Farm put us in touch with a local repair shop willing to tow our car for doctoring. We paid our deductible and picked up our newly polished car about two weeks later.
The best part: State Farm was willing to hear out my husband’s sleuthing about who the culprit might be. After haranguing the police to interview a sole witness — a night watchman at a nearby condo building who recorded a license plate number — we submitted the police report to our agent. With this info, our agent chased down the guy who ran off. To us, we’d done all we needed.
And then, on April 29, 2013, nearly three whole years later, we received a letter from State Farm along with a refund check for that deductible we paid years before: “We have recovered our payments from the responsible party.” They hadn’t stopped working on the case. That’s dedication.
Compare alternatives to State Farm
See how other companies’ benefits, coverage and cost compare with your State Farm quote. Check the Compare box to compare companies side by side.
What car insurance coverage does State Farm offer?
State Farm offers complete coverage in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. which includes:
- Collision. Pays to repair or replace your car if it collides with another car or object like a guard rail.
- Comprehensive. Pays to repair or replace your car if it’s damaged by something other than a collision — including theft, fire or vandalism.
- Liability. Pays another person’s medical expenses, car repairs or property damage if you’re responsible for the accident.
- Medical payments. Pays medical and funeral costs if you or a passenger gets accident injuries.
- Uninsured and underinsured motorist. Helps with medical bills if you’re injured by a driver with little to no liability insurance.
How to find a State Farm agent near me
You can look for one of nearly 20,000 State Farm agents that live near you. To use the company’s handy agent locator tool:
- Click Find An Agent from the navigation on State Farm’s main website.
- Enter your ZIP code in the screen that pops up. Tap Find an Agent.
- Click on agencies from the map or scroll down to find each agent’s contact details.
- Choose your agent, then call or visit the office.
How does State Farm bundling work?
State Farm hands out generous discounts when bundling policies with car insurance. State Farm claims that new customers save $850 a year when buying car and home insurance. You’ll have the option of bundling your home, auto, renters or condo insurance.
Car insurance ratings
★★★★★ — Excellent
★★★★★ — Good
★★★★★ — Average
★★★★★ — Subpar
★★★★★ — Poor
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