An must-need for any car owner is automobile insurance. Not having this safety net of sorts can lead you down a very dangerous (and expensive) road. As such, one needs a reliable and affordable option as a means to keep themselves (and their families) in good order.
Here are the top-five auto insurance companies for anyone in need of this practical necessity:
State Farm
Many from the current generation know State Farm from its media campaign centered around NBA stars Chris Paul, Damian Lillard, and DeAndre Jordan. While we all love Cliff Paul and the shenanigans depicted in fun commercials, we love quality auto insurance even more. The company is widely respected for its accessibility as it pertains to tangible offices and in-person service. Duly, the company presents a terrifically-crafted mobile app and website to aid in the selection of plans. The app/website combination enables quick feasibility in garnering a quote. This is particularly helpful for the potential customer who’d rather work on a plan from the comfort of their own home as opposed to in a State Farm office. State Farm ranks near the top in terms of annual price. The average quote registers in the ballpark of $2,200 per year. Drivers with a clean record have opportunities to snip away at some of the costs. There are also separate discounts made available by the company which deal exclusively with those having sparkling driving histories.
USAA
Similar to State Farm, USAA has wonderful marks pertaining to customer service and overall customer satisfaction. It received a 5/5 score in overall customer satisfaction per the J.D. Power’s Claims Satisfaction Survey. One trademark of any successful insurance company is the manner in which it deals with accidents. In terms of the settlement aftermath, USAA has consistently garnered strong reviews from its clientele base. There is a caveat when dealing with USAA: It’s only made available to those actively in the military, as well as retired members of the armed services. Close family members to these former/current servicemen and servicewomen are also entitled to this specific insurance company. At only $918 per year, these rates are among the most cost-friendly of any policy on the market. Discounts are also made available to those with clean driving records.
Liberty Mutual
Liberty Mutual is a diverse company — offering a plethora of options to an already strong standard coverage. Dating back to its inception in 1912, Liberty Mutual has been a company rooted in customer service. The act of selecting a policy is fortified even further by the company’s goal in making every transaction a positive one. As mentioned previously, there are ‘add-ons’ offered for the potential customer to look into. Liberty Mutual presents examples such as accident forgiveness, better car replacement, new car replacement, vandalism loss protection, deductible fund, personal property coverage, teachers’ auto insurance, and collision coverage. For example, the ‘new car replacement’ helps to protect against a car less than a year old. If one were to total their relatively-new car (less than a year old), the policy will fully reimburse the driver the cost of a new car (assuming it’s possessing less than 15,000 miles).
Progressive
‘Flo From Progressive’ (portrayed by actress Stephanie Courtney) is arguably the most recognizable face in all of commercial work. Acting as the figurehead, the cheery individual has been integral in raising the profile of Progressive throughout the United States. Progressive resonates especially with those who’d rather completely policy programs over the computer as opposed to in person. It’s effective online community offers an easy and stress-free environment for those in search of one. The technologically-based ‘Snapshot Program’ tracks one’s driving record on a day-to-day basis. By accruing miles on one’s car without any accident or ticket violation, the customer will be entitled to more in the way of a discount. Essentially, the smart phone app will track every trip you’ve taken within your vehicle. On average, the annual quote for a Progressive customer comes out to a total of $2,821 ($235 a month). A customer can bundle together automobile and home insurance for more of a discount. This can also be seen when insuring multiple cars.
Geico
Lastly, we get to talk about the company represented by that cute little green gecko with the British accent. Of the giant automobile insurance companies, Geico offers perhaps the best bang-for-your-buck. The annual average rate for a Geico policy is $1,297. In comparison, this is less than half of what the average annual policy costs for Progressive. There’s also opportunities for customers to slash prices even further. For example, simply driving a car with air bags entitles the customer to a discount. One can save up to 40% with full-front seat air bags. The same goes for those who insure multiple vehicles within the company. Drivers who’ve gone five years with any sort of accident are clear to access the company’s good driver discount — which could allow for the individual to save up to 26% on most coverages. Students possessing a “B” average or better are even eligible for up to a 15% discount on certain policy packages.