- Progressive offers a wide selection of auto insurance policies and add-on coverage options, though reviews from customers are mixed.
- State Farm is one of the most reputable car insurance providers, providing an array of unique programs like Drive Safe and Safe and rideshare insurance.
- Read our comparison between these two national insurers to make the best choice for your auto insurance needs.
Affiliate disclosure: Automoblog and its partners may be compensated when you purchase the products in this article.
Progressive and State Farm have both been around for almost a century and are two of the largest car insurance providers in the nation. In this article, we’ll compare Progressive vs. State Farm in terms of coverage, cost, and customer reviews to help you decide which provider is right for you.
We consider both providers to be among the best car insurance companies, but when it comes down to it, you only need one insurance provider. When you’re ready to compare quotes, enter your zip code in the tool above.
Progressive vs. State Farm: Highlights
Progressive car insurance has been in the insurance business since 1937. Since then, the company has introduced a number of innovations. For example, Progressive was the first major auto insurance company to launch a website, the first to sell premiums online, and the first to offer usage-based insurance. The company is the third largest auto insurer in the United States and wrote $35 billion in premiums in 2021, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).
As of 2023, State Farm auto insurance has been in business for over 100 years. It’s not quite the oldest car insurance company, but it is the largest in the United States – it wrote over $41 billion in premiums in 2021, according to the NAIC. It’s important to mention that, while State Farm advertises availability in 50 states, the insurer is currently not accepting any new customers in Massachusetts or Rhode Island.
The chart below compares Progressive vs. State Farm at a glance.
| Progressive | State Farm | |
| Overall Rating | 4.5 | 4.6 |
| Affordability | 3.9 | 4.2 |
| Customer Service | 4.1 | 4.5 |
| Coverage | 4.8 | 4.6 |
| Eligibility | No restrictions | No restrictions |
| Available Discounts | 13 | 13 |
| Usage-Based Discount | Snapshot | Drive Safe and Save |
| Rideshare Coverage | Yes | Yes |
| Market Share | 14.05% | 16.84% |
| AM Best Financial Strength Rating | A+ | A++ |
| J.D. Power Insurance Shopping Rating | 859 / 1,000 | 885 / 1,000 |
Progressive vs. State Farm: Coverage
Both Progressive and State Farm offer the following basic car insurance coverage options:
| Coverage Type | Details |
|---|---|
| Bodily Injury Liability (BI) | This liability auto insurance coverage pays for the other party’s medical expenses and lost wages in accidents you cause. It has a limit per person and per accident. |
| Property Damage Liability (PD) | Property damage covers repairs to other cars in accidents that you cause. This coverage has a limit per accident. |
| Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM) | This coverage protects you, your passengers, and your vehicle if you get hit by an uninsured or underinsured driver. It usually matches your liability limits. |
| Collision | Collision coverage repairs your car after an accident regardless of who is at fault. |
| Comprehensive Car Insurance | This option pays to repair your car after damage from other events like hail or a flood. |
| Medical Payments (MedPay) | MedPay covers your medical expenses after an accident, no matter who caused it. |
| Personal Injury Protection (PIP) | This option pays for your medical bills, lost wages, and sometimes more after an accident regardless of fault. No-fault states require PIP coverage. |
When shopping for insurance, you’ll see liability limits written as three numbers, like this: 100/300/100. In this example, the limits provide $100,000 bodily injury per person, $300,000 bodily injury per accident, and $100,000 property damage liability. That might sound excessive, but it’s actually a good coverage level to have to avoid lawsuits with other drivers.
Additional Coverage With Progressive
Extra coverage options from Progressive include:
- Roadside assistance: Get coverage for lockouts, fuel delivery, flat tire changes, and towing.
- Rental car reimbursement: If your car has been in a covered accident, Progressive can cover the costs of a rental car up to the amount you specify. Be aware, rental car reimbursement might not cover the hours or days that your car sits in the shop waiting for repair authorization.
- Loan/lease payoff: With this option, Progressive will pay an additional 25 percent of your car’s value toward the amount you have left to pay on your loan.
- Custom parts and equipment value: Normally, aftermarket modifications aren’t covered for repairs. However, with this option, you can add your custom sound system or racing seats to your insurance coverage.
Additional Coverage With State Farm
In addition to the standard types of auto insurance coverage mentioned above, State Farm also offers:
- Car Rental Expenses: This option pays for a rental car after a covered claim.
- Travel Expenses: This pays for your meals, lodging, and transportation if you get into a covered accident over 50 miles from home.
- Rental Car Deductible: State Farm will pay $500 toward your deductible if you get into an accident while driving a rental car.
- Emergency Road Service: State Farm’s roadside assistance program covers up to one hour of mechanical labor at the site, towing to the nearest repair shop, lockout services, fuel delivery, spare tire changes, and jump starts.
Progressive vs. State Farm: Cost
Based on our research, we found that State Farm tends to be more affordable on average than Progressive. Our cost estimates show that good drivers pay an average of $1,628 per year for a full coverage policy with State Farm compared with $1,872 per year with Progressive. Both companies offer car insurance below the national average of $1,983.
If you’re finding car insurance costs confusing, that’s because they can be. But the Name Your Price Tool® lets you plug in your desired budget, then shows you policy options within that range. It cuts out a good chunk of busy work, and you can still tweak your plan after you get recommendations.
Progressive vs. State Farm Car Insurance Discounts
Comparing Progressive vs. State Farm, the number of discounts available from each company is the same, but the actual discount offerings vary. See a full comparison in the table below:
| Discount | Progressive | State Farm |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-Policy | Up to 5% off | Up to 17% off |
| Multi-Car | Up to 12% off | Up to 20% off |
| Good Student | Varies | Up to 25% off |
| Student Away At School | Varies | Varies |
| Usage-Based Discount | Average of $145 off | Up to 30% off |
| Continuous Insurance | Varies | × |
| Online Quote | Up to 4% off | × |
| E-Signature | Up to 8.5% off | × |
| Paperless | Varies | × |
| Pay In Full | Varies | × |
| Autopay | Varies | × |
| Teen Driver | Varies | × |
| Homeowner | Up to 10% off | × |
| Accident Free | × | Varies |
| Defensive Driving Course | × | Varies |
| Good Driving | × | Varies |
| Driver Training | × | Varies |
| Vehicle Safety | × | Up to 40% off PIP and MedPay |
| Passive Restraint | × | Up to 40% off PIP and MedPay |
| Anti-Theft | × | Varies |
| Steer Clear | × | Up to 15% off |
For some drivers, State Farm offers better discounts than Progressive. For example, if you’re a student, you could get 25 percent off with State Farm’s good student discount and another 15 percent off by completing the Steer Clear program. However, the quotes you see between Progressive and State Farm can vary – you might find Progressive to be cheaper even after those discounts.
Neither State Farm nor Progressive provides discounts to seniors or members of the military. However, that doesn’t mean seniors or military personnel can’t find good rates from these companies.
Progressive vs. State Farm: Usage-Based Discounts
Progressive’s Snapshot program and State Farm’s Drive Safe and Save both provide usage-based discounts to good drivers, but what’s the difference?
Progressive Snapshot
If you’re thinking about joining Progressive’s Snapshot, consider yourself warned: Not everyone is a good driver, and not everyone gets discounts. In fact, about 20 percent of Snapshot program participants actually see their rates increase, according to Progressive. Rates can increase because of high-risk driving habits, not just by losing the introductory discount.
If you drive late at night and tend to take corners fast, Snapshot won’t be worth it. However, if you really are a good driver, it could pay off. You can save about $25 on your first policy and about $145 on average after that.
State Farm Drive Safe and Save
State Farm’s website says that drivers can save up to 30 percent with Drive Safe and Save. Drivers get a 5 percent discount for signing up. Drive Safe and Save tracks speeding, fast corners, hard braking, acceleration, and distracted driving. The good thing about this program is that it can’t raise your rate because of high-risk driving. Now, your rate might increase if you become ineligible for a low-mileage discount you previously had, but that’s different.
Progressive vs. State Farm: Ratings And Reviews
Comparing customer service between Progressive and State Farm, we found that State Farm tends to have a better reputation overall. In the J.D. Power 2022 U.S. Auto Insurance StudySM, State Farm scored higher than Progressive in every region.
Progressive’s customer service track record is average, which is an important thing to know when comparing Progressive vs. State Farm. It’s not the best, but it’s not the worst. In the J.D. Power 2022 U.S. Auto Claims Satisfaction Study, State Farm scored higher than Progressive, which scored 11 points below the national average.
Both State Farm and Progressive have an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB). Also, State Farm has fewer complaints on its BBB page than Progressive does, even though it has many more customers than Progressive.
Progressive vs. State Farm: Which Is Best For You?
Considering all the evidence, we think both of these companies would make a great choice for auto insurance. If you’re a student, it would be unwise to pass up a quote from State Farm. If you’re looking for affordable car insurance after college, Progressive is a great option. Plus, with Progressive’s comparison tool, you can also check out a few other companies at the same time.
We recommend getting free quotes from both providers to ensure that you are getting the best rate and coverage possible.Read more in our Progressive insurance review or our full State Farm insurance review.
Other Top Insurance Companies
Speaking of getting multiple quotes, there are a few other great providers out there. We recently reviewed the best car insurance companies in the industry, and along with Progressive and State Farm, USAA and Geico rounded out our top four choices.
USAA: Best for Military
You should check out USAA if you or your family have any military affiliations. USAA tends to be an affordable option for those who qualify and can be cheaper than State Farm or Progressive. After comparing multiple insurance companies, USAA was the only provider that we gave five stars for its prices and reputation for great customer service. For more information, check out our USAA auto insurance review.
Geico: Most Discount Options
It’s also a good idea to include Geico auto insurance in your search. Geico has affordable coverage and is one of the better options if you have a speeding ticket on your driving record. The point is to look at multiple rates, so you don’t just pick the first quote you see, whether that’s from Progressive, State Farm, or another insurance company. For more information, check out our Geico auto insurance review.
Our Methodology
Our expert review team takes satisfaction in providing accurate and unbiased information. We identified the following rating categories based on consumer survey data and conducted extensive research to formulate rankings of the best car insurance providers.
- Affordability: A variety of factors influence cost, so it can be difficult to compare quotes between providers. Our team considers auto insurance rate estimates generated by Quadrant Information Services and discount opportunities when giving this score.
- Coverage: Because each consumer has unique needs, it’s essential that a car insurance company offers an array of coverage options. We take into account types of insurance available, maximum coverage limits, and add-on policies.
- Industry Standing: Our team considers Better Business Bureau (BBB) ratings, financial strength, and years in business when giving this score.
- Availability: Auto insurers with greater state availability and few eligibility requirements are more likely to meet consumer needs.
- Customer Service: Reputable car insurance providers operate with a certain degree of care for consumers. We consider complaints filed with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), J.D. Power claims servicing scores, and customer feedback.
- Online Experience: Insurers with easy-to-use websites and highly rated mobile apps scored best in this category.
