Progressive car insurance review and ratings 2024

Our take: Progressive Insurance, the second-largest auto insurance company in the country, does a pretty good job of serving its sizeable customer base.

According to our rate analysis, Progressive is more expensive on average than two of its three largest competitors. And the insurer earned a grade of C from body shops for how well it handles the claims process for accident repairs.

But Progressive ranks better than average for customer service and has a low customer-complaint record, according to J.D. Power. It is also rated highly for its adoption of usage-based insurance options, such as telematics systems, and for its online shopping experience.

When deciding on an insurer, says Lauren McKenzie, an A Plus Insurance broker/agent based in Sierra Vista, Arizona, “ensure the company is financially stable, has top-rated customer service, and offers affordable car insurance coverage with reputable claims handling. Opting for the cheapest option without adequate research can lead to frustration, particularly with claim settlements.”

She also advises consumers to obtain and compare quotes from multiple insurance companies and check for fees, such as cancellation fees, before choosing an insurer. By following a few guidelines, she says, “drivers can make well-informed decisions and select the best insurance policy for their needs.”

Overall, if you’re looking for an auto insurer with a national footprint, Progressive could be an option, particularly if you can take advantage of some of the discounts the insurer offers.

How we compared Progressive car insurance

To perform our review of Progressive we looked at a series of industry benchmarks, including the annual J.D. Power customer satisfaction survey, the AM Best ratings for financial stability, the CRASH Network’s annual survey of body shops nationwide and the insurer’s record for complaints with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).

We then looked at what often matters to consumers the most – how cheap were its car insurance premiums compared to major competitors. Here’s how well it fared compared to its three largest competitors, Allstate, Geico and State Farm.

Progressive versus other top auto insurers

Who are the biggest auto insurers?

The U.S. auto insurance sector is massive by any scale, but four companies claim an outsized percentage of the market. Together, Progressive, State Farm, Geico and Allstate control about 56% of the market.

Progressive ranks as the second-largest private auto insurer with approximately $48 billion in premiums written in 2023, behind State Farm’s $58 billion, according to the NAIC.

How do Progressive’s rates compare to other top insurers?

Among the leading four car insurance companies, Progressive’s average annual rate is relatively high. Its sample yearly premium of $549 for a liability-only policy is almost $150 more than Geico, the cheapest of the four insurers we looked at.

The rates below were collected from auto insurance comparison site CarInsurance.com and its data partner Quadrant Information Services for single, 40-year-old male and female drivers of a 2023 Honda Accord LX with a good insurance score and no violations on their record for the following: state minimum liability insurance, standard liability with coverage limits of 50/100/500, and full coverage with liability limits of 100/300/100 and a $500 comprehensive and collision deductible.

How does Progressive rate in claims satisfaction?

Insurance premium rates are important to consumers, but so is fast claim resolution after your car has been damaged. We looked at two major comparisons on how the top four auto insurers performed on this front.

The CRASH Network performs an annual survey of national body shop to rate their experiences in working with auto insurers on claims. Specifically, it asks body shops “How well does this company’s claims handling policies, attitude and payment practices ensure quality repairs and customer service for motorists?”

In its 2024 rating, none of the largest auto insurers managed to crack the top 10 ranking (the North Carolina Farm Bureau received the highest, A+ grade). The best that any of the Big 4 could do was Progressive’s C grade. State Farm and Geico were given C-minus grades, while Allstate only managed a D+.

In a separate national study of car drivers conducted by J.D. Power, Progressive received a score of 870, ranking it fourth among the top four insurers for auto claims satisfaction. State Farm had the highest mark, a score of 891, followed by Allstate, then Geico.

What is Progressive’s financial stability?

Insurance is all about peace of mind and for that reason, you want to know your insurance provider is financial stable and will be there for you when you need it.

Credit rating agency AM Best provides research reports and credit ratings on some 16,000 insurance companies worldwide. It grades them on their ability to pay claims, debts and meet other financial obligations.

All the major insurers have high grades with AM Best. State Farm and Geico are highest at A++, while Progressive and Allstate have solid A+ ratings.

Does Progressive receive a lot of complaints?

J.D. Power rates Progressive better than average when it comes to customer service via its online offerings. Based on customer complaints filed with the NAIC, the insurer also performs much better than average.

The NAIC rates companies based on how many complaints are filed with the commission. A score of 1.0 means it received complaints that are the same as the industry average, while a score higher than 1.0 means it received a higher-than-average number of complaints.

Progressive’s score was 0.65, meaning it is much better than the industry average. By comparison Allstate had the same score of 0.65, State Farm 0.7 and Geico 0.91, meaning all had good track records.

What is Progressive’s digital shopping experience like?

J.D. Power also compared what consumers thought of their online experiences with the major insurers, both in terms of service and shopping. Progressive fared better than the industry average and was the best among the major insurers for online shopping experience. It received an online shopping score of 533 and an online service score of 722.

Its online app has a 4.8 out of 5 stars rating on the Apple App store and allows customers to pay bills, report a claim, get roadside assistance and explore products.

How is Progressive for shopping in general?

J.D. Power says consumers are increasingly interacting with their insurers online, but some consumers still prefer to do their shopping the old-fashioned way – by talking to people.

In the general shopping category, Progressive once again fared better than average and was the highest ranked among the top four auto insurers.

Is Progressive good at offering usage-based insurance?

Progressive has been one of the fastest adopters of usage-based insurance, which essentially allows insurance companies to monitor your driving behavior and set your insurance premiums accordingly.

Through its Snapshot program a mobile app or an in-car device continually streams your driving information to Progressive’s servers. It watches for things like how fast you accelerate, whether you’re prone to hard braking, how much driving you do and at what time of the day.

Progressive says by using the Snapshot app drivers will save an average of $232 a year. Of course, if Progressive determines you’re an aggressive driver, prone to speeding and drive a lot, it could have the opposite effect and lead to higher premiums.

When J.D. Power surveyed drivers about Progressive’s usage-based insurance, consumers ranked it better than average.

Key offerings by Progressive

A Progressive auto insurance policy includes all the basics plus a few add-on options. Progressive liability insurance coverage will meet all state requirements, with the option to increase your limits. A Progressive full coverage policy includes liability and adds both comprehensive and collision.

It’s worth noting that Progressive collision coverage includes injuries to your pet, which is uncommon among insurers.

Other options you can add include:

• Uninsured/underinsured motorist (required in some states)
• Personal injury protection and medical payments (required in some states)
• Loan/lease payoff
• Rental car reimbursement
• Custom parts and equipment
• Rideshare coverage
• Roadside assistance

What’s new with Progressive?

While it already is one of the largest auto insurers in the country, Progressive continues to experience impressive growth. It recently reported revenue increased 25% in 2023 over the year before and said it planned to hire 10,000 employees this year.

The company says it will boost its information technology hires to continue to build out applications and streamline operations.

The company also announced it would continue being the official sponsor of the Cleveland Guardians baseball team, securing the naming rights to the Guardians’ home, Progressive Field through 2036.

Making the choice: Why go with Progressive?

If you’re looking for an insurance company with a national footprint and that can also meet your other insurance needs, such as home and renters insurance, then Progressive is a strong choice.

It’s financially sound, has a good customer service rating, innovative usage-based insurance offering and is quicker to adopt online tools and resources.

Before you sign up: Things to consider

Progressive’s rates are not the cheapest, so you’ll want to take advantage of as many discounts as you can. Among the more popular discounts offered: bundling policies, taking a defensive driver course, or insuring multiple vehicles. Another plus is its online shopping tool, which provides several options for getting a quote.

Progressive Car Insurance – Our expert verdict

While Progressive’s rates aren’t the cheapest, its size and continued growth indicate customers are generally happy with the company and are staying loyal to it. That’s probably the strongest indicator that it’s a company you should consider for your car insurance needs.

Methodology

The rates below were collected from auto insurance comparison site CarInsurance.com and its data partner Quadrant Information Services for single, 40-year-old male and female drivers of a 2023 Honda Accord LX with a good insurance score and no violations on their record for the following: state minimum liability insurance, standard liability with coverage limits of 50/100/500, and full coverage with liability limits of 100/300/100 and a $500 comprehensive and collision deductible. 

We analyzed more than 53 million quotes, more than 34,000 ZIP codes and 170 insurance companies nationwide. 

Note: 100/300/100 means up to $100,000 for the medical bills of those you injure, up to $300,000 per accident for bodily injury liability for all persons injured in one accident, and $100,000 to repair other drivers’ cars and property that you damage.

AM Best’s Financial Strength Ratings (FSRs) are an independent assessment of an insurer’s financial strength and ability to meet its policy and contract obligations. Best’s FSRs are based on a graded scale from A++ (Superior) to D (Poor). For more information, visit AM Best’s ratings guide. For the latest AM Best credit ratings, visit www.ambest.com 

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Complaint Index analyzes consumer complaints submitted to state insurance departments. The Complaint Index is used to compare a company’s performance to others in the market. The National Complaint Index is benchmarked at 1.0. For example, a company with a score of 2 has a complaint index that is twice as high as expected in the market. A company’s complaint index score is determined by dividing the number of complaints by its share of premiums in the U.S. market. 

J.D. Power is a marketing, consumer intelligence, and data and analytics company that publishes a variety of studies on the insurance industry and carriers. The rankings included in this story originate from JD Power’s 2024 U.S. Insurance Digital Experience Study, 2024 U.S. Insurance Shopping Study and 2023 U.S. Auto Insurance Study.

CRASH Network’s Insurer Report Card is an annual survey of more than 1,100 collision repair professionals nationwide. Participants awarded each company a grade from A+ to F based on this question: “How well does this insurer's claims handling policies, attitude and payment practices ensure quality repairs and customer service for motorists?” Those polled also indicated whether or not they participate in that insurer's direct repair program.