Progressive vs. State Farm 2024

Progressive vs. State Farm comparison

Progressive and State Farm are two of the biggest car insurance providers on the market. However, the Progressive and State Farm differences are numerous; these two companies stand apart for their varying coverage options, discount opportunities and average premiums.

Progressive pros and cons

State Farm pros and cons

Is Progressive cheaper than State Farm?

When it comes to answering if State Farm is cheaper than Progressive, it’s helpful to compare each company’s average car insurance premiums. According to rate data from Quadrant Information Services, Progressive has cheaper average rates than State Farm. However, car insurance rates are personalized to each driver based on factors like location, driving record and vehicle type. To find the cheapest provider for your needs, it’s important to compare quotes from each insurer for the same coverage types and policy limits. Below you will see how each provider's rates differ across several different driver profiles.

Progressive vs. State Farm: discounts

Progressive and State Farm both stand out for their car insurance discounts. Here are a few with brief descriptions of who might qualify, but be mindful that not all discounts are available in all states.

Discounts available from both carriers

Here’s a list of common discounts provided by both insurers that could help you save on car insurance costs:

• Multi-policy discount: You might be able to save when you bundle your auto insurance with home, renters or other types of insurance.
• Safe driver discount: Discounts are available for drivers who maintain a clean driving record without any accidents or traffic violations.
• Good student discount: Both insurers provide savings for young drivers who maintain a good academic record.
• Defensive driving course discount: Discounts are offered to drivers who complete an approved defensive driving course.
• Multi-car discount: You might be able to save for insuring more than one vehicle with the same insurance provider.

Progressive discounts

Progressive offers several discounts that may not be available from State Farm:

• Telematics discount: Progressive's Snapshot program adjusts rates based on real-time driving behavior, potentially lowering rates significantly for safe drivers.
• Online quote: Receive a discount when you start your quote online.
• Sign online: Get a discount for signing your insurance documents online.
• Distant student discount: If a student on your policy lives more than 100 miles from home and doesn't have a vehicle, you could qualify for this discount.
• Homeowner discount: Even if your home isn't insured with Progressive, just being a homeowner can get you a discount.

State Farm discounts

State Farm also offers several discounts that are not typically available through Progressive:

• Drive Safe and Save: This program uses telematics to monitor driving habits and could save you up to 30 percent for safe driving.
• Steer Clear: Aimed at drivers under 25 or new drivers, this program offers savings for completing safe driving courses.
• Vehicle safety: Receive discounts based on the safety features of your vehicle, such as airbags and anti-theft technology.
• Passive restraints: For vehicles with factory-installed airbags or other passive restraint systems, State Farm offers a significant discount.
• Defensive driving: Completing an approved driver safety course can result in savings.

Progressive and State Farm telematics programs

Progressive and State Farm both offer usage-based insurance programs: Progressive Snapshot and State Farm Drive Safe and Save. Both programs use telematics to track your driving behaviors. If you practice safe driving habits, you could qualify for a discount on your car insurance policy.

Progressive vs. State Farm: customer experience comparison

In terms of claims satisfaction, State Farm has a better ranking than Progressive. In the 2023 J.D. Power’s U.S. Auto Claims Satisfaction Study, State Farm earned a score of 891 out of 1,000 for overall claims satisfaction, which is above average. Progressive, on the other hand, ranked below average with a score of 870. Similarly, in the 2023 J.D. Power U.S. Auto Insurance Study, State Farm scored above average in all regions, whereas Progressive scored below average in every region.

Like most of the best car insurance companies, Progressive and State Farm both offer mobile apps. The apps have similar capabilities, such as bill paying, claim filing, ID card storage and roadside assistance access. State Farm and Progressive’s mobile apps are both highly rated by users on the App Store and Google Play.

Customer complaints

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Complaint Index measures the number of complaints an insurance company receives relative to its size, expressed as its market share. This index is a useful tool to gauge how well an insurer meets customer expectations in handling claims and service. A lower index score (under 1.00) typically suggests better performance, indicating fewer complaints than expected for a company of its size, while a higher score (above 1.00) indicates more complaints. Understanding this index can help consumers compare the reliability and service quality of different insurers.

Progressive auto insurance customer complaints

State Farm auto insurance customer complaints

Frequently asked questions

Methodology

Bankrate utilizes Quadrant Information Services to analyze November 2024 rates for all ZIP codes and carriers in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Rates are weighted based on the population density in each geographic region. Quoted rates are based on a single, 40-year-old male and female driver with a clean driving record, good credit and the following full coverage limits:

• $100,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $300,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $50,000 property damage liability per accident
• $100,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury per person
• $300,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury per accident
• $500 collision deductible
• $500 comprehensive deductible

To determine minimum coverage limits, Bankrate used minimum coverage that meets each state’s requirements. Our base profile drivers own a 2022 Toyota Camry, commute five days a week and drive 12,000 miles annually.

These are sample rates and should only be used for comparative purposes.

Credit-based insurance scores: Rates were calculated based on the following insurance credit tiers assigned to our drivers: “poor, average, good (base) and excellent.” Insurance credit tiers factor in your official credit scores but are not dependent on that variable alone. Four states prohibit or limit the use of credit as a rating factor in determining auto insurance rates: California, Hawaii, Massachusetts and Michigan.

Incidents: Rates were calculated by evaluating our base profile with the following incidents applied: clean record (base), at-fault accident, single speeding ticket and single DUI conviction.

Age: Rates were calculated by evaluating our base profile with the ages 25-70 (base: 40 years) applied. Depending on age, drivers may be a renter or homeowner. Age is not a contributing rating factor in Hawaii and Massachusetts due to state regulations.

Bankrate Scores

Our Bankrate Score considers variables our insurance editorial team determined impact policyholders’ experiences with an insurance company. These rating factors include a robust assessment of each company’s product availability, financial strength ratings, online capabilities and customer and claims support accessibility. Each factor was added to a category, and these categories were weighted in a tiered approach to analyze how companies perform in key customer-impacting categories.

Each category was assigned a metric to determine performance, and the weighted sum adds up to a company’s total Bankrate Score — out of 5 points. Our scoring model provides a comprehensive view, indicating when companies excel across several key areas and highlighting where they fall short.