Auto Insurance Companies with the Best Rates
GEICO and Allstate are two of the top insurance companies in the United States. They offer some of the best price vs quality rates and are always a good pick if you are shopping around for auto insurance.
GEICO
GEICO is one of the most popular auto insurance companies in the United States. Unlike other major insurers, GEICO doesn’t have lots of brick and mortar agencies. With the exception of a few large metropolitan areas where you can close deals over the counter, most of the claims and quoting process is done either online or over the phone. A not so strong offline presence has helped GEICO lower its overheads related to rent, utilities and sales personnel, allowing them to offer better rates while still keeping a solid profit margin.
Their online quoting process is accurate -- they really give a “best guess” rate without asking for your social security number. If your credit information matches what you said online, then the rate you will have to pay will be very close to the quote you received on the website. Other companies are known to have “bait and switch” approaches -- offer you a great deal online, then switch to a completely different figure when you call them -- but it’s not the case with GEICO.
Allstate
Allstate is another strong insurance carrier in the United States, with more than 80 years of history, an A+ financial rating from A.M. Best and a 4 (out of 5) star consumer satisfaction.
While their stability is well known, they do have their share of customer complaints and were ranked “America’s #1 Worst Insurer” in 2008 by the American Association for Justice. They have received complaints about deceptive practices but, in spite of all this, however, they do have a huge customer base, offer great rates and don’t seem to be affected by the negative publicity.
Allstate was the first to introduce the “Accident Forgiveness Program”. They understood that accidents can happen to the best drivers too and decided not to issue surcharges if it is your first accident in a long period of time.
If you have a teenage driver, then Allstate is the perfect insurer for your needs. Allstate is one of the very few insurance carriers who offers good student discounts -- if your kid maintains a GPA above 3.0 then he will receive a consistent discount.