Founded in 1937, Progressive is known for the TV character "Flo" and its Insurance Superstore commercials. But fame aside, Progressive offers various insurance products, including home, pet, and auto insurance.
Business Insider compared Progressive's auto insurance products to the best auto insurance policies on the market and found it to be an option worth considering due to its widespread availability and customizable coverage options. However, despite its wide selection of auto insurance policies, add-ons, and discounts, Progressive's negative customer reviews can raise red flags and may be a dealbreaker for potential customers.
Progressive Auto Insurance Pros & Cons
Progressive Auto Insurance Pros
- Competitive rates and discount opportunities
- Wide range of coverage options
- Innovative digital tools like the Name Your Price tool and Snapshot program
- A+ financial stability rating from AM Best
- Lifetime renewal guarantee after 20 years of coverage
Progressive Auto Insurance Cons
- Mixed customer satisfaction ratings
- Rates may be higher for some drivers with higher risk profiles
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A highly ranked and long-standing insurance company, Progressive offers auto, home, motorcycle, and other insurance across the United States.
Progressive Auto Insurance- Ranked #17 out of 18 in auto claims satisfaction
- Bundling, vehicle safety, and student driver discounts
- Low rates
- Name your price tool
Progressive Auto Insurance Overview
Available in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., Progressive auto insurance offers a diverse array of coverage options, including some that many of its competitors don't offer, like rideshare coverage and gap insurance.
What really makes Progressive stand out from its competitors is its unique digital tools like the Name Your Price Tool, which allows drivers to set a budget before considering policy options. Progressive also offers its Snapshot program through the Progressive mobile app. Snapshot tracks your driving and offers you premiums based on your driving habits, rewarding safe driving with lower rates.
Progressive also offers several appealing benefits. For one, its accident forgiveness benefit won't raise your rates on your first claim under $500 or your first large crash after five years of accident-free coverage. It also offers a lifetime renewal guarantee after 20 years of coverage, meaning Progressive will cover you regardless of your driving record.
Progressive has an A+ (Superior) financial stability rating from the credit rating agency AM Best, meaning it is likely to honor its ongoing obligations to policyholders, such as paying claims.
That said, the company falls short in customer service and claims handling, as reflected in its below-average rating on customer review sites like Trustpilot and poor survey scores from third-party organizations like JD Power. So, if excellent customer service is a top priority for you, you may want to look elsewhere.
Progressive Auto Insurance Plans Available
Progressive Auto Insurance offers the following auto insurance coverages:
- Liability Coverage: This includes bodily injury liability, which pays for another person's medical bills if you're liable, and property damage liability, which pays for another person's vehicle or property. It's the state-required portion of most auto insurance policies.
- Comprehensive coverage: Covers the vehicle in events not covered by collision coverage, such as fire, theft, vandalism, hitting an animal, glass breakage, or acts of nature.
- Collision coverage: Covers the repair or replacement of a damaged vehicle if it collides with another object, such as a vehicle, tree, guardrail, or fence.
- Uninsured/underinsured motorist: Fills in coverage gaps if you're hit by an uninsured driver or somebody with minimal liability coverage below your accident-related costs. Can also come in handy if a drunk driver hits you.
- Medical payments (Med Pay): Helps pay for medical and funeral expenses for yourself and your passengers, regardless of fault. May cover ambulance expenses and other short-term costs.
- PIP (Personal Injury Protection) insurance: PIP insurance is similar to Med Pay, but it offers coverage beyond medical bills and funeral expenses. PIP insurance also includes coverage for lost wages, household services, disability, and rehab benefits.
Note that liability auto insurance is required in 49 states, while Collision and Comprehensive coverages are necessary if you have a loan on your vehicle. Underinsured/uninsured and medical payments or PIP coverage may also be required, depending on the state.
New Hampshire may not require auto insurance, but it does require proof of "financial responsibility."
Additional Coverage Options (Riders)
Besides the standard auto insurance policies Progressive offers, consider these add-ons to customize your coverage:
- Loan/lease payoff: If you finance or lease a car, this coverage can close the gap between what you owe on the vehicle and its worth.
- Rental car reimbursement: If your car is in an accident, this covers the cost of a rental car while your vehicle is in the shop.
- Custom parts and equipment value: Can cover things such as a stereo, custom wheels, navigation system, or a custom paint job, typically up to a $5,000 limit. If you've upgraded your wheels, added a spoiler, or anything else out of the ordinary, custom parts coverage could ensure you can return your car to its state before the accident.
- Rideshare coverage: If you drive for a rideshare company, your regular auto insurance coverage stops once you turn on the app. Rideshare coverage covers you when you're logged into the app and waiting for a trip/customer. It doesn't start until you have a scheduled ride. You'd see a similar lapse in coverage if you're working in food or grocery delivery.
- Roadside assistance: Pays for towing service on the road or at home and assists if you lock yourself out, run out of gas, or need a flat tire change.
- Deductible savings bank: Adding this coverage subtracts $50 from your collision and comprehensive deductible for every claim-free policy period (six months). Some auto insurance companies offer similar products, but the deductible savings bank is specific to Progressive.
- Pet injury coverage: If your pet is injured in an accident while in the car with you, this add-on will help cover up to $1,000 of your pet's veterinary bills.
- Trip interruption: If you're away from home and your car breaks down, this trip interruption rider could pay up to $500 of your related covered costs.
- Vehicle protection: The vehicle protection rider helps cover a newer car's major systems in non-accident-related incidents as well as lost, stolen, or damaged keys.
- Additional forgiveness: Progressive will automatically forgive your first claim under $500 and will forgive your first large accident if you've been an accident-free customer for five years. You can purchase additional accident forgiveness, which will forgive one accident per policy period.
How Much Does Progressive Car Insurance Cost?
Many factors affect how much auto insurance premiums cost, including age, location, driving record, type of vehicle, vehicle usage, credit score, how you pay, any lapses in coverage or recent changes, any speeding/traffic tickets or accidents, and marital status.
Progressive offers data on what users can expect to pay depending on the state:
Low-cost states include California, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, South Dakota, Vermont, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. The average cost of car insurance on a six-month liability-only policy in these states is $79.83/month.
Medium-cost states include Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, Texas, and Utah. The average cost of a six-month liability-only policy is $105.36/month.
High-cost states include Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and West Virginia. The average cost of a six-month liability-only policy in these states is $157.27/month.
Progressive Auto Insurance Discounts
Progressive offers a wide range of discounts. According to the company, 99% of their auto customers qualify for at least one discount. Discount availability varies by state.
- Snapshot rewards/Safe driver discount: The Progressive Snapshot is a program that gives you a personalized rate based on how you drive, rewarding safer driving with a lower rate. Snapshot tracks factors like phone usage while driving, speed, and if you drive at night. Most states will give you an automatic discount just for participating, and after a year of participation, you get a personalized rate based on the result.
- Teen driver discount: You also get a discount for adding a teen driver (under 18) to your policy.
- Good student discount: Students who maintain a B average or higher can receive an average 10% discount.
- Distant student discount: Discounts for insuring students 22 and under living over 100 miles from home (as long as the student doesn't have a vehicle at school).
- Homeowners discount: Drivers may be eligible for a discount simply by owning a home, even if it's not insured by Progressive.
- Online quote: Save an average of 7% by quoting your car insurance online.
- Sign online: Save an average of 9% by signing documents online.
- Multi-policy discount (bundling): Progressive offers a discount when you bundle two or more Progressive policies, including home insurance, renters insurance, or another auto insurance policy. Bundling saves an average of 7% on your auto policy.
- Accident forgiveness: With your first policy term, Progressive won't raise your rate for your first claim of less than $500. And if you've been a loyal Progressive customer for at least five years and haven't gotten into an accident during this time, your rate also won't increase if you file a claim.
- Continuous insurance: Progressive provides discounts for being continuously insured, even if the previous company you were with was not Progressive.
How to Purchase and Manage a Progressive Auto Insurance Policy
You can buy an auto insurance policy from Progressive online or by calling them at 1-866-749-7436. Progressive suggests having your vehicle identification number ready since you won't be able to purchase a policy without it. The VIN will also help speed up the quoting process. You can also use Progressive's Name Your Price tool, which allows you to get coverage availability based on what you're willing to pay.
Once you've purchased an auto insurance policy from Progressive, review your coverage regularly to ensure you're still adequately protected and not paying more than necessary.
How to File a Claim with Progressive Auto Insurance
Progressive Auto Insurance makes it easy to file an auto insurance claim. You can log into your policy to make a claim online, call its claims number at 1-800-776-4737, or use the Progressive app.
Progressive has long been an online company but sells policies through broker agents. If you purchased through a local insurance agent, you could also contact them to help you with claims.
Progressive Auto Insurance Customer Service and Support Experience
Progressive has overwhelmingly negative customer reviews online. It averages 1.2 stars on Trustpilot, with 93% of reviews giving the company one star.
The company fares even worse on its Better Business Bureau page, receiving an average of 1.08 stars, with 5,299 complaints filed over the last three years. Progressive is not BBB-accredited.
Many of the customers who left one-star reviews complained about the company's slow claims process, unfriendly customer service, steadily increasing premiums, inaccurate online quotes, and surprise charges even after canceling a policy. However, it's worth noting that though most of these negative reviews were about Progressive auto insurance, some were about their other insurance products like homeowners insurance and life insurance.
Progressive's mobile app is highly rated, receiving an average of 4.8 stars on the Apple app store and 4.6 stars on the Google Play store. Positive reviews spoke highly of the auto-payment feature, fast response times, and the convenience of having all your documentation in one place. Negative reviews mostly focused on how poorly Progressive's Snapshot feature functioned, draining battery power and mistakenly faulting your driving when you're a passenger.
The National Association of Insurance Commissioners' complaint index rates insurance companies based on how many complaints they receive against its share of the market. A 1.00 means that a company has an expected number of complaints based on its size. A lower score indicates fewer complaints than expected and a higher number indicates more complaints than expected. Progressive scored 1.89, indicating that it has more complaints than expected.
Progressive has an A+ (Superior) AM Best rating for financial stability, meaning that it is likely to meet its policyholders' obligations, like claims payouts.
Progressive placed second to last out of 21 car insurance companies surveyed in JD Power's claims satisfaction study of 2024 with a score of 672/1,000, only beating Mercury. For reference, the study average was 697/1,000, and NJM Insurance Co. earned the first spot at 782.
Additionally, Progressive struggled in JD Power's Overall Customer Satisfaction Index Rating. It placed below average in all 11 major regional markets. It placed especially poorly in Texas, ranking below all other insurance providers surveyed. It also placed third to last (816/1,000) in JD Power's usage-based insurance customer satisfaction survey.
Here are all of Progressive's JD Power regional customer satisfaction ratings compared against the region's average:
- California: 635 vs. regional average of 637
- Central: 638 vs. 647
- Florida: 587 vs. 625
- Mid-Atlantic: 624 vs. 654
- New England: 620 vs. 637
- New York: 621 vs. 647
- North Central: 648 vs. 652
- Northwest: 607 vs. 643
- Southeast: 637 vs. 663
- Southwest: 614 vs. 635
- Texas: 616 vs. 645
Progressive Auto Insurance Alternatives
Learn more about how Progressive Auto Insurance compares against popular auto insurance options.
Progressive vs. AAA Auto Insurance
Progressive and AAA Auto Insurances are ranked in JD Power's Auto Insurance Study. Progressive ranks lower than AAA in some regions, but AAA is not available in all states, while Progressive offers auto insurance in all 50 states and Washington, DC. In addition, AAA may require a membership, while Progressive does not.
While both companies offer free quotes online, AAA also provides AAA Triple Check, which helps individuals determine if they have enough coverage and all available discounts. If you're running quotes for yourself online, we recommend letting AAA Triple Check evaluate your plan. Then, ensure your Progressive coverages match to see which company is more affordable.
Progressive's licensing in all 50 states is particularly handy for drivers looking to travel or move to a new state for school, work, or something else. However, AAA's roadside service and other membership perks may appeal more to existing AAA members.
Progressive vs. Nationwide Auto Insurance
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Cons
- Nationwide auto good for senior drivers.
Progressive and Nationwide Auto Insurance earned high rankings on JD Power's latest auto insurance study. Still, this time, Progressive ranks higher than Nationwide. Neither company requires membership to obtain auto insurance, and both companies offer similar auto insurance discount programs.
An important distinction between Progressive Snapshot and Nationwide SmartRide should not be ignored. Nationwide SmartRide is exclusively designed to be used as a discount program. Progressive Snapshot, on the other hand, evaluates your driving to set your rates, so your semi-annual premiums could also rise because of Snapshot data.
Progressive and Nationwide have long operated as online insurance providers. However, you can buy either brand through an insurance agent if you need a more personal touch. The best way to compare these two similar companies is by running side-by-side quotes. Ensure your liability limits and other coverages match to ensure you're getting the most competitive pricing for the coverage you want.
Read our Nationwide car insurance review.
Progressive vs. Lemonade Auto Insurance
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Pros
Cons
- Discounts for electric vehicles, low mileage, and bundling policies
- Offers emergency crash assistance, and roadside assistance
- Participates in One Tree Planted program and Giveback Program
Lemonade Auto Insurance is an InsurTech company offering auto insurance 100% online. It provides auto, home, life, pet, and renters insurance in many states. However, interested customers should check the company's website to verify their state is covered.
Lemonade uses location-based technology to set premiums, similar to Progressive's Snapshot program. In addition, the Lemonade app assigns discounts for driving less or owning an electric or hybrid vehicle. It can also alert Emergency services if you've been in an accident and offers free roadside assistance.
Like Progressive, Lemonade offers discounts for bundling your auto insurance with another product. It touts prices as low as $30/month on its website for liability coverage, making Lemonade the cheaper option. However, there may be better options for less tech-savvy buyers or those looking for stable premiums based on traditional underwriting guidelines (driving history, credit score, insurance history, etc.). Progressive is the more trusted option among many drivers, with its licensing in all 50 states and a network of broker agents working alongside its website and mobile app.
Like we've said with the other comparable products, match up the coverage on your quotes if you're debating between Lemonade and Progressive. Ensure you're getting the most competitive price and not cutting coverage to save money.
Read our Lemonade car insurance review.
Why You Should Trust Us: How We Reviewed Progressive Auto Insurance
Business Insider evaluates auto insurance companies based on a combination of important factors. The most important factors we consider include customer reviews, state availability, price (and discount opportunities), and user-friendliness.
We also look at third-party ratings, like JD Power customer satisfaction surveys, which allow for company-to-company comparisons. We also look at financial stability ratings from AM Best to see how likely a company is to meet financial obligations, like claims.
Our rating is only one aspect of a review. We break down the pros and cons to help consumers make informed decisions. Whatever your needs, we recommend getting three auto insurance quotes to compare companies and find your most competitive option.
You can read more about how Business Insider rates auto insurance here.
FAQs
How do I get a quote from Progressive?
There are three ways to get a quote from Progressive:
- You can start your insurance quote online.
- Call 1-855-347-3939.
- Contact a broker insurance agent in your state contracted with Progressive.
How do I pay for my Progressive car insurance plan?
You can pay for your Progressive car insurance plan through your Progressive online portal or the mobile app. In addition, many policyholders set up autopay to ensure payments are made on time.
What factors affect my Progressive auto insurance rates?
Many factors can affect your Progressive auto insurance rates, including your driving history, vehicle type, location, mileage, credit score, and coverage choices. Your age, gender, and claims history can also affect how much you pay.
How do I file a claim with Progressive?
You can file a claim with Progressive by logging into your policy to make a claim online, calling its claims number at 1-800-776-4737, or using the Progressive app.
