Progressive car insurance review 2024 (2024)

Insuring American drivers since 1937, Progressive is known for its affordable rates, customizable plans and numerous discounts. It's also a good option if you need coverage not offered by other insurers, including small accident forgiveness and rideshare insurance.

We also tapped Progressive as a top pick for high-risk drivers, with some of the lowest rates for motorists with speeding tickets, accidents and DUIs.

The benefits and drawbacks of auto insurance with Progressive.

Pros

• Broad availability: Progressive issues auto insurance in all 50 states and Washington, DC
• Accident forgiveness: Rates don't go up for claims under $500 and, if you've been accident-free for five years, even a larger accident won't raise your premiums.
• Good for high-risk drivers: Progressive's rates for motorists with speeding tickets and at-fault accidents are below average.

Cons

• Lots of complaints: Progressive has received more than twice the number of complaints than other insurers its size, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.
• Limited discounts: Many competitors lower rates for installing anti-theft devices, taking a defensive driving course and more.
• Safe-driving program could raise rates: According to Progressive, 20% of drivers who enrolled in its Snapshot usage-based insurance program saw their premiums increase, rather than decrease.

Progressive offers auto insurance in all 50 states and Washington, DC.

Basic coverage

These are typically required if you leased or financed your car.

• Liability car insurance: Minimum coverage allowed in most states, liability pays for damages if you or someone else driving your car is at fault for an accident.
• Collision coverage. Part of full coverage car insurance, collision coverage pays to repair or replace your vehicle after an accident.
• Comprehensive coverage. Pays for damages not caused by a collision, including theft, weather damage or hitting an animal.

Progressive automatically includes small accident forgiveness, which means your rates won't go up for claims under $500. If you've been accident-free for at least five years, even a larger accident won't raise your premium.

Additional coverage

These policies are required in some states in addition to full coverage.

• Personal injury protection insurance: Also known as no-fault insurance, PIP covers medical bills, lost wages, child care and even funeral costs.
• Medical payments insurance: Covers medical bills for you, your passengers and any pedestrians, regardless of fault.
• Gap insurance: Pays up to 25% over the value of your car if it's totaled to cover the balance of a loan or lease. Available to Progressive customers with collision and comprehensive insurance.
• Uninsured/underinsured motorist insurance: Covers repairs and medical bills if you are in an accident with a driver with little or no insurance.

Add-ons

Optional features offered by Progressive.

• Additional accident forgiveness: Forgives one accident per policy period.
• Deductible Savings Bank: $100 is subtracted from your deductible for each policy period you go without an accident or violation.
• Rental car reimbursem*nt: If your vehicle is damaged in a covered accident, this optional policy will reimburse the cost of a rental car, up to $60 per day for up to 30 days.
• Roadside assistance: Customers can request assistance through the Progressive app and get help with jump starts, fuel delivery, lockouts, flat tires, towing and winching.
• Trip interruption: Pays up to $500 for food, lodging, transportation and related costs if your car breaks down more than 100 miles from home.
• Vehicle protection: Covers major systems, minor dings and dents and lost keys for newer cars.
• Custom parts and equipment value: Pays up to $5,000 to fix or replace custom accessories.
• Rideshare insurance: Expands coverage to any time the app is on, including when waiting to match with a rider.
• Veterinary expense coverage: Policyholders with collision coverage are eligible for up to $1,000 in veterinary expenses if their pet is injured in a covered accident.

High-risk drivers

People with speeding tickets and at-fault accidents typically pay more for insurance but Progressive's rates are below-average for high-risk drivers. It will also consider drivers with DUIs and has SR-22 filing.

Drivers with bad credit

In most states, yourinsurance scorecan impact how much you pay for auto insurance. These ratings are determined by many of the same factors used to calculate your credit score, as well as information about your claims history found in your CLUE report and other sources.

Lexis-Nexis insurance scores range from 200 to 997: A score of 770 or higher is considered good and will get you a favorable rate, while a score of 500 or below is considered poor and could result in higher premiums or being turned down for coverage.

Progressive's average rates for drivers with poor insurance scores are hundreds of dollars below the national average.

Progressive offers many auto policy discounts, though specifics may vary by state:

• Automatic payment: If you don't pay in full, you can still earn a discount for setting up automatic payments from a checking account or a credit or debit card.
• Continuous insurance: If you switch toProgressive, the time you spent with your previous insurer will be honored with a discount.
• Distant student discount: A full-time student 22 or younger who lives more than 100 miles from home and leaves their car behind can get a discount .
• Good student: Students with a B average or better can save up to 10%.
• Homeowner: Homeowners can earn up to 10% off, regardless of whether Progressive is your home insurance provider.
• Multi-car: Save an average of 12% for having more than one vehicle on your policy. Also available for RVs, boats and motorcycles.
• Multi-policy: Save an average of 5% when you bundle homeowners,renters orcondo insurance with your auto policy.
• Online quote: Average savings of 7% for getting an online quote and 9% for signing policy documents online
• Paperless: Save if you opt to receive bills and other documents via email
• Pay-in-full: Lower your rate up to 15% for paying your premium in one lump sum.
• Sign online: Get an average of 9% back for signing your policy and other documents online.
• Snapshot®: This usage-based insurance (UBI) program rewards safe drivers. According to Progressive, customers who save with Snapshot save an average of $231 per year.
• Teen driver: Save if you have a driver who is 18 years old or younger and on a parent's policy for at least 12 months.

Compare to find the best car insurance for your budget

Progressive landed in the middle ofJ.D. Power 2024 U.S. Insurance Shopping Study, which surveyed customers about policy offerings, claims, billing and agent interactions. In a survey about the claims process, however, Progressive came in 18th out of 24 companies. And the number of complaints Progressive receives is more than twice what is expected for a company its size, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.

Progressive customers are very happy with their experience online, however: The carrier ranked first in J.D. Power's 2023 digital consumer experience survey. And the Better Business Bureau issued Progressive an A rating, based on customer complaints and other public information.

Progressive offers policies in many other categories including:

• homeowners insurance
• renters insurance
• life insurance
• pet insurance
• travel insurance
• business insurance

According to Progressive, customers who bundle auto and home policies save more than 20% on average. The company also provides financial services, including personal loans and car loan refinancing.

Progressive vs. Erie

A year of full coverage with Erie averages $1,703 for someone with a clean driving history, compared to $2,021 with Progressive. Erie also beats Progressive with high-risk drivers: If you have a speeding ticket you'll pay an average of $1,872 for full coverage with Erie, about $700 less than Progressive.

Unlike Progressive, Erie is a customer service standout, earning the top spot in J.D. Power's 2024 insurance shopping survey and the second-highest score for claims satisfaction.

When it comes to availability, however, Progressive leaves the competition in the dust. It's available in all 50 states, while Erie is only offered in 13 states.

You can apply and pay for Progressive auto insurance entirely online — and get a 9% discount for doing it. Here's how:

• Go to the Progressive website and select the AutoQuote Explorer.
• Answer questions about your car, including its make, model, year and mileage.
• Share details about your driving history, including any accidents
• Customize your coverage, limits and deductibles to get quotes from Progressive and several competitors
• Choose your policy and set up a payment method.
• Get ID cards and documents directly on the Progressive app

You can also apply over the phone at 866-749-7436 or work with a local insurance agent.

Progressive's customer service team is available 24/7 at 888-671-4405. Questions about rates, claims and other topics can also be answered via email or by the Flo chatbot on the Progressive website or Facebook Messenger.

You can make payments, view your policy and insurance cards, request roadside assistance and report and track claims on the Progressive mobile app.

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At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every insurance review is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of insurance products. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics.

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