Progressive Auto Insurance Review

Read our full review of how Progressive’s Auto Insurance product range compares with other leading auto insurance providers in the United States.
By Truia Ralph
Updated Dec 4, 2022
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Who Progressive Is

Progressive, headquartered in Mayfield Village, Ohio, is an insurance company that offers a wide range of auto and home insurance. 

The company has been in business for over 85 years, and today it has become a one-stop shop for customers to find suitable cover for their valuable assets.  

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) reported that Progressive wrote more than $35 billion in auto insurance premiums in 2021 and is the third-largest auto insurance provider in the U.S. 

Progressive provides cover in all six basic types of car insurance:

  • Liability car insurance.

  • Collision insurance.

  • Comprehensive insurance.

  • Medical payments (MedPay).

  • Personal injury protection (PIP).

  • Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.

Depending on the state you live in, you may be able to add this coverage to your auto insurance policy:

Loan/lease payoff: Sometimes calledgap insurance, this covers the difference between what the policyholder owes and what a vehicle is worth, or up to 25% of the actual cash value.

Rental car reimbursement: Will cover rental expenses up to the driver’s policy limits while their vehicle is at the repair shop. Routine maintenance is excluded.

Custom parts and equipment value: This covers the costs to repair or replace items not installed by the manufacturer, including sound and navigation systems, custom wheels, or even a paint job.

Rideshare coverage: This covers the gaps that the driver’s rideshare company does not—for example, while they are logged into a ridesharing app and waiting for a trip request.

Roadside assistance: This coverage will pay for towing services if your car breaks down; it also includes lock-out services, flat tire changes, fuel/fluid delivery, and other related issues.

Deductible savings bank: Subtracts $50 from the collision and comprehensive deductible for every claim-free policy period.

Pet insurance coverage: You can customize this insurance to best meet your and your pets’ needs. You can choose coverage for accidental injuries only, or more comprehensive coverage for accidents and illnesses. 

You can also add preventive care to your comprehensive plan if you want your pet's routine vet visits and procedures covered.

Remember -

Progressive is a popular choice for people with driving violations as it offers them more affordable options than most other auto insurers.

This is a strategy they have used successfully since 1956 when the company began targeting high-risk drivers.

Progressive is ahead of its competitors when it comes to technology. It was one of the first major insurance providers to allow consumers to purchase insurance policies online. 

It offers other tools like Name Your Price®, as well as Snapshot®, which tracks driving behavior, and can help customers keep their monthly insurance payments affordable. 

Is Progressive a Good Auto Insurer?

Third-party rating agencies are often a good place to see the overall level of customer satisfaction experienced by a company’s customers.

In Progressive’s case, survey results are a bit of a mixed bag.

Customer Service:TheU.S. News ratings placed Progressive in the no. 7 spot in theircustomer survey. Their survey responses were as follows:

  • About 53% of the respondents were completely satisfied with how easy it was to open an auto policy. 

  • 41% were completely satisfied with the ease of contacting Progressive’s customer service. 

  • 43% were satisfied with the quality of service provided. 

Claims Handling: U.S. News ranked Progressive 8th for handling claims.

  • Nearly 45% of the respondents were completely satisfied with how easy it was to file a claim with Progressive.

  • 40% were completely satisfied with the status updates they received.

  • About 43% of the respondents were completely satisfied with how their claims were resolved. 

Customer Loyalty: U.S. News placed Progressive last among the 10 car insurance companies in its survey for customer loyalty.

  • Just 33% of those polled were very likely to recommend Progressive to someone looking for car insurance. 

  • Among those who have filed a claim, only 30% said they were very likely to recommend them.

  • About 43% of the respondents said they were very likely to renew their policy.

  • 41% of people who have filed a claim said they were very likely to renew. 

When it comes to Progressive’s product range and its history, survey results are more positive.

Benefits and Limitations 

Pros:

✅ Low average premiums for California and New York drivers.

✅Competitive rates for drivers with a DUI.

✅ A+ financial strength rating from AM Best.

✅ Wide selection of cover offers.

✅ Highly rated mobile app with a 4.7-star rating out of 5 in the App Store. 

✅The Name Your Price® tool, which allows you to find cover that you can afford.

✅The Snapshot® program tracks safe driving behavior that may result in some discounts.

Cons:

❌Most expensive rates among insurers for teen drivers.

❌Lowest scores for customer loyalty.

A Wide Range of Cover, Additional Cover, and Discounts

Progressive car insurance offers the following standard types of coverage:

Comprehensive insurance: Covers repair costs for events outside of your control, including weather events, hitting an animal while driving, theft, and vandalism.

Collision coverage: Covers repair expenses from traffic-related accidents, regardless of who's at fault.

Bodily injury and property damage liability: In most U.S. states liability cover is a legal requirement if you want to drive a car. This insurance covers the cost of injuries and property damage from an accident you caused.

Medical coverage: Medical costs following an accident can be expensive. Medical cover can help pay medical costs related to a covered accident, regardless of who is at fault.

Personal injury protection (PIP): This insurance may cover certain medical expenses and loss of income resulting from a covered accident. Depending on the limits of a policy, personal injury protection could cover as much as 80% of medical and other expenses resulting from a covered accident.

Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage: Covers medical and property damage costs after an accident with a driver with insufficient insurance or no cover.

Additional cover 

Progressive also offers a range of extra coverage options such as: 

  • Gap insurance (or loan/lease payoff).

  • Rental car reimbursement.

  • Custom parts and equipment value. 

  • Pet injury insurance.

  • Deductible savings bank.

  • Rideshare insurance.

  • Roadside assistance.

Unique cover 

For drivers who make use of more unique forms of transportation, Progressive car insurance also offers Segway, Sea-Doom (a type of jet ski), golf cart, and snowmobile insurance.

Progressive car insurance discounts and other features

Progressive car insurance offers a variety of discounts.

Loyalty-based discounts

Multi-policy discount: If you have two or more policies with Progressive, you may qualify for a discount on one of the policies. If you have auto and home insurance with Progressive, you may receive a discount on both your home and auto policies.

Multi-car discount: List more than one vehicle on your policy to qualify for this discount. Any car can be added to your auto policy as long as it's kept primarily at your address.

Continuous insurance discount: If you move from another insurer to Progressive without a break in your auto insurance cover, Progressive will acknowledge the time you have been with your previous insurer and give you a discount when you become a customer. The discount will vary based on how long you’ve been continuously insured.  

Driver-based auto discounts

Safe driver discount: Progressive’s Snapshot® program personalizes your rate based on your driving behavior. 

The more responsibly you drive, the more you can save. See more on Snapshot®, or sign up for Snapshot Road Test® to see what you could save without leaving your current insurer.  

Teen driver discount: Adding a teen driver to your policy can increase the cost of your insurance, but Progressive offers a discount if the driver is 18 years or younger.  

Good student discount: If there is a full-time student on your policy who maintains a "B" average or better, Progressive will add a car insurance discount.   

Distant student discount: If you have a full-time student on your policy who lives more than 100 miles from home, you can qualify for a discount if the student doesn't have the insured vehicle while at school.

Other available discounts 

Online quote: You can qualify for this discount when you get an online car insurance quote.  The discount applies if a licensed Progressive representative finishes your quote over the phone.

Sign online: If you're comfortable signing your documents online, you will qualify for this discount.

Paperless: The average discount for this varies: When you choose to receive your documents via email, you'll automatically get a discount.

Pay-in-full: You'll earn a discount if you pay for your policy upfront. This discount amount varies.

Automatic payment: The average savings vary. If you can’t pay in full, you can get a discount for setting up automatic payments from a checking account, credit card, or debit card. This option cannot be combined with a pay-in-full discount.

Progressive Auto Insurance Rates

In most cases, Progressive’s auto insurance rates are averagely priced compared to other U.S. insurers.  

This table shows how Progressive’s rates compare to other auto insurers according to US News research findings that are based on auto insurance providers’ rates.

Progressive rates for teenage drivers

Progressive car insurance has some of the highest rates for teen drivers.

For example, female teenagers will pay 37% more than the national average rate if they take out car insurance with Progressive.

For male teens, Progressive’s rates are 35% higher than the national average.

For teenage drivers, Progressive’s rates are more than double the rates from USAA.

USSA offers the lowest rates for teens, and Geico offers the second-lowest rates for teens.

Car Insurance Provider17-Year-Old Female17-Year-Old Male
Progressive$7,754$8,505
National Average$4,962$5,661

Rates for young adult drivers

Compared to some other auto insurers, young adult drivers will pay less for auto insurance from Progressive. 

AAA is the insurer with the highest rates for young adult drivers. Progressive's rates are more than $800 lower for young female adult drivers.

Young male adult drivers will pay more than $1,000 less if they choose Progressive auto insurance instead of AAA.

Car Insurance Provider25-Year-Old Female25-Year-Old Male
Progressive$1,877$1,919
National Average$1,734$1,842

Rates for adult drivers

Progressive’s rates for adult females are $2 more than the national average. Males will pay $68 less than the national average. 

However, the insurer with the lowest rates in this category is USAA. With Progressive, adult drivers will pay about $500 more than those who have insurance with USAA. 

Progressive’s rates are also higher than that of Geico's, which has the second-lowest rates for drivers in this category. Compared to Geico, Progressive’s female and male adult drivers will respectively pay about $400 and $300 more.

Car Insurance Provider35-Year-Old Female35-Year-Old Male
Progressive$1,478$1,417
National Average$1,476$1,485

Rates for senior drivers

For senior drivers, Progressive’s rates are close to the national average.

Progressive’s rates, however, are about $400 more than that of USAA, which has the lowest rates for drivers in this category,

Compared to Geico, which has the second-lowest rates for seniors, Progressive’s senior drivers will pay about $200 more. 

Progressive's rates, however, are lower than AAA, which has the highest rates in this category, and senior drivers from Progressive will pay roughly $850 less.

Car Insurance Provider60-Year-Old Female60-Year-Old Male
Progressive$1,240$1,265
National Average$1,332$1,365

Rates for drivers with speeding tickets

Rates for drivers with a speeding ticket insured with Progressive, are higher than the national average.  

Compared to AAA’s rates, however, Progressive’s rates in this category are nearly $1,200 lower. 

USAA, on the other hand, offers the lowest rates in this category, and Progressive’s customers with speeding tickets will pay over $800 more than those insured with USAA.  

Car Insurance ProviderRate After One Speeding Ticket
Progressive$2,015
National Average$1,911

Rates after a driving under the influence (DUI) penalty

When you have a DUI on your record, you should expect to pay more for your insurance premiums. 

However, Progressive has some of the lower rates for drivers with a DUI. 

Compared to State Farm, which has the lowest rates for drivers with a DUI, Progressive's customers will pay about $300 more.  

AAA has the highest rates in this category, and Progressive's premiums are more than $3,000 lower than AAA's.

Car Insurance ProviderRates After Driving Under the Influence (DUI) penalty
Progressive$1,983
National Average$2,601

Rates for drivers with poor credit

Car insurance companies use several factors to determine car insurance rates, including your credit score. 

Progressive’s rates for drivers with poor credit are lower than the national average. 

Compared to Geico, which has the lowest rates in this category, Progressive's drivers will pay $900 more if they have poor credit.

On the other hand, Progressive’s rates are more than $2,100 lower than that of AAA, which has the highest rates for drivers with poor credit.  

Car Insurance ProviderRates for Drivers with Poor Credit
Progressive$2,696
National Average$2,757

Rates after one accident

If insured with Progressive, drivers with an accident will pay over 13% more than the national average.  

Compared to USAA's rates, which are the lowest in this category, Progressive's rates are more than $1,000 higher. 

Progressive's rates, however, are about $1,000 lower than AAA, which has the highest rates for drivers with an accident.

Car Insurance ProviderRates for Drivers After One Accident
Progressive$2,470
National Average$2,180

High and Low Coverage With Progressive Car Insurance

Low coverage

Buying the minimum coverage required in your state can be a great way to save on car insurance.

Progressive’s rates for minimum coverage are just over 1% less than the national average.

However, buying minimum coverage may result in greater out-of-pocket expenses if damages from an accident exceed your policy limit.

Car Insurance ProviderRate for Minimum Coverage
Progressive$1,440
National Average$1,463

High cover

Buying more coverage means you will pay more in car insurance premiums. Progressive's premiums are above the national average for drivers who want more coverage.

Compared to most insurers states, Progressive's rates are averagely priced.

If you live in California or New York and you’re not insuring teen drivers, Progressive might be a good choice for auto insurance as it offers the cheapest rates in these two states. 

Progressive’s rates for teen drivers in these two states are very high.

Car Insurance ProviderRate for High Coverage
Progressive$1,650
National Average$1,622

Progressive Auto Insurance vs. Competitors

Progressive is among the top auto insurance providers in the country.

The table below compares its availability with three competitors: Nationwide Auto, State Farm, and Geico to find out if Progressive will meet all your car insurance needs.

It also shows how rating agencies such as J.D. Power, AM Best, and Better Business Bureau rated these companies' financial stability.

The J.D. Power 2022 U.S. Insurance Shopping Study℠  surveys customers to find out how satisfied they are with each stage of their insurance shopping experience.

AM Best is a rating agency that is focused on the global insurance industry. It checks and assesses an insurance company's creditworthiness and ability to pay out all claims to its customers.

Better Business Bureau or BBB rating system uses a letter grade scale from A+ to F.  

The grades show BBB's confidence that a company is operating in good faith, and that customer concerns filed with the BBB will be resolved.

Progressive AutoNationwide AutoState FarmGeico
State Availability/ Service AreasProgressive operates in all 50 states plus Washington, DC.
Available in these states
Available in these states
Available in these states
Available in these states
Rating AgencyNational AverageProgressive AutoNationwide AutoState FarmGeico
J.D. Power
(Scores given out of a possible 1,000 points).
863859858885853
AM Best ratingN/AA+A+A ++A++
Better Business Bureau (BBB)N/AF

A+N/AA+

A Final Verdict From PolicyScout

While Progressive’s ratings for customer satisfaction and claims handling are average to low, you shouldn’t exclude Progressive when you search for auto insurance quotes.

Progressive received good ratings for its financial stability and is able to keep promises made to its customers at the claim stage. The company was also acknowledged for its wide range of cover and add-ons.

The company's quotes are not the lowest, but they are also not the highest. Various discount options from Progressive can reduce your monthly payment.

Factors That Determine Your Insurance Premium

Remember that your auto insurance premium is determined by factors such as your driving behavior, age, location, and the security arrangements made for your vehicle.

Progressive might be a good choice for California and New York drivers because its rates are cheaper in these states. 

Drivers with traffic violations, such as a drive under the influence (DIU) conviction, might also benefit from Progressive, because it does offer some of the lowest rates for that category. 

On the technical front, Progressive is a trailblazer, and it’s easy to access Progressive’s wide variety of insurance coverage options through its website and its mobile app, which you can download from Google Play Store.

The Name Your Price® Tool allows you to find coverage that you can afford. The Snapshot® program tracks safe driving behavior that may result in some discounts, but if you show risky driving behavior, it might increase your monthly premium.  

Frequently Asked Questions about Progressive

Does Progressive raise rates after 6 months?

Yes, Progressive is known to increase its rates in some cases after the six-month period. Your rate might increase if you are a new customer and file a claim, or have had a traffic violation added to your driving record.

Rates can also increase if you’ve added a new driver or started using your car for business. With Progressive, you can avoid rate increases on your auto insurance policy every six months as long as you don’t file any claims and maintain a good driving record.

 

Times When Your Insurance Rate May Change

  • Keep in mind that your rate can also go down for various reasons, such as you:

  • Got married.

  • Moved to a more rural area.

  • Improved your credit score.

Is Progressive good at handling claims?

Some customer satisfaction surveys show that Progressive could be better at handling claims. However, the company has good ratings from rating agencies such as J.D. Power and AM Best.

This means Progressive is financially stable and can honor all its commitments to its customers at the claim stage.

Is Progressive’s auto insurance good for young drivers?

Progressive is neither the most expensive nor the most cost-effective in this category. It’s averagely priced for young drivers. For this reason, it may be worth looking into Progressive and getting a quote to see how it compares to other providers' monthly premiums. 

Where can I get Progressive car insurance? 

Progressive interacts with its customers through various platforms. Customers can visit the company website, download the Progressive app, call, or find a local agent to get a quote, purchase car insurance, and submit and track claims.

How do I contact Progressive?

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