GEICO vs Progressive
GEICO is the cheaper of these two on the published averages. Whether that makes it the better buy depends on three things the price never tells you.
The verdict
Progressive takes it, 1–0 on rounds.
On averages GEICO is cheaper by about $193 a year — but get your own quote from both, because the published averages disagree with each other by nearly as much as they differ from one another.
Choose GEICO if…
- • You want GEICO's lower average rate
- • You drive well and will accept being monitored
Choose Progressive if…
- • You want Progressive's particular strengths
- • You drive well and will accept being monitored
Round by round
- Round 1Being tracked for a discountProgressive winsGEICO5/10
10% max
DriveEasy — can increase your rate
- Advertised up to 10%
- Opt-in
- Bad driving can increase your premium
- Typical real saving is nearer 10%
Source: https://www.insuremojo.com/telematics-insurance-discount-programs/
Progressive5/1030% max
Snapshot — can increase your rate
- Advertised up to 30%
- Opt-in
- Bad driving can increase your premium
- Typical real saving is nearer 10%
Source: https://www.insuremojo.com/telematics-insurance-discount-programs/
Both can raise your rate for bad driving. Read that twice.
- Round 2What happens when you claimTieGEICO6/10
see note
undercuts the market on premium but does not reach the top three on claims satisfaction
- Large enough to have a mature claims operation
- Not a leader on claims satisfaction
Source: https://www.jdpower.com/business/insurance/auto-claims-satisfaction-study
Progressive6/10see note
undercuts the market on premium but does not reach the top three on claims satisfaction
- Large enough to have a mature claims operation
- Not a leader on claims satisfaction
Source: https://www.jdpower.com/business/insurance/auto-claims-satisfaction-study
The cheap ones are rarely the ones you want on the phone after a crash.
- Round 3Size, reach and who you deal withTieGEICO7/10
second-largest auto insurer by market share
market position
- Established national carrier
Source: https://www.usnews.com/insurance/auto/cheapest-car-insurance-companies
Progressive7/10top-three auto insurer by market share
market position
- Established national carrier
Source: https://www.usnews.com/insurance/auto/cheapest-car-insurance-companies
Both are big enough to pay a claim. That is the floor, not a feature.
ProgressiveSide by side
- Rates vary widely by driver
- Figures from independent rate studies
- Advertised up to 10%
- Opt-in
- Rates vary widely by driver
- Figures from independent rate studies
- Advertised up to 30%
- Opt-in
- About $334/yr more on average
- Bad driving can increase your premium
- Typical real saving is nearer 10%
- Not a leader on claims satisfaction
- About $527/yr more on average
- Bad driving can increase your premium
- Typical real saving is nearer 10%
- Not a leader on claims satisfaction