State Farm Auto Insurance
Ratings
- A.M. Best: A++
- Standard & Poor’s: AA
- Better Business Bureau: A+
State Farm is the largest car insurance company in the nation, known for its extraordinary attention to customer service and comprehensive financial products.
One of the most recognizable names in the auto insurance industry, State Farm promises to be there when you need them.
In this review, we’ll look at State Farm’s policy features, cost, financial strength and more to help you decide if the neighborly provider is right for you.
Table of Contents:
- About State Farm
- State Farm Car Insurance Policies
- How to Get a Quote
- State Farm Discounts
- Customer Support
- Pros & Cons
- Alternatives to State Farm
About State Farm Insurance
In 1922, a retired farmer by the name of G.J. Mecherle founded State Farm in its headquarter city of Bloomington, Illinois.
His goal was to create a company that would help people through the unexpected hiccups of life and continue to pursue their dreams.
State Farm has spent the last century building on that mission, becoming one of the most iconic insurance companies in the nation.
Here are some impressive figures for State Farm:
- 84 million policies
- 58,000 employees
- 19,000 agents
- Average 22,000 claims handled daily
State Farm is also recognized as one of the best employers overall year after year and is hailed for its diversity and inclusive hiring.
Company Ratings
Company ratings are an important benchmark of a company’s success, especially in the insurance industry.
State Farm has earned some of the highest scores possible, indicating the company is well-equipped and highly likely to pay out its claims as promised:
- A.M. Best: A++
- Standard & Poor’s: AA
- Better Business Bureau: A+
Additionally, the J.D. Power 2019 U.S. Auto Insurance Study gave State Farm a Customer Satisfaction ranking of 824 on a thousand point scale, with a power ranking of four out of five, indicating it is “Better than most” other carriers.
State Farm Car Insurance Policies
State Farm offers several forms of car insurance. Let’s take a closer look at each:
- Collision coverage: This coverage pays for repairs or vehicle replacement when you hit a car or object.
- Comprehensive coverage: Comprehensive coverage pays for non-traffic accidents, when your car needs repair or replacement due to something like hail, a fire, or vandalism.
- Liability coverage: The bare minimum required by most states, liability coverage pays for the other person’s medical bills, losses, and repairs if you’re at fault.
- Underinsured/uninsured motorist coverage: If someone with insufficient liability insurance hits your car and you are injured, this coverage will pay for medical expenses.
- Rental and travel expense coverage: This coverage pays for a rental car while you wait for repairs, and food and transportation back home if you get in an accident out of town.
- Medical expense coverage: If you or your passengers are injured or killed in an accident, this coverage can help with medical bills or funding a funeral, regardless of fault.
- Emergency roadside coverage: When your car breaks down, this coverage will pay to get you on the road again.
- Rideshare coverage: State Farm offers supplementary insurance for Uber and Lyft drivers who use their own vehicles.
State Farm even offers classic and antique car insurance, which provides specialized coverage for vintage cars.
How to Get a Quote from State Farm
Requesting quotes from State Farm is simple with their online quoting tool, taking just a few minutes.
Once you input your location on the website, you’ll be paired with a local agent.
You’ll need to provide some specifics on the car you drive, like the make and model and how it’s financed.
Then, State Farm will present you with a quote based on your answers and you can talk to your new agent to clear up any questions or buy a policy.
State Farm Auto Insurance Discounts
State Farm is known for offering a great line of discounts to its car insurance policyholders.
- Drive Safe and Save: Let the State Farm app or OnStar track your driving habits, and you could save up to 30% on rates. Just note that this technology works both ways and can negatively affect your rates if you drive recklessly.
- Accident-free Discount: If you don’t get in an accident that State Farm has to pay for in three years under State Farm’s protection, you qualify for this discount.
- Good Driving Discount: Likewise, if you aren’t responsible for any moving violations or accidents for at least three years, you can get State Farm’s Good Driving Discount.
- Defensive Driving Discount: If you attend a qualifying defensive driving course approved by your agent, you might be able to secure a lower rate.
- Driver Training Discount: To get this discount, all of the insured drivers of your vehicle need to undergo drivers ed courses if they’re younger than 21.
- Student Away at School Discount: If you or your child are under 25 and only use your vehicle while home from school on break, you might be able to get an adjusted rate.
- Good Student Discount: Get good grades and you could get up to a 25% discount, which lasts through age 25.
- Anti-theft Discount: Have an alarm or some kind of alert system installed in your vehicle? If so, it’s less likely to be stolen and potentially eligible for a discount.
- Vehicle Safety Discount: Any vehicles that were made after 1993 could be eligible for a discount, which will be based on the estimated cost of repair for your make and model.
- Passive Restraint Discount: Even if your car was built before 1994, if it has an airbag and other factory-made safety features, you can save on medical coverage.
- Multiple Auto Discount: Multiple drivers on one family policy can get you up to a 20% discount from State Farm.
- Multi-policy Discount: If you bundle your policy with life insurance or a homeowners/renters insurance policy, you could get 17% off of coverage.
Customer Service and Support
State Farm shines in the customer service department.
Whereas many car insurance companies are all online or operate out of a call center, State Farm matches you with a dedicated local agent from day one.
Whether you prefer face-to-face interaction, phone calls, or online support, State Farm has you covered.
The website and app are easy to navigate, too, allowing you quick access to policy documents, coverage info, and ways to contact your agent.
Security Features
State Farm is a leader in the insurance industry with a massive amount of clients and policyholders managing their accounts online.
As such, they’re dedicated to keeping you and your information safe with an impressive cyber-security system.
They also provide policyholders with online resources teaching them preventative steps to protect their own identities and sensitive information.
Pros and Cons of State Farm
There are a lot of advantages to working with State Farm, but like any carrier, it does come with a few drawbacks.
Pros
- Reputation: State Farm is an industry leader with tens of millions of satisfied clients and rock solid financial strength ratings across the board.
- Customer experience: State Farm’s attention to each policyholder is unmatched, with dedicated agents working around the clock for you.
- Discounts: State Farm gives you plenty of ways to save based on your car, your driving habits, and your policies.
Cons
- Limited coverages: While the lines of coverage offered by State Farm are great, they lack gap insurance and new car replacement.
- Cost: You can expect to pay more for the exceptional customer service and agent access you get with State Farm.
Alternatives to State Farm
If you’re looking to compare multiple options, take a look at some of our other top-ranked car insurance providers.
They may offer discounts, policies, and prices that are better suited to your needs.
- GEICO: If you like the simplicity of State Farm’s website and its dependability but want less agent interaction and more of an online experience, GEICO is your go-to.
- Progressive: Looking for a similar provider with lots of lines of insurance and an impressive lineup of discounts? Progressive is worth considering.
- Amica: If you love the dedicated customer service aspect of State Farm and want high claims satisfaction, take a look at Amica.
You Can Trust State Farm to Protect Your Family
Car insurance is essential to keeping yourself and your family safe from the financial repercussions of a car accident.
It’s important to pick an auto insurance company you can depend on, like State Farm.
While you may pay a slightly higher price for coverage, you get unparalleled support from a company you can trust to protect your family.
Take a few moments to get a quote today.
In addition to car insurance, State Farm offers the following types of insurance:
- Home and property insurance
- Life insurance
- Health insurance
- Liability insurance
- Disability insurance
- Small business insurance
They also provide banking, investment, and identity theft protection.