Progressive Auto Insurance Review

Pros Explained

  • Wide range of policy discounts: Progressive offers a total of 13 discounts, ranging from loyalty-based to driver-based options.
  • Lower-than-average customer complaints: The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) awarded Progressive a 2.27 complaint score for 2021, bringing it above the average complaint score of 1.0.

  • 24/7/365 customer support available: Progressive offers customer service support 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

Cons Explained

  • Prices may be higher depending on purchase method: Because of online discounts and other expenses, prices for the same policy may be different depending on how the customer purchases a policy. 
  • Policies may be on the more expensive side: Depending on where you live, Progressive may be a more expensive auto insurance option compared with competitors. 
  • Competitors receive higher customer satisfaction ratings: According to J.D. Power’s 2021 U.S. Auto Insurance Study, Texas was the only state or region where Progressive fell into the top three insurance companies based on consumer satisfaction.

Introduction

Progressive, known for its funny spokesperson Flo, is one of the top auto insurers in the country, with more than 18 million customers. Progressive offers a wide range of policies, including vehicle, property, commercial, and personal coverage. Unique discounts, including the Save with Snapshot program, help Progressive stand out among its competitors.

Check out our picks for the best car insurance companies on the market today.

Company Overview

Progressive was founded in 1937 and is headquartered in Mayfield Village, Ohio. This insurer offers coverage in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. It also offers several types of vehicle insurance, including liability, comprehensive and collision, and roadside assistance. 

Types of Coverage

Progressive offers four main types of coverage: liability, comprehensive and collision, uninsured and underinsured motorist, and roadside assistance.

Liability Coverage

Liability coverage covers property damage and injury to others caused in vehicular accidents, and most states require it. Covered situations include damage to vehicles, property, and other people, along with medical bills and court fees.

Comprehensive and Collision Coverage

Comprehensive and collision coverage will pay for repairs or replacement of a vehicle if the insured is in an accident, regardless of fault. However, these are different insurance types. Comprehensive insurance covers events outside of one’s control, such as hitting a deer or a tree branch falling onto a car; collision insurance covers accidents involving other vehicles or inanimate objects, such as a fender bender or a crash into a pole.

Comprehensive, which carries a deductible, also covers damages due to theft, vandalism, fire, or other acts of nature.

Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist

Uninsured and underinsured insurance covers accidents caused by a driver with no or insufficient insurance protection. Specifically, uninsured insurance covers the insured who is hit by another driver with no auto insurance at all, while underinsured protects the insured hit by one who doesn’t have enough coverage to pay for damages or injuries they caused. Uninsured and underinsured are offered alongside one another and are mandated in many states.

Roadside Assistance

If you want extra peace of mind on the road, Progressive’s Roadside Assistance comes with a variety of 24/7 services to help out in an emergency. Roadside assistance is provided by Agero, a provider of driver assistance services commonly used by insurance companies, and covers the following:

  • Vehicle towing: Tow to a location within a 15-mile radius
  • Winching: Pulls the insured’s car out of mud, snow, water, or sand within 100 feet of the road/highway
  • Battery jump-start: Jump-starts the insured’s car if the battery dies
  • Battery charge on electric cars: Provides a tow to the nearest charging station or any other location within 15 miles
  • Fuel delivery: Provides delivery and service of fuel at no charge (fuel charges apply)
  • Locksmith service: Provides service if keys are lost, stolen, or locked inside the vehicle
  • Flat tire change: Replaces flat tire at no cost (spare tire charges apply)
  • On-scene labor: Provides up to one hour of labor if the car isn’t running

Other Types of Coverage

Progressive also offers the following types of insurance: 

  • Medical payments: Pays for medical and funeral expenses, as well as those of passengers or family members, regardless of fault
  • Loan/lease payoff: Covers the difference between loan/lease balance and a car’s current worth, up to 25% of cash value (also known as gap insurance) 
  • Rental car reimbursement: Pays for a rental vehicle up to the policy limit (typically $40–$60 per day) in instances of a covered accident
  • Custom parts and equipment value insurance: Can cover vehicle parts like custom wheels, repainting, or a sound or navigation system 
  • Rideshare coverage: Helps bridge insurance gap while driving for a rideshare company

Discounts

Progressive has 13 different discounts that policyholders can take advantage of. Some of the more popular include multi-policy, multi-car, safe driver, and good student. Take note that residents of certain states (like California) may not be eligible for certain discounts.

Loyalty-Based Auto Discounts

  • Multi-policy: Having two or more policies through Progressive saves an average of 5%. You can save by combining auto and home/renters insurance, or multiple auto policies.
  • Multi-car: Having more than one vehicle policy through Progressive saves an average of 4%.
  • Continuous insurance: Switching to Progressive qualifies you for a discount based on how long the policy-holder was with a past insurer; the longer with that insurer, the bigger the discount. Breaks in insurance of more than a month may disqualify applicants.

Driver-Based Auto Discounts

  • Safe driver discount: With Progressive’s Snapshot program, the safer one drives, the more one can save.
  • Teen driver discount: This discount is available for teens on the policy under the age of 18; adding a child to a parent’s policy is typically cheaper than getting a separate policy, even before this discount. If one policy has multiple vehicles, the teenager will be insured to drive all of them.
  • Good student discount: A full-time student who maintains a B average or better qualifies (average discount of 10%).
  • Distant student discount: Available for a full-time student who is 22 or under and lives 100 miles away from home without a vehicle at school (average discount varies).
  • Homeowner discount: For homeowners, even if their home is not insured through Progressive, a discount on auto insurance is available (average discount of 10%).

Quote and Buy Discounts

  • Online quote: Applicants who obtain a quote online (even if finished over the phone) are eligible.
  • Sign online: Applicants who sign policy documents online receive a discount.
  • Paperless: Applicants who opt to receive paperwork by email rather than regular mail are eligible; discounts vary depending on account.
  • Pay in full: Applicants who pay up front and in full receive a discount. 
  • Automatic payment: Applicants who set up automatic payments earn a discount.

Progressive’s Snapshot program, also known as usage-based insurance, allows the policy-holder to pay based on how much they drive. Depending on this amount, the policy-holder obtains a discount for participating and then receives a personalized rate after the first year. Customers who use this feature save $146 a year on average.

Applicants can request a quote online or through a representative, but this quote may vary based on how they obtain it.

Payment Options

Customers can pay for their policy at Progressive through: 

  • An automatic debit to a checking account, credit card, or debit card (earns the automatic payment discount)
  • An upfront, in-full payment (earns the pay-in-full discount) 
  • A text message
  • A phone call (1-800-776-4737)
  • Standard mail
  • An online account

Customers have the option of paying monthly for their policy, but choosing this payment option will mean missing out on the pay-in-full discount, which typically covers six months.

The price of an insurance policy is based on several factors:

  • Age: Teens are more expensive to insure than adult drivers. Typically, rates stabilize after the teen years, up to age 75.
  • Vehicle Use: Policies are more costly for those who use their cars more often.
  • Speeding tickets or traffic violations: More tickets lead to higher premiums.
  • At-fault, not-at-fault, or one-car accidents: These also increase the insured’s premiums.
  • Location: Living in heavily populated urban places increases premiums.
  • Type of coverage: Typically, more coverage means greater policy costs. 
  • Method of payment: Discounts vary by payment method.
  • Mileage: High-volume drivers pay higher rates.
  • Credit score: Typically, those with higher credit scores enjoy lower premiums.
  • Continuous coverage: Those without gaps in coverage will likely receive lower rates.
  • Vehicle engine size: A V8 engine or greater may mean higher premiums.

Loss Ratio

Progressive has a loss ratio of 65.8%, which is fairly low among similar companies. A lower loss ratio indicates better financial health, so this is a good sign.

Other Features

Progressive has several other features, including: 

  • Online comparison tool: Compares prices to competitors online.
  • Name Your Price tool: Provides a range of insurance options based on the customer’s budget.
  • Deductible Savings Bank: Decreases the policy’s cost every six months (optional).
  • Small accident forgiveness: Keeps rates unchanged for claims under $500.
  • Large accident forgiveness: Keeps rates unchanged for those who are accident- and violation-free for the previous three years.
  • Roadside assistance: Covers towing, flat tire changes, fuel delivery, and lock-out services.

Customer Service

Progressive’s customer service provides email, online chat, and 24/7 phone support at 1-888-671-4405. Customers can email about the claim/the claim process, roadside assistance, and fraud/identity theft through the Progressive website.

Customer Satisfaction 

Progressive has mixed customer satisfaction ratings and reviews. According to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), Progressive has higher-than-average customer complaints. It also ranked among the top insurers on JD Power’s recent U.S. Auto Insurance Satisfaction Study, which measures overall customer satisfaction. 

According to Consumer Affairs, Progressive Auto Insurance has an average rating of 3.9 out of 5 stars from 1,841 ratings. However, the company didn’t fare well on Trustpilot, receiving an average of 1.3 out of 5 stars across 244 ratings.

Satisfaction Ratings

Progressive offers online quote and purchasing options, as well as a user-friendly online portal, helping its customers have an easier experience obtaining insurance. According to a 2021 J.D. Power U.S. Auto Insurance Study, Progressive ranked fifth in overall customer satisfaction in California, eighth in the Central region and Florida, fourth in New England and the Southwest Region, 10th in New York, seventh in the North Central, Mid-Atlantic, and Northwest regions, 14th in the Southeast region, and third in Texas. 

AM Best—which rates companies’ financial strength—has given Progressive a rating of A+ (Superior), only one step down from the highest rating of A++. This rating allows customers to feel confident that Progressive will be able to help them financially if they need to make a claim.

Complaint Index

When reviewing an auto insurance provider, it’s also important to understand how many complaints it has compared to its competitors. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) awarded Progressive a 2.27 complaint score in 2021, bringing it above the average complaint score of 1.0. 

Account Management

Progressive customers can create an account online and then gain access to their customer portal. Inside the portal, clients can email policy questions and manage their policies, including reviewing their coverage, benefits, payment options, and more. Progressive also offers 24/7 customer service for those needing support over the phone. 

How Progressive Compares to Other Auto Insurance Companies

Premium costs are an important factor to consider when reviewing auto insurance companies. Out of 25 auto insurance companies ranked from lowest to highest prices, Progressive came in 14th for average annual premium and 11th for median annual premium. 

Compared to other companies operating in the same states, Progressive was most expensive for Alaska, Vermont, and Georgia, and second-most for South Carolina, Hawaii, Minnesota, Ohio, Oregon, and Massachusetts. It was the third most expensive for Colorado, Maine, Nebraska, New Mexico, South Dakota, Kentucky, West Virginia, and Virginia. For all other states, it was ranked less expensive compared to its competitors.

Final Verdict

If you are looking for an auto insurance provider that makes it easy to apply for and obtain insurance online, Progressive is a great option. The number of policies and discounts available make it simple to find a customized option that will save you money. In addition to the discounts, the Name Your Price tool and Save with Snapshot options may allow for further savings. 

Although the company has mixed ratings and reviews, customers can contact customer service 24/7 and obtain quotes and apply for and manage their policies online. Progressive isn’t typically the cheapest option for auto insurance, so budget-conscious people may want to avoid them. It does have a strong financial reputation and long-standing history, though, making it a popular choice for some able to look past these downfalls.

Methodology

Investopedia is committed to providing readers with unbiased, comprehensive reviews of auto insurance companies. All of our reviews are based on extensive research and analysis of each company’s coverage, customer service, pricing, years in business, accreditation, and more. To rate providers, we developed an auto insurance review methodology that compares the auto insurance coverage types, additional features, discounts, account management, and other features.