6 Best Car Insurance Companies, According To Consumer Reports

You're driving on an icy road in winter when, suddenly, the Sun flashes a brilliant beam of light in your eyes right as little Timmy in the backseat decides to throw a tantrum. Some of us may react calmly and assuredly, perhaps pulling over to the side of the road and engaging in a reasonable discussion with our child. A few of us will panic. The car starts to slide, and the next thing you know, you're on the phone with your insurance agent.

What happens next is often what determines whether you become a fan of your insurance company or not. Consumer Reports recently asked roughly 40,000 customers about their auto insurance companies, and it's clear that overall satisfaction with a claim is one of the main drivers for whether a firm is highly rated. Was the issue resolved quickly? Did the claim lead to a positive outcome? The answers to those questions often determine whether a company is top ranked. In fact, it's clear that each of the companies described below emphasizes customer satisfaction not just before a problem occurs, but also by resolving the claim in a satisfactory manner. That means the agent doesn't drag their feet, doesn't put up roadblocks, and is happy and accommodating.

What you may also notice about the Consumer Reports findings is that these companies use words like "clarity" and "low prices" quite often, which tends to produce happy customers as well. Driving one of these top car brands also seems to make customers satisfied. What follows is a quick overview of how each company ranked so high, what led to the high customer satisfaction, and why each insurance company may be worth considering. 

Erie Insurance serves states that are mostly on the Eastern side of the country, including New York, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina. Across all of its policies for auto, home, and life, it insures about 7 million people and has a pool of around 14,000 local agents.

Consumer Reports calls out the fact that policyholders tend to like the low prices and customer service. Those are critical factors for insurance because, when your sleek and stylish 2024 BMW 530i xDrive gives a love tap to a flagpole in the parking lot, having a responsive insurance agent is essential. Some insurance companies drag their feet, but Erie Insurance seems more responsive, according to the policyholders quoted in the Consumer Reports study.

The Consumer Reports comments seem to be related more to the actual claims process when there's an automotive mishap, as well as the fact that local agents are responsive when it matters most. That tends to impact customer satisfaction more than simply arranging for coverage and providing a good rate, because we all want problems to go away and be resolved quickly.

A little bit of hard data can also help convey what makes Erie Insurance so highly ranked. The average full coverage premium per year is only $2,269. That compares favorably to Amica (at $3,839 per year) and Allstate (at $3,390 per year). According to Bankrate, the AM Best credit rating service ranks Erie as A+, and the J.D. Power score is 705/1000, compared to Allstate at 665/1000.

Also rated A+ by AM Best, NJM Insurance Group is based in New Jersey and mostly serves the Mid-Atlantic region, including Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. The company has been picked as a top provider by J.D. Power as well (if you're curious, J.D. Power also ranks vehicles from companies like RAM for overall quality). NJM Insurance Group also claims that its J.D. Power evaluation scores clock in at 66 positive ratings out of the 68 metrics.

One reason why Consumer Reports ranks the company so high is due to another metric. The insurer had 10 times as many new customers sign up for service as those who switched away. That's a clear sign that customers are drawn to the low rates and are not happy with the competition. NJM also ranks second only to Erie Insurance when it comes to the number of customers who said their rates increased, another sure sign that drivers are satisfied with their lower-than-usual premiums.

Similar to Erie, customers are also pleased with the service provided by NJM agents. The Consumer Reports survey revealed a high level of satisfaction regarding the independent agents scattered all over the five-state region.

Based in Rhode Island, Amica Mutual Insurance Company is available in every state except Hawaii. Like Erie and NJM, the company has an A+ rating from AM Best, and it claims to be the oldest mutual insurance provider for automobiles in the United States.

The curious finding from the Consumer Reports survey is that Amica was not ranked high because of the low premiums. Instead, its rating is based on great customer service and how agents handled claims. That reveals an interesting motivator for some drivers: It's not always the lowest rate that makes customers report high satisfaction. If you wrap your 2026 Hyundai Palisade around a tree, you may care more about resolving your claim and getting back on the road than you care about low premiums.

Another note is that customers were pleased with how Amica reps actually answer the phone when you call. While that may seem like a low bar, it's surprisingly helpful in an age of so much automation and bots that process your customer support questions.

As you can likely guess from the name, NYCM Insurance Group (the NYCM stands for New York Central Mutual) is only available in New York state, but the insurance company is still highly rated by Consumer Reports. It services almost 500,000 active policies, has an A+ rating from AM Best, and covers both homes and automobiles.

According to the Consumer Reports survey, NYCM ranks high, due to excellent customer service and a great claim handling process. Another main reason the company is so highly rated has to do with the fact that it is only available in New York. Survey respondents said that the agents know the state, as opposed to agents from other companies who may be based on the East Coast while talking to you about coverage in Iowa.

Consumer Reports noted that customers reported rate increases, but they enjoyed talking to a live agent and how claims were addressed and resolved quickly. NYCM also earns some extra credibility with customers because of the discounts. There are some savings opportunities related to working at home and taking a driving course, as well as a discount based on the length of your coverage (if you maintain a policy for more than 5 years without making a claim, you may be eligible for this discount). Perks like those are an important criteria when selecting a provider. For example, one of the perks that sets Costco auto insurance apart is its use of 24/7 agents.

As you may know from the commercials starring Rob Gronkowski, USAA is an insurance company that caters to active and veteran military members, plus their families. The firm was founded by members of the military, and it offers coverage in all 50 states. The name stands for United Services Automobile Association, since the original focus was on cars. The company also insures other vehicles such as motorcycles, boats, and RVs.

Consumer Reports noted the exceptional service — that agents resolve claims quickly and efficiently, even if the rates can't quite match higher ranked agencies like Erie and NJM. One perk is that military members receive extra discounts if they park their vehicles at military installations and for storing vehicles at approved locations while on deployment.

In a similar ranking, U.S. News ranked USAA as the fourth-best auto insurance provider. AM Best ranks USAA with an A++ rating (or superior) which is actually higher than both Erie and NJM, which both get an A+.

The last company that ranked high on the Consumer Reports survey is Cincinnati Insurance Companies, which, contrary to the company name, insures people well outside of Ohio. Every state except a handful like Alaska and South Dakota can get a policy. Like many of the insurance companies that customers love, the Cincinnati Insurance Companies has an A+ rating from AM Best. It offers commercial, life, auto, and home insurance.

Consumer Reports says the company was highly ranked because of prompt attention to claims, which is a recurring theme with all of the top-rated insurance providers. Drivers like to know that if they are in a bigger accident or have a dumb minor car crash, the insurance company will work hard to get things back to normal. Like a couple of the other highly ranked firms, the Cincinnati Insurance Companies doesn't actually have the best rates, and customers reported some increases. 

Furthermore, the company uses independent agents to arrange policies, similar to Erie Insurance, which means you won't always find the company listed on some of the online aggregators. To help reduce the rates, customers can opt in to the company's telematics system, which is a tracking program that reports back on how you drive.