The Best Car Insurance Companies of January 2026

NerdWallet’s editorial team collected and analyzed data on more than 130 auto insurers, then scored each one for a variety of factors to determine the best car insurance companies. Some of the things we consider are financial stability, customer satisfaction, digital experience and discount offerings.

Our top picks for January 2026 are:

• How we found the best car insurance companies

  For our list of the best car insurance companies, we only considered insurers that achieved a minimum NerdWallet star rating of 4.5. As we continue to evaluate more insurance providers and receive fresh market data, our list of best car insurance companies may change.

  NerdWallet’s editorial team considers these factors when choosing the best auto insurance companies:

  • Financial strength: We use AM Best ratings to confirm an insurer’s long-term financial stability and ability to pay claims.

  • Consumer experience: These ratings are based on complaints to state regulators relative to a company’s size, according to three years’ worth of data from the NAIC. We also look at survey data from J.D. Power’s annual studies.

  • Digital ease of use: This category looks at how easily consumers can interact with an insurer through its mobile app and website. This includes the quality of information offered online, mobile app scores based on user ratings, and whether a user can start and track a claim, or get a quote online.

  • Ways to save: We look at the kinds of discounts a company offers and the total number of discounts available.

  You can read our full auto insurance methodology to learn more.

• Why you can trust NerdWallet

  • Strict editorial guidelines to ensure fairness and accuracy in our coverage.

  • Thorough rating guidelines for evaluating auto insurance companies.

  • More than 120 million rates analyzed by our team of specialists.

  • More than 130 insurance companies analyzed in all 50 states and Washington D.C.

  You can trust the prices we show because our data analysts take rigorous measures to eliminate outliers and inaccuracies in pricing data, which includes rates from every locale in a state where coverage is offered and data is available. When comparing rates for different coverage amounts, ages and backgrounds, we change only one variable at a time, so you can easily see how each factor affects pricing.

Why we picked it: Amica scored at or near the top for most of the categories we consider when choosing the best car insurance companies. It has strong financial strength and great coverage options, and it earned high scores for both customer complaints and online experiences. Amica also offers some of the best savings for bundling home and auto insurance, as well as renters and auto insurance.

• Standout benefits

  Widely available. Amica sells car insurance in Washington, D.C., as well as every state except Hawaii.

  Optional dividends. You can choose between a traditional policy or one that pays out a dividend. Amica admits the dividend policies can cost more at first, but they may return a percentage of what you paid for your policy. If you decide to try it, you can pick whether you want to be paid directly or apply the savings to your next premium.

  Discount options. Amica offers a wide variety of discounts, including multiple discounts for having young drivers on your policy or driving a vehicle with common safety features.

  Coverage add-ons. Amica’s rideshare insurance extends to include delivery drivers in some states. Other helpful options include full glass coverage, new car replacement coverage and gap coverage.

• Average rates

  Average rates by driving recordAverage rates by driver age

  Driver profile	Company average rate	National average rate
  Clean driving record, good credit	$3,120	$2,339
  One speeding ticket, good credit	$3,918	$2,991
  One at-fault crash, good credit	$3,893	$3,465
  One DUI, good credit	$11,202	$4,379
  Clean driving record, poor credit	$9,541	$3,934

  Rates refreshed January 2026.

» Read more: Amica auto insurance review

Why we picked it: To find the best option for affordability, we compared average prices from top-ranked insurers, according to our January 2026 rates analysis. Travelers was often the cheapest option available to most drivers. In addition to its affordable rates and available discounts, Travelers also offers great coverage options that may appeal to a lot of drivers.

• Standout benefits

  Widely available. Travelers sells car insurance in 42 states plus Washington, D.C.

  Accident forgiveness. You might be eligible for two different accident forgiveness plans from Travelers, depending on where you live and your driving history.

  Decreasing deductible. If you enroll in Travelers’ top safe driver plan, then driving safely could lower the cost of your car insurance deductible. (This is the amount you’ll pay out of pocket when you file a claim.) Travelers’ safe driver plan also removes your deductible if your car is totaled.

  Non-owner policies. You can get car insurance from Travelers if you’re a frequent driver but you don’t own a car.

  Coverage add-ons. Travelers offers both gap coverage and new car replacement as policy options. You might also be able to get rideshare coverage if it’s available in your state.

• Average rates

  Average rates by driving recordAverage rates by driver age

  Driver profile	Company average rate	National average rate
  Clean driving record, good credit	$1,656	$2,339
  One speeding ticket, good credit	$2,129	$2,991
  One at-fault crash, good credit	$2,279	$3,465
  One DUI, good credit	$2,891	$4,379
  Clean driving record, poor credit	$2,828	$3,934

  Rates refreshed January 2026.

» Read more: Travelers auto insurance review

Why we picked it: Drivers can file complaints about a company to their state’s insurance commissioner. We review this data as reported by the NAIC when creating our customer satisfaction score. For our 2026 list, we analyzed the complaint numbers for our top insurers and found that Acuity had the best score when compared to other companies of a similar size.

• Standout benefits

  Coverage packages. Acuity groups several add-ons into a single package, called an “endorsement.” It includes perks like reimbursing you for both veterinarian bills if your pet is injured in an accident, as well as travel expenses if you are involved in an accident while away from home.

  Full glass coverage. If you add this coverage to your policy, you won’t have to worry about paying your deductible to repair or even replace a damaged window or windshield.

  Gap coverage. If you total your vehicle but have this optional coverage, then Acuity will cover the difference between your vehicle’s current value and how much you owe on it.

• Average rates

  Average rates by driving recordAverage rates by driver age

  Driver profile	Company average rate	National average rate
  Clean driving record, good credit	$3,145	$2,339
  One speeding ticket, good credit	$5,433	$2,991
  One at-fault crash, good credit	$5,406	$3,465
  One DUI, good credit	$6,318	$4,379
  Clean driving record, poor credit	$4,788	$3,934

  Rates refreshed January 2026.

Why we picked it: Progressive offers an excellent selection of optional coverages that set it apart, even from other top insurers. For example, you can choose add-ons that will pay for minor dents or mechanical repairs, and drivers with a full coverage policy can get up to $1,000 of vet bills reimbursed if a pet is injured in a covered accident.

• Standout benefits

  Widely available. Progressive sells car insurance in every state plus Washington, D.C.

  Excellent mobile experience. Progressive’s mobile app has high customer ratings for both the Android and Apple devices. And while many insurers let you get a quote without speaking to an agent, you can actually start a new Progressive policy entirely online.

  Teen driver discount. Young drivers are often the most expensive to insure. Progressive offers a discount for adding a teen driver to your policy, which may help manage that cost.

  Coverage add-ons. In addition to covering minor damage and vet bills, Progressive offers both custom parts coverage and gap coverage as policy add-ons. You might also be able to get rideshare insurance from Progressive, although availability varies by state.

• Average rates

  Average rates by driving recordAverage rates by driver age

  Driver profile	Company average rate	National average rate
  Clean driving record, good credit	$2,120	$2,339
  One speeding ticket, good credit	$2,840	$2,991
  One at-fault crash, good credit	$3,167	$3,465
  One DUI, good credit	$2,860	$4,379
  Clean driving record, poor credit	$3,399	$3,934

  Rates refreshed January 2026.

» Read more: Progressive auto insurance review

Why we picked it: In addition to being one of the best-rated insurers in our comparisons across all categories, GEICO also scored the highest among insurers for discount offerings. It’s why we picked GEICO as our Best Budget-Friendly Auto Insurance winner in NerdWallet's 2026 Best-Of Awards.

• Standout benefits

  Widely available. GEICO sells car insurance in every state plus Washington, D.C.

  Digital experience. The GEICO mobile app has high ratings for both Android and Apple devices. Its website provides helpful information about car insurance, and you can start and manage your policy online.

  Number of discounts. GEICO’s list of discounts is long and diverse. You can get discounts for things like driving a new car, being a federal employee, serving in the military and getting your quote online.

• Average rates

  Average rates by driving recordAverage rates by driver age

  Driver profile	Company average rate	National average rate
  Clean driving record, good credit	$2,058	$2,339
  One speeding ticket, good credit	$2,710	$2,991
  One at-fault crash, good credit	$3,526	$3,465
  One DUI, good credit	$4,689	$4,379
  Clean driving record, poor credit	$2,877	$3,934

  Rates refreshed January 2026.

» Read more: GEICO auto insurance review

If you’re looking for more options, check out these other car insurance companies that earned a NerdWallet star rating of 4.5 or higher. Each one could be a great choice, depending on your location, driving history and insurance needs.

• Find more auto reviews from NerdWallet

  • AAA

  • Acceptance

  • Allstate

  • American Family

  • American National

  • Amica

  • Auto-Owners

  • Bristol West

  • Chubb

  • Clearcover

  • Connect

  • Country Financial

  • Dairyland

  • Direct Auto Insurance

  • Elephant

  • Encompass

  • Erie

  • Farm Bureau

  • Farmers

  • Fred Loya

  • Gainsco

  • GEICO

  • The General

  • Georgia Farm Bureau

  • GoAuto

  • Good2Go

  • The Hanover

  • Infinity

  • Kemper

  • Lemonade

  • Liberty Mutual

  • Mapfre

  • Mercury

  • Nationwide

  • National General

  • NJM

  • Progressive

  • Root

  • Safeco

  • Safety Insurance

  • Shelter

  • State Farm

  • Texas Farm Bureau

  • Toggle

  • Travelers

  • USAA

  • Wawanesa

• Best auto insurance companies by state

  Insurance offerings vary widely by location, and the best companies nationwide might not be the best in your state. In fact, small or regional insurers may offer better customer service or more affordable rates than larger companies. Some even offer state-specific perks and discounts.

  NerdWallet analyzed the auto insurance offerings available in different states to put together the best car insurance companies in a variety of locations:

  • Arizona

  • California

  • Colorado

  • Delaware

  • Florida

  • Georgia

  • Massachusetts

  • Michigan

  • Nevada

  • New Jersey

  • New York

  • North Carolina

  • Pennsylvania

  • Texas

  • Utah

  • Wisconsin

Your car insurance costs may change every year, or even every month. Insurers look at a wide variety of factors when they set pricing, including your age, location, vehicle details, driving history and coverage needs. The economy and even seasonal weather trends can affect what you pay.

It’s hard to predict how much an individual can expect to pay for car insurance. But we analyzed 120 million rates to find national averages for a few common types of drivers:

Your location is one of the biggest influences on your car insurance costs. NerdWallet's car insurance calculator can show you the average cost in your area so you can see what you might have to pay.

The best car insurance companies, according to Reddit users

Reddit is an online forum where users share their thoughts in “threads” on various topics. The popular site includes plenty of discussion on financial subjects like auto insurance, so we sifted through Reddit forums to get a pulse check on how users feel about insurers. People post anonymously, so we cannot confirm their individual experiences or circumstances.

The general consensus among Redditors is that you’ll find the best car insurance by comparing quotes from different insurers and evaluating the amount of coverage you need.

Many Redditors shared their picks for the best car insurance companies as well.

• USAA: Some Reddit users called out USAA as offering the best auto insurance. One cited the company's “top-notch” claims service and coverage for original equipment manufacturer, or OEM, parts for newer model repairs. It’s important to note that USAA car insurance is only available to active military, veterans and their families. (Several companies offer OEM parts in claim repairs, but it is wise to ask your agent or check the quote details before you buy.)

• GEICO: Another Reddit user said GEICO offers quick response times when calling their representatives or filing a claim. Like so many things related to auto insurance, this and other customer service practices can vary depending on your state.

• Progressive: According to another Redditor, Progressive stands out because the company was easy to work with and offered them the cheapest rate and fair payouts when they filed claims for two accidents where they were not at fault. Their experience is a good reminder to shop around after filing claims and receiving payouts, when rates are most likely to increase.

Every driver is different, and that can make it hard to figure out which insurance company is the best option for you. Here are a few things you should expect from any top insurer:

• Affordable pricing and a good variety of discounts, so you can actually get a policy.

• Coverage options in case you need specialty coverage or want more than the standard coverage limits.

• Great customer service that can simplify the claims process if or when you need it.

• Reliable reputation so you can have peace of mind that the company will be there for you in the future.