State Auto Insurance was a regional insurer based in Columbus, Ohio. It offered insurance products through independent agents. State Auto doesn't write new auto insurance policies. Former State Auto policies had been transferred to Safeco, a subsidiary of Liberty Mutual, by the end of 2024.
State Auto offered standard auto insurance coverage and some optional add-ons, including rideshare coverage. It also offered a telematics-based discount program.
Drivers looking for an insurer like State Auto should consider Safeco or another competitor.
Alternatives to State Auto Insurance
 NerdWallet rating 4.1/5 |  NerdWallet rating 4.5/5 |  NerdWallet rating 4.5/5 |
Discounts Average set of discounts | Discounts Great set of discounts | Discounts Great set of discounts |
Ease of use Above average | Ease of use Above average | Ease of use Above average |
NAIC complaints Close to expected | NAIC complaints Fewer than expected | NAIC complaints Far more than expected |
Bottom line Safeco auto policies offer some notable features, such as accident forgiveness, but the insurer falls short in customer service. | Bottom line People who need several types of insurance may benefit from the convenience and discounts of bundling their policies with Auto-Owners, which has many coverage options and few customer complaints. | Bottom line The Hartford primarily caters to customers 50 and older, offering policies through a partnership with AARP. |
Safeco
Safeco is a subsidiary of Liberty Mutual and inherited State Auto’s legacy business. It offers a broad suite of personal auto insurance products. Safeco drivers have access to digital tools, online quoting and agent support. Safeco’s telematics program is similar to what was offered by State Auto.
» Read more: Safeco Auto Insurance Review 2026
Auto-Owners Insurance
Auto-Owners Insurance has similarities to State Auto. It is also a regional insurer and sells policies through independent agents. It could be a good alternative to those who prefer an agent-based insurance product.
» Read more: Auto-Owner Insurance Review 2026
The Hartford
The Hartford specializes in auto insurance with added benefits for AARP members. It offers a robust digital and agent model, making it a good choice for drivers who want both.
» Read more: The Hartford Auto Insurance Review 2026
Frequently asked questions
How can you get a quote from State Auto?
How can you get a quote from State Auto?
State Auto was acquired by Liberty Mutual on March 1, 2022, and no longer writes new auto insurance policies. Current policies were to be transferred to Safeco, a Liberty Mutual subsidiary, by the end of 2024.
How do you file a State Auto claim?
How do you file a State Auto claim?
You can file a claim through the State Auto website.
Does State Auto have an app?
Does State Auto have an app?
State Auto does not have an app where you can manage your policy or pay bills. It does have an app, Safety 360°, that tracks your driving behavior.
Methodology
Insurer complaints methodology
NerdWallet examined complaints received by state insurance regulators and reported to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners in 2022-2024. To assess how insurers compare to one another, the NAIC calculates a complaint index each year for each subsidiary, measuring its share of total complaints relative to its size, or share of total premiums in the industry. To evaluate a company’s complaint history, NerdWallet calculated a similar index for each insurer, weighted by market shares of each subsidiary, over the three-year period. NerdWallet conducts its data analysis and reaches conclusions independently and without the endorsement of the NAIC. Ratios are determined separately for auto, home (including renters and condo) and life insurance.
Auto insurance ratings methodology
NerdWallet’s auto insurance ratings reward companies for customer-first features and practices. Ratings are based on weighted averages of scores in several categories, including financial strength, consumer complaints and discounts. Our “ease of use” category looks at factors such as website transparency and how easy it is to file a claim. Using our editorial discretion, we also consider customer satisfaction surveys. These ratings are a guide, but we encourage you to shop around and compare several insurance quotes to find the best rate for you. NerdWallet does not receive compensation for any reviews. Read our editorial guidelines and full ratings methodology for auto insurance.
Average rates methodology
NerdWallet averaged rates based on public filings obtained by pricing analytics company Quadrant Information Services. We examined rates for men and women for all ZIP codes in any of the 50 states and Washington, D.C. Although it’s one of the largest insurers in the country, Liberty Mutual is not included in our rates analysis due to a lack of publicly available information.
In our analysis, “good drivers” had no moving violations on record; a “good driving” discount was included for this profile. Our “good” and “poor” credit rates are based on credit score approximations and do not account for proprietary scoring criteria used by insurance providers.
These are average rates, and your rate will vary based on your personal details, state and insurance provider.
Sample drivers had the following coverage limits:
$100,000 bodily injury liability coverage per person.
$300,000 bodily injury liability coverage per crash.
$50,000 property damage liability coverage per crash.
$100,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage per person.
$300,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage per crash.
Collision coverage with $1,000 deductible.
Comprehensive coverage with $1,000 deductible.
We used the same assumptions for all other driver profiles, with the following exceptions:
We changed the credit tier from “good” to “poor” as reported to the insurer to see rates for drivers with poor credit. In states where credit isn’t taken into account, we only used rates for “good credit.”
For drivers with one at-fault crash, we added a single at-fault crash costing $10,000 in property damage.
For drivers with a DUI, we added a single drunken-driving violation.
We used a 2023 Toyota Camry LE in all cases and assumed 12,000 annual miles driven. We analyzed rates for drivers of the following ages: 20, 30, 35, 40, 50, 60 and 70.
Auto insurance survey methodology
The opt-in survey of 7,503 U.S. adults ages 18 and older was conducted online by Russell Research on behalf of NerdWallet in June and July 2024. Respondents were asked to rate one auto insurance brand they obtained or renewed a policy within the past 12 months, with at least some changes to the original policy. These brands were rated on overall satisfaction, overall value, online experience, trustworthiness, mobile app experience, claims experience and customer support on a scale of 1-100.
Only brands with 100 or more qualifying respondents are reported. Of those respondents: 300 were State Farm customers, 300 were Progressive customers, 300 were Allstate customers, 300 were GEICO customers, 100 were USAA customers, 157 were AAA customers, 100 were Liberty Mutual customers, 100 were American Family customers, 100 were Farmers customers, 100 were Travelers customers and 101 were Nationwide customers.
