Farmers Auto Insurance Review 2023
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Our Take
4.5
The bottom line:
One of the country's largest insurers, Farmers offers a long list of discounts and plenty of ways to customize your coverage.
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Pros & Cons
Pros
Rated above average in customer satisfaction for both auto insurance shopping and claims.
Fewer complaints than expected for a company of its size.
Lots of discounts available.
Cons
Doesn’t offer car insurance in all states.
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Farmers earned 4.5 stars out of 5 for overall performance. NerdWallet’s ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula takes into account consumer experience, complaint data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners and financial strength ratings.
Farmers is the seventh-largest auto insurer in the country. It offers standard coverage choices, plus a solid list of extras and discounts.
In addition to car insurance, Farmers sells most other lines of insurance, plus financial products such as mutual funds and annuities.
» MORE: The best car insurance companies
Farmers auto insurance coverage
When you're shopping for car insurance coverage, it's important to understand what car insurance coverage you want and what you’re required to buy. For instance, most states require a minimum amount of car insurance to drive a vehicle. Alternatively, if you want extra protection, you may be interested in full coverage insurance. Read about the most common types of car insurance coverage to see how they work.
Farmers also offers these types of optional coverage:
New car replacement. If your new car is totaled within the first two model years and 24,000 miles of ownership, Farmers pays to replace it with a new one.
Accident forgiveness. The insurer forgives one at-fault accident for every three years you drive without an accident, meaning your rate won’t go up.
Loss of use. When your car is in the shop or totaled after an accident, Farmers reimburses you for a rental, cabs, rideshares or public transit. Most companies’ coverage pays only for a rental car.
Customized equipment coverage. Repairs or replaces any custom parts you’ve installed in your car, such as chrome rims or a new stereo system, if they’re stolen or damaged. You must have comprehensive and collision coverage to add this to your policy.
Original equipment manufacturer coverage. Pays for replacement parts from your car’s manufacturer if you’re in a covered wreck, rather than cheaper aftermarket parts. OEM coverage is only available on cars that are up to 10 years old.
Rideshare insurance. When you drive for companies such as Uber or Lyft, they typically provide limited liability insurance while their apps are on, with full coverage that kicks in only when you accept a ride and have passengers. Farmers' rideshare insurance extends your personal auto policy to fill in the gaps, providing coverage between rides, so you’re always covered during your rideshare job.
Farmers also offers Flex Personal Auto policies in certain states. Customers with these policies can earn free benefits for safe driving and for being a Farmers customer for a certain period of time. Perks may include:
Accident forgiveness.
Diminishing deductible, which decreases your deductible amount over a period of time.
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Auto insurance discounts
Depending on where you live, you might be able to save on your policy by:
Meeting Farmers' requirements for a good driver.
Meeting Farmers' requirements for a good student.
Insuring multiple vehicles with Farmers.
Buying multiple policies with Farmers (bundling).
Being a member of the military.
Belonging to certain professional groups.
Renewing your policy with Farmers year over year.
Driving an alternative fuel vehicle.
Owning a home.
Having a car with certain anti-theft features.
Paying your policy in full.
Enrolling in paperless document delivery.
Making payments electronically.
Completing a driver safety course (for older drivers only).
First time shopping for auto insurance? Unsure of where to start? Check out our guide on how to shop for car insurance.
Pricing based on tracked driving habits
Signal is an app that monitors driving behavior. With it, you receive a score based on your driving habits that determines the discount you'll receive on your next policy renewal. If you have a safe driving score of 80% or better, you’ll also be eligible to enter a monthly drawing where you can win up to $100 in rewards. But be aware, risky driving habits can increase your auto insurance rate.
Drivers who are under the age of 25, live in your household and use Signal may earn you an additional discount.
CrashAssist is a particularly helpful feature on the Signal app that uses your cell phone’s sensors to detect when you may have been involved in an accident. If it identifies a potential crash, the app will send you a push notification. And if you confirm you’ve been in an accident, Farmers will alert emergency services.
See what you could save on car insurance
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Complaints and customer satisfaction
Farmers had fewer than the expected number of complaints about auto insurance to state regulators relative to its size, according to three years’ worth of data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.
Farmers received an overall satisfaction score of 76 out of 100 by a pool of its customers in a NerdWallet survey conducted online in June 2022. To put that in perspective, the average score among seven insurers was 77, and the highest was 82.
2022 J.D. Power study | Farmers ranking |
|---|---|
Auto insurance shopping | No. 2 out of 8 companies. |
Auto insurance claims satisfaction | No. 6 out of 21 companies. |
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More about Farmers auto insurance
Mobile apps: With the Farmers Insurance Mobile app, you can pay your insurance bill, update payment options, get your agent’s contact information, view policy details and get access to digital insurance ID cards when you need proof of insurance. You can also report claims and request roadside assistance.
If you’re looking for savings, you may want to sign up for the company’s Signal app, which tracks driving habits. Safe drivers may receive discounts on their premiums.
Website: You can connect with an agent, get a quote, report and track claims, and pay your bill on the Farmers site. You’ll also find ample resources to help with your claim, including a checklist on how to file one.
Life, homeowners and renters insurance from Farmers
Farmers offers multiple coverage options for homeowners to choose from. To learn about policies and discounts, check out our Farmers homeowners insurance review.
A Farmers renters insurance policy includes the basic types of coverage, plus a few optional extras. Find out more by reading our Farmers renters insurance review.
Farmers sells term, whole and universal life insurance policies, as well as accidental death insurance. To compare these options, see our Farmers life insurance review.
Other insurance from Farmers
Farmers sells these types of insurance:
Boat insurance.
Business insurance.
Landlord/rental property insurance.
Off-road vehicle insurance.
Motorcycle insurance.
Motor home or RV insurance.
Personal watercraft insurance.
Travel trailer insurance.
Umbrella insurance.
It also offers pet insurance through a third-party company, Pets Best. To learn more, read our Pets Best pet insurance review.
Methodology
2022 auto insurance survey methodology
The survey of 7,755 adults age 18 and older was conducted online by Russell Research on behalf of NerdWallet in June 2022. Respondents were asked to rate one auto insurance brand they obtained or renewed a policy with within the past 12 months, and the policy had to be in their name at the time of the survey. These brands were rated on overall satisfaction, overall value, online experience, trustworthiness and customer support on a scale of 1-100.
Of those respondents: 300 were Progressive, 300 were State Farm, 299 were Allstate, 299 were Geico, 121 were USAA, 116 were Liberty Mutual, 105 were American Family, 105 were Farmers, 105 were Travelers and 101 were Nationwide.
The results have been weighted to be nationally representative. Additional subgroup sample sizes may be available upon request. Any differences noted between subgroups have been tested at 95% confidence level.
Insurer complaints methodology
NerdWallet examined complaints received by state insurance regulators and reported to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners in 2019-2021. 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.
Frequently asked questions
To get a quote, call 800-974-6755 or head to Farmers’ homepage. You’ll be asked to enter your ZIP code and fill out a form with your contact details and vehicle information, including the people who will be driving it. The system will then generate a quote, taking eligible discounts into account.
Farmers sells car insurance in every state except Alaska, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont and West Virginia. Its policies are also unavailable in Washington, D.C. The insurer has stopped selling auto insurance in Florida temporarily, but current customers are not affected by this change.
You can file a claim at any time online or by calling 800-435-7764. For a smooth process, have your policy number and the date of the accident or incident handy.
Farmers offers mutual funds, IRAs, college savings plans and annuities.
