GEICO vs. Progressive: Which Is The Best? (2024)

GEICO’s low rates, Insurify Quality (IQ) Score of 4.2, and solid financial strength rating make it a top choice for car insurance.

Joe Dyton
Written byJoe Dyton
Joe Dyton
Joe DytonInsurance Writer

Joe Dyton has been a professional writer since 1999. He's been writing about the auto insurance industry for 15 years and was an in-house marketing copywriter for GEICO for a decade. Learn more about Joe at joedyton.com.

Ashley Cox
Edited byAshley Cox
Headshot of Managing Editor Ashley Cox
Ashley CoxSenior Managing Editor
  • 7+ years in content creation and management

  • 5+ years in insurance and personal finance content

Ashley is a seasoned personal finance editor who’s produced a variety of digital content, including insurance, credit cards, mortgages, and consumer lending products.

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Konstantin Halachev
Data reviewed byKonstantin Halachev
Headshot of Konstantin Halachev, VP of Engineering at Insurify
Konstantin HalachevVice President of Engineering
  • 7+ years experience in data analysis

  • Ph.D. in Computational Biology

Konstantin has led data teams across multiple industries, including insurance, travel, and biology. He’s led Insurify’s engineering team for more than three years.

Updated March 14, 2024

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GEICO and Progressive are both well-known national car insurance companies. A lot of each insurers’ marketing is tied to how much money it can save its policyholders — especially when they bundle car insurance with other insurance products.

Comparing these two car insurance companies is a good reminder that you should always check out multiple options before you buy a policy. Car insurance comparison shopping is about more than who offers the lowest rates, however. You should also look at customer service reviews, what discounts a car insurance company offers, its coverages, and more.

Quick Facts
  • GEICO offers lower rates than Progressive in just about every driver category.

  • Progressive and GEICO offer many of the same car insurance coverages and services, including optional ones like roadside assistance and rental car reimbursement.

  • Both insurers offer a variety of discounts to help their customers save, but Progressive offers more discounts that encourage people to manage their auto policy online.

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GEICO vs. Progressive: The verdict

Given that GEICO and Progressive offer many of the same discounts and coverages, price is the deciding factor between these two car insurance companies. GEICO is the clear winner in that category, as its rates are much lower for many driver groups, including teens, high-risk drivers, seniors, drivers with speeding tickets, and drivers with a low credit score.

Additionally, GEICO has fewer customer complaints than Progressive, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) National Complaint Index. Progressive offers a few more car insurance discounts, however.

FactorGEICOProgressive
Insurify Quality (IQ) Score4.23.9
J.D. Power customer satisfaction score818 out of 1,000812 out of 1,000
Average quote: liability only$54$82
Number of available discounts1618
Number of states where it operates5050
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
  • Insurify uses an in-house, proprietary method to rate and review the best car insurance companies. The Insurify Quality (IQ) Score uses more than 15 crucial criteria, including average premiums, customer satisfaction, discounts, third-party ratings, and more, to calculate a final score for a company.

    Criteria are weighted by importance to the consumer — factors such as customer reviews and affordability influence the score more than availability and third-party ratings. With the IQ Score, Insurify is able to provide quantitative ratings for drivers to better compare car insurance companies and make informed decisions to meet their coverage needs.

GEICO

GEICO, a Berkshire Hathaway company, is currently the second-largest car insurance company in the U.S. While well-known for its competitive rates, coverage options, and discounts, the insurer’s customer reviews for its customer service and agent support aren’t as glowing.

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IQ Score
The Insurify Quality (IQ) Score uses more than 15 criteria to objectively rate insurance companies on a one-to-five scale. The Insurify editorial team researches insurer data to determine the final scores.
4.3
JD Power
J.D. Power data measures overall customer satisfaction and claims satisfaction based on a 1,000-point scale.
835
Liability Only
Liability-only insurance, sometimes called minimum-coverage insurance, pays for bodily injury and property damage to others in an accident the policyholder causes. It does not pay for the insured’s own damages.
$54/mo
Full Coverage
Full-coverage car insurance generally includes liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage, and may include other optional coverages such as uninsured motorist coverage. Collision covers a policyholder’s repair or replacement costs in case of an accident. Comprehensive covers damages caused by non-accident events. The average quote displayed here reflects policies with the following coverage limits: $50,000 bodily injury liability per person; $100,000 bodily injury liability per accident; $50,00 property damage liability per accident; $1,000 collision deductible; and a $1,000 comprehensive deductible.
$119/mo

A highly recognizable name in car insurance, GEICO is a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway. The company started out as the Government Employees Insurance Company, serving U.S. government workers and military personnel. In addition to auto insurance, GEICO also sells homeowner, flood insurance, life insurance, business insurance, and identity protection, among other products. A.M. Best gives GEICO its highest rating for financial stability and credit. However, GEICO has nearly twice as many complaints as expected in the National Association of Insurance Commissioner’s Consumer Complaints Index.

Pros
  • Good rates for good drivers, seniors, and young drivers

  • Accident forgiveness available

Cons
  • High rates for drivers with certain violations, like DUIs

  • No rideshare or new car replacement coverage available

Everything good except the price.

RAY - December 4, 2023
Verified

I have not had problems; prices just remain high with little to no customer service and little benefit from 26+ years of customer loyalty.

Elizabeth - December 3, 2023
Verified

I had been with them a few years until they started raising my rates every time I was up for renewal. I got a new quote from another company that was $50 less than GEICO for the same coverage. That's not how to show customer loyalty, and it's the reason GEICO lost me as a customer.

Denise - December 3, 2023
Verified
Read our GEICO review

Progressive

Progressive has taken the spot of the third-largest auto insurer in the U.S., behind State Farm and GEICO. The insurance company has one of the higher customer satisfaction ratings, according to J.D. Power. But at the same time, it receives more complaints than the industry average, according to the NAIC Complaint Index.

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IQ Score
The Insurify Quality (IQ) Score uses more than 15 criteria to objectively rate insurance companies on a one-to-five scale. The Insurify editorial team researches insurer data to determine the final scores.
4
JD Power
J.D. Power data measures overall customer satisfaction and claims satisfaction based on a 1,000-point scale.
819
Liability Only
Liability-only insurance, sometimes called minimum-coverage insurance, pays for bodily injury and property damage to others in an accident the policyholder causes. It does not pay for the insured’s own damages.
$82/mo
Full Coverage
Full-coverage car insurance generally includes liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage, and may include other optional coverages such as uninsured motorist coverage. Collision covers a policyholder’s repair or replacement costs in case of an accident. Comprehensive covers damages caused by non-accident events. The average quote displayed here reflects policies with the following coverage limits: $50,000 bodily injury liability per person; $100,000 bodily injury liability per accident; $50,00 property damage liability per accident; $1,000 collision deductible; and a $1,000 comprehensive deductible.
$146/mo

Although its founding in 1937 makes Progressive comparatively young, it is among the largest car insurers in the U.S. The company offers car, home, renters, commercial, and other types of insurance. Progressive customers can enjoy savings by bundling their car insurance with another type of Progressive policy – typically homeowners or renters. Available discounts range from multi-policy and multi-car discounts, to the Snapshot save driver discount. Progressive has an A.M. Best rating of A+ for financial stability. However, the company has a slightly higher-than-expected number of complaints in the National Association of Insurance Commissioner’s Consumer Complaints Index.

Pros
  • Rewards for good drivers

  • Numerous coverage options and discounts available

Cons
  • Higher-than-expected amount of complaints

  • Ranked 11 out of 15 companies in the J.D. Power Customer Satisfaction Index Ranking

Help lower my cost.

Reine - December 4, 2023
Verified

Excellent customer service.

Cheryl - December 3, 2023
Verified

Best overall insurance cost with options to easily change as needed.

Jeffrey - December 3, 2023
Verified
Read our Progressive review

GEICO DriveEasy vs. Progressive Snapshot

GEICO and Progressive both use telematics programs through their mobile app to measure how safely you drive.

GEICO DriveEasy

The GEICO DriveEasy program uses your mobile phone to measure your driving. It looks at things like how fast you take corners, how hard you brake, and if you use your phone while driving to calculate your safe driving score. The safer you drive the better you score, which could help you save on your insurance premium.

DriveEasy is currently only available in 38 states. If you want to use Drive Easy, every driver on your GEICO policy must participate as well.

Progressive Snapshot

The Progressive Snapshot program helps set your car insurance rate. How often you drive, as well as when, is tracked using the mobile app or a plug-in device. This determines how much you’ll pay for your insurance premiums.

Other tracked driving behaviors include how hard you brake, accelerations, and mobile phone use. Snapshot participants are eligible for an automatic discount on their policy when they sign up and can get a personalized rate when they renew their policy.

Using Snapshot could also result in a car insurance rate increase, however, depending on how you drive.

GEICO vs. Progressive: Which is the cheapest?

GEICO offers cheaper car insurance than Progressive in almost every category, including good drivers, young drivers, senior drivers, people with bad credit, and drivers who have received a speeding ticket.

The most notable gap was in the teen driver category, where GEICO policyholders pay much less per month for a policy. The senior driver category was the most competitive, with GEICO’s monthly average rates being just slightly cheaper.

GEICO: Cheapest for drivers with a clean driving record

GEICO customers with a clean driving record pay less per month than Progressive policyholders who are also free of traffic violations.

Driver TypeGEICOProgressive
Clean driving record$54$82
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.

GEICO: Cheapest for drivers with a speeding ticket

A speeding ticket will more than likely raise your car insurance rates.[1] The violation is significantly more punitive for Progressive drivers, however. They pay more per month, on average, than GEICO policyholders who have received a speeding ticket.

Driver TypeGEICOProgressive
Drivers with a speeding ticket$62$102
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.

GEICO: Cheapest for teen drivers

Young drivers’ car insurance policies are often more expensive due to their inexperience on the road.[2] GEICO is much more favorable to teen drivers compared to Progressive.

Driver TypeGEICOProgressive
18-year-old$74$146
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.

GEICO: Cheapest for drivers with bad credit

In many states, car insurance companies can use a prospective policyholders’ credit history to help determine their car insurance rates. GEICO policyholders with a bad credit score pay less per month than Progressive drivers.

Driver TypeGEICOProgressive
Drivers with bad credit$63$90
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.

GEICO: Cheapest for senior drivers

GEICO car insurance is less expensive for drivers in their 70s than it is for Progressive customers, but not by much.

Driver TypeGEICOProgressive
Senior drivers$41$51
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.

Compare coverages: GEICO vs. Progressive

Many states require you to carry at least liability coverage on your car insurance policy. This includes bodily injury and property damage liability. This is the minimum insurance coverage you’ll need. But insurance experts often recommend that you add full coverage to better protect you and your passengers.

GEICO and Progressive both offer common car insurance coverages, such as bodily injury and property damage liability, as well as comprehensive, collision, and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverages. The companies also offer a lot of the same add-on coverages, like roadside assistance and rental car reimbursement.

The following table offers a look at the car insurance coverages GEICO and Progressive provide.

CoverageGEICOProgressive
Bodily injury liabilityYesYes
Property damage liabilityYesYes
Collision coverageYesYes
Comprehensive coverageYesYes
Uninsured motorist coverageYesYes
Underinsured motorist coverageYesYes
Medical payments coverageYesYes
Personal injury protection (PIP)YesYes
Emergency road service/roadside assistanceYesYes
Rental car reimbursementYesYes
Mechanical breakdown insuranceYesYes (3rd party)
Rideshare coverageYesYes
Trip interruptionNoYes

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Compare discounts: GEICO vs. Progressive

Discounts are a great way to help lower your car insurance premium.[3] Progressive and GEICO offer a variety of discounts to help you save. Both insurers reward drivers for maintaining good driving records, insuring more than one car on their policy, and insuring their home or other products with their company.

The number of car insurance discounts Progressive and GEICO offer is pretty close. There’s some variation in the types of discounts they offer, however.

For example, a number of GEICO’s discounts focus on vehicle equipment such as airbags, anti-lock brakes, and anti-theft devices. Meanwhile, Progressive provides saving opportunities for more affordable rates for doing business online, including getting a quote online and signing documents electronically.

DiscountGEICOProgressive
Clean driving recordYesYes
Defensive driving courseVaries by stateNo
Multi-policyYesYes
Multi-carYesYes
Low mileageNoNo
Telematics (safe driving app)YesYes
Anti-theft deviceYesYes (in some states)
New carYesNo 
Military/affiliationYesNo
Good studentYesYes
Loyalty/continuous insuranceNoYes
AutopayYesYes
Student away at schoolNoYes
HomeownerNoYes
Alternative fuelNoNo

GEICO vs. Progressive FAQs

If you’re still wondering whether GEICO or Progressive is the right insurance company for you, this additional information may help you decide.

  • Which is more expensive: GEICO or Progressive?

    Progressive is more expensive than GEICO, according to Insurify data. Progressive drivers could lower their premium depending on what discounts they qualify for, however. Factors such as your age, vehicle, and driving history could lead to a cheaper policy with Progressive.

  • Which company is bigger: GEICO or Progressive?

    GEICO is slightly bigger than Progressive. It ranks as the second-largest car insurance company in the U.S. in terms of market share (6.6%), while Progressive comes in third (6.1%).

  • What are the key differences between GEICO and Progressive insurance?

    Price is perhaps the biggest difference between GEICO and Progressive car insurance. GEICO offers lower rates than Progressive for every driver group, including young drivers, senior drivers, people with bad credit, and people with driving violations. The insurers offer many of the same discounts, but there’s enough variation that it’s worth seeing which company is a better fit for you.

  • Is GEICO or Progressive better for car insurance?

    “Better” depends on what you’re looking for in a car insurance company. If you’re solely looking for a lower rate, GEICO would be a better car insurance option for you. Rates are just one factor to consider for a car insurance company, however. Customer experience matters, too, for example.

    So, while GEICO may offer cheaper rates initially, you may qualify for more discounts with Progressive that could lower your car insurance premium. That’s why it’s important to compare multiple car insurance companies when you’re looking for coverage.

Sources

  1. Insurance Information Institute. "What determines the price of an auto insurance policy?." Accessed November 28, 2023
  2. Insurance Information Institute. "Background On: Teen drivers." Accessed November 28, 2023
  3. Insurance Information Institute. "Nine ways to lower your auto insurance costs." Accessed November 28, 2023
Joe Dyton
Joe DytonInsurance Writer

Joe Dyton has been a professional writer since 1999. He's been writing about the auto insurance industry for 15 years and was an in-house marketing copywriter for GEICO for a decade. Learn more about Joe at joedyton.com.

Ashley Cox
Edited byAshley CoxSenior Managing Editor
Headshot of Managing Editor Ashley Cox
Ashley CoxSenior Managing Editor
  • 7+ years in content creation and management

  • 5+ years in insurance and personal finance content

Ashley is a seasoned personal finance editor who’s produced a variety of digital content, including insurance, credit cards, mortgages, and consumer lending products.

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Konstantin Halachev
Data reviewed byKonstantin HalachevVice President of Engineering
Headshot of Konstantin Halachev, VP of Engineering at Insurify
Konstantin HalachevVice President of Engineering
  • 7+ years experience in data analysis

  • Ph.D. in Computational Biology

Konstantin has led data teams across multiple industries, including insurance, travel, and biology. He’s led Insurify’s engineering team for more than three years.

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