Progressive Car Insurance Review

About Progressive Insurance

Founded in 1937 and headquartered in Mayfield, Ohio, Progressive is currently the 3rd biggest auto insurer in the U.S.

It’s also the leading provider of commercial auto insurance and motorcycle insurance nationwide.

They have a presence in all the states. So, whether you are in Texas or Colorado, New Jersey or Georgia, you can purchase an auto insurance policy from progressive.

What Car Insurance Coverage Does Progressive Offer?

From liability coverage to medical payments coverage, Progressive offers a wide range of insurance policies. Some of their coverage options include:

Liability Coverage

Progressive’s auto liability coverage will help to protect you if you are held liable for injuries and property damages arising from a car accident.

Therefore, instead of paying for the car damages and the other party’s medical bills out of pocket, your progressive car insurance will take care of some or all the expenses.

Liability coverage comes with all car insurance policies that you purchase from Progressive.

Their liability coverage is broken into 3 sections. These include bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage per accident.

• Liability coverage will help you pay for the following:
• Damage to other people’s cars
• Property damage such as houses, mailboxes, guardrails and street signs
• Injuries to other drivers, pedestrians and passengers
• Legal fees

Auto liability coverage is a requirement in almost all the states in the country. However, the amount of auto liability coverage you will purchase will depend on the state requirements as well as your personal needs.

For instance, in California, the minimum amount of auto insurance liability coverage that you should purchase from Progressive is bodily liability coverage of $15,000 per person, bodily injury coverage of $30,000 per accident and property damage liability coverage of $5,000.

Collision Coverage

If your car is damaged in an auto accident with another vehicle or you hit a stationary object like a guardrail, fence or tree, then collision coverage will help to replace or repair it.

Progressive’s collision coverage will cover damage caused in the following situations:

• Accidents with other vehicles including RVs and motorbikes
• Hitting a stationary object such as a street sign, guardrail, mailbox, pothole, phone pole, tree, house and garage
• Damage resulting from a hit-and-run accident
• Overturning your vehicle
• Injuries to pets in your vehicle

Without this coverage, you may end up paying thousands of dollars in repairing or replacing your car.

However, if your vehicle has minimal value, your vehicle is rarely driven or your vehicle is already covered under another family member’s collision coverage, then you may not want this policy.

Progressive collision coverage costs approximately $65 per month, which translates to around $780 per year.

In case your car is totaled, then Progressive will pay you the current market value of your vehicle.

Comprehensive Coverage

Comprehensive coverage will provide cover for damage caused to your vehicle by incidents or events out of your control. So, what does Progressive's comprehensive auto insurance cover?

• Vandalism, theft, explosions and fire
• Windshield and glass damage
• Accidents with animals
• Falling trees, branches and other objects
• Wind, hail, storm, earthquakes and lightning

It’s important to note that collision coverage and comprehensive insurance are two different things. While they will both insure your car against damage, they cover different things.

Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage

You may sometimes be involved in an auto accident with an uninsured or underinsured driver. In such circumstances, Progressive’s uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage will help to pay for the resulting damages or injuries.

Uninsured motorist insurance will cover your injuries, injuries to your passengers as well as damage to your vehicle.

Uninsured motorist coverage requirements vary from state to state. If your state mandates this coverage, then Progressive will add it to your Progressive auto insurance policy.

Medical Payments Coverage

Medical payments coverage will help to pay for your injuries and your passenger’s injuries suffered in an auto accident.

It will cover the costs of the medical expenses, regardless of whether you were at fault or not.

This Progressive auto insurance coverage will also apply to you or your family members if they are injured as passengers in other vehicles. Also, it will pay for your medical bills if you are hit by a car when riding a bicycle or walking.

Personal Injury Protection

Also called no-fault insurance, personal injury protection (PIP) will cover medical expenses as well as lost wages if you are injured in an auto accident. This coverage will also cover the medical expenses of your passengers, regardless of who is at fault.

Personal injury protection is a requirement in some states and optional in others. Depending on your state, your PIP may help to cover for your:

Medical bills for you and your passengers covered under your policy

• Lost wages if you or anyone covered in your policy is unable to work due to the injuries sustained in the accident
• Extended household services like house cleaning, childcare or yard work
• Rehabilitation and disability costs
• Death benefit paid to your family, in the unfortunate situation that you die during a fatal car accident

Unlike medical payments coverage, PIP will take care of your expenses beyond medical bills.

Some of the states that require PIP coverage include Florida, Minnesota, Hawaii, Kansas, New York, Kentucky, New Jersey, Michigan, Utah, Massachusetts and North Dakota.

So, if you live in any of the above states, then you will have to purchase this coverage, as part of your Progressive car insurance policy.

Optional Coverages

Apart from the standard coverage, Progressive also offers several optional coverages. While these coverages may not be required, they will provide additional protection for people who need them. Some of the available optional coverages include:

Rental Car Reimbursement

If your car is damaged during a covered accident, Progressive will pay for a car rental until your car is repaired.

The amount you will receive for the car rental will depend on the limit you choose when purchasing this coverage. Limits usually range from $40 to $60 per day, for up to 30 days.

For instance, if you choose a daily limit of $50 when purchasing this coverage, then Progressive will pay to cover up to $30 of your daily rental costs, for 30 days. If you exceed the daily limit, then you will have to cover the balance by yourself.

It’s important to note that you cannot purchase rental car reimbursement as it is not a stand-alone coverage. You will need to have either collision coverage or comprehensive coverage in place before adding this option.

Custom Parts and Equipment Value

If you love customizing your car with aftermarket parts, then this coverage is designed for you.

Progressive provides custom parts and equipment coverage (CPE), which will repair or replace the items or parts that you add to your vehicle such as navigation system, car stereo, custom paint job, and custom wheels, among others.

The custom parts and equipment value coverage comes with a limit of $5,000. And unlike the rental reimbursement coverage, you can purchase this policy separately.

Gap Coverage

Also known as loan or lease payoff, gap insurance is an optional car insurance coverage, which will come in handy when your vehicle is stolen or declared a total loss.

If your car’s loan amount is more than your vehicle’s current market value, then gap insurance will help to cover the difference.

For instance, if you owe $15,000 on your car loan and your car’s current market value is $10,000, then your Progressive gap insurance coverage will cover the $5,000 deficit, minus the deductible.

In short, gap insurance coverage is designed to cushion you against depreciation. After purchasing a car, its value starts decreasing right away.

And if you had leased or purchased the vehicle via financing, then there will be a gap between the car’s value and what you owe. And this is where Progressive’s gap insurance coverage comes in.

Gap insurance is not required in any state. However, if you are purchasing a car via financing, then the dealerships may add this insurance to your loan.

You should note that you cannot purchase gap coverage as a standalone insurance policy. Progressive will require you to have collision coverage or comprehensive coverage in place before you can add gap insurance.

Progressive offers gap coverage for as low as $5 per month. However, the exact coverage you should purchase will depend on your needs.

Roadside Assistance

Similar to other auto insurance companies, Progressive also offers roadside assistance as optional coverage.

If your vehicle breaks down when you are on the road, Progressive’s roadside assistance service will tow your vehicle to the nearest auto repair shop or your preferred mechanic.

Roadside assistance will also provide services like flat-tire changes, lock-out services as well as fuel delivery in case you run out of gas, among others.

Deductible Savings Bank

A deductible is out-of-pocket money that you pay whenever you file a claim before your auto insurance coverage kicks in.

If you purchase this optional Progressive car insurance coverage, they will subtract $50 from your collision or comprehensive insurance deductible, for every 6-month car insurance policy period that you go accident-free and violation-free.  

For example, if the deductible on your 6-month car insurance policy is $1000 and you add the deductible savings bank coverage, then it will be reduced to $950 after 6 months without a violation or accident.

With the deductible savings bank coverage, your deductible will continue reducing the longer you drive without a violation or an accident until it reaches $0.

Rideshare Coverage

Progressive’s rideshare coverage is designed for drivers who intend to operate Lyft, Uber or any other ride sharing platform.

With this Progressive auto insurance coverage, you will be protected immediately when you start working.

In case an accident occurs as you are waiting to receive a ride request, then this optional coverage will help to pay for damages and injuries caused to the other party. It will also help to repair or replace your damaged car.

If you are looking to start driving for a ridesharing company, then Progressive will require you to purchase this additional coverage, on top of your personal auto policy.

What is the Cost of Progressive Car Insurance?

The average cost of car insurance nationwide is approximately $100 per month or about $1,200 per year. The rates can range from about $500 on the lower end to $1,600 on the upper end.

For progressive insurance, you should expect to pay approximately $115 per month, which translates to approximately $1,370 annually, which puts them in the middle of the pack, among other auto insurance companies.

What Determines the Cost?

Just like other insurance companies, the actual amount that you will pay for your Progressive car insurance policy will depend on various factors. Progressive uses the following factors to determine your car insurance price.

Age

Age is probably one of the most important factors that will determine your Progressive auto insurance rate.

As much as this may appear unfair, since there are decent drivers and reckless drivers in every age group, recent data shows that younger drivers are highly likely to be involved in a car crash.

On the other hand, experienced drivers are less likely to cause accidents, which will consequently minimize the claims they file.

At Progressive, teenage drivers pay approximately $200 per month for auto insurance, which drops significantly to around $100 per month from 26 to 50. The rates will further drop to below $100 for drivers within the age of 50 to 74.

The rates will then rise to above $100 per month for drivers over 75 years since senior citizens tend to have slower reflexes. But considering that senior citizens spend minimal time on the road, their annual rates will still be lower, compared to teenage drivers.

Vehicle Usage

Progressive will also consider how you use your vehicle when determining the cost of your auto insurance premiums.

For instance, if you use your vehicle to commute to work or school every day, then it poses a higher risk to the insurer, compared to a car that you only use once per week.

On the same note, personal-use cars will cost less to insure, compared to commercial-use vehicles.

Driving Behavior

Progressive uses a rating factor known as usage-based insurance, to determine the cost of your auto insurance policy. There are two main types of usage-based programs. These are driving-based and mileage-based.

Driving-based programs will measure your driving behavior on the road. For example, if you have a moving violation or an accident on your driving record, then Progressive will consider you a high-risk driver.

Consequently, you should expect to pay higher car insurance rates, compared to someone with a clean driving record.

Progressive will measure your driving behavior using a mobile app or a plug-in device for a certain period. After this duration is over, they will then analyze the data and take it into account when calculating and determining your premiums.

Speeding Tickets and Moving Violations

A speeding ticket or other moving violations can raise your Progressive auto insurance rates.

However, if you only got your first speeding ticket within 3 years, then your rates may not go up.

On the other hand, if you receive 2 or more speeding tickets within 3 years, then your rate may go up by 15% or more.

But whether your rate will go up or not, will depend on various factors such as your insurance history, your driving record, the extent of the violation as well as your state.

Accidents

Similar to other car insurance companies, Progressive will raise your auto insurance rate by approximately 28% if you are involved in an accident.

But as you may expect, the insurer will raise your rates higher for accidents that are you are at-fault, compared to not-at-fault accidents.

However, an accident may not always raise your rate, especially if you qualify for the company’s Accident Forgiveness program.

For example, if you qualify for the Small Accident forgiveness program, then your rates will not go up if your claim is $500 or less.

Location

Where you live also has a direct bearing on your auto insurance premiums. When using Progressive’s online quote estimator, your zip code is the first thing they will ask you to provide.

So, how does your location determine your auto insurance premiums? Well, Progressive will use your ZIP code to determine the number of claims coming from that area related to accidents, vandalism, car theft and damaging weather conditions.

With this information, it will be easier for them to determine whether you are a high-risk or low-risk policyholder and then set your rates accordingly.

However, some states such as California have barred insurers from using location as a rating factor. So, if you live in such states, then your ZIP code may not affect the cost of your Progressive auto insurance premiums.

Coverage Level

The amount of Progressive car insurance policy you purchase will also determine your premiums.

If you opt for full policy coverage that includes standard coverage, comprehensive coverage and additional coverages, then you should expect your rates to be high.

Purchasing your state’s minimum required coverage will be the most affordable while opting for the highest limits will be the most expensive.

Your deductible will also determine the cost of your car insurance. For example, if you opt for a higher deductible, then you will have to pay a higher out-of-pocket amount before your insurance kicks in. On the other hand, your overall rate will be lower.

Credit Score

As much as it may be controversial, most auto insurers including Progressive will use your credit score and credit history as a rating factor.

If you have a low or poor credit score, then it’s highly likely you will pay higher premiums compared to drivers with decent credit scores.

But if you live in Hawaii, California, Michigan and Massachusetts, then you are in luck. Insurance regulators in these states prohibit insurance companies from using the credit score as a rating factor.

Your Insurance Coverage History

Progressive will also check your insurance coverage history when determining your auto insurance rate.

For example, having a gap in your coverage, whether it’s a few days or a few months can push up your auto insurance rates.

It doesn’t matter whether your previous auto insurance policy was with Progressive or with another insurer. As long as you have maintained continuous coverage, then you may qualify for lower rates.

Furthermore, if there is no gap in your auto insurance coverage, then you may qualify for progressive’s Continuous Insurance Discount, which will lower your rates even further.

Vehicle Type

Your Progressive car insurance premiums will also depend on the car you drive. They will also use your vehicle’s model to determine its value, theft rate, safety tests and vandalism rate.

For instance, if insurance data shows that drivers with your car’s model have been involved in a higher-than-average number of accidents, then your auto insurance rates may be higher.

However, it’s important to note that just because your car has a high safety score doesn’t mean that your insurance premiums will always be low.

For example, cars with advanced safety features and systems like collision-warning systems may be expensive to repair. Consequently, their auto insurance rates may be lower compared to cars without such features.

Marital Status

Insurance statistics show that married drivers tend to be more careful on the road, compared to their single counterparts.

And as a result, they are involved in fewer accidents and cited for fewer moving violations than single people.

So, if you are married, then you are considered a lower risk policyholder compared to someone single. And your rates may be lower.

Furthermore, married couples can opt to combine their auto insurance policies and qualify for Progressive’s multi-car policy discount, which helps to lower the cost.

Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana and Hawaii don’t allow car insurers to use marital status as a rating factor.

Progressive groups its customers based on similar risk profiles and characteristics. They will then use those profiles to determine the premiums for individuals sharing similar characteristics and risk profiles. And as you probably know, Progressive will charge higher premiums for policyholders likely to file more claims while a lower rate will apply to those less likely to file claims.

Does Progressive Offer Auto Insurance Discounts?

Just like most insurance companies, Progressive offers plenty of discounts to its customers, to help them save on auto insurance premiums. Here is a list of some of their discounts.

Multi-Policy Discount

Progressive will give you a discount of 5% if you hold more than 2 policies with them. For example, if you carry homeowners insurance and car insurance with them, then you will enjoy a 5% discount on both policies. Also, you can combine your motorcycle insurance with your car insurance and you will earn a discount on one of the policies.

Multi-Car Discount

If you have more than one car listed on your Progressive car insurance policy, then you qualify for a discount of approximately 4%. And you can add any vehicle to your policy, whether it belongs to a family member, a spouse, or a roommate, as long as the car is primarily parked at your address.

Continuous Insurance Discount

Progressive views drivers with continuous auto insurance coverage as safe drivers. So, when you switch to Progressive from another insurer, you may qualify for this discount if there are no gaps in your insurance coverage. The amount of discount you will qualify for will depend on how many years you’ve been continuously insured. The bigger the duration, the bigger the discount.

Snapshot Program Discount

Snapshot is a tracking device, designed to monitor your driving habits. After signing up for this program, you can either download the mobile app onto your phone or plug the Snapshot device into your vehicle’s diagnostic port.

From there, it will track and monitor things like braking habits, using a phone while driving, mileage, speeding as well as the time of the day that you drive. If you exhibit safe driving habits, then you will receive a discount on your premiums.

Signing up for the program automatically unlocks a $25 discount on your premiums. And if you finish the program successfully, then you will qualify for another discount, which is approximately $130.

Good Student Discount

If you or a student on your policy maintains a GPA of 3.0 or higher, progressive will add a good student discount to your premiums. According to Progressive, students with decent GPAs are less likely to be involved in reckless driving.

Homeowner Discount

You may also qualify for a 10% discount on your Progressive car insurance premiums if you are a homeowner. And this discount will apply to all policyholders, whether you’ve insured your home through Progressive or not.

Online quote discount

Quoting your car insurance online may unlock a discount of approximately 7%. You may also be eligible for this discount if your representative finalizes your quote via phone.

Paperless discount

Policyholders who sign up to be receiving their documents through email will be eligible for a paperless discount. Signing your documents online will also earn you a discount of approximately 9%.

Pay In Full Discount

Paying your Progressive auto insurance premiums upfront can also earn you an automatic payment discount.

As you can see, Progressive offers numerous discounts, which can help to lower your auto insurance premiums. However, the discount amount and the eligibility will vary from one policyholder to the other.

Progressive Car Insurance Availability

Progressive car insurance is currently available in all 50 states. However, available discounts and coverage will vary by location. The minimum Progressive car insurance coverage you can purchase will depend on your state’s requirements.

Progressive Customer Service

Progressive’s customer service team is available round the clock, either via phone or via email. You can also use its automated chat feature to get answers to frequently asked questions.

Also, Progressive has a mobile app both for Android and iOS devices, which you can use to file a claim, view policy details, make payments and get roadside assistance, among other services.

How to Make a Car Insurance Claim with Progressive

Filing a claim with progressive is a fast and straightforward process. You can either do so using your online account, via the mobile app or call the customer service line.

After contacting them, you will be required to provide basic details about what happened.

From there, a claims estimator will get in touch with you, estimate your car and then write a cost estimate for the repairs.

You can opt to either complete the repairs by yourself or let Progressive handle the repairs. And if your car is totaled, then the company will pay your car’s market value minus the deductible.

How Does Progressive Car Insurance Compare?

According to third-party rating agencies, Progressive ranks average in almost all areas, compared to its competitors. Here is how it compares with other car insurers.

Customer Satisfaction Rating

According to J.D Power, Progressive earns a customer satisfaction score of 829 out of 1000 in 2020. The average score nationwide is 833, which shows that its customer satisfaction rating is slightly lower than its competitors.

Customer Complaints Ratio

According to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), Progressive earns a customer complaint ratio of 1.33, which is slightly higher than the national average of 1.

Financial Stability

An insurance company’s financial strength determines its capability of meeting its claims responsibility.

According to AM Best, Progressive earns a financial stability score of A+, which shows the company is in a strong financial position to meet its ongoing insurance obligations without issues.

Pros

• Available nationwide
• Easy to use mobile app
• Plenty of discounts to save on premiums
• Strong financial security

Cons

• Below average customer satisfaction rating
• Above than average customer complaints ratio
• Doesn’t insure cars valued over $150,000

Our Take

With a wide range of coverage options, plenty of discounts, and a strong financial position, car insurance shoppers will want to look at Progressive. It’s also a great option for car insurance shoppers who want to purchase their policies online without having to deal with agents directly. On the other hand, those who prioritize great customer service may find Progressive coming short in that area.