Choosing the right Car Insurance Company

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America's Five Best
Most of us don't really want to spend a lot of time and effort thinking about car insurance. When we are first faced with choosing the right car insurance company, many of us ask our family and friends which insurance they use and why. Once we decide on an auto insurance company, we often stick with the same company for many years. With any luck, we will seldom need to contact our agent or file a claim.
 
Today there are more options for choosing a car insurance company than ever before and it can be quite intimidating to pick one. It all comes down to your specific needs. Are you looking for excellent customer service and easy to use app to track your insurance claims, and the lowest rates? Well, so were we when we put together this article. What follows are America's five best auto insurance carriers. Let's take a look at why they are so highly rated.

How to Choose

& What to Choose - As we all know, most states require at least a minimum amount of car insurance. You can get better protection and coverage, but it costs more too. The minimum includes bodily injury liability and property damage liability coverage. Some states require additional coverage. Michigan, Minnesota and New Jersey, for instance, require drivers to carry liability and personal injury protection.
Here's the minimum required car insurance for most states:
Bodily Injury
Pays for medical bills for a driver, passenger or pedestrian that you have injured in an auto accident.
Property Damage
Pays for property damage that you have caused others such as damage to someone else's vehicle.
Uninsured Motorist
This helps pay for your losses if you are in an accident with someone who doesn't have any insurance or is underinsured.
Personal Injury
This pays your medical bills, loss of wages, and rehabilitation costs after you've been in an accident. This is a requirement in states with no-fault laws.
Medical Payments
Pays for additional medical expenses not paid by Personal Injury insurance.

What are your Needs?

Choosing the right car insurance company for you comes down to your specific needs. Are you an extremely safe driver? Then you might want to look for a company that utilizes telemetric data to track your driving and rewards safe habits. If you have a teen driver in your house, you'll want a company with discounts for students and that offers better rates by bundling your household policies together.

Check major car insurance carriers online and compare their discounts and programs to see which one fits your particular needs best. The cost of your insurance can vary quite a bit from company to company based on a number of rating factors. This includes where you live and how much crime there is in your neighborhood, what kind of car you drive (high performance cars will cost you more), your driving history and how many infractions or accidents you've had, and even your credit score. Naturally, car insurance companies look at your driving records and want to know if you've ever been involved in a car accident or were at fault for an accident.
Make sure you compare insurance companies by looking at the exact coverage and discounts that are offered. As the old saying goes, you want to compare apples to apples. Compare quotes based on the same types of coverage to get a good idea of costs. Shop around before you buy. It could save you hundreds of dollars per year.

The Top Five
Bankrate compared car insurance companies recently and used its proprietary research method to discover which carriers are currently the best in the country. It researched 122 auto insurance companies using a research method that ranks companies by a number of categories taking in such factors as average rates and third-party scores based on two million quotes, online digital policy management, state availability and eligibility requirements.
 
The results of this research revealed the following auto insurance companies to be the top five on the market today.
USAA Logo
USAA - Taking the highest score of five out of five stars for its auto insurance, USAA is quoted as having an average annual full coverage premium at just $1,209 and a monthly full coverage premium amount of $101. Note that this company is specifically for active-duty military personnel and military veterans.
ClearCover Logo
Clearcover - Also taking five out of five stars for car insurance, Clearcover is an Artificial Intelligence, tech-forward company that sells car insurance at an affordable price. The Chicago-based company is known for hassle-free policy management, seamless claims processing, and affordability. It is available in 20 states.
Geico Logo
Geico - The first mainstream national carrier in the top five, Geico took a score of 4.7. Its average full coverage annual premium is $1,297 and a monthly full coverage premium amount is $108, just a few dollars more than USAA. Known for lower premiums for high-risk drivers and multi-vehicle discounts.
Statefarm Logo
State Farm - America's largest insurer took a score of 4.7, delivering an average annual premium of $1,397 and a monthly full coverage premium of $116. Highly rated customer service according to J.D. Power and a wide range of discounts, State Farm is a good fit for those looking for a personalized experience through a local agent.
Travelers Logo
Travelers - At fifth spot with a score of 4.7, Travelers Insurance has an average annual premium of $1,447 and a monthly full coverage premium of $121. Its home and auto rates are lower than the national average and have many options for add-on coverage and discounts such as accident forgiveness and decreasing deductibles.
The Bottom Line
The best auto insurance company for you might not be the best choice for someone else with different needs. It is always good advice to align your insurance company with the coverage you need. Shop around to understand coverage and rates. Obviously, the cheapest rates may not give you the coverage you want, so look at the entire package. Don't forget that bundling all your vehicles including ATVs, boats, and motorcycles as well as your home and life insurance can save you a lot of money. Take your time, do your research, and compare quotes.