Progressive Auto Insurance Review

Progressive Insurance also continues to lead the car insurance industry with innovative ways to give the consumer a better insurance experience.  

Back in the mid 1990’s they were among the first to embrace the power of the internet. 

That embrace has only grown stronger today as they offer a wide range of online services, these include:

Why Insurance Agents Like Professive Auto Insurance

1. Commercial Auto Insurance for almost any company, even those with bad drivers.
2. This last one is good to remember if you have a DUI or other major incident on your record.  
3. A lot of car insurance companies will keep charging for a major violation for up to 10 years after the fact.

Progressive car insurance is the country's third-largest auto insurance, offering various insurance options and a wide range of coverage. 

The rank right up there with the big dogs, like State Farm and GEICO.

So, let's dive in.

Want low insurance rates? We can help! -- Click here for a free auto insurance quote! Or use our "best rates by state" quoter below.

How Does Progressive Car Insurance Coverage Work?

Progressive’s auto insurance policy itself is pretty standard as compared to any of the other major players in the car insurance industry.  

You can build out a policy with various coverage types, depending on your individual needs as a vehicle owner.  

Name Your Price?  Scary!

They offer a unique “name your price” feature, which can seem scary to an insurance professional.

I guess the “name your price” feature is a good advertising gimmick, but buying just for low price seems to me like a good way to have a claim get denied because you didn’t buy the right coverage.  

You can cut costs by going with really low limits of coverage.  

For example, some states only require liability insurance, which covers bodily injuries and property damage to another driver. 

These state mandated limits are super low and even the smallest of at fault accidents could leave you underinsured and paying out of pocket for someone else’s medical bills.

On the other hand, other states may require personal injury protection covering the health care bills of you and any passengers who were harmed in the accident.

Michigan is a big “Personal Injury Protection” state.  This coverage is good in theory, but it makes everyone’s car insurance pretty expensive.  

Progressive Insurance offers six basic types of coverage: 

They also offer a few optional coverages like rental car reimbursement, loan/lease payoff, and roadside assistance.

Progressive Liability Insurance

Liability coverage will protect you if you're legally responsible for the damage or injuries of another vehicle or person that occurs during a car accident. Also, it will cover the cost of any damage to property, such as mailboxes, houses, street signs, or guardrails. 

In this case, Progressive liability insurance will step in to help pay for medical bills and car repair fees. This type of coverage is included in every one of Progressive's car insurance policies and nearly every state requires it.

You can buy anywhere from the state minimum limit all the way up to $250,000 per person in bodily injury coverage with Progressive Personal Auto.

Progressive is also willing to give a Commercial Auto policyholder up to $2,000,000 in coverage per accident.

This is somewhat unusual to the Commercial Auto market, most companies only sell $1,000,000 liability limits.

How does Progressive Liability Insurance work?

When a car accident occurs, you will receive a liability report with three numbers that indicate your liability limits, which vary by state. These numbers indicate the maximum amount your insurance will pay for bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident, and property damage per accident. 

It's recommended to choose the coverage that meets or exceeds your state requirements, specifically for bodily injury and property damage, as these expenses can be the most expensive if an accident occurs.

Progressive Comprehensive Insurance

Comprehensive insurance covers damage to your car that is caused by situations or accidents out of your control. 

If the car is deemed a total loss, they will only pay the depreciated value as a settlement, minus whatever deductible you carry.

So for example, if your 2008 Honda Accord is worth $3,000 on the used car market and its destroyed in a tornado, your Progressive Comprehensive insurance coverage will pay $3,000, minus your deductible.  

Comprehensive coverage with Progressive is the same as any car insurance.  It Includes coverage for theft, vandalism, fire, accidents with animals, acts of nature, and glass damage. 

How does Progressive Comprehensive Insurance work?

In the case of hitting a rogue animal that scurries across the street in front of you, or walking out in the morning to find a fallen tree branch has damaged your windshield, you would file an insurance claim.

 In this case, you would request your insurer, Progressive car insurance, to pay for the damage.

Comprehensive coverage includes a deductible, which is the amount of money you pay out of pocket.

So, if the total damage is $3,000 and your deductible is $1,000, you will pay the $1,000, and the insurer will pay the remaining $2,000.

Progressive Collision Insurance

Progressive Collision insurance coverage aids payment or repair in the case of collision. 

More specifically, it covers the damage that occurs if your vehicle crashes into another vehicle or stationary objects, such as a fence, tree, or guardrail.

 It will also cover single-car accidents such as overturning your car and any injuries to pets riding in your automobile (of up to $1,000). 

How does Progressive Collision Insurance work?

Collision coverage protects the equity you have in your vehicle in the case of an accident. 

In most cases, collision coverage is required if you lease or finance a car.

There are a few factors to consider when deciding whether to add collision coverage to your auto insurance policy. 

If your car’s cash value is less than $3,000, collision coverage may be unnecessary. 

This is because Progressive, like most car insurance companies, will only pay you the depreciated value of your car.  This is also known as the Actual Cash Value.  

So if you drive an older car, you should find out what it's worth before you insure it.  

Additionally, if your vehicle is in long-term storage, the coverage is optional and most likely unneeded. 

Medical Payments/Personal Injury Protection

Progressive Personal injury protection covers medical expenses, as well as lost wages, in the case that you or a passenger become injured during an accident.

 While it's mandatory in most states, others consider it optional.

How does it work?

In addition to medical bills and lost wages, personal injury protection will also cover childcare, house cleaning, and yard work, as well as rehab costs and death benefit in the case of a fatal car accident.

 However, it will not cover theft, vehicle damage, or property damage.

 If you live in a no-fault state, personal injury protection is required.

When selecting the coverage amount, it's important to consider your health insurance policy (which may cover medical costs), your health insurance deductible, and your life insurance policy.

 It may be beneficial to add personal injury protection to your auto insurance policy if any are lacking. 

Progressive Insurance Uninsured/Underinsured Bodily Injury and Property Damage

If your vehicle is hit by a driver that doesn't have auto insurance, this coverage will pay for the damages and injuries caused. 

It will also cover any hit-and-run situations. 

Typically, this type of coverage is required in most states. 

How does it work?

This type of coverage covers medical bills for both you and your passengers and vehicle damage. 

Again, it's important to consider your health insurance policy when deciding upon this type of coverage.

 In some cases, health insurance may overlap with uninsured bodily injury and property damage coverage. 

Furthermore, if you have Medicare or Medicaid, these policies will often only pay out once other insurance sources are used.

Progressive Optional Coverages

As stated, comprehensive and collision coverage is optional if you have fully paid off your car. 

It's important to look at your state's requirements.

Additional optional coverages include loan/lease payoff, rental car reimbursement, custom parts and equipment value, rideshare coverage, roadside assistance, and deductible savings bank.

Does Progressive Offer Car Insurance Discounts?

Yes. Progressive Car Insurance offers a variety of car insurance discounts.  According to their website, 

the discounts fall into three categories:

Loyalty-Based Discounts

Driver-Based Discounts

Discounts Based Off How You Quote And Buy Insurance

Other Creative Ways to Save on Progressive Insurance

How Much Does Progressive Auto Insurance Cost?

The price of Progressive car insurance differs by state. In low-cost states, such as California, Illinois, and Wyoming, a car’s insurance average monthly cost is $114. 

In medium-cost states like Alabama, Arizona, and Oregon, the monthly cost hovers around $137. In high-cost states, like Connecticut, Michigan, and Utah, the average monthly price is about $190.

What's the Cost to Add my Teenager to my Auto Policy?

Progressive is widely known within the insurance business for their willingness to insure anyone.  

They will literally insure someone who doesn’t have a driver's license, but owns a car.  

Parents with teen drivers should keep this in mind when shopping for car insurance.  

The cost of adding your teenager to your auto policy will differ by geographical region, driving history, gender, and type of vehicle.

 If your teenager is a B-average student, prices will drop. 

Snapshot Program

Additionally, if your teenager has their vehicle, is under 18, or drives safely per Progressive's Snapshot program, prices will decrease.

They do a good job of marketing the Snapshot Program.  They eliminate all risks by allowing you to download their app and track your savings, even while you are insured by another company. 

The Snapshot Program is a classic “carrot and stick” approach to getting drivers to drive safer.

They can tell when you brake hard, when you drive late at night, and when you use your phone while driving. Most of all, they know exactly how often and how far you drive.  

This type of information is a big deal to insurance companies.  They wish they could force everyone to allow them to track their driving habits.  It would make pricing insurance much more exact.

Pros and Cons of Progressive Auto Insurance?

Progressive auto insurance has various benefits and downfalls that must be considered before choosing the right auto insurance policy. Let's dig in.

Pros

Cons

What Are Progessive Financial Ratings?

According to third-party companies like A.M. Best, Standard and Poor, and Moody's Investor Services, Progressive auto insurance rates above average in terms of its ability to meet insurance obligations, its strong capacity to meet financial requirements, and its low credit risk. 

However, companies like J.D. Power claim that Progressive auto insurance ranks below average in auto insurance shopping and auto insurance claims satisfaction.

Overall, Progressive auto insurance has had fewer complaints reported to state regulators than expected due to its size. It ranks number-one compared to competing auto insurance companies like USAA, Geico, and State Farm.

Progressive Auto Insurance Reviews and Complaints

On average, Progressive auto insurance reviews are positive. While coverage and costs differ per state, reviews typically commend its lower overall price and expansive coverage. 

The Better Business Bureau rates Progressive Insurance an A-. This is a really solid rating for Progressive BBB because they have a ton of complaints which shows that they take them seriously and attempt to resolve them all through the Better Business Bureau. 

UC Davis’s study noted that Progressive auto insurance offers the cheapest option for minimum liability in California. 

However, a study by ProPublica found that Progressive auto insurance charges higher premiums in Chicago's minority neighborhoods compared to suburbs with the same risk.

This is not only restricted to Chicago, most inner city neighborhoods throughout the country will see higher rates than those charged to suburban neighborhood residents.

Most customer complaints derive from price discrepancies between states upon relocation. 

Prices can rise depending on the state, which has resulted in customer dissatisfaction. 

Mid Term Cancellation Fee

Additionally, upon cancellation of Progressive auto insurance, customers are charged a cancellation fee, which has provoked criticism.

Additionally, some customers report that it was difficult to receive certain types of coverage and payments without the proper documentation. 

While it's noted that it's easy to file a claim, some reviewers claim that it's difficult to receive payment due to various conditions and issues stated by the company. 

Nice Website and Customer Service

In general, however, customers appear to favor Progressive for its tech-savvy tools and apps, including the Snapshot Program that monitors safe driving. 

Additionally, consumers appreciate Progressive's upbeat and friendly customer service employees, who communicate policies clearly and thoroughly. 

Customers also find the Progressive prices are generally lower than its competitors.

Progressive BBB Reviews

The Better Business Bureau's (BBB) reviews reflect the bureau's opinions of how it believes a business conducts customer service and is based on public customer complaints. 

Its ratings range from A+ to F.  That is about as varied as you can get.  

According to the BBB, the Progressive Corporation ranks at an A+, though the corporation is not BBB accredited. 

Furthermore, Progressive is rated 1.5/5 based on customer reviews. In the last 12 months, 1,068 customer complaints have been closed.

While we can’t be sure how many people are insured nationally at this moment by Progressive, we can only imagine it's at least a few hundred thousand.

We mention this to put the number of complaints in perspective.

Should You Choose Progressive Insurance?

Based on the various policies offered, the positive reviews, and the good standing with the BBB, Progressive provides quality auto insurance. 

It can be difficult to shop around for auto insurance based on your situation and needs, but it's always a good idea to contact several companies and get quotes to see which would best suit you. 

Keep in mind that things like age, location, car type, and coverage type will all factor into your auto insurance price.