What’s Better for Auto Insurance – Farmers or Progressive?

Last Updated on January 2, 2026

Farmers and Progressive are two household names in auto insurance — but they’re built a little differently. Progressive is known for strong online tools and competitive pricing for many driver profiles, while Farmers is often chosen for agent-driven service and customizable coverage add-ons.

Size-wise, both are major insurers. Based on NAIC data compiled by the Insurance Information Institute, Progressive is the #2 private passenger auto insurer in the U.S. (about 16.7% market share in 2024), while Farmers is #6 (about 3.8%).

So which is better for you — Farmers or Progressive? The best choice usually comes down to your driving history, where you live, how you prefer to buy insurance, and which discounts you can qualify for. Below is a practical breakdown to help you decide.

Key Takeaways

1. No Universal Winner on Price: Farmers and Progressive can both be cheap or expensive depending on your state, driving record, vehicle, and discounts.
2. Progressive Shines for Digital Tools: Progressive is a strong pick if you want a fast online quote process and popular telematics options like Snapshot.
3. Farmers Is Strong for Agent Support: Farmers can be a better fit if you prefer working with a dedicated agent and want highly customizable coverage add-ons.
4. Compare Apples to Apples: Quote both companies with the same limits and deductibles, then compare coverage details — not just the monthly premium.

Farmers vs. Progressive: Quick Comparison

If you want to compare these two against other top carriers in your area, start with this list of car insurance companies and build a short list of 3–5 insurers to quote.

About Farmers

Farmers is a major insurer with a long history in the U.S. market, offering auto insurance along with home, renters, life, and business products. Farmers is widely known for an agent-driven experience, where you can talk through coverage choices and endorsements in detail.

Many customers buy Farmers coverage through captive agents, which can be a plus if you prefer a dedicated point of contact for billing questions, coverage changes, or claims guidance.

About Progressive

Progressive is one of the largest auto insurers in the country and is known for a strong direct-to-consumer experience. Progressive also writes other lines like home (often through partner companies), commercial auto, motorcycles, boats, and more.

Progressive is a popular option for drivers who like to compare prices quickly online, but you can also buy through agents — and in some cases it may be worth learning whether auto insurance is cheaper through an agent for your situation.

Farmers vs. Progressive Rates: Which Is Cheaper?

There isn’t a universal winner. Both companies can be competitively priced — or surprisingly expensive — depending on your rating factors. The only reliable way to know is to quote both (with the same coverages, deductibles, drivers, and vehicles) and compare the final numbers.

In most states, your premium is heavily influenced by the factors that determine your auto insurance rates, including your driving record, claims history, annual mileage, prior insurance (or a lapse), and sometimes credit-based insurance scoring.

• Age: Pricing tends to stabilize once you reach the optimal age for lower rates, but youthful drivers are still costly almost everywhere.
• Gender (in many states): In some places, gender can affect auto insurance pricing — while other states restrict or prohibit its use.
• Location: Your ZIP code matters because local theft rates, traffic density, repair costs, and claim frequency can all drive pricing.

Your driving history matters, too. If you’ve had an at-fault accident or a serious violation like a DUI/DWI, your quotes can diverge dramatically between insurers — even when the coverages look identical.

And if you’re adding a new teen, expect a major premium jump no matter who you choose. Here’s what to know about adding your teens or children to your policy before you shop.

Discounts and Ways to Save

Farmers and Progressive offer many of the same “core” discounts (multi-policy, safe driver, paperless, paid-in-full, multi-car, and more). Where you can sometimes see bigger differences is in telematics, policy perks, and which discounts are available in your state.

These are the discounts offered by both insurers:

Tip: When comparing quotes, ask each company to re-run pricing with (1) different deductibles and (2) different mileage estimates. The “best” company can change with just one coverage tweak.

Coverage and Add-Ons: Key Differences

At a baseline level, both companies can provide the standard building blocks: liability, uninsured/underinsured motorist, medical payments/PIP (where applicable), comprehensive, collision, rental reimbursement, and roadside assistance. The real differences tend to show up in the optional extras and how easy they are to manage.

What Makes Farmers Unique?

Signal: Farmers offers a driver tracking program called Signal. Like other usage-based programs, it looks at driving behaviors and can reward safer habits. Pairing telematics with basic safe driving tips is one of the most realistic ways to lower premiums over time.

Accident Forgiveness: In many cases, Farmers offers accident forgiveness (eligibility rules vary), which can help reduce the premium shock after a first at-fault incident. This is part of a broader industry trend — most companies offer accident forgiveness in some form, but how it works (and whether it costs extra) varies a lot.

Rideshare Coverage: If you drive for Uber, Lyft, or delivery apps, Farmers rideshare insurance can help fill coverage gaps between your personal policy and the platform’s insurance.

What Makes Progressive Unique?

Snapshot: Progressive’s telematics program, Snapshot, is one of the most widely used in the country. If you’ve never used a telematics program before, it helps to understand how telematics can lower (or raise) rates based on real driving behavior.

Gap Insurance: If you finance or lease, gap coverage can be important. Progressive is commonly mentioned among the top companies to buy gap insurance from, and here’s what to know about Progressive gap insurance specifically.

Custom Parts and Equipment Coverage: If your vehicle has expensive upgrades, it’s worth checking how claims are handled — including whether your insurer will pay for OEM parts after an accident and what endorsements are available for custom equipment.

Rideshare Insurance: Progressive offers rideshare coverage in some states. Learn how Progressive rideshare insurance works where available.

Deductible Savings Bank: Progressive offers a “disappearing deductible” style feature that can reduce what you pay out of pocket over time. Here’s a simple explanation of what a disappearing deductible is and when it’s worth paying extra for.

Customer Satisfaction and Claims Experience

Service quality can vary a lot by state, claims office, and even the specific repair network being used. That’s why it’s smart to look at third-party studies as a directional guide — not the final word.

J.D. Power publishes well-known customer satisfaction and claims satisfaction research. Before you use the rankings to choose an insurer, it helps to understand how J.D. Power auto insurance rankings work (including why results can differ by region).

For current benchmarks, you can review the latest J.D. Power releases for the U.S. Auto Insurance Study and the U.S. Auto Claims Satisfaction Study.

Financial Strength and Stability

Financial strength isn’t everything — but it matters. A financially stable insurer is generally better positioned to pay claims consistently, even during high-loss years (catastrophes, inflationary repair costs, and litigation trends).

If you want to sanity-check an insurer before buying, here’s a practical guide on how to make sure your insurance company is financially stable, plus a breakdown of A.M. Best ratings and what they mean.

As of their most recent rating actions, AM Best lists an A+ (Superior) financial strength rating for Progressive’s core insurance groups and an A (Excellent) rating for members of Farmers Insurance Group. You can read the announcements here: Progressive (AM Best) and Farmers (AM Best).

How to Pick the Right One for You

1. Decide what matters most: lowest price, best digital tools, an agent relationship, specialized coverage (rideshare/gap), or policy perks like accident forgiveness.
2. Quote both companies with identical coverages: same liability limits, same deductibles, same drivers, same vehicle, same mileage estimate.
3. Compare more than just premium: look at coverages, exclusions, deductibles, rental reimbursement limits, and claims/repair options.
4. Test the discount levers: ask each insurer what changes with telematics enrollment, bundling, paid-in-full, or different deductibles.
5. Add a third quote if the first two are close: when pricing is tight, it’s smart to compare with another top carrier from the best auto insurance companies in America.

FAQs: Farmers vs. Progressive Car Insurance

Bottom Line: Should You Choose Farmers or Progressive?

Farmers and Progressive are both strong, reputable options — but they win for different reasons. Progressive is often a top choice if you want a streamlined online experience and robust telematics options. Farmers can be a better fit if you prefer working with an agent and want lots of coverage customization with policy perks.

The best move is simple: get quotes from both, compare apples-to-apples coverage, and pick the company that gives you the best combination of price, protection, and confidence in the claims process.