State Farm Auto Insurance Review [New + Rates & Coverage]

When you are looking for an insurance provider, it can be hard to find one that meets your needs. In the end, some people simply end up picking an insurance company that is well-known.

Since State Farm is one of those well-known companies (it’s been around for almost a century), people sometimes choose State Farm based solely on its well-known brand name.

Just because a company has been around since the Roaring Twenties, though, doesn’t mean it’s the best provider for you. There are plenty of factors beyond popularity that you should look at, such as cost, customer satisfaction, and coverages.

Researching these options can be time-consuming, though, and we understand that not everyone has the time to sift through dozens of providers.

That’s why we’ve compiled all the information you need to know about State Farm into one comprehensive guide. Keep reading to learn if State Farm is the right provider for you.

Want to start comparison shopping today? Enter your zip code in our FREE online tool above.

Rating Agency

Ratings are an important factor to look at when picking out a company. Ratings tell you if a company is good at serving customers and if the company has a stable future.

The last thing you want is to sign up with a company that has poor customer service and goes bankrupt in a few years.

While State Farm’s large empire is indicative that it won’t go bankrupt anytime soon, we still want to take a close look at State Farm’s ratings at multiple different agencies.

So what do all these ratings mean? Let’s go through the financial ratings first: Moody’s, AM Best, and S&P.

• Moody’s — State Farm’s score of Aa3 means that State Farm is “high quality and very low credit risk.” This means it is a fairly safe company to invest in, as the company has a strong ability to pay back debts.
• AM Best — The score of A++ is the highest score available. It means a company is strong financially and is more than capable of meeting insurance obligations (paying out claims, etc.).
• S&P — An AA rating also means State Farm is financially well-off and is capable of paying back debts without risk of bankruptcy.

State Farm, as one of the largest insurance companies in the U.S., is clearly in no danger of going bankrupt because it has such strong financial standings.

Let’s dig a little deeper and look at the other ratings, which all deal with rating customer satisfaction.

• Better Business Bureau — State Farm received an A+ rating from BBB, which is the highest rating possible. BBB based this rating on factors like customer complaints.
• National Association of Insurance Commissioner —  State Farm’s complaint ratio is 0.49, which is an average percentage of complaints at most companies.
• JD Power — State Farm’s overall customer satisfaction was three out of five. This is an average rating, as the overall score State Farm received was 829 points out of a thousand.
• Consumer Reports — This rating is based on customer satisfaction as well, and State Farm received a solid rating of 89/100.
• Consumer Affairs — Out of the 2,740 customer reviews submitted in the last year, State Farm received an average of 4/5 stars.

All these ratings show that State Farm has a decent mixture of great and okay customer satisfaction ratings, and it has a very strong future financially.

Company History

State Farm has been around for a long time. Since it’s origins in 1922, State Farm has grown from a company that specialized in providing car insurance for farmers to a company that sells everything from auto insurance to life insurance.

While this history is interesting, the history we are mainly concerned with is the financial history of the company and how it serves its customers.

Looking at State Farm’s history will give us an idea of how State Farm will perform in the future.

So let’s jump into everything from State Farm’s past market shares to awards and accolades.

– Market Share

We know that State Farm is one of the largest insurance companies in the U.S., but exactly how much of the market does it dominate? Take a look at the table below to see how State Farm’s market share has changed over the years.

In the auto insurance industry, State Farm has steadily maintained over 18 percent of the market share over the last few years. While the percentage decreased slightly in 2017, State Farm still has an incredibly high market share.

– Sales Approach

You can apply for a State Farm quote online through their website. In addition to basic information about coverages on the website, you can easily find information to contact agents.

State Farm’s agents work ONLY for State Farm, so you can rest assured that your agent will know State Farm’s policies and benefits inside and out.

State Farm uses its website, agents, and media to entice potential customers.

– Commercials

Why should you care about State Farm’s commercials? Most of us don’t realize the subconscious impact advertisements have on us — you probably think of State Farm’s line “like a good neighbor, State Farm is there,” every time you see the words State Farm.

This message is the main one State Farm tries to get across with its commercials, that State Farm will help you fix whatever mess life has made.

Like other popular insurance companies, State Farm uses humor and catchy jingles to make its message stick in viewers’ minds.

– Community Service

A company’s involvement in community service shows that employees care about their community (a community which includes you, the customer). It’s also attractive to customers who are inclined to look more favorably on a company that cares about people.

So how does State Farm uphold its dedication to the community it serves?

State Farm is involved in supporting multiple community outreach programs, which we have listed below.

• Good Neighbor Citizenship^® company grants
• State Farm Companies Foundation
• State Farm Education Assist
• Neighborhood of Good Program

State Farm also promotes auto safety by supporting safe driving programs, and many State Farm employees volunteer to help build up their communities.

– How is State Farm Positioned for the Future?

Seeing as State Farm’s market share has remained fairly steady, there is no reason to believe State Farm will cease to be a competitor anytime soon.

In fact, State Farm has worked to grow and change with the times, such as coming up with the HiRoad app (sells insurance through the app).

State Farm’s ratings also show that the company is in good standing with customers and financially secure, which leads us to believe State Farm will be around as a top insurance competitor for a while yet.

– State Farm Employees

Happy employees make for happy customers. It may be trite, but it’s true. Someone who enjoys their job will be more likely to give you a great customer service experience.

On Payscale, State Farm’s working environment is rated 3.3 stars out of five. While company outlook, learning/development, manager communication, and manager relationship all earned roughly four out of five stars, employees seemed to have issues with State Farm’s pay.

Pay policy, transparency, and fairness all earned three (or just under three) stars out of five.

On Glassdoor, employees gave State Farm three out of five stars (out of over 8,300 reviews). Only 42 percent of the reviewers would recommend State Farm to a friend, which is a fairly low number.

Reviews are conflicting, with some employees saying State Farm has great a work/life balance and others lamenting the lack of a balance.

Overall, State Farm employees gave a large number of good reviews, though the average is only three out of five stars, showing more than a few employees aren’t thrilled with their jobs.

 – Awards and Accolades

Awards and accolades mean that a company is doing something right. While State Farm has earned numerous awards over its long history, we’ve only included the most recent (with the exception of Glassdoor’s awards).

• Glassdoor Best Places to Work (#38)
• Top CEOs in  2014 (#34), 2013 (#37)
• 2019 Top 100 Most Military Friendly^® Employer
• 2019 Most Admired Company
• 2019 National Recognition for Equality
• 2019 Top Companies for Executive Women

State Farm has also earned environmental and community work recognition awards over the last ten years. These awards show that State Farm cares about its employees and their surrounding communities.

Cheap Car Insurance Rates

We understand that price is a concern when shopping for car insurance. That’s why we’ve partnered with Quadrant to bring you data on State Farm’s rates.

We will cover everything from how State Farm’s rates compare to other Texas providers to how your driving record impacts rates at State Farm.

Understanding State Farm’s rate changes will help you decide if State Farm is the right provider for you.

– State Farm Availability and Car Insurance Rates in Texas

State Farm is available in all 50 U.S. states. This is great, as it means you can keep State Farm as a provider if you move out of Texas.

Let’s take a look at the table below to see how State Farm’s premiums compare to the average Texas premium.

When State Farm is compared to the state average, State Farm is almost 40 percent LESS than the state average. This means State Farm is an affordable option in Texas, as it costs less than most providers.

– State Farm Compared to Top 10 Companies

We know that State Farm is less than the average premium in Texas, but now we want to take a look at how State Farm compares to other providers in the state.

State Farm is the second-cheapest provider in Texas. We should point out the cheapest provider, USAA, is only for military personnel and their families.

This means that State Farm has the CHEAPEST rates in Texas for non-military personnel.

– Commute Rates

Let’s take a look at State Farm’s commute rates (at some companies, the further you drive the more you pay).

While other insurers change rates based on commute distances in Texas, State Farm is NOT one of these companies. State Farm has the same commute rates for all drivers regardless of how far they drive to work each day.

– Coverage Level Rates

It doesn’t matter how good of a driver you are. Sometimes, that deer will jump out of nowhere, or that teen driver will be too busy changing the music to notice you turning in front of them.

Whatever the cause for the accident. you’ll want higher coverage.

But higher coverage costs more, making some people forgo the benefits for low or medium coverage. Let’s take a look at State Farm’s price differences between coverage levels below.

State Farm’s rate increases in Texas are incredibly economical. The jump from low to high coverage ONLY costs an extra $310 a year. This means you only have to budget an extra $25 dollars a month for high coverage.

Compared to other insurers increases (which can be in the thousands), State Farm is undoubtedly affordable for most customers.

– Credit History Rates

In Texas, insurers are allowed to look at customers’ credit scores to determine rates.

The average credit score in Texas is 656, which is BELOW the national average of 675.

A score of 656 is considered a fair credit score, though not good. Let’s take a look at what most Texas residents would pay at State Farm based on a fair credit score.

The change from good to poor credit at State Farm in Texas costs customers $2,000. This is actually typical of most insurers, who generally charge at least an extra thousand for poor credit.

– Driving Record Rates

There is nothing worse than hearing the crunch of your car backing into another car in a crowded parking lot. Unfortunately, your costs don’t just end at paying for repairs.

Accidents (as well as DUIs and speeding) go on your driving record. Insurers view drivers with bad driving records as riskier drivers, which means they will raise their rates.

Below are State Farm’s rate increases in Texas based on your driving record.

The good news is that a speeding violation doesn’t raise your rates. Please don’t use this as an excuse to speed, though, as speeding leads to accidents that will then cost you increased rates.

DUIs are the most expensive expense at State Farm, raising rates about a $1,000.

Of course, these rates are for just ONE offense. More than one offense will raise your rates even more than the rates shown above.

Coverages Offered

We’ve already learned that State Farm has cheaper rates than most Texas providers, but what coverages does State Farm offer for its prices?

Making sure that State Farm’s coverages fit your needs is an important part of the decision process, which is why we are going to go through the different coverages and discounts State Farm offers.

Let’s get started.

– Types Besides Car Insurance

State Farm doesn’t just sell car insurance. Below are the different types of insurance State Farm offers.

• Home and Property Insurance
• Life Insurance
• Health Insurance
• Disability Insurance
• Small Business Insurance
• Identity Restoration Insurance
• Personal and Business/Profesional Liability Insurance

State Farm also offers discounts for customers who bundle insurance policies at State Farm (such as purchasing auto, homeowners, and life insurance policies).

As well, State Farm offers banking and investment services to customers, such as loans and retirement funds. If you like keeping your life tidier by having multiple services through one company, State Farm may be a good choice.

 – Types of Car Insurance

State Farm offers all the basic car insurance coverages you’ll need to meet state minimums, as well as a few extra options. Check out the table below to see what exactly State Farm provides.

In Texas, you are required to have bodily injury and property damage liability insurance, as well as personal injury protection (unless you reject this option).

Because State Farm offers these coverages and more, you can meet Texas’s minimum requirements easily and purchase extra protection. The additional options State Farm offers are great if you have special needs, such as owning a classic car.

If you are rideshare driver, State Farm offers this extra coverage as well.

Below is an explanation of what each coverage is and why you should have it.

• Liability — If you cause an accident in Texas, you have to pay the other driver’s medical, vehicle repair, and property damage costs. Liability insurance helps you pay off these costs so that you don’t go bankrupt because of an accident.
• Collision — This coverage helps pay the costs of repairs or replacement of your vehicle if you hit another car or object.
• Comprehensive — If your car is damaged or destroyed by something other than a collision with another vehicle (vandalism, animals, theft, and natural disasters), comprehensive coverage will help pay.
• Uninsured Motor Vehicle — Even though Texas requires all drivers to have insurance, not all drivers follow the law. If you are in an accident with an uninsured driver and they are at fault, this coverage will help cover your accident costs.
• Underinsured Motor Vehicle — Similar to uninsured coverage, if the driver who caused the accident doesn’t have decent insurance, this coverage will step in and help you with payments.
• Car Rental and Travel Expenses — Car in the shop? Rental car reimbursement will pay for a rental vehicle. As well, with most travel expense plans, if you’re in an accident far from your home, this insurance will pay for your meals, lodging, and transportation.
• Emergency Road Service — A dead battery or flat tire happens. Emergency road service will help you if your car breaks down.
• Medical Payments — If you or your passengers are injured or killed in an accident, this coverage pays for medical and funeral expenses.
• Rideshare Driver Coverage — If you want to be a rideshare driver, you’ll need ridesharing insurance.

As you can see, State Farm offers an array of coverages for customers. State Farm does offer fewer add-ons than other insurers, though, such as a lack of an umbrella policy (extra liability insurance).

– Discounts Offered

State Farm also offers multiple discounts, so that you can lower your car insurance costs even more. Below is a list of discounts State Farm offers, as well as the percentages saved.

We should note that not all of the discounts listed above are available in Texas. While there are still quite a few discounts in Texas, some discounts are restricted to certain states.

Let’s go through some of State Farm’s more important discounts available in Texas.

• Good Driving Discount — If ALL the drivers on your policy have been accident-free for at least three years, you will receive a discount.
• Good Student Discount — If you are a student under age 25 and have a B grade average (or higher), you can save on car insurance as a reward for your hard work.
•  Steer Clear Discount — Drivers under age 25 can earn a discount if they take State Farm’s Steer Clear program and maintain a good driving record free of accidents.
• Drive Safe and Save Discount — You automatically earn a five percent discount for enrolling in the program and can earn up 30 percent off afterward. The app or device tracks your driving habits and rewards you for good driving habits.

All these discounts mean you can save significantly on car insurance at State Farm.

– What Stands Out and What’s Missing

Let’s take a quick look at what State Farm offers again.

• What Stands Out — State Farm has low rates and multiple discounts, making it affordable for most Texas drivers. State Farm also offers multiple types of insurance, banking, and investment options.
• What’s Missing — State Farm doesn’t have common discounts in Texas that most providers have, such as a military discount. You will also have to check discounts by states if you ever move, as State Farm’s list of discounts aren’t applicable to every state. State Farm also lacks accident-forgiveness, where your first accident at a company won’t raise your rates.

State Farm, while it is an affordable option in Texas, will require you to do a little digging to find which discounts are applicable to you.

How to Make a Claim

We hate to break it to you, but you will most likely have to file a claim at some point in your lifetime. On the road, there are so many things outside of your control that it’s a wonder we don’t get into accidents every day.

Weather, animals, and inattentive drivers can all cause even the best drivers to get into accidents.

If someone else causes your accident, the first order of business is to file a claim. That’s why we are going to take an in-depth look at State Farm’s claims over the years, as well as the ease of making a claim.

So stick with us, because we are going to see if State Farm’s is good at handling claims.

– Premiums Written and Loss Ratio

Why should you care about how many premiums State Farm writes and its loss ratio?

• Premiums Written — Shows how many customers State Farm has each year (if it is growing or shrinking as a company).
• Loss Ratio — Shows how well a company is doing financially. Low loss ratio means a company isn’t paying out many claims, resulting in a high chance of your claim being rejected. A high loss ratio means a company is paying out more claims than it should. While this may seem like a good thing for customers filing claims, these companies risk going bankrupt.

With these facts in mind, let’s take a look at State Farm’s loss ratios and written premiums over the years.

State Farm has increased its number of written premiums, meaning State Farm has attracted even more customers over the years. State Farm’s loss ratios also look good, though the loss ratios have decreased slightly beside the spike in 2016.

The loss ratio’s increase in 2016 could simply mean that customers filed more claims, resulting in State Farm paying out a higher number of claims.

The loss ratio than dropped about eight percent in 2017. This could mean two things. Either customers filed fewer claims or State Farm rejected more claims.

Either way, State Farm still has a decent loss ratio over the years.

– Ease of Making a Claim

We know that State Farm is good about paying claims and is secure financially, but how easy is it to actually file a claim at State Farm?  At State Farm, you can file a claim through the following methods.

• Online — You can file a claim online through the official website or through State Farm’s mobile app.
• Agent — You can also contact your agent directly to file a claim.
• Phone — You can call 800-SF-CLAIM (800-732-5246). This helpline is available 24/7, seven days a week.

If you chose to file a claim online or through the phone, y0u can file at any time. This means that if you get into an accident at one a.m., you can automatically call and get the claim process started.

With the app, you can even snap pictures of the damage and submit them to hurry the claim process along.

With your agent, you will have to call during working hours. If you like working directly with your agent who knows you, this is the option for you.

How to Get a Quote Online

We’ve gone through how to file a claim, and now we want to walk you through the process of getting a quote online at State Farm. Applying for a free quote is a must before purchasing insurance.

A quote will factor in costs such as driving record, coverages, and discounts. This way, you can have a pretty good idea of what you’ll be paying before you commit.

Luckily, getting a quote from State Farm is easy. We are going to walk you through each step so that you’ll be prepared for what information State Farm might ask for.

The first thing you’ll need to do is visit State Farm’s website. Right away, you’ll see an option to get a free quote on the right side of the screen.

Simply select the type of insurance you want a quote for and enter your zip code. You will then be required to enter your basic information.

Next, you will enter data about your vehicles. This information will help State Farm better calculate rates, as you’ll need to purchase more insurance if you own multiple vehicles.

If you have more than four vehicles, you will have to contact an agent to get a quote.

Once you enter your vehicle data, the next step is driver information. Because teen and elderly pay more for car insurance, State Farm will calculate this into your quote.

Once again, if you have more than four drivers, you will be prompted to work with a State Farm agent to get your quote. Next, you will have to enter in your driving history.

If you’ve been in an accident in the last three years, you will receive a higher priced quote.

Next, you’ll be asked to enter in additional information about the following:

• Registered owner(s) of vehicle
• Most recent auto insurance company and coverage
• Email address
• Any uninsured drivers within the past 12 months

Your phone number is optional. Finally, you’ll see the different quotes for coverages, along with the discounts and add-ons you can qualify for.

That’s it! The process is simple, and you can see quotes after just a few minutes of your time entering in information.

Below is a table recapping what information you’ll need to get a quote from State Farm.

Because only basic information is required, it is likely that you won’t have to find old files to fill out the form.

– Design of Website/App

Just like the application to get a free quote, State Farm’s website is easy to navigate. Clicking on the insurance tab at the top of the page provides a full list of information about State Farm’s insurance options.

 

This extensive drop-down menu makes it easy to find the answers to your questions. There is also a search bar at the top right of the page where you can type more specific questions, such as qualifying for auto insurance discounts.

State Farm also has a variety of mobile apps. Its main app serves insurance, banking, and finance customers.

 

The app has 4.6 stars out of 14,100 reviews. Most of the complaints about the app have to do with bugs, such as the Touch ID not working or difficulty logging in.

On the app, auto insurance customers can do the following.

• Pay insurance bills
• View auto insurance ID card
• View insurance policies and coverage details
• File auto insurance claims
• Track status of a claim and get claim notifications
• Access roadside assistance
• Send text messages to agents

State Farm also has apps for its Drive Safe and Save and Steer Clear programs.  The Drive Safe and Save app has 4.3 stars out of 4,700 reviews, and it allows customers to track their trips and view their driving scores.

The Steer Clear app also has a high rating, earning 4.6 stars from 4,300 reviews. The app provides users with interactive learning and monitors driving habits.

Pros and Cons

Now that we are near the end of this review, let’s put all the information together in a pros and cons list.

While State Farm does have some of the cheapest rates in Texas, a poor driving history or bad credit can still make State Farm expensive. As well, State Farm has multiple types of insurance, but fewer insurance add-on coverage options.

This means that while State Farm is incredibly affordable, it may not have all the insurance options you want.

The Bottom Line

State Farm has been around for a while for a reason. They have affordable coverage options and offer almost every coverage type you’ll need.

If you find it easier to keep all your insurance policies in one place, State Farm’s options make it easy to bundle and receive a discount.

The catch is that State Farm doesn’t have as many options as other providers in terms of car insurance add-ons, but they still have a decent selection.

One of the best ways to determine if State Farm is right for you is to get a quote for the coverages you want. Then, you can see if State Farm’s rates and coverage options meet your expectations.

FAQ

We understand you might still have some questions after reading our comprehensive review of State Farm. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of frequently asked questions about State Farm below.

Does State Farm offer accident forgiveness? It does, but it’s a little trickier to earn than at other insurance companies. Accident forgiveness at State Farm only applies to customers who have been accident-free at State Farm for nine years.

That means that you’ll have to be a long-term customer with perfect driving habits to avoid penalties on your first accident.

How do I send in a quote to purchase State Farm insurance? When you will out an online form, you have the option of sending the quote to an agent to purchase car insurance.

The agent will contact you to collect additional information to finalize the quote.

What happens if I changed my mind? If you decide you actually don’t want State Farm insurance, you can stop the application process as long as you haven’t yet received a State Farm reference number for your application.

You can call your agent to discuss options for canceling your policy as well.

Does State Farm cover windshield repair? State Farm is not legally required to repair or replace your windshield in Texas. The good news is that State Farm’s comprehensive coverage will assist in windshield repair/replacement.

How do I show proof of insurance to authorities? State Farm’s mobile app allows you to pull up your insurance ID card on your phone. You should also keep a printed version in case of technical difficulties, such as your phone dying the minute a police officer pulls you over.

Will Drive Safe and Save penalize me for bad driving? Since the app records driving habits, some people worry that bad driving will hike up their rates. While bad driving may result in you not getting a discount one month, the app only subtracts from your costs, it doesn’t add on.

Hopefully, we’ve answered the big questions you have about State Farm in our review. Now that you’ve read everything you need to know about State Farm, you are ready to choose for yourself if State Farm is the right provider for you.

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