Progressive Auto Insurance Review [New + Rates & Coverage]

The process of picking an insurance provider can be daunting. With so many insurance providers available on the market, it can be hard to determine which provider has the best rates, coverages, and customer service.

The last thing you want is to pick a company after only doing a little bit of research and find out later that you are stuck with a subpar insurer for a year.

If you are thinking about purchasing a Progressive policy or simply heard of Progressive and want to know a bit more, then you must read this comprehensive review.

We will help guide you to a decision about Progressive by covering everything from Progressive’s ratings to the usefulness of Progressive’s apps.

This way, you can make an informed decision about Progressive before purchasing an insurance policy.

If you want to start comparing rates in your area today, enter your zip code in our FREE online tool above.

Rating Agency

If you’ve ever researched a product, you know that simply looking at one or two reviews won’t give you the full picture. The best way to fully research something is to look at both bad and good reviews and look at various rating websites.

To give you a complete picture of Progressive, we’ve included ratings from major review sites below.

Let’s start by looking at the financial ratings: AM Best, Moody’s, and Standard and Poor’s (S&P).

First off, Progressive has an A+ rating from AM Best, which is the second-highest rating given. It means that a company has a superior ability to meet ongoing financial obligations, such as paying claims.

Moody’s also measures a company’s financial stability. While an A2 rating isn’t the highest, it does mean that Progressive has a strong ability to repay debts and has a predictable, stable future.

Finally, Progressive’s S&P rating of A means that Progressive has strong creditworthiness, but it is more susceptible to poor economic conditions.

Now that we’ve covered the financial side of Progressive, let’s take a look at how it has fared with customers.

The Better Business Bureau rates companies based on factors like complaint history, and Progressive’s B- rating isn’t really something to boast about, though it’s also not something to be ashamed of either.

JD Power is another important customer satisfaction rating, as it rates companies solely on customer satisfaction surveys. We’ve included the rating for Progressive only in the state of Texas, and it earned only two out of five power circles.

This score means Progressive is considered below average in Texas. We should note that in other regions, Progressive has received average ratings (three out of five power circles).

Progressive also received average ratings in JD Power’s claim satisfaction study.

Consumer Reports also measures customer satisfaction, and Progressive did better at Consumer Reports than at JD Power, earning 87 out of 100 points.

Consumer Reports formulated Progressive’s score based on the following factors in customer service.

Only timely payment received an excellent rating, though very good is the second highest rating. As for the Consumer Affairs’ rating of Progressive, it is similar to the Consumer Report’s solid rating.

Progressive’s overall rating of 4/5 is great, and this rating is based on over 2,700 reviews submitted within the last year.

The last customer satisfaction rating we want to look at is the National Association of Insurance Commissioner’s (NAIC) data on Progressive’s complaint ratio.

Progressive’s complaint ratio is lower than the national median, which is one. NAIC’s rating, along with Consumer Affairs and Consumer Report’s ratings, help balance out JD Power and Better Business Bureau’s negative ratings.

This is why it’s so important to look at more than just one rating site, as sites that are designed for customers to submit complaints will always have bad reviews.

Company History

Progressive has been around just shy of a century. Founded in 1937 by new lawyers Joseph Lewis and Jack Green, Progressive has branched out from its origins in auto insurance.

Now a major company, Progressive sells auto, home, and life insurance to its customers.

Progressive also prides itself on being an innovative company, as it was one of the first major insurance companies to launch a website when the Internet took off and has since created many firsts in the insurance market.

Why are we sharing facts about Progressive’s history? Because a company’s history is an important part of determining how it will serve you today. Stick with us, because we are going to jump right in and cover everything you need to know about Progressive’s history.

From past market shares to awards and accolades, keep reading to learn about Progressive’s important history in the auto insurance market.

– Market Shares

Market shares are an important indicator of if a company is keeping up competitively in the insurance market. Let’s take a look at Progressive’s overall market shares and auto insurance market shares over a three-year period.

Progressive has a larger share in the auto insurance industry than its overall market share, which makes sense as Progressive was originally started as an auto insurance provider.

In both areas, though, Progressive has steadily increased its market shares. Its increasing market shares in the auto insurance industry support the claim that Progressive is one of the largest providers of auto insurance in the U.S.

– Service Type

There are multiple ways to buy a policy or find more information at Progressive.

• Online — Progressive’s website offers information and free quotes.
• Agents — You can talk to an independent agent in your area about Progressive insurance.
• Phone — You can call 1-866-407-4844 to talk to Progressive customer service, such as buying a policy.
• Email/Mail — You can email Progressive, as well as send physical mail to its headquarters.

This focus on multiple methods of customer service means it is easy to find information about Progressive and contact the company. It also makes it easy for Progressive to promote itself, as it participates in different channels of communication.

– Commercials

Nobody likes it when their show is interrupted by commercials, but people tend to have a little less animosity when the commercials are entertaining.

While insurance seems like a boring topic, companies have worked hard to infuse their commercials with humor and the occasional celebrity to entice viewers to pick their companies over the competition.

Progressive is best-known for its mascot spokesperson — Flo.

https://youtu.be/FXTLpol00vg

Flo has appeared in multiple commercials for Progressive, promoting Progressive’s coverages in humorous ways.

https://youtu.be/y46Pn7l0YBA

One thing that sticks out in Flo’s commercials, though, is that Progressive relies solely on Flo to advertise its products — there is no catchy jingle at the end or catchphrase (such as State Farm’s “like a good neighbor, State Farm is there”).

While the lack of a jingle or catchphrase may make Progressive stick less in people’s mind, Progressive has done a good job of promoting its brand by making a mascot.

If you think of Progressive when you think of Flo, then Progressive’s marketing campaign has already impacted you.

– Community Service

Most people are more likely to pick a company that works to impact the community around them than a company that does absolutely zero community service.

Community service shows a company cares, and Progressive has involved itself in several programs to give back to the community.

• The Progressive Insurance Foundation — Progressive matches employees’ donations to eligible charities.
• Volunteer Website — Progressive has an internal website where Progressive employees can search and find volunteer opportunities.
• STEM Progress Program — Progressive has a program where employees visit schools and help teach skills using insurance concepts.
• Keys to Progress — Progressive gives away vehicles every year to veterans and their families.

Progressive also makes an effort to be socially responsible in maintaining a sustainable environment, helping others, and ensuring a better future for generations to come.

– How is Progressive Positioned for the Future?

Progressive has a fairly stable future ahead of it. Because it has managed to recently increase its market shares, it has shown its ability to maintain its role as a major competitor in the auto insurance market.

Progressive also has good ratings from financial sites, though some of its customer satisfaction ratings were below average.

Looking at the ratings overall, though, shows that while Progressive may not be the best of the best, it does have a solid standing in the auto insurance world.

Because of this, there is little chance of Progressive going under anytime soon.

– Working at Progressive

We want to now take a look at what employees think of Progressive. This will give us insight into the company’s values and satisfaction levels.

https://youtu.be/pVDCOHw-fGw

Let’s start by looking at employees’ experience ratings according to A Great Place to Work.

A whopping 91 percent of employees at Progressive say that the company is a great place to work at. Let’s dig a little deeper and look at Glassdoor’s ratings.

• Progressive received 3.7 stars out of five (from over 2,000 reviews)
• 70 percent of employees would recommend Progressive to a friend
• 91 percent of employees approve of Progressive’s CEO

Positive reviews about Progressive mention a great work environment, great people, and great benefits. Dissatisfied reviews mention factors such as long hours, little work/life balance, and the difficulty of working in Progressive’s call center.

– Awards and Accolades

A company that’s been around for a while is bound to gain some awards and accolades to its name. Let’s take a look at Progressive’s past achievements.

• Glassdoor’s Top CEOs Award in 2018, 2017, and 2014
• Multiple awards for advertising and website/app innovation

Progressive has also won quite a few awards from A Great Place to Work.

Progressive took home a significant amount of awards in 2018; these awards celebrate diversity and a great work environment.

As well, while Progressive may have rated lower than average in customer satisfaction in Texas (JD Power rating), it won an award twice for being one of the best workplaces in Texas.

Cheap Car Insurance Rates

Price is important. Insurers that are too expensive (even if they provide great coverage) will ruin your monthly budget. And since no-one likes pinching pennies, it’s important to look at how Progressive is priced in Texas.

To see how much Progressive costs, we’ve partnered with Quadrant to look at everything that affects rates, from commute distance to driving record.

This way, you can easily determine if Progressive is within your price budget. Let’s get started.

– Progressive Availability and Car Insurance Rates in Texas

Progressive is available in all of the 50 states in the U.S. This is on par with Progressive’s growth as one of the largest car insurance providers in the U.S. — a company has to be readily available no matter where you move to.

Progressive might cost you more if you move out of Texas, though, as even at the same company, rates will vary based on what state you live in.

Geographical risks, such as natural disasters or thefts, can cause insurers to raise rates.

Let’s take a look at how much Progressive costs in Texas.

The bad news is that Progressive costs 13 percent more than the state average, making Progressive one of the more expensive providers in Texas.

In fact, Progressive is more expensive than the state average in about half of the states it serves. While it isn’t the most expensive provider in Texas, the extra cost does bear consideration.

– Progressive Compared to Top 10 Companies

Let’s dig a little deeper and look at how Progressive compares to other insurance companies in Texas.

Only two providers are more expensive than Progressive: American Family and Allstate. This makes Progressive one of the most expensive providers in Texas.

This is why we will later look in-depth at what coverages and programs Progressive has to see if the higher price tag is worth it.

– Commute Rates

The usual drudgery of commuting to work each day can be made worse by an extra charge from your insurance provider. Most insurers will look at your mileage and charge you extra for a longer commute.

Why?

Because the longer you are on the road, the risk for an accident is greater. This may not seem fair, especially because you are already putting more wear and tear on your car and paying more for gas, but fortunately, most insurers only charge a small amount for a longer commute.

Let’s take a look at Progressive’s rates based on commute distance.

The good news is that Progressive doesn’t charge more for a longer commute in Texas, meaning your commute won’t affect your rates.

– Coverage Level Rates

You never know when you might accidentally back into someone’s vehicle, and in these instances, it pays to have a high level of coverage. While high coverage pays itself off in accidents, it is also more expensive to purchase.

Below are Progressive’s rate changes based on coverage level.

Upgrading from low to high coverage costs just under $500 at Progressive. This actually isn’t too bad, considering it adds on $40 a month to your bill.

If this is still a little too much, medium coverage will only cost you roughly $200 more a year, or about $17 a month.

Either way, it is worth it to pay out more for medium or high coverage.

– Credit History Rates

In Texas, it is legal for insurers to look at your credit score and adjust rates accordingly.

In Texas, the average credit score is 656, which is lower than the national average of 675.

Generally, a score of 656 is considered fair. This means that if your credit score matches the Texas average or is below it, you could be paying more for car insurance.

Below are Progressive’s rates based on credit score.

While fair credit will only cost you a few hundred dollars more a year, having poor credit adds on over $1,000 to your yearly bill.

The good news is that this is on the lower end of credit score increases — some companies will charge thousands for poor credit.

– Driving Record Rates

Another major rate changer your driving record. Accidents, DUIs, and speeding violations will all influence rates on your premium.

Below are Progressive’s rate changes based on driving record.

A speeding violation will raise your rates the least, whereas an accident will raise your rates over a thousand dollars.

The best way to avoid these price increases is to keep as clean a record as possible. If you find that your driving record is less than stellar, it pays to shop around at different providers to see which one has the lowest rates based on driving history.

Coverages Offered

Since Progressive is one of the more expensive insurers in Texas, we want to take a close look at what coverages it offers. Coverages are important, as they are what protect you in various types of accidents.

If an insurer doesn’t offer coverages besides the basics, you will have vulnerable areas in an accident — such as being in an accident with an uninsured driver.

So let’s dive right into everything from car insurance types to the discounts Progressive offers so that you can make sure the higher price you pay is worth it.

– Types Besides Car Insurance

While Progressive was originally started as a car insurance provider, it has since expanded its reach into other insurance areas. Below is a full list of Progressive’s types of insurance.

You can also bundle home and auto insurance at Progressive to receive a discount.

https://youtu.be/DPLxEwqL4Wg

– Types of Car Insurance

The main type of insurance that Progressive offers, though, is car insurance. Below are the different types of car insurance that Progressive offers.

Progressive offers the basic car insurance coverages, as well as a wide range of extra coverages. This means that while Progressive does cost more, it won’t skimp out on coverages for its customers.

– Additional

Progressive, like most insurers, offers coverages and programs beyond the basics.

• Car Buying Service — Progressive works with TruCar to help you shop for a new or used car.
• Commercial Insurance — Covers vehicles used for businesses.
• Custom Parts and Equipment Value — Covers anything that wasn’t installed by the original manufacturer, such as stereos or paint jobs.
• Rideshare Insurance — Covers drivers for Uber, Lyft, and other ridesharing companies.
• Roadside Assistance — Helps with flat tires, lock-outs, gas refueling, and towing.
• Usage-Based Insurance — Progressive has Snapshot, which measures how well you drive and how much you drive and adjusts rates accordingly.

This range of coverages and programs is great, as they cover a variety of services you may need.

– Discounts Offered

Because Progressive’s standard rates are more expensive than other Texas providers’ rates, we want to see how much discounts will shave off of Progressive’s prices.

Progressive offers the second highest number of discounts (38 discounts) out of U.S. providers. Since Progressive is more expensive, a higher number of discounts means customers can cut back costs.

Some of the discounts are fairly easy to get, too. Simply signing up for paperless documents and paperless billing can earn you a small percentage off of your premium.

Progressive also has a Deductable Savings Bank, where you can earn $50 off from a driver’s collision and comprehensive deductible for every claim-free policy period (six months).

Careful consideration of all discounts can result in a significant chunk being taken off your yearly payments.

– What Stands Out and What’s Missing

Let’s recap what we’ve learned so far by looking at what stands out about Progressive’s offerings and what’s missing.

• What Stands Out — Progressive has a higher than the average number of discounts. It also has a great variety of add-on coverages and programs that go beyond the basics.
• What’s Missing — Progressive doesn’t have a military discount, which is generally a common discount at other insurance providers.

Overall, Progressive has more to offer than what’s missing (though it also has higher prices).

Canceling Your Policy

If at any time you decide a provider is no longer right for you, it should be easy to cancel a policy. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Some providers will make it more difficult to leave, charging cancellation fees and requiring extra paperwork.

Because you don’t want to have a headache when leaving a provider, we are going to look at the different aspects of canceling a policy at Progressive.

Stick with us as we look into Progressive’s policies on cancellation.

– Cancellation Fee

Progressive does charge a cancellation fee if you cancel your policy early (such as before the next renewal cycle).

This fee is generally around $50.

If you cancel at the end of a renewal cycle, you shouldn’t be charged a cancellation fee.

– Is there a refund?

Progressive does have a refund policy. If you paid for the whole year and cancel your policy with six months left, Progressive will refund you for those six months.

Of course, if you pay by the month, you won’t be refunded unless you paid ahead.

– How to Cancel

If you want to cancel your policy, you will have to call 1-800-776-4737 to talk to someone about canceling. If you have an agent, you can also contact them about canceling.

– When Can I Cancel?

You can cancel at any time, though Progressive will charge you an early cancellation fee. The cancellation will go into effect as soon as the necessary paperwork is filed.

This is why it’s important to have your new insurance ready to go before canceling, as the last thing you want is a lapse in your insurance.

How to Make a Claim

If you’re already stressed out from an accident, the last thing you want is a mountain of paperwork to fill out or being placed on hold for an hour.

Making a claim will happen to every driver in their lifetime. Even perfect drivers are susceptible to outside conditions — other drivers, animals, and crazy weather.

In preparation for this happening, you want to make sure you are at a company with an easy filing process. In order to get a good idea of Progressive’s claim process, we are going to look through everything from premiums written to the ease of making a claim at Progressive.

Let’s jump right into it.

– Ease of Making a Claim

While we now know that Progressive has a good loss ratio, meaning it is paying out a good amount of claims, we want to make sure it is easy to file a claim with Progressive.

– Filing a Claim Online

One of the first claim filing methods you can use is filing a claim online. Progressive says it takes about five to eight minutes to complete its online claim form, and all you need is to answer questions about the following:

• Type of claim you’re filing
• The date of the incident
• The location of the incident
• Your policy information
• The vehicles involved
• The people involved

Once you file your claim, you can keep track of it online to check its progress.

– File with the Mobile App

If you want to file a claim on your smartphone, instead of on your computer, you can file through Progressive’s app.

The app will also allow you to easily take photos of the damage and upload them to your claim.

Both these methods can be completed at any time, meaning you can file a claim at one in the morning if needed.

– File over the Phone

If you prefer to talk to someone, you can also file a claim over the phone by calling 1-800-776-4737. You can also call your agent directly instead of the claim hotline.

https://youtu.be/h54GRqLiwMY

– Premiums Written and Loss Ratio

Why should you care about a company’s premiums written and loss ratio?

Premiums written show if a company is losing or gaining customers, and loss ratio shows if a company is paying out a proper number of claims.

A company that has a loss ratio of over 100 percent may seem attractive, but companies that pay out that many claims are at a high risk of going bankrupt.

Companies also need to get the extra money to pay out a high number of claims from somewhere, and it’s usually from creating higher premiums.

On the other hand, you don’t want to stick with a company with a low loss ratio, as it isn’t paying out many claims (meaning you have a high chance of your claim being rejected).

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

Progressive’s written premiums have steadily increased over the years, though its loss ratios increased in 2016 and then dropped in 2017.

This decrease could be because there were fewer claims filed in 2017, or it could be because Progressive rejected more claims. The good news is that even though the loss ratio dropped, it didn’t drop too low but stayed at a respectable level.

Based on this, Progressive is doing a good job of maintaining a stable financial environment.

All these various contact methods make it easy to file a claim at Progressive, and you can keep track of your claim through Progressive’s website.

How to Get a Quote Online

Getting a free quote online from insurance providers is a great way to compare prices. This will help you determine if a company is right for you.

– Visit their Website

Let’s go through Progressive’s quote process so that you can easily get a quote. The first thing you’ll need to do is visit Progressive’s website.

Right away, you will see a quote box taking up most of the screen on Progressive’s home page.

– Enter Your Info

You will see various options of policies to get quotes for, as well as an option to get a quote for a bundled policy. Clicking on auto insurance will result in a page asking for your zip code to start the quote process.

You will then see a form page that requests basic information about you — address, birthdate, and so on.

Depending on what zip code you enter, Progressive will also give you a number on how many people have bought Progressive auto insurance in your state within the last 30 days.

So what information do you need to fill out the form?

– Add Driving Record Details

Progressive’s form uses information about your driving history (accidents, etc), credit history, and vehicles to form as accurate a quote as possible.

– You Can Always Get Help

If you have questions while filling out the form, you can call 1-800-776-4737 at any time for help.

Design of Website/App

You want to make sure a company has kept up with the times by having an easy-to-navigate website and app. Luckily, Progressive’s website makes it easy to find information and answers to any questions you may have.

At the top of the page, you will see tabs that drop-down into menus with more choices. The explore products tab will give you a full breakdown of what Progressive offers and lead you to more information.

If you can’t easily find your answer in the drop-down options, scrolling down to the bottom of Progressive’s webpage will show you a search bar.

We should point out that this search bar is harder to find than on most insurance websites, where the search bar is usually readily available on the top right of the screen.

For the most part, though, it is easy to find information on Progressive’s website.

Let’s move on and look at Progressive’s main app.

The app received 3.4 stars out of five (based on 1.3k ratings). Complaints about the app include the following.

• Can’t use debit cards for autopay
• Trouble signing in with passwords

The good news is that Progressive’s app doesn’t seem to have any major bugs, though the app doesn’t do as much as people hoped. So what does the app do?

On the app, you can do all of the following.

• View your coverages, discounts, ID cards, documents, and policy details
• Report a claim and add pictures
• Pay bills and view billing history
• See Snapshot progress
• Get a quote or make a policy change
• Request roadside assistance
• Contact your agent

One noticeable thing that is lacking on the app is the inability to check the status of your claim. For the most part, though, you can check a variety of things on the app.

As for Progressive’s Snapshot app, it is rated poorly. This is actually typical of most driving apps put out by insurers, as the technology is not yet accurate enough to record driving data successfully.

The Snapshot app received two out of five stars (based on 450 ratings). Common complaints include the following.

• Location service has to be on during driving, which drains users’ cellphone battery.
• it is difficult to remember to turn off the app when the user is a passenger in a car.
• The app doesn’t automatically recognize when you aren’t driving and will penalize users for phone use.

Like all driving apps, Progressive needs to work on fixing these bugs so people will get more accurate driving data input to go towards discounts.

https://youtu.be/Qp1SlGuL6Eo

Pros and Cons

Now that we are nearing the end of this comprehensive review, let’s recap and look at Progressive’s pros and cons.

Hopefully, this information (combined with a personal quote), will give you a good idea of if Progressive is a good provider for you or not.

The Bottom Line

While Progressive does have higher than average rates, it also provides multiple discounts and has a great range of coverages and add-on options available.

It also has programs that can save money, such as vanishing deductibles for accident-free periods. Careful planning of discounts and a clean record could bring down Progressive’s costs to a more reasonable level.

While customer satisfaction ratings could be higher, but Progressive does have a stable financial future according to rating sites.

Employees also enjoy working at Progressive, which means you’re more likely to receive friendly and efficient customer service.

Of course, getting a quote from Progressive will help you determine if the cost is worth the service and benefits you’ll receive.

Frequently Asked Questions

Keep reading to see the answers to frequently asked questions about Progressive.

What is Progressive’s accident forgiveness?

Progressive has two types of accident forgiveness. The first, small accident forgiveness, won’t raise your rates for your first claim as long as it is less than $500.

For large accident forgiveness, you have to have been a Progressive customer for at least five years and have had no accidents in the last three years. If you meet these requirements, your rates won’t increase with an accident.

What happens if I miss a payment at Progressive?

If you miss a payment, Progressive won’t cancel your policy right away. Generally, you’ll have 10-14 days before your policy is canceled.

These lapses aren’t good, though, as a lapse in car insurance can raise your rates. This is why it can be useful to take advantage of auto-pay systems.

Do I need to purchase rental insurance if I already have Progressive?

You don’t need to buy rental insurance as long as you have comprehensive or collision coverage, but Progressive does recommend buying rental insurance.

This way, if you do get in an accident you won’t have to file a claim with Progressive and have your rates go up as a result.

How does Progressive’s Snapshot program work?

You can either download the app or get a plug-in device. These devices monitor your driving habits, such as hard-braking or phone use while driving.

While good driving can earn you a discount, bad driving habits could result in higher rates at your next renewal.

Can I get out of the Snapshot program at any time?

You can opt out of the program whenever you wish, but you will lose your discount. You may also have an additional charge placed on your bill if you cancel the program after 45 days from signing up.

Now that you’ve read our comprehensive review, you have all the information you need to make an informed decision about Progressive. Insurance is an important requirement in Texas, and you want to make sure you pick a provider that is right for your needs and your budget.

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