Allstate vs. Progressive: Which Company Is Best for You?

Comparing Progressive and Allstate side by side, you’ll see similar coverages and discounts. The bottom line is that most people can get the coverage they need with either insurer.

But when you compare average rates, Progressive is almost always cheaper than Allstate for drivers in many categories — including those with both clean and less-than-perfect driving records.

Progressive’s average liability and full-coverage rates are less expensive than Allstate’s, at $72 and $146 per month, respectively. But Allstate offers better rates than Progressive for teen drivers and people with poor credit.

Keep reading for a full comparison of Allstate vs. Progressive to determine the best insurance company for your needs and budget.

Key Takeaways:

• Progressive is the overwhelming winner as the cheapest auto insurer in 42 states compared to Allstate’s lead in five states.
• Customers have access to more discounts with Progressive than with Allstate.
• Allstate and Progressive have similar customer service satisfaction reviews.

Allstate vs. Progressive: Which Has Cheaper Car Insurance Rates?

Your car insurance rates likely differ from your neighbor’s rate for many reasons. Insurance companies consider a myriad of factors when setting policy rates. Some of these factors include where you live, your driving record, the type of vehicle you drive, and if you purchase optional coverages like medical payments coverage, personal injury protection, or a full-coverage policy.

Let’s compare both insurers’ national average rates.

Progressive’s liability-only and full-coverage policies are cheaper than Allstate’s. On average, drivers can save an average of 17%–34% when they choose Progressive.

Although these savings are significant, Progressive may not be the best insurer for every driver profile. For instance, drivers in several states, 18-year-old drivers, and drivers with poor credit histories typically find more affordable rates with Allstate, but we’ll go into more detail later.

Let’s dig deeper into common driver profiles to see how both insurers compare by state, age, driving record, and credit history.

Compare Progressive and Allstate Car Insurance Rates by State

Your location matters for car insurance just as much as it does for homeowners insurance, and the laws and regulations of your home state heavily influence your rates. The table below shows Allstate’s and Progressive’s average rates by state, including in Washington, D.C. It also highlights which company comes out on top as the cheapest in each state.

Progressive takes the lead as the cheapest auto insurance company in 42 states. Allstate only comes out on top in Alaska, Connecticut, Kentucky, South Carolina, and Texas. But Allstate’s lead in these states isn’t large.

For example, Allstate only leads Progressive by $10 per month in Alaska and $57 in Texas. Compare that to Arizona, New Hampshire, and Washington, D.C., where Progressive beats Allstate by $100 or more per month.

Allstate vs. Progressive: Compare Rates by Driver Age

Age is another important factor that influences your car insurance rates. Car insurance companies typically charge the highest rates for young drivers because they have a higher likelihood of getting into a crash and filing a claim.

Once drivers reach age 25, rates begin to drop but stabilize around 40. Older drivers tend to see their rates increase or decrease depending on their driving habits once they reach age 65.

Let’s see Allstate and Progressive rates based on different age categories.

Progressive is cheaper in nearly every age category — customers save an average of $42 per month with the insurer compared to Allstate. Teen drivers fare better with Allstate, with rates 7% lower than Progressive, which is notable because teens tend to receive the highest rates.

Which company has lower rates for young drivers?

Unlike most adults, younger drivers have less driving experience and engage in riskier driving habits — which is why this age group almost always receives the highest rates. Allstate outperforms Progressive in this category, offering a monthly savings of $29 to 18-year-old drivers.

Which company has lower rates for senior drivers?

With more experience behind the wheel and fewer reasons to drive, especially in retirement, older drivers often receive cheaper rates than other adults. Progressive is the best option for older drivers, with an average monthly rate that’s $45 less than Allstate’s.

Progressive vs. Allstate: Which Is Better for Drivers with Bad Records?

Your driving record — which contains past traffic violations — can also influence your insurance rates. So, if you’re caught driving under the influence (DUI) or speeding, or if you cause an accident, you’ll likely see your auto insurance rates increase.

Drivers with less-than-perfect records typically receive higher monthly premiums — though insurance companies don’t always penalize drivers the same way. For instance, some insurers have accident-forgiveness programs that prevent a rate increase.

This table compares Allstate and Progressive rates for four types of driving records.

Progressive comes out on top in all four categories, but we’ll go into more detail on how these rates vary for each specific infraction.

Which company is cheaper for drivers with a speeding ticket?

Progressive is 20% cheaper than Allstate for liability-only policyholders with one speeding ticket. Getting a single speeding ticket typically raises insurance rates by an average of 37%, according to Compare.com data. That’s because speed is a risky driving behavior commonly associated with car crashes.

Which company is cheaper for drivers after an accident?

Progressive once again has the lowest average rate compared to Allstate — around 17% cheaper — for drivers with a single at-fault accident on their record. Causing an accident means your insurer has to pay for the resulting claims.

Companies pass these increased costs to drivers. Average car insurance rates increase by 44% after an at-fault accident, according to Compare.com data.

Which company is cheaper for drivers with a DUI?

Progressive continues its trend as the cheaper option for drivers with a DUI, with rates nearly 40% cheaper than Allstate’s. A DUI is a serious offense that insurance companies don’t take lightly. Although this isn’t the case with Allstate and Progressive, drivers with a DUI on their record face an average rate increase of 94%, according to Compare.com data.

Allstate and Progressive: Compare Rates by Credit Score

Your credit history is one of the many factors that can affect your auto policy premium. Most states allow insurance companies to use credit-based insurance scores, which essentially attempt to predict a driver’s likelihood of filing a claim based on their credit history. But states like California and Hawaii have banned the use of credit scores.

The table below shows how much you’ll pay for auto insurance with Allstate and Progressive based on your credit score.

Progressive offers better rates for drivers with average to excellent credit scores, but both insurers offer competitive rates for drivers with poor credit. Let’s take a closer look at each.

Which company is best for drivers with good credit?

Progressive is best for drivers with good credit — drivers in this category can save 27% with the insurer. Maintaining excellent credit can get you even better rates — Progressive’s rate for this category is 39% cheaper than Allstate’s.

Which company is best for drivers with average credit?

Progressive leads again as the best company for drivers with average credit — its rates are 23% cheaper than Allstate’s.

Which company is best for drivers with bad credit?

Interestingly, Progressive and Allstate are nearly tied for this category, but Allstate comes out  $1 cheaper. So drivers with poor credit probably can’t go wrong with either insurer when it comes to saving on their monthly premium.

How Progressive and Allstate Compare for Discounts

Car insurance discounts allow you to reduce your insurance costs, and companies offer discounts for all sorts of things. For example, you may be able to get a discount for getting your auto insurance quote online, for safe driving habits, or for adding other financial products to your policy, like life insurance.

But keep in mind that discounts and savings opportunities won’t be the same in every state or with every insurance company.

Let’s take a look at the discounts offered by both Allstate and Progressive.

It’s no surprise that these two major players in the auto industry offer similar discounts. But Progressive has an edge, particularly with offerings that are easier to get, like discounts for free quotes online and for owning a home — even if your policy isn’t through Progressive.

Which Company Has Better Perks?

Allstate and Progressive both provide other savings opportunities for drivers to get the cheapest rates available. We’ll cover each company’s perks in more detail below.

Milewise, Allstate’s pay-per-mile program, offers an alternative to the traditional insurance policy. Drivers with Milewise pay a low daily rate plus per-mile rates, which can lead to substantial savings compared to other policies, especially if you work from home or drive less than 10,000 miles per year.

Allstate’s Drivewise telematics program is another savings incentive. The mobile app-based feature immediately gives drivers a discount upon enrollment and then increases or decreases the driver’s rates based on their driving habits.

Progressive’s Snapshot program is a mobile app usage-based insurance program that monitors driving habits, much like DriveWise. Rates could decrease based on driving habits, like braking responsibly or suddenly.

Finally, the Name Your Price tool is Progressive’s way of allowing drivers to consider their coverage options by providing their budget range and viewing available coverage options.

What Do Allstate and Progressive Customers Have to Say?

We suggest checking out an insurance company’s reviews before locking in a policy. Keep in mind that many reviews in the car insurance industry tend to feature more feedback from unhappy customers than happy customers, so overall ratings skew lower than what you might see for something you buy on Amazon, for example.

Good reviews can make a huge difference and highlight things like how quickly an insurer pays claims or how prompt its roadside assistance is. Poor reviews give you a sense of where an insurer falls short, such as handling claims, repairs, and overall customer service.

Let’s look at how Allstate and Progressive stack up on popular customer review sites.

Progressive and Allstate score almost identically on sites like the Better Business Bureau (BBB), the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), and Trustpilot. It’s important to read reviews thoroughly to understand which categories an insurer may perform poorly in.

For instance, Progressive customers often cite a negative customer experience when they switch to Progressive for a lower rate but then see that same rate increase after only a few months with the insurer. Allstate policyholders tend to complain about customer service not meeting their expectations.

We’ll share some recent customer reviews below.

Progressive customer reviews

Allstate customer reviews

Allstate vs. Progressive FAQs

You have many options to choose from when it comes to car insurance companies. When comparing Allstate and Progressive, consider answers to these frequently asked questions before you make your auto policy decision.

Is Allstate or Progressive more expensive?

Allstate is more expensive than Progressive in nearly every category, according to our analysis of average rates. In a few scenarios, Allstate offers cheaper rates: coverage for drivers with poor credit, for young drivers, and for drivers in Texas, Alaska, Connecticut, Kentucky, and South Carolina.

Is Allstate good at paying claims?

Yes. Allstate’s financial strength rating is an A+ (Superior), according to AM Best, which means the company is in a good position to pay customer claims. AM Best rates how well an insurance company is positioned to provide compensation for injuries and damages.

Why is Progressive so much cheaper?

Progressive is cheaper than Allstate in multiple categories. Its rates might be lower because of the many discounts and perks it offers customers. For instance, Progressive’s Name Your Price tool allows drivers to see coverage a la carte so they can choose the best options for their budget — like denying optional protections.

Methodology

Data scientists at Compare.com analyzed more than 50 million real-time auto insurance rates from more than 75 partner insurance providers in order to compile the quotes and statistics seen in this article. Compare.com’s auto insurance data includes coverage analysis and details on drivers’ vehicles, driving records, insurance histories, and demographic information.

All the quotes listed in this article have been gathered from a combination of real Compare.com quotes and external insurance rate data gathered in collaboration with Quadrant Information Services. Compare.com uses these observations to provide drivers with insight into how auto insurance companies determine their premiums.

Sources

1. AM Best, “AM Best Takes Various Credit Rating Actions on The Allstate Corporation and Its Key Subsidiaries,” Accessed December 17, 2023.
2. NAIC, “Allstate Fire & Cas Ins Co National Complaint Index Report,” Accessed December 17, 2023.
3. NAIC, “Progressive Advanced Ins Co National Complaint Index Report,” Accessed December 17, 2023.
4. IIHS, “Speed,” Accessed December 17, 2023.