Farmers Insurance Review

Farmers Is Best For Drivers Who:

• Have a clean record and/or a great credit score
• Own their home and prefer to bundle their insurance for a discount
• Like a high level of customer support

Farmers Is Not Best For Drivers Who:

• Are under the age of 25 or over 65
• Drivers with a record of accidents or DUIs

Why I Chose Farmers

Quite honestly, I chose Farmers initially because it was my father’s insurance provider when I started driving. However, I stuck with the company as an adult because it made navigating auto insurance easy. Whenever I have a question about my premium or need to change my policy, I can contact my agent and get answers immediately.

Plus, when I had to file a claim, the process was smooth, which solidified my trust in Farmers. Car accidents can be stressful, but in my experience, Farmers takes care of drivers during the most crucial times.

Farmers’ average annual rate for full coverage insurance is 20 percent higher than the national average, or $396 per year. When it comes to minimum coverage, its rates are 16 percent above the national average, or $87 per year.

As a Farmers customer, I’ve watched my premium increase by 7 percent in the past year — and this is for the same policy, with no coverage changes or claims. Farmers has been my provider for years and offers excellent customer service, though I’m not completely satisfied with the price. While I can count on the company to take care of things if I’m in an accident, I’d be happier if its costs were a little lower.

Farmers offers plenty of opportunities to save on premiums, so double-check which car insurance discounts you qualify for. Some of them apply to everyone: I get a 5 percent discount when I pay for my policy upfront.

You’ll receive car insurance discounts at Farmers for:

• Being a safe driver
• Being a good student
• Being a homeowner
• Driving a hybrid, electric, or alternative fuel car
• Paying your premium in full at the start of your policy
• Bundling your home and car insurance policies
• Enrolling in paperless billing
• Setting up automatic payments

Highlighted Discount: Good Student Discount

If you’re a driver still attending school, or you have a young driver in your household, the good student discount gives an extra incentive to do well. Since rates for young drivers tend to be high, this discount eases the cost a bit.

You’ll qualify for the good student discount if you meet at least one of the requirements below:

• Enrolled student with a 3.0 or better GPA
• On the dean’s list or honor roll
• In the top 20 percent of the class or the top 20 percent on standardized testing

I can’t fully speak to the process of getting a quote with Farmers since I started on a household policy, but I do recommend starting early if you’re thinking of switching. In general, it’s a good idea to start shopping for a new policy at least 30 days in advance of your current policy’s renewal. That way, you can take advantage of any early signing discounts and ensure plenty of time to gather any necessary paperwork.

With Farmers, you can start a quote online, but in many cases, you’ll need to speak with an agent to finalize your quote. This may take a little longer than companies with fully online quote processes, like GEICO and Progressive. You can also start a quote by phone by calling 1-800-974-6755.

The upside of talking to an agent is the personalized help you receive while navigating the purchase process. An agent can help you decide which coverages you need, find discounts to help you lower your bill, and offer a human touch to the complexity of auto insurance.

Farmers provides the typical auto insurance coverage you’d find at most carriers, including liability insurance, uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, collision and comprehensive insurance, and medical payments.

Here are the additional types of coverage you can get with Farmers:

Farmers sells auto insurance in 49 states. Like other insurers, it recently pulled out of Florida due to the rising costs of coverage in the Sunshine State. You won’t find gap insurance at Farmers, but if you need it, you may be able to buy a stand-alone gap policy from another company.

Farmers’ Glass Deductible Buyback feature offers coverage for windshield and glass repair and replacement, with a $100 deductible. For a little more protection, you can buy Full Windshield and Glass Coverage, which has $0 deductible on glass repair and replacement.

Opting for Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) coverage ensures a shop uses factory-original parts in covered repairs. This option is available for cars up to 10 years old, guaranteeing the highest-quality replacements for your vehicle’s repairs. Farmers also sells classic car insurance, with optional coverage for spare parts up to $750.

You can also buy accident forgiveness coverage for your Farmers policy. The insurer forgives one at-fault accident for every three years you avoid an at-fault accident. To qualify, drivers must be licensed for at least three years and have a clean driving record. Any recent violations, including a speeding ticket, a DUI, or an at-fault accident, may keep you from accident forgiveness eligibility. Interestingly, drivers under age 21 with fewer than three years of driving experience can qualify for accident forgiveness as long as one parent qualifies. It’s a good offering, considering the statistics on how often teens get into car crashes.

Since I’m just one person, my personal experience won’t encompass the full picture of customer satisfaction at Farmers. I’ve put together some industry data to get a better overview.

Farmers ranks average when it comes to claims, according to the J.D. Power Claims Satisfaction Study. The study takes into account several factors when evaluating carriers, including communication, digital channels, ease of claim resolution, ease of starting a claim, and fairness of claim settlements.

Meanwhile, CRASH Network gave Farmers a grade of C-, which reflects how well an insurer works with body shops. While it’s not a high score, Farmers falls right in the middle among the 10 largest auto insurance companies — the highest score was a C+.

Farmers also scored below average in the J.D. Power 2023 Insurance Shopping Study. This isn’t surprising, given that Farmers is known for its higher-than-average premiums and has a more complicated quote process.

On the positive side, Farmers holds an A rating from AM Best for financial strength, meaning you can count on it to pay out claims.²

In short, Farmers provides a satisfactory claims experience, but it falls short in a couple of areas. Of note, the quality of your repair experience may depend on whether you work with an affiliated shop. In my experience, its affiliated network of auto shops is fairly small, so you’re likely to end up at an out-of-network shop for repairs.

Farmers makes it easy to file a claim on its website or app:

1. Log in to your Farmers account.
2. Go to the Claims page.
3. Select “File a Claim” at the top of the page.
4. Provide the requested information and include photos of the accident.
5. Farmers will give you a damage assessment and a repair estimate.
6. Once Farmers approves your claim, it will send you a check by mail or direct deposit. If applicable, you’ll pay the deductible.

I’ve filed a claim with Farmers, and the whole journey was efficient and easy. My car was vandalized, and I was lucky enough to have comprehensive coverage to pay for repairs. Once I submitted all the details through the claims process, my claims agent reached out to me by phone. Farmers also offers the option to text your claims agent, which makes it easier to stay in touch. It cut down the time I spent waiting for my agent to pick up the phone.

It took about two weeks for my claim to be processed. Because I delayed getting my car to the auto shop, it may have taken less than a week. While Farmers does charge more for premiums, it also takes care of drivers during the claims process. Customer service is outstanding. I had an overview of the claims process on my Farmers account, along with an indication of my claim’s progress. Plus, my agent was responsive and helpful, always returning my calls and texts within a day. I received the money for the claim via direct deposit within a week of the assessment. Even better, my coverage allowed me to get a rental car for up to 20 days.

The Farmers website and mobile app are both easy to navigate. I find that everything is seamless on the app, which allows me to make payments, download my insurance ID card, and view my policy all in one place. While you can’t change your policy from the app, it’s still handy when you’re on the go. It even provides your agent’s information in case you need to contact them.

On the home screen of the app, you’ll find the information you’ll need most: your ID card, policy information, and bills. The bottom of the home screen even has shortcuts to your claims, quotes, and roadside assistance.

At AutoInsurance.com, we evaluate auto insurance providers using four key criteria:

• Price (40%): We examine average premiums for full and minimum coverage, factoring in a range of driver profiles, such as those with good credit, DUIs, accidents, or low credit scores. Discounts offered by insurers are also considered. Our full coverage averages are based on the following limits:
  • Bodily injury liability: $100,000 per person / $300,000 per accident
  • Property damage liability: $50,000 per accident
  • Uninsured/underinsured motorist bodily injury: $50,000 per person / $100,000 per accident
  • Comprehensive and collision: $500 deductible
• Claims Handling (25%): A strong claims process is timely, transparent, and efficient, ensuring fair evaluation of damages and prompt resolutions. We evaluate claims performance using sources like the CRASH Network Insurer Report Card and J.D. Power Claims Satisfaction Report, alongside financial strength ratings from AM Best and S&P. When possible, we also incorporate customer feedback.
• Customer Experience (25%): We assess how user-friendly and seamless it is to interact with the insurer, from getting quotes and purchasing policies to managing changes and accessing documents. Both online and agent-based interactions are reviewed, along with website and app functionality. Our analysis incorporates data from J.D. Power studies, the NAIC complaint index, BBB ratings, and app store reviews.
• Coverage Options (10%): Providers offering coverage options beyond the state-mandated minimums are rated higher. These options may include accident forgiveness, gap insurance, rideshare coverage, and more.

Learn more about how we rate insurance providers by visiting our ratings and methodology page.