State Farm Auto Insurance Review 2025

Overall, State Farm is best for families and customers looking for help navigating the insurance process.

State Farm Is Best for Those Who:

• Want to work with a local agent, rather than navigating the often-complicated ins and outs of insurance by yourself
• Have a family and are also looking for home and life insurance
• Need only standard coverages, with no additional bells and whistles
• Are rideshare drivers

State Farm Is Not Best for Those Who:

• Have a credit score below 580, as State Farm tends to be on the pricey side for drivers with bad credit
• Need gap coverage and don’t have or plan to have a loan through State Farm Bank

Why I Chose State Farm

I chose State Farm because its prices were about 15 percent cheaper than the other quotes I received (sorry, GEICO!). That said, at my six-month renewal my rates increased by about 20 percent. My agent told me these increases are happening across the board, including with other carriers, as auto insurance becomes more expensive overall.

The good news: By working with my agent, I managed to lower my rates at renewal so that they increased by only 5 percent. More on how I did that below.

Here’s a breakdown of State Farm’s average prices based on the driver profile. As you can see, State Farm’s prices tend to be below average for drivers with a good record and good credit, as well as for drivers with a speeding ticket.

On average, State Farm charges $2,167 annually for full coverage ($181 monthly) and $674 annually for minimum coverage ($56 monthly). State Farm’s prices are about 11 percent lower than the national average.

Keep in mind that rates can vary a lot depending on factors like your age, vehicle, and where you live. For example, I pay more than the State Farm average because I live in a major city, where there is a higher likelihood of getting into an accident.

Check out the table below to see how State Farm stacks up with other major national insurers.

Like I mentioned, at my six-month renewal, my premium increased by about 20 percent. However, my agent and I were able to adjust my policy so that my premium increased by less than 5 percent. This involved two main steps:

1. Looking for additional discounts, including how I could get the most out of my Drive Safe & Save Discount
2. Adjusting my coverages and deductible, specifically increasing my collision deductible

Highlighted Discount: Drive Safe & Save

State Farm offers a 5 to 10 percent discount for enrolling in its safe driving program, Drive Safe & Save. It advertises that you can save up to an additional 30 percent at your next renewal, depending on your driving habits. Drive Safe & Save will never increase your premium or add a surcharge to your insurance.

I use this discount on my own policy. My agent applied the discount to my policy immediately, and State Farm mailed me a small transponder, which sticks to the vehicle’s windshield. The app doesn’t significantly drain my iPhone battery, and it’s intuitive to use. When the transponder’s battery gets low (after a year or so), State Farm sends a new transponder. Removing the old transponder is relatively easy and does not leave residue on the windshield.

The transponder attaches unobtrusively to my windshield.

The app lets you track trips, driving scores, and discount amount. However, at my renewal — despite holding high driving scores — the discount amounted to only a few dollars per month.

When I spoke to my agent, I learned more. State Farm determines your renewal discount 60 to 90 days before your renewal. Because I didn’t set up Drive Safe & Save until September and my discount was calculated in November, State Farm didn’t have enough data to give me a bigger discount.

Here’s what happened: my agent applied a low mileage discount to my policy and asked underwriting to recalculate my Drive Safe & Save discount. Combined, these steps saved me an additional $20 monthly, or $120 on my six-month policy. Overall, I was impressed by my agent’s service. If you enroll in Drive Safe & Save, I recommend setting it up as soon as possible.

A little more about my experience using the Drive Safe & Save app:

The app is solid but could be better. For example, even though I never use my phone while driving (this is extremely important to me, as I know several people who have lost loved ones to distracted driving), I received only an 80 in the phone distraction category. State Farm counts “phone use” as any time the phone screen is on and the phone itself moves while the car is in motion. Sometimes the passenger will use my phone to change the music or check directions, and it seems State Farm conflates this with driver phone use. You can manually update a trip to note this, but it’s tedious to do this every time you drive.

The screenshots below give you a sense of the app and provide more details. Note that the scores get updated every two weeks.

When I bought my policy I started the quote process online with State Farm. To learn premium costs and complete the purchase of the policy, I had to finalize the quote on the phone with an agent. Other insurers I shopped with — including GEICO, Progressive, and Erie — gave me an initial quote online, so State Farm fell a little short in this regard. That said, I don’t mind talking on the phone, so it wasn’t a huge deal.

To start, I entered standard vehicle and personal information, then answered questions about driving history, habits, and potential discounts.

State Farm offers all of the standard auto insurance coverages: liability, medical payments, personal injury protection, uninsured/underinsured motorist, collision, and comprehensive.

In addition to standard coverages, State Farm offers the following, some of which I have on my own policy:

* 30-year-old driver in Pennsylvania (me)

Since I am just one data point among the millions of State Farm customers, I’ve also assembled industry research and third-party data on State Farm’s financial stability and customer service.

State Farm’s competitive pricing and commitment to customer service are reflected in its No. 4 ranking in J.D. Power’s 2024 Insurance Shopping Study. The study evaluates companies on distribution channels (e.g., interaction with agents), the quote process, policy offerings, and price.

State Farm received an A++ from AM Best for financial strength — the highest possible score — which means it can reliably pay out claims.

When it comes to claims, State Farm received high scores in J.D. Power’s 2024 Claims Satisfaction Study. The study analyzes the claims experience across six factors: claim servicing, estimate process, first notice of loss (i.e., when you first file the claim), rental, repair process, and settlement.

However, for the second year in a row, State Farm received a grade of only “C-” from CRASH Network, which surveys collision repair shops on how easy a company is to work with. That said, the highest score among the 10 largest auto insurers was a C+.

Finally, your experience with State Farm may vary by where you live. J.D. Power’s 2024 Auto Insurance Study assesses overall customer satisfaction with different insurers by region. State Farm performs above average in most regions and stands out particularly in the Southeast, North Central, and New England regions, where its scores are notably higher than the average. However, in the Mid-Atlantic region, State Farm falls slightly below the average, and in the Central region, it matches the average exactly.⁵

You can file a claim with State Farm by phone, online, or via mobile app. State Farm’s app allows you to upload photos and will give you a virtual estimate of repair costs. For minor damage, you may receive a payout within 48 hours. You can receive the payout by direct deposit or check. In cases of more serious damage, State Farm may pay the repair shop directly. In general, customers report a positive experience filing claims with State Farm.

I have filed a claim with State Farm. A flying object on the highway took out part of my front bumper, so it fell under my comprehensive coverage. I called my agent, who directed me to start the claim in the app. I took pictures and explained what happened; it was an easy process. Thankfully, it was a relatively inexpensive repair, and State Farm sent me a check directly. Overall, a positive experience.

State Farm has a robust set of digital tools. From the State Farm website and mobile app, you can file and manage claims, access your ID cards, get roadside assistance, and connect with your agent.

Generally, I manage my policy online on State Farm’s website. Recently, I needed a document and the website was down, so I downloaded the app and found it easy to use (including accessing the document).

I learned that the app allows you to add your insurance ID card to your virtual wallet and make it available offline. I can also request roadside assistance and see how much I’m saving with discounts on my policy.

At AutoInsurance.com, we evaluate auto insurance providers using a comprehensive methodology based on four key factors:

• Price (40 percent): We analyze average premiums for both full and minimum coverage across various driver profiles. This includes good drivers with good credit, and drivers with DUIs, at-fault accidents, or low credit scores. Our assessment also takes into account available discounts. For full coverage averages, we use the following standard 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 percent): We evaluate insurers’ claims processes based on their efficiency, transparency, and fairness. Key aspects include:
  • Promptness of response
  • Clear communication throughout the process
  • Fair evaluation of damages
  • Timely payment or resolution

Our assessment uses industry benchmarks such as the CRASH Network Insurer Report Card and J.D. Power Claims Satisfaction Report. We also consider financial strength ratings from AM Best and S&P to ensure insurers can meet their claims obligations. When available, we incorporate real-world customer experiences to provide additional insights.

• Customer Experience (25 percent): We assess the overall customer journey, from obtaining a quote to policy management. Our evaluation covers:
  • Ease of getting a quote and purchasing a policy
  • Simplicity of making policy changes
  • Accessibility of policy documents
  • Quality of online and agent interactions
  • Functionality of website and mobile app

Sources for this assessment include J.D. Power studies, NAIC complaint index, BBB ratings, and app store reviews. We also interview customers and include our own experiences, aiming to provide readers with firsthand insights.

• Coverage Options (10 percent): We examine each insurer’s range of coverage offerings, giving preference to those that provide options beyond state-required minimums. Valuable add-ons may include: accident forgiveness, roadside assistance, gap insurance, rideshare coverage, and more.

Learn more about our methodology and ratings system.