ENSURANCE INSURANCE COMPANY

ENSURANCE INSURANCE COMPANY

With only a decade under its belt, Esurance might seem fairly green. However, with savings-oriented business operations, environmentally-sound practices, efficient and simplified claims and repairs process and a firm commitment to environmentally-oriented causes, Esurance is proving itself to be an innovative, ethical and "Green" force among car insurance companies, one that, hopefully, will inspire a lot of imitators even top-rated auto insurance agencies GEICO and Progressive.

It makes up for in innovative operational practices, including speedy claims and policy-writing processes. As a green company, Esurance also features environmentally-sound strategies and programs to reduce paper consumption, plant trees in fire-damaged forests, and mitigate the damage caused by CO2 pollution. Not bad for a company that is still relatively new to the auto insurance (and other insurance protection product) game.

Esurance is lauded for its 3-step policy process. Drivers simply quote, buy and print their policy directly from their printer. No waiting for delivery by mail. No hassles. No agents pushing unnecessary policy features or additional insurance protection products. With Esurance, policyholders, both current and prospective, simply enter the necessary information, receive a quote, decide whether or not purchase policy or go with another car insurance agency.

With Esurance, motorists get a free 6-minute quote in addition to instant comparison rates from real companies. At that point, prospective policyholders can simply choose the policy that best suits their needs and buy it directly online.

Esurance policyholders also benefit from an online claims process that features the impressive, real-time repairs monitoring program, E-star

Standout Features

• In-depth, informative website
• E-Star Direct Repair Program
• Savings-oriented operations
• Expedited claims process

Response & Repair

Though some auto insurance agencies, like State Farm, offer free towing for its policyholders, Esurance does offer a complete emergency roadside assistance package that covers everything from vehicle tows and tire changes to gasoline refuels and lockouts. From there, drivers can have their cars taken to the repair facility of their choice or be referred to a repair facility through the E-star Direct Repair Program. Though it is nice to have the ability to choose your own repair facility, using designated E-star repair shops guarantees all repairs for as long as you have the vehicle. Though it isn't quite the same as Progressive's "Concierge" program, it does one-up Progressive by including photos of the vehicle as it is being repaired, giving policyholders a visual stamp to go along with the claims and repairs tracking information.

Policy Flexibility

Many auto insurance policyholders complain of the unnecessary costly features and attributes that are tacked onto their policies. With Esurance, drivers have far more control over the details of their policies, including emergency services and features. This shouldn't be taken as a sign of neglect. In fact, Esurance has the most informative, in-depth website among any car insurance company, providing countless FAQ pages, insightful articles, auto insurance glossaries and even an interactive Auto Insurance Coverage Counselor to aid in giving each driver the right policy for their needs and budget.

Benefits & Discounts

Esurance, like many auto insurance agencies, offers discounts for good drivers, multiple-policy holders, vehicles with enhanced safety and anti-theft features. This has become, more or less, the standard among insurance companies. Esurance, however, goes well beyond the unwritten standard, providing discounts for single parents, senior-aged and retired drivers, vehicles with low-mileage or in rare use and even occupational discounts for those with a license or degree in education, engineering and natural science. What other auto insurance agency can say that?

For benefits, Esurance's environmental efforts are the most apparent. Most policyholders are likely aware of the amount of unnecessary mail a policy will accrue. From account notifications and billing statements to cards with policy numbers to be stored in vehicles, owning a single car insurance policy can generate a pitiful amount of waste. Along with its paper-free policy process through which the customer is a direct beneficiary of the savings, Esurance is dedicated to improving the environment with tree-planting programs, partnerships with community and environmentally-oriented non-profits and charities, instruments for carbon footprint calculation and even insights for incorporating environmentally-friendly practices into your everyday life. While many dismiss the "Green Movement" as a fad, Esurance seems firmly committed to improving the environment and raising environmental awareness, whether or not it's currently en vogue.

HOW TO CHOSE BEST AUTO INSURANCE COMPANY

1) Visit your state's department of insurance Web site. Although you may not be familiar with it, your state, and every state, has a department of insurance. Most departments have Web sites, and many publish "consumer complaint ratios" for all of the insurance companies that sell policies in their state. This ratio tells you how many complaints a car insurance company received per 1,000 claims filed.

Both experts recommended that consumers use complaint ratios to screen prospective insurers. "Just because they're a big name doesn't mean that they'll be a 'good neighbor' or that you'll be 'in their hands,'" Heller noted.

If you've done your homework, you should already have a list of car insurance companies with the lowest premium quotes. Now jot down the companies with the lowest (or best) complaint ratios. Then, compare your two lists — the companies that rank best on both lists merit your strongest consideration.

If you can't find complaint ratios for your state, Heller recommends examining the complaint ratios published by other states. Keep in mind that a single insurance company's practices can vary significantly from state to state — a subpar ratio in one state doesn't necessarily mean the situation is the same in your state. But watch for general trends. If an insurer is getting a lot of complaints in several other states, you probably don't want to get involved with this company. The I-CAN Web site provides links and contact information for every state's department of insurance.

Also note that insurance department Web sites often provide basic rate comparison surveys. These can give you a rough idea of which insurers might interest you on a financial basis without the hassle of typing in all your personal information (as you must when you use one of the online quote sites).

2) Find out which insurers body shops recommend. One of the best ways to identify reliable insurers, according to Howard, is to contact local body shops that you trust and ask for their recommendations. Body shop managers have a unique perspective to offer, since they regularly interact with insurance adjusters. They know which companies have the smoothest claim processes, which affects how quickly the work can be completed on a damaged vehicle. And they know which companies are pushing aftermarket parts, in lieu of genuine original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts, to cut costs.

3) Check the J.D. Power Ratings. J.D. Power and Associates collects data from individual policyholders nationwide and rates them according to coverage options, price, claims handling, satisfaction with company representatives and the overall experience. A quick visit to the J.D. Power Consumer Center will give you a feel for how the major carriers stack up. J.D. Power also publishes an annual survey of major auto insurers — Amica and Erie have finished at the top for the last three years. These are also companies that Howard recommends: "Erie is sold by independent agents, who are very knowledgeable about the product. I like their claims handling approach. Almost all other companies look at a claim and find a way to not pay it. Erie and Amica will look at it and try to find a way to cover it."

4) Consider insurers' financial strength ratings. As a final check, you can take a look at the A.M. Best and Standard & Poor's ratings. Both companies publish financial strength ratings for all insurance companies — these "measure" an insurance company's ability to pay out a claim (they have nothing to do with the way a company treats its customers).

For the general consumer, looking up these ratings is only a formality, since most of the well-known carriers are going to be a safe bet. Moreover, independent agents would be unlikely to recommend a company with dubious financial standing. Still, if you're considering a smaller, unfamiliar insurance carrier, you might consider this research time well spent. Insurance companies often provide this information on their Web sites, but if not, you can run a search at the A.M. Best and Standard & Poor's sites.

The A.M. Best rating is expressed as a letter grade from A++ (the highest) to D. Some companies may be assigned ratings of E (indicating regulatory action regarding the company's solvency), F (in liquidation) and S (suspended). In any case, you should only work with companies that have at least a B+ rating.

The Standard & Poor's ratings range from AAA (the highest) to CC. Additionally, some companies receive ratings of R (under regulatory supervision) and NR, which means "not rated." The letter grades might be modified by a plus or minus mark. Consider only those companies that have at least a BBB rating.

5) Still confused? Consider working with an agent. It used to be that everyone purchased auto insurance from an agent, but now, car insurance companies like Esurance, Geico and others allow you to purchase insurance directly — over the phone from a customer service representative or online. Still, many of the major players have preserved their national networks of local agents — even if you use State Farm's or Allstate's Web site, you will still be assigned a local agent.

There are two kinds of agents:

• a) the captive agent, who represents only one insurance company (major carriers like AAA, Allstate and State Farm sell policies through captive agents).
• b) the independent agent, also known as a broker, who represents several insurance companies and therefore does not have a vested interest in selling you a policy from one particular company.

The main advantage in having your own agent is that this person has a vested interest in keeping you happy. Accordingly, he can become familiar with your situation and guide you toward a suitable policy. Howard favors the use of agents and advised, "Don't rule out direct providers, but my personal preference is to have an agent, preferably an independent agent, write your policy for you.... An independent agent would become aware of less advantageous conditions with one company [and help you move to another]. You can change carriers without changing your agent. I encourage consumers to develop a relationship with their agent."

The prospect of good working relations with an agent may help you to make a decision: When Heller purchased auto insurance for the first time, two insurers gave him similar quotes, but he went for the slightly higher one because the agent had been highly recommended by a friend. "You shouldn't go direct without always checking out other options," he said.

But, he cautioned, "Never feel pressured by a broker or an agent. Take the time to talk with an agent or a broker as well as do your online research. You may not need an agent — you may find a better deal with a company that operates direct."

Independent agents sometimes charge a fee for their services, but you may be able to negotiate that. You should agree upon any fee in writing before making a purchase. Look for agents who are certified by Independent Insurance Agents of America (Big "I") or Professional Insurance Agents (PIA).

Of course, we know you have better things to do with your time than think about car insurance. Realistically, most people won't be able to do everything on this list before choosing an insurance carrier. But if you feel that you've been burned during the claims process in the past, consider at least one or two of these suggestions — you'll thank yourself if you're ever involved in another accident.

Farmers' Insurance

Farmers Insurance began as an auto insurance agency for smart, safe drivers. Today, much of that remains true. It may have expanded to include home, life, theft, fire and every other possible insurance protection product imaginable in the last century, but it still provides a fairly comprehensive, effective service for its policyholders and claimants. It might lack the streamlined efficiency of Progressive and the ease of use and savings of GEICO, but it makes a strong argument for itself with its tried-and-true customer service approach and commitment to retaining its policyholders.

Standout Features

• Good Driver discounts and rewards
• Customized policies

Response & Repair

Farmers is no Progressive when it comes to response time and claims processing. But then again, no one is, with the exception of Progressive. Farmers does, however, do a fairly decent job of going from A to B, getting claimants and policyholders off the road and into the proper repair facilities as quickly as possible. Getting from B to Z, on the other hand, can often take much longer, depending on whether or not other parties were involved.

Farmers Insurance is still agent-based in structure. This can be a blessing and a curse since traditional insurance agents often are a large factor in the policyholder's experience. Farmers policyholders with good agents are likely to see claims adjustments, repairs and other insurance odds and ends go through more smoothly and quickly than those with bad agents.

Policy Flexibility

One of the advantages of having area agents is the ability to meet face to face and provide a personalized, customized policy that actually meets the insurance protection needs without exceeding the budget. Farmers auto insurance policyholders have access to their agents to ask questions, file claims, receive estimates and learn more about their insurance products. With so many insurance companies closing up offices and concentrating their insurance agents online and over the phone, this seems to be an added advantage.

Benefits & Discounts

Farmers is quite generous with its discounts offerings for auto insurance policies. It offers discounts for customers that take out additional policies on other insurance products like home and life. It discounts good drivers and good students. It discounts drivers with low-mileage. It even offers discounts for premium contracts paid in full, as well as discounts for payments paid automatically.

Customer Service & Claims Timeliness

As mentioned earlier, much of the customer service experience and claims timeliness will depend upon the policyholders' agent. Claims processes involving arbitration and mediation between multiple car insurance agencies will be out of their hands, but claims not involving other parties typically won't. If you have a good agent, you will likely be met with favorable results. If not, you run the risk of ending up another disgruntled customer.

Claims can be filed and tracked by phone and online. Having a local agent means that policyholders have a point of contact to accelerate the process, or at least receive information about the status of the claim.

Progressive Insurance Company

    

In its 70-plus years of continual operation Progressive auto insurance has seen wave after wave of competitors, marketing trends and technological innovation--and remained atop throughout. Humorous advertisements might create brand recognition and drive motorists to purchase policies, but it is only through meeting--and even exceeding--the needs of policyholders after the policy's signing that an auto insurance company survives and succeeds. Progressive is living proof of that.

Progressive, the top Silver Award winning auto insurance company, has been a dominant force in the auto insurance market for more than 70 years, garnering a strong reputation for its customer service, emergency responsiveness, policy flexibility and overall commitment to the safety and security of its policyholders. With its "Concierge Level of Claims Service" and renowned Immediate Response Vehicles, Progressive has made the aftermath of car accidents and auto-related incidents less complicated, less time-consuming and most importantly, less-imposing on the workaday lives and busy schedules of its policyholders. Progressive's past may have been bright, but, if it continues to place the needs of its policyholders first, its future will only get brighter.

Standout Features

• Multi-party Comparison Quotes
• Pet Injury Coverage with Collision Coverage
• Concierge Level of Claims Service

Response & Repair

Progressive sets quite an example with its Immediate Response Vehicles (IRVs) and initial towing and rental services. Policyholders can receive claims estimates from the comfort of their own driveway or the repair facility the vehicle is housed in: a step that can expedite the claims and adjustment process and facilitate quick repairs and timely payments for vehicles in need of replacement and claimants of non-Progressive motorists involved in an accident.

Many complaints that are issued against all insurance companies, generally involve the complicated process of filing a claim, receiving an estimate, booking time for a repair and then waiting for the scheduled repairs to be completed. This process hardly takes into account the reality of people's schedules, their work, their home, their leisure time. Really, this process has been in need of revision for a long time and Progressive does so through its "Concierge Level of Claims Service". The Concierge Level of Claims Service are facilities where drivers can drop off damaged vehicles and leave the hair-pulling, time-consuming task of receiving an estimate, finding a repair facility and making rental car arrangements to the experts. In fact, in as few as fifteen minutes, policyholders can be back on the road with a rental car, confident that their car is being repaired quickly and hassle-free.

Policy Flexibility

Progressive's roots are firmly planted in car insurance. Through the decades, however, it has grown to include other insurance products and services that range from home to life and nearly everything in between. Unlike GEICO, which operates entirely online and through telephone, Progressive has more than 30,000 independent insurance agents that, along with simply auto insurance and other insurance products, can give detailed, in-depth information about policies and discounts, as well as assist in finding a coverage level that suits the needs and budget of the policyholder. Whether you need a Liability-Only policy for a single vehicle or Full Collision coverage with no deductible, Progressive has just the right policy and insurance product for you.

Benefits & Discounts

One benefit that sets Progressive apart from other car insurance agencies is its complimentary coverage of pet injuries for policyholders with collision coverage. Though incidental pet injuries that are caused by a car accident are not measured, thousands of pets die each year due to car collisions. Making sure that both you and your dog or cat are covered in the event of an accident is a step in the right direction--and one that other auto insurance companies would be wise to emulate.

Progressive also offers automatic discounts for new and continuing customers. Good Student discount? Check. Good Driver discount? Check. Multiple vehicle discount? Check. Multiple-policy discount? Check. Full-payment, e-sign or low mileage discounts? Check, check and check. Along with its MyRate feature, which follows driving history and records more closely, which can be a savings boon for customers, Progressive offers dozens of discounts to its policyholders, saving customers money and likely gaining their loyalty, too.

Customer Service & Claims Timeliness

Progressive was among the first to make policy and claims management functionality available online; a trend which most of its competitors now follow. With its Immediate Response Vehicles and Concierge Level of Claims Service, drivers can be back on the road and on with their lives and jobs, free from the baffling, time-consuming ordeal that is seeing a damaged vehicle from point A to point Z.

Progressive customer service representatives and agents have a hard-earned reputation as being among the best in the business. Customers continually report of agents and representatives going "beyond their expectations" to find discounts, field questions and facilitate quick and timely claims adjustment and vehicle repair and replacement. Less visible is Progressive's mediation and arbitration team, which ensure that claims involving other parties are brought to a decision as quickly and judiciously as possible. Fortunately for Progressive car insurance policyholders, repairs and replacements will be made even if other involved parties are uncooperative or unresponsive. No driver should have to go without a car because of the negligence of another motorist or his auto insurance company.

Comparison Of Geico,Allstate, Progressive & State Farm

Three major companies are all competing for your car insurance dollars.

State Farm Insurance has limited online resources, but promises you a local car insurance agent that will gleefully abandon his or her personal life to bring you donuts, rub your feet, and file your claim at any time of day or night. According to the commercials they will also provide compassion and sagacious advice.

Progressive's main selling point is that they will provide a comparison of prices and services among different car insurance companies so that you can make sure you are getting the best value for your money. Online services, and instant rate quotes are available,

Geico has a magic talking gecko. They do not have rate comparisons or local agents, but they do promise low rates and offer many online tools.

It just so happens that I have been a customer of each of these companies, so if you are wondering what the truth is behind the endless commercial hype, let me share my experiences and give you some insight.

COST:
Progressive was the best car insurance value, although State Farm Insurance was actually the least expensive.

In spite of their claims to save you hundreds of dollars Geico, in my experience, actually cost more than Progressive Car Insurance with no added services.

But perhaps the biggest disparity between the service promised on the commercials and the service actually is seen with State Farm Insurance. Of course I realize that each individual experience with State Farm will vary greatly depending on the quality of the local car insurance agent and that I can certainly not attest to the performance of every State Farm Car Insurance agent in the country, but I can say that my State Farm experience was abysmal. In fact it was poor enough to make me decide that the ten or twenty dollars I saved per month was just not worth the agitation.

CUSTOMER SERVICE:
Both Geico and Progressive had excellent customer service. However each time I called Geico, at the end of the call I had to endure five minutes of the customer service representative trying to "up sell" my account to higher car insurance coverage and premium services.

State Farm Insurance left much to be desired in terms of customer service. In stark contrast to the omniscient car insurance agents of the commercials (whose wisdom is only exceeded by their benevolence), making contact with my State Farm Insurance Agent was like trying to get a photo shoot with Big Foot. Usually I would leave about six messages over three days time, then it would be another two or three days when he finally tried to return my calls. When I did manage to actually speak to him about my car insurance he was as obtuse as he was reclusive. Grumbling as if I had awakened him from a very important nap he would advise me that he would need to research my issue and call me back. Then the phone tag ritual would begin again.

PAYMENT OPTIONS:
It is important for me to have my car insurance payments set up on automatic withdrawal. I am a forgetful procrastinator, and if I do not have this service my car insurance always winds up getting canceled.

Progressive made it very easy to have automatic withdrawal for my car insurance. All I had to do was let them know it was what I wanted. Customer service was pleasant and efficient and did not try to sell me additional products.

Geico made it an ordeal. When I called in to make this request I was informed that I would need to write a letter, sign it, mail it in with a voided check, and then wait another three weeks for it to take effect. As if to add insult to injury, I then had to endure the agent "reviewing my account" and trying to sell me additional car insurance premium services.

And then of course there was State Farm Insurance. I was convinced that my agent could not handle such a complicated request, so I never brought it up.

Claims Service:
I personally never had to file a claim with any of these three car insurance companies. But checking the websites reflects what I would expect for each of them.

Progressive assures you that you will receive a follow up call within two hours of filing a car insurance claim. The tone of the website is very helpful and promises assistance throughout the claim process.

Geico does not offer a follow up call, but does inform you that an investigation will be launched immediately to determine whether or not you are attempting fraud. Nice. It is probably just as well that they don't give a follow up call; the car insurance agent would only try to get you to increase your coverage.

As far as State Farm Insurance goes -thank God I didn't have to file a claim, it was hard enough just getting an answer for a question. I am quite certain that if I had needed to file a claim I would probably still be working on it with my agent. First there would be phone tag as I tried to advise him that I needed to file a car insurance claim, then there would be the faxing and filing papers, misplacing the papers, re-faxing the papers, then more phone tag and…you get the picture.

Based on my adventures with these three car insurance companies, I would say if you enjoy the convenience of the Internet and prefer 24-hour customer service Progressive or Geico are going to be the better options for your needs. If that is not a priority, and you prefer to make personal contact with a local representative, then you will be more comfortable with State Farm Insurance (provided you find an efficient agent).

These are my personal experiences with each of the companies. Of course each person's situation is unique, so make sure you do get rate quotes for your own needs. Also if you are considering a State Farm Insurance Agent do not assume that each agent will be as ineffective as mine was. But DO learn from my experience and make sure you get references and interview prospective local car insurance agents as carefully as you would a prospective employee.

The process of finding a quality car insurance provider that best fits your individual needs can be frustrating, but I hope that my experiences can shed some light to help you along the way.

GEICO VS PROGRESSIVE



Both GEICO and Progressive are solid financially, with GEICO having the backing of Berkshire Hathaway and the Oracle of Omaha, Warren Buffet. Both companies provide easy online quote forms, and a plethora of insurance options that can be customized to your needs.

Both companies also have extensive experience servicing policyholders no matter where you live. Progressive does sell through the independent agent channel, so if you prefer to have an agent to call when the need arises, then Progressive may win your business for that reason.

What your decision may boil down to is simply a matter of dollars and cents. GEICO and Progressive both have excellent customer retention percentages, so there is a good chance you’ll be satisfied with whichever company you choose.

But which company, GEICO or Progressive, has the lowest car insurance rates? That, my friend, you’ll have to discover for yourself. Each company has their own rates based on an almost infinite number of factors. Do you have any driving violations? How’s your credit? Any DUI’s? Those will all significantly impact the rates you pay.

In addition to those factors, the types of vehicles you drive, the ages of licensed drivers on your policy, your propensity to file claims and a host of other factors all come into play when comparing car insurance rates.

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BEST AUTO INSURANCE COMPANY

Geico Insurance is the best

GEICO has emerged as one of the premiere car insurance companies in recent years--and for good reason. Offering its customers upfront savings on auto insurance policies, providing streamlined claims reporting and tracking and emphasizing personable and responsive customer service, all while facilitating quick repairs to get motorists back in their cars and on the road. Combine this with its bounteous offering of discounts, policy flexibility and potential for multiple policies such as home, life, boat and others and you have a one-stop-shop for auto insurance--as well as other insurance--needs that is as convenient and timely as a drive-thru window.

GEICO's reputation for its customer service is largely what has proven to be the true catalyst for its retention and policyholder satisfaction, not its entertaining, popular commercials or its slight savings. This is evident in its retention rate, which ranks among the best in the auto insurance industry.

Response & Repair

Getting your car safely off the road and in for repairs or replacement is one thing, but ensuring that motorists are back in their own car or temporary rental with little delay is another. Fortunately, GEICO excels at expediting initial towing and emergency services through its affiliates with streamlined claims and adjustments services to see that necessary repairs and replacements are done as quickly as possible, with the ins and outs of cost and culpability settled responsibly, judiciously and, most importantly, rapidly.

GEICO also offers its policyholders the ability to track claims online, doing away with the complicated "Phone-trees" that many car insurance companies require customers to go through to track claims.

Policy Flexibility

GEICO is incredibly flexible with its policy attributes, crafting policies that suit the needs and budgets of its policyholders, while extending its streamlined business-model savings to the customer. Whether you are looking to insure multiple vehicles or drivers, increase or decrease deductibles on policies, reduce coverage to Liability-Only or manage the payment cycle or structure, GEICO allows its policyholders an unprecedented freedom to do so. Best of all, this can all be done online or over the phone with a dedicated GEICO insurance agent, which can be an added benefit for those living in rural areas.

Benefits & Discounts

Many discounts are enjoyed outright through GEICO's area agent-free infrastructure. As for others, GEICO offers a variety of discounts ranging from good driver discounts, good student discounts (for younger drivers attending school) and automatic payment discounts, as well as discounts for multiple-policy holders and established customers. GEICO also offers discounts for policies involving cars with advanced safety and security features, including air bags, anti-lock brakes, car security/anti-theft systems and daytime running lights, among others.