You may like Progressive ads. But does it offer reasonably priced insurance and friendly customer service? We have the answers in the review of Progressive Insurance.
Known for its aggressive and often funny advertising, Progressive has become one of the largest and most well-known car insurance providers in the country. They are also consistently one of the lowest cost providers in a highly competitive industry.
Although Progressive may seem like a newcomer to the market, they actually offered their first car insurance in 1937. But today, Progressive is an online car insurance provider. It has gained much of its current popularity as the internet has grown.
Progressive is a publicly traded company run by CEO and President Tricia Griffin. The company is headquartered in Mayfield Village, Ohio. He holds more than $ 23 billion in written car insurance premiums.
What progress is best known for
In addition to aggressive pricing, it has gradually made its mark on the industry with innovative product offerings, especially two.
Name your pricing tool. Enter the amount you want to pay, answer a few questions, and the tool gives you a wide range of insurance coverage options. This will avoid the need to destroy numbers and investigate reductions. The tool will jump directly to the rate it hopes to find.
Instantly progressive. This is a plug-in device that uses the on-board diagnostic (OBD) port to monitor your actual driving experience. If you are an extra safe driver, this can lead to a reduction in premiums. The progressive claims that the program has led to reductions of over 600 million dollars. This is an average saving of $ 130 per year per participant. It's a six-month program. The good news is that it can save you money, but it won't work against you.
Now, in the interest of full disclosure, I have to report that I've tried the Snapshot device. The progressive wants to promote it. The device beeps whenever you display less than optimal driving patterns. What I discovered is that I died every time I hit the brakes or drove much faster than 25 miles per hour. It was so big that I took it out before the 30-day process was over.
For the record, I didn't have an accident or a moving violation in 10 years. By all objective standards, I am considered a safe pilot. Snapshot disagreed, so we ended the relationship earlier.
Progressive special features
Loan Payoff. This is commonly referred to as the “gap gap”. This is the type of coverage that will pay off your car loan balance or rent if your car is full. You will pay up to 125% of the value of the vehicle. This is a great deal for anyone who is “upside down” on their car loan (you owe more on the loan than your car is worth). This is where the word “gap” lies.
Pet Medical Bills. This is a cover that will cover medical costs if your dog or cat is injured in a car accident. It's part of your collision coverage.
Customized value of parts and equipment. If you add features such as a sound system, TV equipment, navigation systems, telephones, custom paint, and custom grilles and spoilers to your car, Progressive will cover these items in case your car is damaged. This is an additional optional option that will cost more.
Road assistance. This cannot be a contractor as it is often available through car and AAA insurance companies. But it's a nice feature to have, though. If the car breaks down due to mechanical or electrical problems, a flat tire or a blockage, Progressive will pay for towing or roadside assistance. You can even tell if you have a flat tire.
Ridesharing Coverage – Maybe. In 2016, Progressive announced that it will start offering coverage for drivers working with ground transportation services. Coverage is only available in Texas. There is also no coverage information on the Progressive website. It is described as “an endorsement of personal policy that fills most of the coverage gap between a personal car policy and the commercial coverage of a TNC like Uber or Lyft.”
(NOTE: Some sources claim that Progressive offers accidental forgiveness. We could not find any official sources to confirm this.)
Progressive discounts
Progressive car insurance offers at least 10 other potential discounts in addition to your price and instant name:
Get started online. The average discount is seven percent if you start the process online. Even if you end up buying over the phone, if you start online, you are eligible for the discount.
Safe driver. The average discount is 31%, which is a bit higher than the typical 25% offered by most car insurance companies. A safe driver is defined as having no traffic violations or accidents in the last three years.
Multi-car. The average discount is 10% if there are at least two cars on your policy.
Homeowner. If you own a home, condominium or mobile home, you are eligible for this discount, even if Progressive does not insure the property.
Continuing insurance. If you have held car insurance for at least five years without any gaps or cancellations, you are eligible for this discount. In fact, you are eligible even if you did not keep your previous Progressive insurance.
Documents signed online. If you complete the online shopping and purchasing process for your policy, you will receive this discount. The average discount is 7%.
Pay in full. You can reduce the total cost of your premium by paying in advance (six months in total) rather than in monthly installments.
Automatic invoice payment. You can only get a discount by setting your prepayment with the automatic sketch.
Good student. There are two discounts here. The first is if you are a student who keeps a grade point average of B or better. The second is if you attend college at least 100 miles from home and drive only when you are at home.
Minor driver for children. A new driver for a family policy is eligible for this discount until the age of 18.
Progressive car insurance estimator
Progressive provides the car insurance assessment tool. Allows you to get a free quote from the site. But you must provide your name, address, and email address. (Translation: please wait for follow-up requests!)
I used a fictional profile of a 40-year-old married couple living in Alpharetta Georgia. They shall not be held liable for any accident or breach of their rights. The insurance policy is for the 2013 Hyundai Sonata, with financing.
The coverage requested was as follows:
- Liability: $ 250k / $ 500k / $ 100k (basically the most commonly available coverage)
- Uninsured car (bodily injury): $ 250,000 / 500kg
- Uninsured car damage insurance: $ 100k, with a $ 500 deductible
- Collision: with a $ 500 deductible
- Comprehensive: with a $ 500 deductible
Here's what the Car Insurance Estimator returned:
$ 184 a month works to be $ 92 a month per person. This amounts to $ 1,104 per year per person.
For comparison, the car insurance premium in Georgia is $ 1,440 a year, making it the 12th most expensive state in the country. (The US national average is $ 1,318 per year, in case you were wondering.)
Please understand that car insurance rates vary by state and even by zip code. The same insurance company may have different premiums in other states. She is even more influenced by her personal leadership profile. Insurance companies take into account age, occupation, credit history and driving history, including in the event of accidents and misdemeanors. It is almost impossible for two people to get identical quotes.
It's the nature of the beast when it comes to car insurance.