Best car insurance companies of February 2026

Owning a car is expensive, and it's not just the cost of the vehicle or repairing its parts that add up. Premiums increased by more than 50% between February 2020 and 2025, prompting some car owners to shop for better rates.

Cost isn't everything, of course. You want a provider with the coverage you need and the customer service you prefer.

CNBC Select has named the best car insurance companies based on affordability, coverage, nationwide availability, customer satisfaction, claims processing and more.

Want to know how we made our selections? Check out our methodology.

Who's this for? Among the auto insurers we've reviewed, Nationwide offers the best combination of low premiums and widespread availability. Policies are issued in all states except for Alaska, Hawaii, Louisiana and Massachusetts, giving this insurer a wider footprint than many others.

Standout benefits: Nationwide's SmartMiles pay-per-mile program offers a low flat rate and per-mile fee, making it ideal for those who work from home or are retired. According to Nationwide, SmartMiles users save an average of $320 a year.

Who's this for? As the third-largest private auto insurer in the U.S., Geico issues policies in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. In addition to an easy-to-use online interface, there are more than 300 independent offices nationwide for in-person assistance with quotes and claims filing.

Standout benefits: Geico offers mechanical breakdown insurance, which covers repairs to parts after the manufacturer's warranty has expired.

Who's this for? Dairyland specializes in non-standard auto insurance for high-risk drivers, whether they have multiple accidents, DUIs or bad credit.

Standout benefits: Dairyland provides non-owner coverage and issues SR-22 certificates, which prove to your state that you have coverage and can be required after a serious infraction like a DUI. Additionally, all California policies include limited coverage for travel to Mexico.

Who's this for? Erie is a great choice for drivers who prioritize good service — it topped J.D. Power's 2025 customer satisfaction survey in several regions where it's available. It also ranked first for satisfaction with the claims process.

Standout benefits: Even if you file a claim, Erie's Rate Lock feature keeps your premiums from rising as long as you don't make a change to your policy.

Who's this for? Enrolling in Travelers' IntelliDrive telematics program can save you up to 30%, according to the insurer, for practicing safe driving habits. Those with no at-fault accidents on their record or any points on their license can get a safe driver discount.

Standout benefits: Travelers sells gap insurance, an add-on that can cover the difference between your loan and your new car's depreciated value. Without it, you'd be stuck with the remaining loan balance. What's more, some insurers don't offer this coverage. In addition, Travelers also offers discounts for bundling, owning your home and driving an EV.

Who's this for? Auto-Owners is one of the most affordable options for liability insurance, which only covers injuries or property damage caused by someone else and is the minimum amount of coverage required in most states to be legally on the road.

Standout benefits: Auto-Owners offers accident forgiveness and valuable add-ons, including gap insurance and additional expense coverage. We also named Auto-Owners one of the best insurers for young drivers and seniors.

Who's this for? Liberty Mutual scored in the top three of more than 20 insurers in J.D. Power's auto claims satisfaction study, which asked more than 9,000 people who filed a claim in 2025 about their happiness with their insurers' communications, fairness and timeliness.

Standout benefits: Liberty Mutual also offers add-ons like new car replacement and accident forgiveness, as well as a deductible savings bank that can reduce your out-of-pocket costs by $100 for each year you're enrolled and haven't filed a claim.

Who's this for? Bundling American Family auto and home insurance can save you as much as 40%, according to the insurer, making it one of the biggest multi-policy discounts we've seen.

Standout benefits: American Family has a host of other discounts, including for getting a quote early, paying your premium in full and volunteering in your community. Practicing safe driving habits can save you up to 20%.

Who's this for? Progressive offers a few accident forgiveness options. Two are automatic: all new policies come with small accident forgiveness, which keeps accidents with claims of $500 or less from impacting your rates. Then, if you stay with Progressive for five years and are accident- and violation-free the whole time, a larger accident won't raise your premiums. Any policyholder can also purchase additional accident forgiveness coverage that covers one accident per policy period, regardless of size.

Standout benefits: For each policy period without an accident or violation, Progressive will deduct $100 from your deductible (up to $500). You can also add up to $5,000 in coverage to fix or replace custom accessories.

Who's this for? USAA's auto insurance is available exclusively to current and former service members and their families, with discounts for storing vehicles on bases or for those who are deployed and not driving their car.

Standout benefits: Customers who bundle home and auto with USAA can save up to 10%, according to the insurer. There are also discounts for having a new car, for taking over your parents' policy and for remaining a customer for at least three years.

There are five basic types of car insurance coverage available. You'll need liability insurance to drive in every state except New Hampshire. However, if you have a loan on your car, you'll likely be required to have collision and comprehensive coverage as a condition of your loan.

Here's what each type of coverage does:

Liability coverage: Pays for property damage and bodily injury when you are found responsible for a collision. It is the minimum coverage required to legally drive in most of the country, though the amount differs by state.

Collision coverage: Pays for repairs resulting from a collision with an object, like a guardrail or another car.

Comprehensive coverage: Protects you in case of damages caused by a non-vehicular incident, like theft, vandalism or weather-related damage. 

Personal injury protection: Also called PIP, this coverage pays for your medical expenses and lost income after an accident. It's required in some state laws.

Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage: Kicks in if you are involved in an accident with another driver who has no insurance or insufficient coverage.

According to Bankrate, the average cost of a full-coverage policy in 2025 was $2,638 per year. Rates vary significantly by state, and are typically higher in places with no-fault insurance, such as New York and Michigan.

Your age, gender, driving record and history of claims will influence your individual premiums, as will the make, model and age of your automobile.

Premiums have steadily increased for several reasons, according to the Insurance Information Institute, including the rising cost of repairing and replacing vehicles, as well as medical and legal bills.

Cars also have become more technologically advanced in the past decade, requiring more work and parts when they are damaged. The number and severity of collisions, including fatal crashes, hit their highest level in 16 years in 2021, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Factors influencing individual premiums include:

• Policy type: Full coverage is more expensive than a liability-only policy. A low deductible can also raise the price of your premiums, as can buying add-ons like gap insurance and roadside assistance.
• Your location: Where you live greatly influences how much you'll pay and, in many states, so will your age, gender and marital status.
• Your credit history: In all but a handful of states, insurance companies can use your credit-based insurance score to tabulate your premium.
• Your driving history: Having an at-fault accident, speeding ticket or DUI on your record makes you a high-risk driver and usually results in expensive premiums.
• Car make, model and features: A six-figure sports car will cost more to insure than a used sedan. While replacement costs can contribute to this difference, discounts for safety features can also play a role.

If you're shopping for car insurance, consider the following criteria:

1. Availability

Not all insurers are licensed in every state, or provide the same coverage or discounts nationwide. Be sure what you want is available in your region.

2. Coverage options

Make sure any provider you're considering has the options you want, whether that's gap insurance, accident forgiveness or rideshare insurance.

3. Customer satisfaction

J.D. Power's surveys provide insight into customers' sentiment in key areas, including the level of trust with their insurance company, the price for coverage, the representatives they deal with, the ease of doing business and the helpfulness of a company's digital channels. You can also see how a company is rated by the Better Business Bureau and the volume of complaints registered by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.

4. Financial strength

It's important that any insurance company you're considering can pay out on claims. A.M. Best's financial strength scores indicate the likelihood that an insurer will be able to make good on its financial obligations. Look for companies that score an A or better.

At CNBC Select, our mission is to deliver high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice to our readers, enabling them to make informed financial decisions. Every car insurance review is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of insurance products. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content independently of our commercial team and any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on maintaining high journalistic standards and ethics.

CNBC Select reviewed more than 30 top car insurance companies, focusing on cost, coverage, customer service, availability and online experience.

We incorporated customer satisfaction scores from J.D. Power, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners and the Better Business Bureau, as well as financial strength ratings from A.M. Best.

Information on average annual premiums is based on Bankrate analysis of Quadrant Information Services data for a 40-year-old driver with a clean driving record and good credit, driving a 2023 Toyota Camry five days a week with the following coverage:

• $100,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $300,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $50,000 property damage liability per accident
• $100,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury per person
• $300,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury per accident
• $500 collision deductible
• $500 comprehensive deductible

We also considered CNBC Select audience data when available, such as general demographics and engagement with our content and tools.

Based on that criteria, our selections for the best car insurance companies are:

For affordability: Nationwide
For availability: Geico
For high-risk drivers: Dairyland
For customer satisfaction: Erie Insurance
For safe drivers: Travelers
For liability insurance: Auto-Owners
For claims filing: Liberty Mutual
For bundling: American Family
For accident forgiveness: Progressive
For military members and veterans: USAA

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