National Car Insurance Companies
Car insurance is a product nearly everyone needs. For this reason, auto insurance companies are extremely prevalent. With so many insurers out there, it can be difficult to decide which company will provide the best car insurance for you.
You can choose to go local by finding an auto insurance company that specifically writes policies in your state, or choose from a larger national provider.
For those who prefer to go with a larger company, we’ve provided a list of ten of the biggest national car insurance companies and some information specific to these companies. This information should help you decide which of these will provide the best car insurance for your needs.
GEICO
Tagline: “15 minutes could save you 15% on car insurance.”
Spokespersons/Mascots:
- GEICO Gecko – A humorously proper animated gecko.
- GEICO Cavemen – Modern-day cavemen who were disgruntled over GEICO’s “So easy a caveman could do it” campaign.
Description: GEICO (Government Employees Insurance Company), a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, is one of the nation’s largest car insurance companies, with over 13 million written car insurance polices to date.
Originally founded by Leo and Lillian Goodwin to provide auto insurance to government employees, GEICO has used aggressive marketing and competitive rates to become a household name in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Products Offered:
- Car insurance.
- Motorcycle, ATV, RV, and boat insurance.
- Homeowners, renters, and mobile home insurance.
- Personal umbrella protection.
- Life insurance.
- Business insurance.
- Commercial auto insurance.
- Collector car insurance.
- Collectibles insurance.
- Identity theft protection.
Founded: 1936 in Fort Worth, Texas
Headquarters: Chevy Chase, Maryland
Employees: 27,000
Online Quotes Offered: Yes
Type of company: Direct Writer
Progressive
Tagline: “Think easier. Think Progressive.”
Spokesperson: Flo – A quirky, apron-clad clerk of the fictional Progressive store.
Description: Founded by Joseph Lewis and Jack Green as Progressive Mutual Insurance Company, Progressive has grown into one of the nation’s leading car insurance companies. Progressive offers direct writing of car insurance polices online or by phone, or through one of over 30,000 independent agents and brokers who are authorized to sell Progressive policies.
Products Offered:
- Car insurance.
- High-risk auto insurance.
- Commercial insurance.
- Motorcycle insurance.
- Boat insurance.
- RV insurance.
Founded: 1937
Headquarters: Mayfield Village, Ohio
Employees: 27,000
Type of Company: Direct Writer and Agents
Esurance
Tagline: “Insurance for the modern world.”
Spokesperson/Mascots:
- Erin Esurance – Pink-haired animated spy who doubled as Esurance’s super agent.
- John Krasinski – Known for playing Jim on the U.S. version of the TV show "The Office", Krasinski has been the voice of Esurance commercials in recent years.
Description: A wholly owned subsidiary of Allstate, Esurance has become one of the most well known car insurance companies in the nation, offering policies in 43 states throughout the country. Esurance prides itself as being a modern insurance company, providing its car insurance policies direct to consumers online or by phone.
Products Offered:
- Car insurance.
- Motorcycle insurance.
- Boat Insurance.
- RV insurance.
- Homeowners insurance.
- Renters insurance.
- Health insurance.
- Life insurance.
Founded: 1999
Headquarters: San Francisco, California
Employees: 2,500
Type of Company: Direct Writer
Allstate
Tagline: “You’re in good hands.”
Spokesperson/Mascot:
- Dennis Haysbert – An actor who played the President in Fox’s hit show “24”, Haysbert is Allstate’s main spokesperson.
- Mayhem – Played by actor Dean Winters, Mayhem is the human form of the kind of mayhem that makes insurance a necessity.
Description: With various insurance polices in over 16 million households, Allstate is the largest publicly-held personal lines insurer in the nation. Founded in 1931, Allstate went public in 1993 and is a fixture on the Fortune 500 list.
Products Offered:
- Car insurance.
- Homeowners insurance.
- Renters insurance.
- Condo insurance.
- Motorcycle insurance.
- Boat insurance.
- Motorhome insurance.
- Snowmobile insurance.
- ATV insurance.
- Retirement and savings.
- Supplemental health.
- Life insurance.
Founded: 1931
Headquarters: Northfield Township, Illinois
Employees: 37,000
Type of Company: Direct/Agent
State Farm
Tagline: “Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.”
Description: Perhaps known best for the Barry Manilow-written jingle featuring their famous slogan, State Farm is the nation’s biggest insurance company. Originally founded in 1922 as a car insurance company for farmers, State Farm now offers over 100 different products to customers throughout the country.
Products Offered:
- Car insurance.
- Motorcycle insurance.
- Homeowners insurance.
- Renters insurance.
- Condo insurance.
- Life insurance.
- Health insurance.
- Disability insurance.
Founded: 1922
Headquarters: Bloomington, Illinois
Employees: 65,000
Type of Company: Direct Writer and Agents
Farmers Insurance
Spokesperson: J.K. Simmons – The actor, known for several roles in television and film, portrays an instructor at the fictional University of Farmers, where he teaches up and coming insurance agents about the intricacies of insurance.
Descriptions: Founded in 1928 by John C. Tyler and Thomas E. Leavey to provide car insurance to farmers and ranchers, Farmers Insurance is now a leading provider of multiple lines of insurance for their customers throughout the nation.
Products Offered:
- Auto insurance.
- Homeowners insurance.
- Renters insurance.
- Life insurance.
- Business insurance.
- Motorcycle insurance.
- Recreational insurance.
- Umbrella insurance.
- Pet insurance.
- Financial services.
Founded: 1928 in Los Angeles, California
Headquarters: Los Angeles, California
Employees: 24,000
Type of Company: Direct/Agent
Nationwide
Tagline: “Nationwide is on your side.”
Spokesperson/Mascot: Peyton Manning – Among other Nationwide ad campaigns, Peyton Manning, quarterback for the NFL's Denver Broncos, is featured in several Nationwide commercials.
Description: Originally founded as the Farm Bureau Mutual Automobile Insurance Company in Ohio, Nationwide is now a leading insurance provider in the national scene where they primarily write property and casualty polices, which includes car insurance.
Products Offered:
- Car insurance.
- Motorcycle insurance.
- Snowmobile insurance.
- ATV insurance.
- RV insurance.
- Boat insurance.
- Scooter insurance.
- Homeowners insurance.
- Renters insurance.
- Condo insurance.
- Flood insurance.
- Life insurance.
- Business insurance.
Founded: 1926
Headquarters: Columbus, Ohio
Employees: 31,000
Type of Company: Direct Writer and Agents
USAA
Description: Founded in 1922 by a group of Army officers, the United Services Automobile Association provides insurance and other financial services to current members of the military as well as veterans, their spouses, and their children. USAA serves over 10 million of its members across the nation.
Products Offered:
- Car insurance.
- Property insurance.
- Life insurance.
- Banking.
- Investments.
- Retirement.
- Real estate.
Founded: 1922 in San Antonio, Texas
Headquarters: San Antonio, Texas
Employees: 25,000
Type of Company: Direct Writer
21st Century Insurance
Spokesperson/Mascot: Currently, Joey Slotnick is the face of 21st Century car insurance commercials and is famously known as the guy in the lab coat who takes a sledgehammer to two cars.
Description: Originally founded as 20th Century Insurance in Los Angeles to provide affordable car insurance to Californian drivers, 21st Century now offers several insurance products to customers across the nation as a wholly owned company of Farmers Insurance. 21st Century continues to be a nationally leading car insurance company.
Products Offered:
- Car insurance.
- Homeowners insurance.
- Renters insurance.
- Boat insurance.
- Motorcycle insurance.
- Life insurance.
- Umbrella insurance.
- Flood insurance.
Founded: 1958 in Los Angeles, California
Headquarters: Wilmington, Delaware
Employees: 24,000
Type of Company: Direct Writer and Agents
Liberty Mutual
Description: Founded in 1912 as the Massachusetts Employees’ Insurance Association in response to the state law that required employers to have workers’ compensation insurance, Liberty Mutual is now the third largest property and casualty insurance company in the United States. Among its several offerings, Liberty Mutual provides car insurance throughout the country.
Products Offered:
- Car insurance.
- Motorcycle insurance.
- Homeowners insurance.
- Renters insurance.
- Life insurance.
- Umbrella insurance.
Founded: 1912
Headquarters: Boston, Massachusetts
Employees: 50,000
Type of Company: Direct Writer and Agents
Shopping for Car Insurance
This is only a partial list. There are many car insurance companies to choose from, some national, others regional.
Be sure to get at least 3 quotes when shopping for car insurance, as rates will vary by company.