Benzinga's Car Insurance Methodology

We aim to provide comprehensive and unbiased reviews on Benzinga to help users understand and learn about car insurance carriers. We hope our reviews help lead you to the best insurance provider.

Meet the Reviewers

Sarah Horvath

Sarah Horvath is a financial writer located in New York City, New York. She focuses on the topics of insurance and investing for retirement. Horvath has written for numerous websites and publications, and her work regularly appears on websites like Robinhood’s news feed and Benzinga.

Melinda Sineriz

Melinda Sineriz is a personal finance writer who covers mortgages, personal loans, insurance and more. She worked for 8 years in the insurance industry as an agent and manager. She has written for several finance publications, including Business Insider.

Eric Huffman

Eric is a personal finance and insurance writer licensed in property, casualty, and life insurance lines. He has worked directly with clients, helping them find the best coverage to protect their business or family.

Review Process

For car insurance carriers, Benzinga created a weighted scale based on the following criteria: policy offerings, state availability, customer service and claims, quote, and discounts available. Reviewers meticulously researched each category and rated it based on the following metrics.

Coverage Options

Weight: 50%

  • Has policy options for liability, collision, comprehensive, uninsured motorist, underinsured motorist, medical payments, personal injury protection, gap, rental reimbursement and classic car

  • Has 8 out of 10: liability, collision, comprehensive, uninsured motorist, underinsured motorist, medical payments, personal injury protection, gap, rental reimbursement and classic car

  • has 6 out of 10: liability, collision, comprehensive, uninsured motorist, underinsured motorist, medical payments, personal injury protection, gap, rental reimbursement and classic car

  • Has 4 out of 10: liability, collision, comprehensive, uninsured motorist, underinsured motorist, medical payments, personal injury protection, gap, rental reimbursement and classic car

  • Has between 3 and 0: liability, collision, comprehensive, uninsured motorist, underinsured motorist, medical payments, personal injury protection, gap, rental reimbursement and classic car

User Benefits

Weight: 20%

  • Carrier offers a robust user benefits like a mobile app

  • Carrier offers coverage in 51-45 states and has robust user benefits

  • Carrier offers coverage in 44-35 states and has some user benefits, but less than similar companies

  • Carrier offers coverage in 2-34 states and has some user benefits

  • Carrier offers coverage in just 1 state

User Experience

Weight: 15%

  • Offers text chat, call, email options
  • Special services for disabled
  • Can chat with a live person in less than 2 minutes
  • Can make a claim online, via fax and via phone

  • Offers text chat, call, email options
  • Special services for disabled
  • Can chat with a live person in less than 5 minutes
  • Can make a claim with at least 2 options: online, via fax and via phone

  • Offers (2/3) text chat, call, email options
  • Special services for disabled
  • Can chat with a live person in less than 10 minutes
  • Can make a claim with at least 1 option: online, via fax and via phone

  • Offers (1/3) text chat, call, email options
  • No special services for disabled
  • Can chat with a live person in less than 15 minutes
  • Cannot make a claim online

  • Offers (1/3) text chat, call, email options
  • No special services for disabled
  • Can chat with a live person in less than 20 minutes
  • Cannot make a claim online

Pricing

Weight: 15%

Quote profile: Quotes were obtained using the following profile: base 2015 Toyota Camry, male, 40-years-old. Policies reflect state minimum coverage options.

  • Offers all 10 discounts: anti-theft, multi-policy, defensive driving course, good student, loyalty, homeowner, military, safety device, special employment, usage-based
  • Quote was below $1,000 per year

  • Offers 8 out of 10 discounts: anti-theft, multi-policy, defensive driving course, good student, loyalty, homeowner, military, safety device, special employment, usage-based
  • Quote was between $1,000 per year - $1,500 per year

  • Offers 6 out of 10 discounts: anti-theft, multi-policy, defensive driving course, good student, loyalty, homeowner, military, safety device, special employment, usage-based
  • Quote was between $1,500 per year - $2,500 per year

  • Offers 4 out of 10 discounts: anti-theft, multi-policy, defensive driving course, good student, loyalty, homeowner, military, safety device, special employment, usage-based
  • Quote was between $2,500 per year - $3,500 per year

  • Offers 2 out of 10 discounts: anti-theft, multi-policy, defensive driving course, good student, loyalty, homeowner, military, safety device, special employment, usage-based
  • Quote was over $3,500 per year