Geico vs. Progressive Car Insurance: Which Is Better for You?

Bottom line: Geico is a great choice for drivers looking to keep their insurance cost as low as possible, while Progressive is especially good for those without a perfect driving record.

Both of these auto insurers are reasonably priced, with premiums that are generally lower than the national average for most types of drivers. However, in a side-by-side comparison, Geico is usually the cheaper of the two, on average.

In general, Geico is the cheaper of the two insurers. However, keep in mind that there are many different factors that insurers use to determine your insurance premium, so while these are the averages, the quotes you obtain might not align with what you see in the chart. For example, if you're a good driver with poor credit, there's no guarantee that Geico will be the cheaper option for you, so it's still worth comparison shopping.

Both Geico and Progressive offer a variety of coverage for motorists. They offer the standard types of auto insurance coverage drivers need, including:

• Liability coverage
• Medical payments coverage
• Personal injury coverage
• Collision and comprehensive coverage
• Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage
• Emergency roadside assistance
• Rental car reimbursement
• Mechanical breakdown insurance

Both Geico and Progressive offer standard auto policies, as well as motorcycle and ATV insurance, RV insurance, boat insurance, as well as insurance for rideshare drivers and collector cars. Plus, both offer other types of insurance besides auto, or partner with other insurers that do -- for example, Progressive has a large homeowners insurance business -- and they offer discounts to drivers who bundle different types of insurance.

Both Geico and Progressive offer a wide range of available car insurance discounts. Some of them are rather common, such as a discount for completing a defensive driving course, while others are a bit more unique. It's also important to mention that even if some of these discounts are listed as a "no," it only means that they aren't specifically mentioned on that company's website, but they still might be factored into the premium you are quoted.

Since Geico is owned by conglomerate Berkshire Hathaway, it also offers insurance discounts to employees of certain other Berkshire subsidiaries. Berkshire Hathaway shareholders can also get a discount of as much as 8% on their premiums.

It's also worth noting that Geico is the only one of the two to offer discounts for federal employees and members of the military nationwide. Geico's roots are in insuring government workers (the name stands for Government Employees Insurance Company), and this is still apparent in its discount policies.

On the other hand, Progressive's discounts are typically better when it comes to factors like accident forgiveness and customer loyalty. It also offers generous discounts for customers who decide to obtain quotes online and who agree to electronic delivery of documents.

Geico's claims process is fairly straightforward, and drivers can report claims by phone or through their mobile app or website. For collisions in particular, Geico's Auto Repair Xpress® program provides one-stop shops for estimates, repairs, and rental cars, with repair work guaranteed for as long as you own the vehicle.

Progressive has a similar program with its network of pre-approved repair shops. Once you bring your car (or have it towed) to one of the shops in its network, Progressive's claims representatives handle the rest, even arranging for a rental car. But it's worth pointing out that in either case, you aren't required to use the insurer's repair shops -- you can use a repair shop of your choice, but you'll have to navigate the claims process on your own.

Both of these insurers are known for their readily-available quotes and strong customer service. Geico allows customers to obtain coverage entirely online from start to finish, and its policies can be easily managed through its highly rated mobile app. Its advertisements often say that "15 minutes could save you 15% or more on car insurance," and as you can see in the chart above, Geico puts its money where its mouth is by offering affordable coverage.

Geico has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau and it has generally strong customer service ratings from most major sources, including J.D. Power. Progressive also holds an A+ rating from the BBB, but isn't as highly rated when it comes to customer service. Its J.D. Power ratings are generally lower, and Progressive has a "poor" customer service score of 1.2 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot, based on hundreds of reviews. However, with a 1.3, Geico doesn't score much better on that platform.

Geico and Progressive are both solid choices when it comes to auto insurance, especially if you prefer to manage your policy online or via mobile app. For most types of drivers, Geico is the cheaper of the two, at least when it comes to their average policy, while Progressive does a particularly good job with outside-the-box discounts and forgiving past accidents.

However, whenever you are shopping for auto insurance, it's important to compare quotes from several different insurers. Even though Geico has lower premiums on average doesn't mean that you will get your lowest quote from it. Many insurers (including these two) allow you to obtain a quote quickly and easily, so it could be well worth the time you spend to explore your options.