Geico Car Insurance Review for 2021

Geico Rating and Review

U.S. News Overall Rating

Geico holds second place in our rates survey, with an average overall auto insurance rate of $1,100. That’s lower than all other national companies with the exception of USAA, which limits its customers to military families. This car insurance provider also performs well when it comes to customer service, with policyholders that are likely to recommend Geico to others.

Geico Pros and Cons

Pros

• Low overall average premiums

• Customers are happy to recommend Geico to others

• Inexpensive rates for drivers with poor credit history

Cons

• Highest rates for drivers with a DUI

• Claims processing is inconsistent

Geico Car Insurance Costs

Specific car insurance quotes for actual humans will depend on age, driving history, credit history, annual mileage, and more. But we can compare averages using typical driving records to compare companies.

As the second least expensive insurer in our study, Geico can potentially save most people money on their auto insurance.

Geico’s average rate is $1,100, making it the second-cheapest car insurer in our study. Only USAA’s average rate of $875 is lower, a decrease of about 20% compared to Geico’s rate. The most expensive insurer in our study is Allstate, with an average rate of $1,788. That’s an increase of more than 60% over Geico’s rate.

Our study found that most people can save money with Geico. Let’s look at the demographics in detail to find out who can potentially save the most.

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Geico Car Insurance Rates by Age

Young drivers tend to have the highest rates no matter which insurance company they choose. According to our study, Geico’s average rates for 25-year-old men and women are lower than rates from most other major auto insurance companies, but it bucks the usual trend of higher rates for young men. Women in this demographic have an average rate of $1,228, while men have a rate of $1,185, according to study data. Our study shows only USAA had lower rates for these drivers.

Men at age 35 have an average rate of $1,084, and women a rate of $1,060. At age 60, men have an average rate of $1,035, and women a rate of $1,004. Again, the only company with lower rates is USAA. Generally, rates for all of these drivers were 10% to 15% less with Geico compared to the national averages.

Geico Car Insurance Rates by Annual Mileage

How much you drive affects your auto insurance rates, with more miles meaning higher premiums. But there’s not as much difference as you might think. We looked at data for drivers that put 6,000 miles per year on the odometer and a more typical 12,000 miles per year.

Drivers with low mileage have an average rate of $1,042, while those with higher mileage have a rate of $1,100. These rates are again only higher than USAA’s rates, and they’re also very close to State Farm’s rates for this demographic. Geico’s rates are about a 5% decrease from State Farm’s for the 12,000-mile driver group, and for the 6,000-mile driver group, the percentage difference is negligible.

Learn more about low mileage car insurance »

Geico Car Insurance Rates by Coverage Type

You have options for how much coverage you carry. Bare-bones insurance meets the requirements in your state, but you can choose to have more coverage for your vehicle and pay higher premiums.

You can probably guess by now that Geico again has the second cheapest rates in our study for these levels of coverage. Again, USAA has the lowest average rates. For low coverage, Geico’s study rate is $1,015. Medium coverage has an average rate of $1,100, and high levels of coverage have a rate of $1,192. 

As a comparison, Allstate has the most expensive rates across the board in these categories, according to our study. Its rates are about a 60% increase over Geico’s for all levels of coverage.

We used the following criteria to define our coverage levels.

Low Coverage: The state liability limits.

Medium Coverage: $50,000/$100,000 of coverage for:

$50,000 of coverage for:

• Property damage liability

• Uninsured motorist property damage liability

• Underinsured motorist property damage liability

High Coverage: $100,000/$300,000 of coverage for:

$100,000 of coverage for:

• Property damage liability

• Uninsured motorist property damage liability

• Uninsured motorist property damage liability

$100,000 of coverage for:

• Property damage liability

• Uninsured motorist property damage liability

• Underinsured motorist property damage liability

For more information, read What Is Uninsured Motorist Car Insurance? »

Geico Car Insurance Rates by Credit History

Our study shows that Geico has some of the lowest average rates regardless of a driver’s credit history. Even with poor credit, the average rate is $1,719, which is about a 30% decrease from the national average of $2,227. Its rate for fair credit is $1,293, and for good credit, it is $1,101. These are all below the national average, and they’re second only to USAA.

Geico Car Insurance Rates by Driving Record

It only makes sense that your driving record would influence your auto insurance premiums. It’s one of the most reliable indicators of a driver’s risk profile.

While this car insurance company does have one of the cheapest average rates for drivers with a clean record, $1,100, its rates for those with a violation on their record rise sharply. With one speeding ticket, Geico’s average rate is $1,395. That’s below the national average of about $1,600, but it’s higher than both USAA and State Farm’s average rates. 

With one accident, Geico’s rate rises to $1,735. This is a little below the national average of $1,872, but a handful of other insurers, including State Farm and American Family, have lower average rates.

Geico has harsher premium penalties for a DUI than any other insurance company. With one DUI on a driver’s record, Geico’s average rate is the highest of any insurer in our study: $2,836. That’s an 80% increase over the lowest rate for drivers in this group, which was State Farm’s $1,568. Perhaps more important, it’s a 157% increase compared to Geico’s own rate for a clean record.

Geico Customer Satisfaction

Geico is one of the cheapest car insurers in the country, but it doesn’t skimp on customer service for the sake of low premiums. Its customers are among the most likely to recommend Geico auto insurance to others.

Geico was established in 1936 in Texas by Leo and Lillian Goodwin. If you’ve ever wondered why the company name is usually in all capital letters, it’s because it was named the Government Employees Insurance Corporation, or Geico for short. In 1956, a young Warren Buffet invested in the company, which would come to be important 40 years later, when Buffett purchased all of Geico’s outstanding stock and the insurance company became a subsidiary of Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway.

In 2021, Geico is the second-largest insurer in the United States, ahead of Progressive and behind State Farm. It has more than 17 million policies covering 28 million vehicles on the road.

Geico came in third in our customer satisfaction survey, with many respondents saying they would recommend the company to others because of its “solid service and coverage,” as one respondent said. Several also noted, as this respondent did, Geico’s “great rates, good service, and ease of online policy administration.”

Who Should Get Geico Car Insurance?

Geico’s average car insurance rates are some of the cheapest we found. Almost anyone could save money with Geico if they don’t qualify for USAA insurance, which restricts its membership to military families. 

Geico’s rates are particularly good for younger drivers and those with poor credit histories. However, if your driving record isn’t spotless, Geico’s rates might not be the least expensive. This is particularly true for drivers with a DUI.

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Geico vs. Other Insurance Companies

Geico Auto Insurance vs. Progressive Auto Insurance

Geico is one of the cheapest insurers in our study, while Progressive’s rates fall square in the middle of the pack. Progressive only has a lower rate than Geico in our study for drivers with a DUI, because every insurer in our study has a lower rate than Geico for that group of drivers.

Geico came in third with customers, and Progressive landed in seventh place. Geico received higher marks across the board, for customer service, claims handling, and loyalty. People in our survey were also more likely to renew their Geico car insurance and recommend it to others.

Read more in our Geico vs. Progressive Head to Head »

Geico Auto Insurance vs. State Farm Auto Insurance

Geico and State Farm run a very close race when it comes to rates and customer satisfaction. Geico comes in second place with a lower average rate of $1,100 compared to State Farm’s $1,168. 

In many cases, the average rates are close. For 60-year-old men, the rates from these companies are within $2 of each other. But State Farm has the highest rate of any company for drivers with poor credit history, while Geico has the second lowest. These two flip that ranking for drivers with a DUI: State Farm has the lowest rate and Geico has the highest.

When it comes to customer satisfaction, State Farm takes second place and Geico takes third. Our study shows State Farm customers say they are more likely to renew their policy, but Geico customers are more likely to recommend their insurer to others. The two have nearly identical ratings for claims handling, but State Farm has the overall better score for customer service.

Read more in our Geico vs. State Farm Head to Head »

Geico Auto Insurance vs. Allstate Auto Insurance

Geico’s average rates are lower than Allstate’s in almost every category, as Allstate is the most expensive insurer in our study. Geico’s average overall rate of $1,100 is a 65% decrease from Allstate’s average rate of $1,788. In fact, Allstate has the highest average rate for every profile we studied, with the notable exception of a driver with a DUI. In that case, Geico has the highest rate.

Geico also fares better with customers than Allstate. It comes in third place in our study, while Allstate is at the bottom of the list. Geico’s customers gave it higher marks in every category.

Read more in our Geico vs. Allstate Head to Head »

Geico Car Insurance Complaints

Geico’s customers are generally happy with the company’s customer service and value, and most respondents had positive remarks about customer service and value. A few mentioned problems with claims handling, a category where Geico falls to the middle of the pack.

• “Their insurance has risen in past years but I have a very clean record. I would like to check other companies just to see if I am still getting the best deal.”

• “Outside of the claim process, yes, Geico has good customer service. During the claim process, no. Geico has abysmal customer service.”

Types of Coverage From Geico Car Insurance

• Comprehensive

• Collision

• Liability

• Medical

• Uninsured/underinsured motorist

• Emergency road service via the Geico app

• Rental car reimbursement during repairs

• Mechanical breakdown

• Rideshare insurance

Geico offers the same types of car insurance as most national companies. This can include reimbursement for a rental car while your car is being repaired, and roadside assistance if you get a flat tire. It also offers mechanical breakdown insurance that covers repairs for cars newer than 15 months old and with less than 15,000 miles on the odometer. This coverage includes all parts and systems, which is more than typical extended warranties from the dealership cover.

Like some other companies, Geico offers separate rideshare insurance to cover your car while driving for a service like Uber or Lyft, or even an on-demand delivery service like Grubhub. It extends your personal car insurance to your business use of the vehicle.

The Geico mobile app also comes with a virtual assistant, which allows you to easily view billing and policy information, as well as documents like your insurance ID cards. 

Geico Car Insurance Discounts

More than half of respondents in our survey were happy with the discounts offered by Geico, with two-thirds giving the company a four or five on our 5-point scale. Several respondents weren’t aware of all the discounts the company offers, so customers or potential customers should always ask about discounts. It’s also true that discounts vary depending on which state you’re in, so check with Geico for eligibility.

Other Types of Policies From Geico

Like most large insurance companies, Geico can insure just about anything, including property and business insurance. Renter’s insurance, as well as coverage for homes and condos is offered. You can also cover your medical practice or yoga studio. Geico even offers pet insurance.

• Motorcycle, ATV, RV

• Boats

• Collector cars

• Homeowners, renters, condos

• Landlord insurance

• Flood coverage

• Business liability

• Cyber liability

• Medical malpractice

• Life insurance

• Travel and overseas insurance

• Pet insurance

Geico Financial Fitness

Geico received a rating of A++ from AM Best, the highest rating for insurers. This means that Geico has the funds available to pay claims. As of 2021, that financial stability came from $32 billion in assets.

Note that mailing addresses for this company depend on the type of insurance you’re inquiring about and the location of the policyholder. The information provided below is for its corporate mailing address.

• Website: www.geico.com

• Phone: 1-800-841-3000

• Mailing Address: One Geico Plaza, Washington, DC 20076

• Twitter: @Geico

How We Created This Geico Car Insurance Review

At U.S. News, we’re all about helping people make life’s important decisions. Our college rankings, launched in 1983, set the standard in educational rankings. Our rankings in other fields, like healthcare, government, and the automotive sphere, help people and thought leaders make choices that make lives better. Now we’re continuing to empower you with the information you need to make the right choices for your life with our Best Car Insurance Rankings. 

We surveyed 4,806 consumers who filed a car insurance claim or started a new auto insurance policy in the last five years, asking questions about their car insurance company. Of the survey respondents, 278 filed a claim with Geico and 381 started a policy with Geico. These questions covered satisfaction with the ease of filing a claim, customer service, claim status communication, claim resolution, and overall value. In general, questions for consumers who have filed a claim were given more weight than questions for consumers who have only opened a policy. We also asked whether they’d recommend the company and if they planned to renew their policy. We used their responses to build our Best Car Insurance Companies Rankings, as well as our sub-rankings: Best Car Insurance Companies – Customer Service, Best Car Insurance Companies – Claims Handling, and Best Car Insurance Companies – Customer Loyalty, and this company profile.

Our Study Rates

To get comparative insurance rates for this study, U.S. News also worked with Quadrant Information Services to analyze a report of insurance rates in all 50 states from most of the largest national car insurance companies, though not every company operates in every state. Quadrant obtained publicly available rate data that car insurers file with state regulators. Our study rates are based on profiles for both male and female drivers aged 25, 35, and 60. Vehicles used include the 2015 Honda Civic, 2015 Toyota RAV4, and 2015 Ford F-150, with annual mileage ranging from 6,000 and 12,000. Three car insurance coverage levels were used, as were credit tiers of good, fair, and poor. Clean driving records and records with one accident, one speeding violation, and one DUI were also used in the calculations of certain driver archetypes. 

To get the study rates shown here, we computed the mean rate for male and female drivers aged 25, 35, and 60 who drive 12,000 miles per year and have medium coverage, good credit, and a clean driving record. The rates shown here are for comparative purposes only and should not be considered “average” rates available by individual insurers. Because car insurance rates are based on individual factors, your car insurance rates will differ from the rates shown here.