Reddit’s Best Car Insurance Recommendations (2025)

The internet is full of useful resources about car insurance. Reddit, the popular discussion board used by millions worldwide, is a great resource if you’re looking for firsthand insights about the car insurance market. Many car insurance shoppers like you have visited the site to ask questions and offer tips about navigating auto insurance.

This guide highlights some of the most helpful Reddit posts about car insurance. Learn about Reddit’s top insurance company recommendations, as well as simple tips to help you save money on car insurance.

What’s the best car insurance, according to Reddit?

Reddit users, also known as Redditors, have plenty of opinions when it comes to the best car insurance company. No company emerges as the unanimous No. 1 favorite, though certain companies receive more mentions than others. Below are a few companies that earn multiple endorsements on Reddit threads.

USAA

This Redditor praises USAA for promptly handling a dangerous situation on some snowy roads. Many other customers are satisfied with USAA, which helped the company earn a customer satisfaction score of 890 out of 1,000 points in the J.D. Power 2022 U.S. Auto Claims Satisfaction Study, which is above average.1 Drivers should note that USAA is only available to active or retired U.S. military members and their families.

Erie Auto

Several longtime Erie Auto customers chimed in with positive experiences. Auto insurance companies often raise rates over time, and not all offer loyalty discounts for sticking with them. So it’s worth noting that these loyal customers saw relatively consistent rates.

This poster echoed the positive sentiments, describing a very smooth claims process:

State Farm

State Farm is the largest car insurance company in the country by market share, serving drivers in all 50 states.2 A few Redditors mention positive experiences with State Farm, even if the rates aren’t as low as they’d like. The above commenter didn’t buy a policy that includes rental car coverage, though the company does offer this additional option.

Many customers, like the Reddit user above, purchase auto insurance and home insurance from State Farm. State Farm’s home and auto bundle discount could save new policyholders an average of $1,127, according to its website.

Smaller insurers

Reddit users have positive opinions about smaller insurers, too. The customer above puts up with slightly higher car insurance rates in exchange for a boutique, customer-friendly experience with American National.

A commenter with experience in the automotive business also believes a smaller, regional insurer is the best option for most drivers. The commenter questions large insurers’ claims processes and shouts out USAA and Erie as great options, as well as GEICO if you’re looking for a larger insurer.

“Keep in mind user-generated insurance reviews may skew toward complaints and not fairly represent a company’s offerings and typical customer service,” warns financial expert Laura D. Adams. “If you see similar complaints across websites like Reddit, Facebook, Yelp, and the Better Business Bureau, those could be warning signs to watch out for.”

Reddit isn’t the only option when seeking out the best coverage.

“For objective ratings of insurers, A.M. Best, Fitch, KBRA, Moody’s, and [S&P] are independent agencies that publish data according to their own standards and rating scales that you can find online,” says Adams.

Tips from Redditors about car insurance

The r/personalfinance and r/frugal subreddits are full of useful tips to keep in mind as you shop for car insurance. Below are some recent posts in these subreddits that can help you find the right insurance policy at the right price.

Shop around

Several drivers found that their rates increase over the years when they stay with one insurer. Many switch insurance companies every year or so to seek out cheaper rates.

Reddit users didn’t reach a consensus on how often policyholders should switch companies, though. Insurify recommends looking for quotes from at least three companies every six months.

Drive smart

This Redditor on the r/frugal subreddit wrote a popular post about the benefits of choosing the right route on your commute. Commenters chimed in, recommending routes with fewer left-hand turns and fewer four-way stops. These routes also tend to be more fuel-efficient, which can help you lower fuel costs.

Don’t be afraid to negotiate

Negotiating with your car insurance company was one of the most popular pieces of advice on Reddit. This Redditor urges others to play hardball — particularly longtime customers. After all, no company wants to lose a loyal customer who’s promptly paid their rates for more than a decade.

Choose full coverage

Several Redditors have posted horror stories about not having enough insurance to cover major accidents. These stories are reminders that anything can happen on the road, and it’s often a good idea to choose a full-coverage policy over liability-only insurance.

Consider gap insurance

One driver asked Reddit about the pros and cons of gap insurance — optional insurance that covers the difference between what your vehicle is currently worth and what you owe on it — in the event of a total loss.3 A Redditor with plenty of experience in the insurance industry weighed in, urging the driver to buy gap insurance:

While gap insurance will add a bit to your monthly insurance premiums, the benefits are worth it. If you’re upside-down on your car loan — meaning you owe more on the car loan than what the car is worth — and you total your car, it could put you in a bad situation if you don’t receive a high insurance payout and are trying to secure financing for another car.

Exceed coverage minimums

Most Reddit users suggest purchasing more than your state’s minimum coverage requirements. The user above says drivers should purchase liability coverage of 100/300/100. This translates to $100,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $300,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and property damage coverage of $100,000.

Always go through insurance

The Reddit user below describes an unfortunate incident involving a delivery driver backing into their car and causing serious damage. The manager of the delivery company told the driver that they’d rather keep insurance out of it. The driver took to Reddit to get answers:

The commenters quickly formed a consensus: Always go through insurance.

Working with your insurance company helps you avoid costly headaches. Your insurance agent can assess damages, find you a body shop, and even set you up with a rental car while yours is in the shop. Your body shop will often find additional damages after an initial inspection. Going through insurance guarantees that these supplemental repairs are covered.

How to save money on car insurance, according to Reddit

Below are some easy ways to save money on car insurance, according to Reddit users. These strategies earned plenty of upvotes, which means they’ve likely worked for several policyholders.

Choose the right deductible

A deductible refers to the amount you pay out of pocket on an insurance claim before coverage kicks in. Generally, choosing a higher deductible means you’ll pay lower monthly premiums. One driver on r/frugal did just this to save on monthly premiums:

Commenters reminded the original poster that a higher deductible comes with more financial risk in the event of an accident. If the accident is serious, this driver will end up paying $5,000 out of pocket. Only take on a higher deductible if you have money on hand to handle thousands of dollars in repairs.

Apply for discounts

This driver completed a defensive driving course that cost $40 but ended up saving nearly $80 every six months.

Fortunately, most insurance companies offer a discount to drivers who complete a defensive driving course. Completing this course tells your insurer that you’re a safe driver who’s less likely to file a claim.

Drive a cheaper car

A driver in his 20s recently asked Reddit if there was any way to lower his $534 monthly car insurance premium from Progressive. He gave some brief details about his background and noted that he drives a 2017 Honda Civic SI. Commenters quickly zeroed in on the culprit: his brand-new sports car.

Car insurance companies assume you’re at a greater risk of filing a claim if you drive a sports car. These cars reach higher speeds and are also regularly stolen, which adds to the risk. If you’re hoping to avoid higher rates, choose a less-flashy make and model.

Pay more up front

In the same thread, another Redditor had a simple suggestion for lowering this Progressive customer’s costly premium. Instead of paying their rate monthly, why not pay six months of insurance coverage up front? Paying this lump sum has saved the commenter hundreds of dollars:

This strategy has worked for others, judging by the hundreds of upvotes. Some insurance companies even offer a paid-in-full discount, which knocks a percentage off your rates if you pay more up front. Visit your insurer’s website to see if you might qualify for such a discount.

Best subreddits for finding car insurance information

Reddit can be a great place to find customer stories about insurance and compare different companies, but with approximately 130,000 active subreddits, good information can be hard to find. Start your search with these online communities:

• r/insurance boasts 93,000 members, putting it in the top 2% of subreddits by size. In addition to auto insurance discussions, you’ll find firsthand accounts for every coverage type, from pet to life insurance. The subreddit is highly active, so you’ll likely get quick answers.

• r/personalfinance covers all things budget-related. If you’re looking for the best companies or cheaper insurance, this subreddit is one of the 40 largest and its 18 million members can help.

• r/car_insurance_help’s smaller size keeps the discussion focused on car insurance questions. Members share personal claims stories, offer advice, and debate the pros and cons of different coverages. It’s a great subreddit if you have an insurance problem or want a new policy.

• r/cars is a general subreddit for automotive enthusiasts, but it can be a helpful community for insurance news. The 5.3 million members also compare premiums, answer questions, and share personal experiences about shopping for insurance.

• Car model subreddits, such as r/accord, can help you compare your insurance costs with other drivers with the same vehicle and ensure you’re getting the best value.