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Within the next 20 years, 1 in 5 Americans will be over the age of 65. More Americans are healthier and living longer, which also means more drivers on our nation’s roadways. As baby boomers, in particular, get older they’ll need affordable car insurance that meets their needs.

However, with so many insurance companies on the market, finding the right coverage can be a challenge. To help consumers find the best car insurance companies for 2020, we surveyed baby boomer policyholders to get their views on their insurer’s claims process, pricing, customer service and website and app experience. We asked them several questions, including why they chose their insurer, how much they spend on auto insurance and what it would take to get them to switch insurers.

Based on their insights, here’s an overview of the best car insurance companies for baby boomers and why these companies stand out.

 

Top 20 Car Insurance Companies for Baby Boomers

Overall Ranking Auto Insurance Company Baby Boomers Auto Overall Score
1 Auto Club of Southern California (Auto Club Enterprise Insurance Group) 91.06
2 USAA 90.20
3 CSAA Insurance Group 89.23
4 Allstate 88.15
5 The Auto Club Group (ACG) – AAA 87.00
6 State Farm 85.98
7 Progressive 85.52
8 Esurance 85.35
9 Metlife 84.71
10 Erie 84.02
11 Hartford 83.80
12 Liberty Mutual 83.29
13 Travelers 83.05
14 Nationwide 83.02
15 American Family 81.28
16 Safeco 81.18
17 Geico 80.90
18 Mercury 80.45
19 Farmers 80.12
20 The General 71.89

 

Best car insurance companies for boomers based on price

The three top companies in this category were Auto Club of Southern California, USAA and Progressive. Each of these insurers offers various discounts, including multi-vehicle and driver discounts. On its website, USAA even says that its members save an average of $707 on auto insurance.

Price is an important consideration for baby boomers. The majority (19%) spend between $1,000 -$1,249 a year on auto insurance, while 16% spend between $750-$999 annually. However, 35% of baby boomers surveyed said they would switch insurers if a competitor paid $250 less than their current company. For 20% of baby boomers, annual savings of $500 could be enough for them to switch.

Ranking Auto Insurance Company Baby Boomers Auto Overall Price Score
1 Auto Club of Southern California (Auto Club Enterprise Insurance Group) 88.00
2 USAA 83.58
3 Progressive 82.22
4 CSAA Insurance Group 82.11
5 Metlife 80.00
6 Allstate 80.00
7 State Farm 79.01
8 Esurance 77.65
9 Erie 77.21
10 Mercury 76.52
11 Nationwide 75.33
12 The General 73.85
13 Hartford 73.55
14 Travelers 73.08
15 Liberty Mutual 72.68
16 Safeco 72.14
17 American Family 72.00
18 Geico 71.35
19 The Auto Club Group (ACG) – AAA 68.57
20 Farmers 68.26

Car insurance companies with the best claims process for boomers

Our research indicates most baby boomers (49%) prefer to deal with their insurer via phone. Another 30% prefer in-person interaction, while 12% prefer their insurer’s website.

Whether you want to initiate the claims process in-person or via phone, CSAA Insurance Group offers its customers a variety of options. In 2019, the company announced a new partnership with Owlcam, a video security and safety service, to streamline the claims process. Using Owlcam’s Video First Notice of Loss (vFNOL) feature, CSAA customers can report and start their claim directly from Owlcam’s mobile app. This anytime-anywhere capability may be one of the many reasons CSAA ranked number one for its claims process.

Ranking Auto Insurance Company Baby Boomers Auto Overall Claim Score
1 CSAA Insurance Group 100
2 The Auto Club Group (ACG) – AAA 100
3 Esurance 100
4 Liberty Mutual 98.00
5 Travelers 96.67
6 USAA 95.20
6 Metlife 95.00
7 Allstate 93.33
7 Progressive 93.33
10 Nationwide 92.73
11 State Farm 92.00
12 Farmers 91.11
13 Hartford 90.91
14 Mercury 90.00
15 American Family 88.89
16 Erie 88.00
16 Geico 86.67
18 Safeco 84.00
19 The General 60.00
19 Auto Club of Southern California (Auto Club Enterprise Insurance Group) 60.00

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Car insurance companies with the best customer service for boomers

the auto club group and Auto Club of Southern California were the top ranked companies for customer service. Some online reviews for The Auto Club Group indicate that friendly employees add to the amazing service customers receive. Baby boomers we surveyed touted great service and pricing for Auto Club of Southern California. Some even said they’d recommend the company to friends and family — a tell-tale sign of great customer service.

Ranking Auto Insurance Company Baby Boomers Auto Overall Customer Service Score
1 The Auto Club Group (ACG) – AAA 97.14
2 Auto Club of Southern California (Auto Club Enterprise Insurance Group) 94.67
3 USAA 92.84
4 Allstate 92.43
5 CSAA Insurance Group 90.53
6 State Farm 89.60
7 Hartford 89.35
8 Erie 89.30
8 Safeco 86.43
10 Liberty Mutual 85.85
11 Farmers 85.65
12 Metlife 85.45
13 Nationwide 85.00
14 American Family 85.00
15 Esurance 84.71
16 Geico 84.32
17 Travelers 83.08
18 Progressive 82.22
19 Mercury 79.13
20 The General 73.85

 

Car insurance companies with the best website & apps for boomers

Though baby boomers prefer to interact with their insurers in-person and via phone, many are satisfied with their insurance company’s digital experience. For the top two companies in this category — USAA and The Auto Club Group — 52% and 53% of baby boomers, respectively, said they were completely satisfied with the companies’ website and mobile app, saying both digital solutions more than met their needs.

Ranking Auto Insurance Company Baby Boomers Auto Overall Website & App Score
1 USAA 91.00
2 The Auto Club Group (ACG) – AAA 90.00
3 Allstate 88.39
4 Auto Club of Southern California (Auto Club Enterprise Insurance Group) 87.14
5 Progressive 87.10
5 Safeco 86.25
7 Geico 85.63
8 Travelers 85.26
9 Esurance 84.71
10 Hartford 84.53
11 American Family 83.03
12 CSAA Insurance Group 82.86
13 State Farm 82.73
14 Nationwide 81.70
15 Liberty Mutual 81.25
16 Erie 80.91
17 Farmers 80.53
18 Metlife 77.14
19 Mercury 75.79
20 The General 66.67

Tips for comparing car insurance companies

Our survey is a good starting point to compare insurers, but you also should consider taking these steps when shopping around for car insurance: 

  • Identify your needs: Learn how the different types of car insurance work to protect you, then decide how much car insurance you need. Insure.com Senior Consumer Analyst Penny Gusner recommends buying more liability insurance than what your state requires to drive legally to ensure you are sufficiently covered. You also need to know whether you need comprehensive or collision coverage. It’s wise to buy these optional coverages unless your car is worth less than $3,000 and you have no assets or savings.
  • Check company performance and complaints: The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) and your state’s department of insurance both track company performance, which includes details on an insurer’s financial rating and complaint ratios. Pay close attention to each insurer’s complaint ratio. You can see the complaint ratio of companies you are considering by visiting the NAIC website, and eliminate the companies that don’t have a good reputation.
  • Do your digital due diligence: Customer experience is a top priority for many millennials, so visit the websites of some of the companies you’re considering to see if they offer a user-friendly and seamless digital experience. If their website and apps are easy to use, it might be a good indication of the quality of customer service you’ll receive as a policyholder.
  • Research discounts for which you qualify: Check each company’s website for information on discount programs. Discounts that are a good fit for boomer drivers include those for senior drivers, loyalty discounts and discounts found through affiliate programs such as your alma mater or professional group. You may also qualify for a low-mileage discount if you’re retired, or if you have a short commute or use public transportation and don’t drive much. There are also many discounts for electronic billing and buying a policy online. And, you can save on your policy if you buy your auto insurance and condo or home insurance from the same company.
  • Compare car insurance quotes: Once you’ve narrowed down your choices, compare car insurance rates from each of your top companies. You should compare quotes from at least three companies. Car insurance companies each use their own unique formula to set rates, so the price of a policy can vary significantly among carriers, which is why comparing costs is one of the most effective ways to save money.