American Family vs. Geico: Best Car Insurance for 2023
Our American Family vs. Geico car insurance guide will help you decide between two great companies by looking at their rates based on age, driving record, and credit score. Both companies have competitive rates; however, American Family is a better choice than Geico for drivers with speeding tickets, accidents, DUIs, and fluctuating credit scores. Which one is the right choice for you? Keep reading to make your decision.
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Chris Abrams
Licensed Insurance Agent
Chris is the founder of Abrams Insurance Solutions and Marcan Insurance, which provide personal financial analysis and planning services for families and small businesses across the U.S. His companies represent nearly 100 of the top-rated insurance companies. Chris has been a licensed insurance agent since 2009 and has active insurance licenses in all 50 U.S. states and D.C. Chris works tireles...
Licensed Insurance Agent
UPDATED: Apr 21, 2023
It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right car insurance coverage choices.
Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident car insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one car insurance company and cannot guarantee quotes from any single company.
Our car insurance industry partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from many different car insurance companies please enter your ZIP code on this page to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.
Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about auto insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything auto insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by auto insurance experts.
UPDATED: Apr 21, 2023
It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right car insurance coverage choices.
Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident car insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one car insurance company and cannot guarantee quotes from any single company.
Our car insurance industry partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from many different car insurance companies please enter your ZIP code on this page to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.
On This Page
- Both American Family and Geico have excellent customer satisfaction ratings and minimal customer complaints
- Geico has the best financial strength rating from A.M. Best
- American Family has lower rates for drivers with a speeding ticket, accident, or DUI
- Overall, Geico has cheaper car insurance rates than American Family — but it’s only by a small amount
- Geico has more discounts than American Family
American Family and Geico are both credible and reliable auto insurance companies with strong financial futures. But one may be better depending on your current situation.
Overall, inuance rates from both companies are similar; however, rates differ greatly for drivers with a bad driving record or poor credit score. Geico also gives a huge break to young males, who are typically the largest risk a car insurance company can assume.
What company has the best car insurance coverage? In our American Family vs. Geico car insurance guide, we compare rates by age, driving record, and credit score so you can find out.
We also compare ratings from agencies with a credible and trustworthy view of the best car insurance companies. Discounts offered by both companies are also lined up for a detailed comparison.
Before you compare American Family auto insurance and Geico auto insurance, compare car insurance quotes by entering your ZIP code now.
Is American Family or Geico car insurance cheaper based on age?
Age is one of the most important factors in determining your car insurance rates. As we age, we drive more, so we become more practiced, aware, and safer.
In some states, it is legal to also use gender and marital status to determine the lowest car insurance rates, but other states have outlawed it. Take a look at the comparison of American Family and Geico insurance rates based on age, gender, and marital status.
Age, Gender, and Marital Status | American Family Average Annual Rates | Geico Average Annual Rates |
---|---|---|
Single 17-year-old female | $5,997 | $5,654 |
Single 17-year-old male | $8,131 | $6,279 |
Single 25-year-old female | $2,289 | $2,379 |
Single 25-year-old male | $2,695 | $2,263 |
Married 35-year-old female | $2,203 | $2,303 |
Married 35-year-old male | $2,224 | $2,312 |
Married 60-year-old female | $2,203 | $2,303 |
Married 60-year-old male | $2,224 | $2,312 |
The majority of car insurance companies will charge high rates for male drivers, especially teens. Surprisingly though, Geico rates for teen males are 23 percent cheaper than American Family’s rates. Additionally, rates for teen females are 6 percent cheaper than American Family’s.
Car insurance rates for single 25-year-old males are 16 percent cheaper with Geico than American Family. Geico is definitely the best choice over American Family if you have a young driver in your family.
American Family and Geico car insurance rates are competitive for other age and gender categories.
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Is American Family or Geico car insurance cheaper based on driving record?
If you have a not-so-great driving record, it doesn’t matter what company you choose; you will always pay higher rates than drivers with a clean record. But, some companies offer discounts to help offset the higher rates.
Driving Record | American Family Average Annual Rates | Geico Average Annual Rates |
---|---|---|
Clean record | $2,694 | $2,146 |
With one speeding violation | $3,026 | $2,645 |
With one accident | $3,723 | $3,193 |
With one DUI | $4,330 | $4,876 |
American Family’s car insurance rates are about $500 higher than Geico’s car insurance rates for drivers with a speeding ticket or accident on their record. However, American Family is more lenient on drivers that have a DUI on their record.
Geico’s rates increase more drastically as a driver gets more serious charges. This could be because Geico was originally for government employees, so, naturally, there are greater penalties for breaking laws.
In fact, when compared to a driver with a clean record, drivers that choose Geico will have rates that increase by 50 percent if they cause an accident, and drivers with Geico that get a DUI will pay well over double that of a driver with a clean record.
Is American Family or Geico car insurance cheaper based on credit score?
Sadly, and too often, bad things happen to good people when it comes to finances. A good credit score can plummet in a matter of a few months if you are a victim of financial trauma such as a divorce or medical challenges.
Also sad, the lower your credit score the higher your car insurance rates.
You may be thinking, “that’s not fair!” You aren’t the only one.
Car insurance companies assume that drivers with good credit are less likely to file a claim and are overall more responsible and safer drivers.
The good news is, along with gender and marital status, several states have banned basing rates on credit score. Let’s take a look at how American Family and Geico handle drivers with good, fair, and poor credit scores.
Credit History Summary | American Family Average Annual Rates | Geico Average Annual Rates |
---|---|---|
Good Credit (670-739) | $2,692 | $2,435 |
Fair Credit Score (580-669) | $3,170 | $2,987 |
Poor Credit Score (300-579) | $4,468 | $4,260 |
Overall, based on credit score, Geico’s car insurance rates are cheaper than American Family’s car insurance rates. However, Geico is more punitive when it comes to the difference in rates for a driver with a not-so-great credit history.
Geico rates increase by 23 to 75 percent for those with a fair or poor credit score. American Family rates increase by only 18 to 66 percent.
Geico is a better option, initially, if you have bad credit. But, if you go with Geico, expect your rates to skyrocket if you experience financial trauma.
Use your Geico login to review your rates every six months. If you see a dramatic increase due to credit score, it may be a good idea to switch companies.
It’s possible, however, that your state has already outlawed basing car insurance rates on credit score. To know for sure, compare rates from a variety of companies by reading your state car insurance guide.
Does American Family or Geico have better car insurance discounts?
Our information source provides only three American Family car insurance discounts. Geico offers 14 discounts and gives a better discount for having air bags, which is the only discount American Family and Geico have in common.
Discounts | American Family | Geico |
---|---|---|
Anti-lock Brakes | N/A | 5 |
Anti-Theft | N/A | 25 |
Claim Free | N/A | 26 |
Daytime Running Lights | N/A | 1 |
Defensive Driver | 10 | N/A |
Driving Device/App | 40 | N/A |
Emergency Deployment | N/A | 25 |
Federal Employee | N/A | 8 |
Good Student | N/A | 15 |
Military | N/A | 15 |
Multiple Policies | N/A | 10 |
Multiple Vehicles | N/A | 25 |
Passive Restraint | 30 | 40 |
Safe Driver | N/A | 15 |
Seat Belt Use | N/A | 15 |
Vehicle Recovery | N/A | 25 |
Geico’s best discounts are for anti-theft devices, vehicle recovery, being claim-free, insuring multiple vehicles, and if you are in the military and are urgently deployed.
There are two discounts American Family has that Geico does not: completing a defensive driving course and utilizing its mobile driving app or device.
If you do choose American Family, be sure to use your American Family insurance login to review discounts regularly. Companies are always offering promotions even to current customers.
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Does American Family or Geico have the better car insurance app?
Most of the larger car insurance companies offer two different apps. One is a general app you can use to manage your policy, pay your bill, or show electronic verification of coverage which is permitted in most states.
The other app is a driving app that uses your mobile phone to record your driving habits, or the company may have you install a device into your vehicle to record your driving habits.
Geico was the last of the top 10 car insurance companies to create and offer a usage-based driving app, so it is still doing some testing. This may mean you get an even bigger discount, so it never hurts to ask when you are getting your Geico quote.
Read about American Family’s KnowYourDrive and Geico’s DriveEasy usage-based car insurance apps in our American Family company review and our Geico company review.
How do American Family and Geico car insurance compare in financial strength and customer satisfaction?
Getting a great car insurance rate is something to celebrating, especially if you get to take advantage of multiple discounts. But just as important as finding the very best rate is a company’s financial strength, customer satisfaction with the claims process, and customer complaints.
The following three credible and trustworthy agencies provide insight into these factors:
A.M. Best scores companies based on their ability to meet their ongoing insurance obligations such as balancing premiums collected and claims paid. The highest score A.M. Best awards is Superior A++.
Consumer Reports collects annual data from its subscribers regarding customer satisfaction of the claims process, step by step. In their 2017 survey, 27 insurance companies were rated, and scores ranged between 86 to 96.
And the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) calculates a complaint ratio based on the total number of customers against the total number of complaints. In 2017, the national average complaint ratio was 1. The lower the ratio, the better.
Agencies | American Family Ratings | Geico Ratings |
---|---|---|
AM Best | A (Excellent) | A++ (Superior) |
Consumer Reports | 89 | 89 |
NAIC Complaint Ratio | 0.79 (total of 73 complaints) | 0.68 (total of 333 complaints) |
Both American Family and Geico have positive feedback from customers that go through the claims process. Geico’s customer services are also top-rated. Both companies also do well with managing customer complaints.
Also, both companies have great financial strength ratings. Geico holds the highest rating possible from A.M. Best.
Before making any final decisions on your insurance company, it is important to learn as much as you can about your local insurance providers, and the coverages they offer. Call your local insurance agent to clear up any questions that you might have. Questions to consider asking include, “What is the best coverage plan for me/my family/my situation?” “What are the minimum coverage requirements in my state and what form of coverage do you recommend?” “Do you guys offer any bundle discounts if I take out both my auto insurance and home insurance with you?” and “What is the average rate of insurance quotes you guys offer?”
Before making any big insurance decisions, use our free tool to compare insurance quotes near you. It’s simple, just plug in your zip code and we’ll do the rest!
Before you buy car insurance, use our free comparison tool to compare affordable car insurance companies in your area.
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Chris Abrams
Licensed Insurance Agent
Chris is the founder of Abrams Insurance Solutions and Marcan Insurance, which provide personal financial analysis and planning services for families and small businesses across the U.S. His companies represent nearly 100 of the top-rated insurance companies. Chris has been a licensed insurance agent since 2009 and has active insurance licenses in all 50 U.S. states and D.C. Chris works tireles...
Licensed Insurance Agent
Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about auto insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything auto insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by auto insurance experts.