Allstate car insurance review: Great discounts, simple claims process

Allstate earns praise for its widespread availability and numerous money-saving benefits, including a 25% bundling discount — one of the largest in the industry.

We also like that Allstate has a generous menu of add-ons, like rideshare insurance, custom parts and equipment coverage and trip interruption protection. It's also one of the few major insurers to offer pay-per-mile insurance, which can save infrequent drivers up to 40% over traditional insurance.

Allstate offers car insurance in all 50 U.S. states and Washington, D.C.

Basic coverage

Full coverage is typically required if you're financing or leasing.

• Liability car insurance: The minimum coverage allowed in most states, liability covers expenses related to injury, death or property damage of others when you're at fault.
  Collision coverage: Covers expenses related to the damage or destruction of your vehicle from an accident or other collision.
  Comprehensive coverage: Covers expenses related to the damage to your vehicle caused by vandalism, theft, hail, fallen trees and more.  

Additional coverage

These policies are required in some states and optional in others

• Personal injury protection (PIP) insurance: Also known as no-fault insurance, PIP covers expenses related to injuries you sustain in a covered accident.
• Medical payments insurance: Covers medical expenses if you or your passengers are hurt, regardless of who's at fault.
• Gap insurance: This helps cover the difference between the amount you owe on your car loan or lease and the car's actual cash value in case of a total loss or theft.
• Uninsured/underinsured motorist insurance: Covers your expenses if the other driver is at fault and doesn't have insurance.

Add-ons

Allstate offers a variety of optional features.

• Accident forgiveness: A single at-fault accident won't lead to your rates increasing.
• Custom parts and equipment: Optional protection for aftermarket parts and accessories
• Rental car reimbursement: If your vehicle is being repaired after a covered incident, Allstate will reimburse the cost of a rental at a rate of up to $30 per day for up to 30 days. 
• Rideshare insurance: Ride for Hire provides up to $2,500 in additional coverage if you drive for a transportation network company like Uber or Lyft.
• Roadside assistance: Allstate offers several tiers — the Roadside Advantage plan comes with tire and wheel repair/replacement and $1,500 in trip interruption protection
• Trip interruption: Pays up to $500 for food, lodging and other costs if your car breaks down more than 100 miles from home.
• Vehicle protection: Covers major systems, minor dents and lost keys for newer cars.

Allstate car insurance discounts

Allstate offers a variety of discounts. Not all discounts are available in all states, however, and some cannot be combined.

• Bundling: You can save up to 25% when you bundle Allstate home and auto insurance.
• Drivewise: Lower your rate up to 25% with this safe-driving app.
• Early signing discount: Save when you sign your policy at least seven days before it becomes effective
• eSmart discount: Go paperless and save
• EZ pay plan discount: Save by setting up autopay
• Safe driving club: Discounts are available if at least one driver on the policy has had no at-fault accidents in the last five years.
• Safety features: Vehicles with anti-lock brakes may qualify for a discount.
• New car: Applicable if your vehicle is a current model year or one year prior and you're the first owner.
• Online buying: Get additional savings for receiving an online quote and signing policy documents online.
• Pay in full: Available if you pay your policy in full or have not missed any payments
• Smart student: Students under 25 can save if they have a GPA of 2.7 or above, have completed the teenSMART driver education program or attend school more than 100 miles from where their car is garaged.

Allstate ranked below average for overall customer satisfaction in most regions in J.D. Power's 2024 U.S. Auto Insurance Study, which surveys users about price, ease of doing business, level of trust, product offerings, problem resolution and digital channels.

It scored above average with the claims process, however, and has a lower volume of complaints than expected, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. The Better Business Bureau gave Allstate a B- , citing unresolved complaints.

Customer service representatives are available by phone 24/7 and both the Allstate website and automated chat feature are available in English and Spanish.

Allstate offers a variety of insurance, including for:

• Homeowners insurance
• Renters insurance
• Business insurance
• RV insurance
• Life insurance
• Pet insurance (through Embrace)
• Travel insurance

According to Allstate, bundling auto and home policies can save you up to 25% on your monthly premiums.

The company also provides other financial products, including annuities, IRAs and mutual funds.

Here's how Allstate stacks up against two leaders in the auto insurance space.

Allstate vs. Geico

Allstate and Geico are two of the largest auto insurers in the U.S, and both issue policies in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Geico generally offers lower rates for both minimum and comprehensive coverage, which is why we've named it one of the cheapest auto insurance providers on the market.

Allstate comes out ahead on coverage options, however, with a number of add-ons Geico lacks — like rideshare insurance, gap insurance and coverage for custom parts and equipment

Both providers have robust discount options, although only Geico offers reductions for members of the military and has a multi-vehicle discount that can save you up to 25%.

While both have mixed records for customer service, Allstate came out ahead in J.D. Power's survey about the claims process. At the same time, Geico earned an A+ from the Better Business Bureau, compared to the B- Allstate received.

Read on: Geico car insurance review

Allstate vs. Progressive

While Allstate's average rates are higher than Progressive's in most categories, its bundling discount is much more generous and, unlike Progressive's Snapshot safe-driving program, users of Allstate's Drivewise don't risk their premiums going up.

Allstate is also one of the few major insurers to offer pay-per-mile insurance, which can be a big money-saver if you're an infrequent driver.

Both companies receive fewer complaints than expected. While neither was a standout in J.D. Power's customer satisfaction surveys, Allstate ranked higher in most cases.

Read on: Progressive car insurance review

You can buy Allstate car insurance online, on the phone at 800-726-6033 or in person with an insurance agent. You'll need to answer questions about yourself, your location and your driving history and share details about your car, including make, model and year.

Once you customize your policy, coverage limits and deductibles, you'll be given a price quote and invited to set up a payment method.

If you want to purchase a plan through an insurance agent, you can find one nearby by entering your ZIP code on the Allstate website.

You can make payments, view your policy and insurance cards, request roadside assistance and file claims on the Allstate website and mobile app.

Allstate is a good option if you're looking for a company with nationwide availability, an easy-to-use online portal and a wide range of coverage options.

Its rates are higher than many competitors, but it also has many options for discounts — including some of the biggest savings for bundling and usage-based driving.

If you prioritize customer service, however, you may want to see what other options are available. Allstate has scored below average in J.D. Power's customer satisfaction surveys and has cut the number of agents and physical branches available for in-person service.

At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every car insurance review is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of insurance products. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics.

CNBC Select reviews auto insurance products using a variety of criteria, including coverage options, average rates, availability, discounts and customer satisfaction. 

In addition, we incorporate results from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners' complaint index, Better Business Bureau ratings, A.M. Best's financial strength scores and other independent sources, including J.D. Power surveys on insurance shopping, the claims process, the digital consumer experiences and overall customer satisfaction.

Auto insurance rates may come from various sources, including the provider and state insurance departments. 

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