THE VERDICT
Progressive is better than Safeco overall, per WalletHub’s grading criteria, as Progressive received 3.9 out of 5 stars from WalletHub editors and Safeco received just 3.4 out of 5 stars. Progressive also beats Safeco in terms of average pricing.
For example, a minimum coverage policy in California for a 45-year-old driver with a clean record costs an average of $549 per year from Progressive and $1,248 per year from Safeco. Similarly, the same policy for a 16-year-old driver costs $1,780 per year from Progressive and $3,016 per year from Safeco.
Progressive beats Safeco in terms of purchasing options, too. Safeco only sells policies through independent agents, while Progressive sells through agents as well as directly to customers. Plus, it’s worth noting that Progressive is a much larger insurer than Safeco.
Compare Safeco vs. Progressive
- Types of Insurance: Progressive beats Safeco
- Cost: Progressive beats Safeco
- Discounts: Progressive beats Safeco
- NAIC Rating: Safeco beats Progressive
- J.D. Power Rating: Safeco and Progressive are evenly matched
- Market Share: Progressive beats Safeco
Progressive beats Safeco in nearly every category, indicating that it is a better insurer overall. Nevertheless, both Safeco and Progressive have mediocre customer service records, given a greater-than-average number of customer complaints. On the other hand, both companies have received high marks from credit-rating agencies like Moody’s and AM Best, indicating financial stability.
Safeco and Progressive are equally helpful when it comes to filing a claim. Both companies let customers file claims online or over the phone 24/7. However, Safeco earned a slightly higher score from WalletHub editors than Progressive in the transparency category, since its website is more informative.
Although both insurers received high marks for offering different types of insurance, Progressive provides a wider variety. In addition to standard car insurance, Progressive customers can purchase classic car insurance, commercial auto insurance, and Mexico car insurance. Safeco offers classic car insurance, too, along with rideshare insurance.
Progressive is ultimately better than Safeco at attracting customers. Progressive is the third-largest car insurance company in the country, with 13.8% of the overall market share in 2021, the latest year with data. Conversely, Safeco does not make the top 10.
Safeco vs. Progressive: Customer Satisfaction Ratings
Source |
Safeco |
Progressive |
NAIC Complaint Index |
1.26 |
1.45 |
J.D. Power Rating (Customer Satisfaction) |
4.1/5 |
4.1/5 |
J.D. Power Rating (Claim Satisfaction) |
4.3/5 |
4.3/5 |
WalletHub Editor's Rating |
3.4/5 |
3.9/5 |
WalletHub User's Rating |
2.1/5 |
2.7/5 |
The NAIC calculates its Complaint Index score by dividing a company’s number of complaints by its share of market premiums. If that score is higher than the national average of 1.00, the company has received more complaints than normal for an insurance company of its size. WalletHub and J.D. Power use standard 5-star rating scales.
To learn more about what sets these two insurance providers apart, check out WalletHub’s full
Safeco and
Progressive reviews.