+120 more)
Mandy Sleight has over 15 years of insurance knowledge and expertise in auto, home, life, health, pet, supplemental benefits, and other insurance products. She’s a sought-after insurance expert, appearing in Bankrate.com, Moneygeek.com, U.S. News & World Report, Reviews.com, CNET, and other publications, and she's been writing for Compare.com since 2023.
Mandy uses her background and experience working for well-known insurance companies like State Farm and Nationwide Insurance to create engaging and easy-to-understand content that helps readers make smarter insurance choices that have a positive effect on their budgets and finances.
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Nick Versaw leads Compare.com's editorial department, where he and his team specialize in crafting helpful, easy-to-understand content about car insurance and other related topics. With nearly a decade of experience writing and editing insurance and personal finance articles, his work has helped readers discover substantial savings on necessary expenses, including insurance, transportation, health care, and more. As an award-winning writer, Nick has seen his work published in countless renowned publications, such as the Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and U.S. News & World Report. He graduated with Latin honors from Virginia Commonwealth University, where he earned his Bachelor's Degree in Digital Journalism.
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At Compare.com, it’s our mission to give you the tools to find the best (and most affordable) insurance for your unique needs and budget. We strive to provide information that’s helpful, clear, and unbiased, and we believe that comparing insurance companies should never put you at risk of spam. Our editorial team — which is made up of experienced writers, editors, insurance agents, and data analysts — has spent thousands of hours researching and creating the coverage overviews, side-by-side comparisons, and detailed reviews you see across our site.
While we make money through partnerships with some of the brands we discuss in our articles, our editorial team operates 100% independently, and these partners never influence or affect the topics, reviews, ratings, or recommendations we provide. We never guarantee favorable reviews or mentions in exchange for compensation from any brands or partners, and we uphold strict editorial standards to ensure our content is always independent, truthful, and unbiased.
| User Reviews | 4.1 |
|---|---|
| Our Rating Compare.com's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The objective formula used in these reviews weighs several important factors to consider when choosing financial products and services, including customer satisfaction ratings, ease of use, and a number of other components. | 4.7 /5 |
| Liability Only Liability-only insurance, sometimes called minimum-coverage insurance, pays for bodily injury and property damage to others in an accident the policyholder causes. It does not pay for the insured’s own damages. | $56/mo |
| Full Coverage Full-coverage car insurance generally includes liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage, and may include other optional coverages such as uninsured motorist coverage. Collision covers a policyholder’s repair or replacement costs in case of an accident. Comprehensive covers damages caused by non-accident events. The average quote displayed here reflects policies with the following coverage limits: $50,000 bodily injury liability per person; $100,000 bodily injury liability per accident; $50,00 property damage liability per accident; $1,000 collision deductible; and a $1,000 comprehensive deductible. | $116/mo |
Customers appreciate the helpful agents and prompt claim handling, but many are unhappy with the constant rate increases, even for safe drivers. Some also reported poor customer service.
Customers appreciate the helpful agents and prompt claim handling, but many are unhappy with the constant rate increases, even for safe drivers. Some also reported poor customer service.
Arkady
April 27, 2025
What's going on?
John
April 27, 2025
Not very user-friendly
Peter
April 20, 2025
Average Type
Drivers looking for a basic car insurance policy from a company with a solid reputation can find what they need from State Farm. And they can typically find their policy at a discount, so long as they are not high risk.
Among the best customer service satisfaction in the industry
24/7 claims service with large repair network
Lots of available discounts
High rates for high-risk drivers
Limited coverage options
Higher than average customer complaints
Drive Safe & Save is a telematics program created to help State Farm customers practice safe driving habits and save on their monthly auto insurance bill. The program tracks your driving through a mobile app or connected car system, depending on the type of vehicle you have. You get rewarded with a premium reduction of up to 30% based on several factors, like how fast you drive, brake, or take corners. You’ll even get a 10% discount just for signing up.
We’ll break down everything you need to know about the Drive Safe & Save program, including how it works and how much you can save on your auto insurance policy, in the sections below.
State Farm Drive Safe & Save is a usage-based telematics program the insurer offers that tracks your trips and rewards you with a discount for good driving habits.
Auto insurance companies use telematics data to evaluate driving habits and patterns to determine how risky you are as a driver. The less risky you are, the less likely you are to get into an accident and file a claim, which can help you get a lower rate on your auto policy.
State Farm isn’t the only insurer to offer a telematics-based savings program. Other auto insurers offer similar programs, such as:
State Farm’s Drive Safe & Save tracks specific driving behaviors every time you get behind the wheel. The company compiles and analyzes the data collected throughout your policy period, creating a risk analysis that can result in a significant premium discount if you practice safe driving habits.
Check out the sections below for more details on what the program tracks, how it knows who’s behind the wheel, and ways you can connect to the telematics program.
State Farm tracks five factors to determine your eligibility for a discount and, if so, how much. Besides your annual mileage, the program also looks at the following characteristics:
Acceleration speed
Hard braking frequency
Turning and cornering speeds
Phone usage while your vehicle is in motion
Speeding frequency (eight mph or more above the posted speed limit)
Note: Some states don’t allow odometer readings or mileage to be a factor in determining the discount.
After enrolling in Drive Safe & Save, State Farm will mail you a Bluetooth “beacon” that attaches to your car’s windshield behind the rear-view mirror. After it’s installed, the beacon connects with your smartphone through Bluetooth and chooses the first phone it detects as the driver.
If you and another driver on your policy — like a roommate, spouse, or child — are going somewhere together and they’re driving, the best way to ensure the program chooses the correct driver is to turn off your phone’s Bluetooth so the beacon only detects their phone.
But if you forget to turn off your Bluetooth or the app gets the driver wrong, you can still change the driver after the fact. Once the trip is over, you can open the trip summary and, in the trip classification section, choose whether you were the driver or passenger.
You have two options to use the Drive Safe & Save program. If you have a newer Ford or Lincoln vehicle, you can use the “connected car” feature to track your mileage and driving behaviors as long as the vehicle has been added to your Garage in the FordPass or Lincoln Way app.
But if you don’t have a qualifying 2020 or newer Ford or Lincoln, you can download the Drive Safe & Save app and use the Bluetooth beacon, as mentioned above. The Google Play Store app is rated at 4 out of 5 stars with over 124,000 reviews, while the Apple App Store rating is 4.6 out of 5 stars with almost 247,000 reviews.
State Farm customers can save 10% just for enrolling in the program. Then, depending on your driving habits and how many miles you drive, you can save up to an additional 30%, according to State Farm’s website. But some users claim to save even more.
The Reddit user found in the screenshot below claimed to have received a 40% discount, with savings of almost $275 after six months in the program.
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While some claim to have found substantial savings with the program, others report seeing their discounts go down, even if their driving scores haven’t changed much.
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Being a safe driver is the easiest way to maximize your Drive Safe & Save discount, but there are other ways to increase your chances of saving, including:
Avoiding sharp cornering
Leaving enough room between you and the car in front of you to prevent hard braking events
Avoiding phone use when driving, even if it’s connected to your vehicle through Android Auto or CarPlay
Maintaining a safe speed that’s no more than seven mph over the posted speed limit
Checking your driving data and recent trip routes regularly to ensure accurate information
No. Drive Safe & Save won’t lead to increased rates, no matter how you drive. But they can fluctuate at each renewal based on how you drove over the previous policy term.
One common reason your rates might go up is if you’re getting a low-mileage discount and your actual mileage is higher. For example, driving more than 7,500 miles for personal use each year means you could lose your low-mileage discount at your next renewal.
Whether the Drive Safe & Save program is worth it depends on how often, how far, and how safely you typically drive. Some State Farm customers advertise saving hundreds of dollars, while others only save a few dollars per month or none at all.
Several online users show frustration with how their driving score doesn’t always lead to savings, like the Reddit user shown below.
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Other users are concerned with privacy, app permissions, and implications for future renewals.
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While some appreciate the app, other users report that the barriers to using the program can be high if you aren’t tech-savvy.
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Some even claim that using the infotainment and steering wheel features in your vehicle could negatively affect your phone distraction score.
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Many customers using the State Farm mobile app express frustration with the app draining their battery, excessive notifications, and logging trips incorrectly (or not at all).
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And even in a perfect scenario, with proper permissions and usage, the app still may not work properly, some users say.
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Still, you can’t deny the positive effects using a program like this can have on your driving — especially keeping you from distracted driving.
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You can sign up for Drive Safe & Save by either using the mobile app or the connected car feature. Here’s how to sign up for the program using either method:
Text “SAVE” to 42407 or enroll in the program with your State Farm agent.
If you choose the mobile route, you’ll receive a text message stating your phone’s eligibility. If eligible, you’ll get a link to download the app and enroll in the program.
Create a user ID and password if you don’t already have one.
Follow the directions to link your State Farm policy.
Add your car to your Garage in the FordPass or Lincoln Way app.
Contact your State Farm agent to enroll in the program.
Accept the agreement the next time you turn your vehicle on to set up your account.
Enable location services and data sharing to allow automatic trip detection and tracking.
Still want to learn more about State Farm Drive Safe & Save? We answered the most common questions below.
State Farm uses telematics technology to track your driving behavior with its Drive Safe & Save program. Your driving habits, phone usage, and mileage will be tracked through State Farm’s mobile app or your connected car to see how safe of a driver you are.
You’ll get an initial discount of 10% just for signing up and can save up to 30% or more on your car insurance if you drive safely.
It depends on how often you drive and your driving behaviors. The program tracks fast braking, hard acceleration, cornering speeds, phone usage, and speeding.
If you already practice safe driving and are open to having your insurance company track you, it may be worth it. But if you tend to speed, brake hard, or are wary of privacy concerns, it may not be right for you.
Yes. The app uses maps and GPS information to find the speed limit for the road you’re driving on.
If you drive faster than eight mph over the posted speed limit, you can get a lower score in the speed section. This will affect your overall savings potential.
Yes. The Drive Safe and Save app and connected car feature uses Bluetooth and your location settings to record trips. If you stay logged in to the mobile app, it’ll automatically detect when the vehicle is moving. Log out of the app to turn it off.
Sources:
Reddit, “Discounts Lowered by $200?,” Accessed January 11, 2024.
Reddit, “I had State Farm Drive Safe & Save for 6 months. Got 40% discount!,” Accessed January 11, 2024.
Reddit, “Is there a downside to State Farm’s Drive Safe and Save?,” Accessed January 11, 2024.
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Mandy Sleight has over 15 years of insurance knowledge and expertise in auto, home, life, health, pet, supplemental benefits, and other insurance products. She’s a sought-after insurance expert, appearing in Bankrate.com, Moneygeek.com, U.S. News & World Report, Reviews.com, CNET, and other publications, and she's been writing for Compare.com since 2023.
Mandy uses her background and experience working for well-known insurance companies like State Farm and Nationwide Insurance to create engaging and easy-to-understand content that helps readers make smarter insurance choices that have a positive effect on their budgets and finances.
Nick Versaw leads Compare.com's editorial department, where he and his team specialize in crafting helpful, easy-to-understand content about car insurance and other related topics. With nearly a decade of experience writing and editing insurance and personal finance articles, his work has helped readers discover substantial savings on necessary expenses, including insurance, transportation, health care, and more. As an award-winning writer, Nick has seen his work published in countless renowned publications, such as the Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and U.S. News & World Report. He graduated with Latin honors from Virginia Commonwealth University, where he earned his Bachelor's Degree in Digital Journalism.
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