Farmers Insurance Review: The Best Choice for Car Insurance in 2023?

Farmers Insurance Group is one of the largest insurance companies in the U.S. and is headquartered in California. It owns several subsidiaries, including Bristol West and 21st Century. Despite its size, Farmers uses a local agent model, which gives the company the feel of a small insurer with the features of a larger company.

The company offers a robust menu of insurance products, riders, and specialty coverages. Plus, plenty of discounts and savings programs are available to all types of drivers. But the company struggles when it comes to both price and customer service compared to its competitors.

Farmers Auto Insurance: At a Glance

Is Farmers a Good Choice for Car Insurance?

Farmers can be a great choice for car insurance, so long as it fits your unique needs and budget. The company has an excellent financial reputation, which means it can pay claims quickly — and Farmers does. That’s likely why the insurer earned high marks for claims satisfaction (see the claims review section further down for more information).

Just be sure to research your local Farmers office, as customer service satisfaction can be mixed depending on the agent. And get a recommendation for a local agent if you can. After reading dozens of online reviews, I found that most customers who were happy with customer service named their local agent or office.

Where Farmers stands out

Farmers offers full-coverage (and then some) policies, can meet complex insurance needs, and has earned a good reputation for its claims process.

Where Farmers falls short

Farmers scores low for customer satisfaction and tends to have more expensive rates than competitors of a similar size.

Farmers Customer Reviews

Farmers’ customer satisfaction reviews are mixed. The company scores about average with a few online review sites but below average in the J.D. Power 2023 U.S. Auto Insurance Study. Still, plenty of happy Farmers customers rave about their experience with the insurer (my parents included).

Customers who bundle policies seemed especially happy, such as this reviewer who bundles home, auto, and RV coverage:

This was by no means the only longtime Farmers customer. A number of reviews mention staying with the company for decades, like the one above, and this reviewer from the App Store:

and this customer shouting out their “perfect record” on Twitter.

(The company has not responded as of this writing.)

Quite a few reviewers said Farmers offered a better policy, better price, or both. Take this review from a woman whose fixed income requires price stability. She found an affordable full-coverage policy and has yet to see a rate hike.

But I did find some consistencies in the negative feedback, particularly with the cancellation process. Several reviewers talk about paying a large cancellation fee, which, though common, is not standard practice in the industry. The customer below claims to have spent more than an hour uncovering what the fee is for.

In similar reviews, customers talk about difficulty canceling or getting clear communication about the process and terms. And more than one describes being sent to collections.

Farmers National Average Rates

Farmers’ average auto insurance quotes are typically cheaper than the national average, according to our latest rate data.

The average rate for all drivers across the U.S. is $129 per month for liability and $302 per month for full coverage. That means full-coverage policyholders could save quite a bit with Farmers, whose rates for liability and full coverage are around 2% and 7% cheaper than the national average, respectively. But keep in mind that averages aren’t the best indicator of what you’ll actually pay.

How Do Farmers’ Rates Stack Up?

The average Farmers customer spends about $204 per month on their car insurance, which is slightly higher than average. Several factors can influence your costs, including your state, driving history, credit score, vehicle, and more. That’s why it’s always best to compare your policy options before buying.

Farmers rates compared to top competitors

All of its closest competitors, except Kemper, beat Farmers on price, with Erie offering considerably cheaper policies.

But Farmers typically offers more discount options and more customizable policies than competitors. Farmers also does a better job of handling claims than Auto-Owners, Kemper, and Travelers (according to J.D. Power).

There are some important limitations here. The biggest is that we’re not necessarily comparing the same quality car insurance policies. Farmers offers several standard features and perks that you don’t typically find with competitors (though Erie has similar options, so be sure to check them out too). So when comparing policies, ensure you consider coverage options and limits, not just price.

Finally, rate competitiveness changes often as insurance companies adjust their pricing structures, risk strategies, and offerings. Make time to compare quotes often (around renewal time is great) if getting an affordable rate is important.

What Types of Coverage Does Farmers Offer?

One of Farmers’ standout strengths is its robust selection of coverage options. Most of them are optional (unless required by your state or lender). They include:

• Liability: Covers damages you cause when you’re at fault.
• Collision: Pays for your vehicle damage when you’re at fault.
• Comprehensive: Pays for your vehicle damage when it comes from noncollision events.
• Uninsured/underinsured motorist protection: Covers damages when an uninsured or underinsured driver hits you.
• Medical payments: Covers some of your medical bills no matter who is at fault (a.k.a. MedPay).
• Personal injury protection: Covers some of your medical bills (as well as lost wages and similar losses) no matter who is at fault (a.k.a. PIP).
• Towing and roadside service: Covers towing, tire changes, lockouts, and jump starts 24/7 (up to limits).
• Rental car reimbursement: Covers 30 days of car rentals while your car is being repaired (due to a covered loss).
• Loss of use: Covers a daily allowance for transportation costs while your car is being repaired (due to a covered loss).
• Glass deductible buyback: You pay a $100 deductible for auto glass repair or replacement.
• Full windshield and auto glass coverage: Covers everything in the event of glass repair or replacement.
• New car replacement: Replaces your car with a newer version of the same make and model if it’s totaled within the first two years of its life (and total mileage is below 24,000).
• Accident forgiveness: You get one at-fault accident forgiven for every three years you go accident-free.
• Guaranteed value: Farmers’ version of gap insurance — this pays a predetermined value if your car is totaled.
• Spare parts coverage: Primarily for owners of collector cars, this covers replacement costs for spare parts you keep in storage.
• Original equipment manufacturer: For cars newer than 10 years old, this covers the cost of replacing parts with factory-originals.
• Personal umbrella: Extends your liability coverage and protects you from lawsuits.

Farmers car insurance discounts

Taking advantage of eligible discounts is the easiest way to lower your car insurance rate, and Farmers has a ton of them.

• Affinity membership: Lowers rates if you belong to a professional or alumni group or if you’re a member of the military or veteran. Select your membership during the quote process to get it.
• Alternative fuel: Discount for driving an EV. Automatically applied when you enter your vehicle make and model.
• Anti-theft features: Discounts for car alarms, homing devices, and VIN etching. You can add these features to your quote when filling out the vehicle information.
• Distant student: For insured students who live 100 miles or more away from home and don’t have access to a vehicle. You may need to provide proof of enrollment to get it.
• EFT: Discount for automatic payments through electronic funds transfer. Sign up for autopay to get it.
• ePolicy: Discount for getting policy documents Choose the ePolicy option when you sign up.
• Good payer: For policyholders who have continuous coverage and pay on time. Automatically awarded for new customers if you were previously continuously insured. Reevaluated at renewal.
• Good student: Discounts for students who excel in coursework. You need a 3.0 or better GPA (proof of dean’s list, honor roll, top 20% of your class, or top 20% on standardized testing also counts).
• Homeowner: Discount for owning your home. Indicate that you’re a homeowner when completing your policy paperwork.
• Mature driver: Discount for completing driver training courses. Must be 55 or older and complete a course from an approved provider (also known as defensive driver or senior driver discounts).
• Multi-car: Discount for insuring more than one car. Add another vehicle to your policy to get it.
• Multi-line: Discounts for buying more than one insurance product from Farmers. Must purchase an additional policy (home, life, umbrella, etc.) to qualify.
• On your own: For policyholders previously insured under someone else’s Farmers policy and who now have a policy of their own. Must be younger than 29.
• Pay in full: Discounts for how you pay your policy. Pay in full at the start of your policy term to get it.
• Safe driver: Discounts for having a clean driving record. You must have 0 points on your license to qualify.
• Car safety features: Discounts for standard safety features, like daytime running lights, antilock brakes, airbags, and seat belts. Automatically added to your quote when you select your vehicle’s details.
• Shared family car: Discounts for households with more people than vehicles. You must have at least one driver under 20.
• Signal: Farmers’ telematics program, Signal, helps you lower rates and drive more safely. Sign up when you buy, download the app, and track your driving to get the discount.
• Youthful driver: Discounts for children and grandchildren of Farmers customers. The parent or grandparent’s policy must have been active with Farmers for the last 12 months, and the child must be under 25.

Unfortunately, Farmers doesn’t include information about how much each discount is worth. Discounts also vary by state.

Farmers Car Insurance Rates by Age Group

Your age has a big effect on premiums since it can say a lot about your maturity and experience on the road.

As you get older and gain experience, you’ll notice rates typically drop (so long as you keep a clean record). Insurance companies consider older drivers to be less risky than younger drivers, all else being equal. This is why it’s so important to maintain a good driving record: it’s your golden ticket to cheaper rates now and in the future.

Farmers rates for teens and young drivers: Average

Unless you can take advantage of the many discounts available, teens pay more than average at Farmers. The average 18-year-old Farmers driver pays $338 per month for liability (compared to the $297 per month national average) and $730 for a full-coverage policy (compared to $676 nationally).

Luckily, there are plenty of discounts available. But your best bet is to remain on a parent or guardian’s policy for a while.

But by the time you’re 25, you’ll see lower-than-average rates from Farmers for both liability and full-coverage policies (so long as you keep a good record). Premiums average $95 per month for liability and $216 for full coverage for 25-year-olds. Compare that to the national average of $109 and $266, respectively.

And rates continue to drop as you get older, reaching the lowest cost when drivers reach retirement age.

Farmers rates for seniors: Cheaper than average

Rates tend to level off when you reach 40. But retirees tend to pay the lowest rates, not just due to their experience but also because they tend to drive less often. Farmers has additional ways to save, including taking a defensive driving course designed for mature drivers.

Even without the additional discounts, seniors pay considerably less with Farmers than the national average — just $89 per month for liability coverage (the national average is $97) and $198 for full coverage (compared to $221).

Farmers Car Insurance Rates by Driving Record

Your driving record has one of the biggest (if not the biggest) effects on your car insurance premium. Even a simple speeding ticket can increase rates for a few years.

As you can see, Farmers certainly rewards drivers with clean records with lower rates. The insurer charges the most, on average, for drivers with an at-fault accident on their record, though drivers with a DUI don’t fare much better. But DUIs typically stay on your driving record longer than an accident does (depending on your state), so they can have a larger financial impact.

Farmers rates after an accident: Average

An at-fault accident is probably the fastest way to raise your rates. You’ll make a claim at the time of the collision and typically receive a rate increase on your next bill or at your next renewal. Farmers rates are about average for an at-fault collision, with slightly higher-than-average premiums for liability-only policies.

But remember that Farmers offers accident forgiveness, which may help you avoid a rate hike. And if you can avoid it, you can still lower your rate by raising deductibles, using discounts, or signing up for Signal.

Farmers rates after a speeding ticket: Higher than average

A single speeding ticket typically increases rates by 10% to 30%, according to Compare.com data. More serious tickets (or more than one ticket) can increase your rates even more.

Farmers appears to raise rates more than average for drivers with tickets, charging $128 per month compared to $113 for the average liability-only policy from other companies. Full-coverage rates come in at $285 per month compared to the $268 national average.

Signing up for Signal can be an effective way to both encourage safer driving and earn a discount on your premiums.

Farmers rates after a DUI: Cheaper than average

Rates after a DUI are quite a bit cheaper with Farmers than the national average for other companies. Drivers pay about $42 per month less for liability-only and a whopping $107 per month less for full coverage, according to Compare.com data. But unfortunately, no matter where you go, you’re going to face higher costs if you have a DUI conviction on your record.

The best way to ensure your rates go down after a DUI is to avoid tickets and citations. Beyond that, you can still get discounts for how you pay for your policy, your car’s safety features, and for joining affinity groups. If you’re still having trouble finding an affordable rate, consider downsizing to a less expensive vehicle or a liability-only policy if possible.

Farmers Car Insurance Rates by Credit Score

Below are the average monthly rates for Farmers drivers based on their credit scores.

Farmers offers considerably lower rates to drivers with good credit. I found a few customer reviews claiming the company doesn’t offer cheap rates to drivers with poor credit, but our data didn’t back this up. Farmers consistently offers lower rates to drivers with poor credit when compared to competitors — $29 per month less for liability and $91 less for full coverage, according to Compare.com data.

If you’re working on your credit, you’ll likely find a deal with Farmers.

How to Purchase a Car Insurance Policy from Farmers

It’s easy to purchase car insurance with Farmers. You can complete the process online and upload supporting documentation on the app if required. You’re assigned to an agent with your quote (their name and contact information are on the quote page). You can also call an insurance representative for service at any time — Farmers displays the phone number prominently throughout the process.

It took me about five minutes to go from the home screen to my quote. When I called the customer service line, I reached an agent in less than 90 seconds. But Farmers made it very easy to manage the process alone. Clarifying information (definitions, privacy statements, pricing) was always accessible.

Getting a quote from Farmers

I went to the car insurance home page at Farmers and entered my ZIP code to start the quote process.

From there, I needed to enter my personal information, including my address and date of birth.

On this page, there was also an area for affinity memberships (such as AAA, teachers associations, or even certain employers). I don’t belong to an affinity group, but you might, and there may even be a discount available at Farmers.

After I hit “continue,” a narrow box popped up asking for information about my car. This was my least favorite part of the process because I couldn’t see the whole form at once. A minor quibble, I know, but I found it annoying to navigate the small drop-down menus to find my vehicle.

I did appreciate the information symbols spread throughout the process. It made it easy for me to understand exactly what each question meant (and how my answer might influence my policy).

After the vehicle questions, I filled out additional information about my driving record (including a recent speeding ticket). Again, it was within a narrow window, but there were no drop-downs this time.

I saved my information and noticed I had a new note at the top of my screen letting me know I could potentially qualify for three discounts. I hit the information button and got details for each discount.

I was then prompted to enter my email address and phone number before being brought to a page just for Signal, Farmers’ signature telematics program. It automatically shades the “yes” bubble here (signing me up for the program). But I wanted to see my rates without Signal first, so I clicked “no” and continued to the discounts page.

Now I had five discounts available, which was encouraging.

And there was a detailed section covering my bundling options. I didn’t want to bundle anything right now, so I hit “continue” to get my quote.

I was quoted $223.83 per month for the basic package, which was what the system defaulted to. That included 50/100/25 liability coverage (see what those numbers mean here), which was higher than state minimums, and $1,000 deductibles for collision and comprehensive coverage. These limits are certainly high compared to other quotes I’ve received (as well as my current policy).

Price aside, the quote page had a ton of information and made things very easy to customize. Each policy option had a drop-down menu (without the narrow pop-up windows I mentioned earlier), plus an itemized price.

Each option also had an information button where I could learn more about each item and how it affected my final quote.

There was a list of the applied discounts at the end of the quote but no information about how beneficial those discounts were.

Customizing the policy was simple. I just selected my changes using the drop-down menus. And when I was happy with my changes, I refreshed the quote.

Along with the new quote, the itemized cost of each section updated too. That made it easy to see how my custom options affected my price (though I wish I didn’t have to constantly update the quote to see the itemized prices).

Once I was happy with my customized options, I continued to the next page, where I entered my VIN and driver’s license information and verified the policy start date. From there, I could make a payment, receive my policy documents over email, and download the mobile app to get proof of insurance. Overall, I was very happy with the process.

Farmers Customer Service: Good

It was easy to get in touch with Farmers when I called — only 90 seconds passed between making the call and getting a person on the phone. But as a prospective policyholder, I’m limited in my experience. So I turned to customer reviews across the web to get the big picture.

Customer reviews tell a fairly consistent story about customer care with Farmers: it’s hit or miss. Sometimes, the company does a great job staying in touch with their customers — even proactively reaching out to ensure questions are answered and rates remain low — as they did for this customer:

Another theme: so much depends on your local agent. I found quite a few reviewers praising their agent by name, including this glowing review found on Trustpilot.

But I did find areas where Farmers consistently dropped the ball. First, several reviews talk about a messy transition to MetLife from Farmers, which was bought by Farmers in 2021, as in the one below. The customer just wanted to ensure their existing policy was renewed but couldn’t get in touch with an agent who could help.

Despite negative reviews, the company does have fewer complaints than the national average for insurers its size.

Filing a Claim with Farmers: Excellent

Filing an auto insurance claim at Farmers can be done online and with the mobile app in just a few minutes. From there, a claims agent reviews your paperwork and may ask for additional documentation, depending on your case. Once you’re approved for repairs, you can choose to have them done at a guaranteed repair shop (in Farmers’ network of approved shops) or somewhere else. You can also choose to receive the payout directly or have it sent to the repair shop.

Several online reviews from longtime customers say they were happy with the outcomes of their multiple claims. And I found several more calling the claims process “easy,” even one calling the company “generous.”

The claims service team definitely had this customer’s back — after the at-fault driver’s insurance company tried to strong-arm the customer into accepting a small payout, Farmers paid for the damage up front.

Of the negative reviews, I found many came from the other driver in an accident. Several people who were not at fault in an accident with a driver insured by Farmers wrote reviews explaining how difficult it was to work with the company. In this one, the reviewer was stunned to learn Farmers wouldn’t cover all damages to their guest house after a Farmers policyholder drove through their wall.

Farmers is also struggling to meet the demand for claims adjusters (something I found in recent claims reviews at several insurers). In a few reviews — as in this one below — the customer struggled to get in contact with an (often remote) claims adjuster.

What Other Types of Insurance Does Farmers Offer?

Farmers offers several insurance products, both directly and through third-party partners. The company primarily focuses on property and casualty insurance products, including:

• Rideshare
• Homeowners
• Condo
• Renters
• Mobile & manufactured home
• Vacation home
• Vacant home
• Landlord
• Earthquake
• Flood
• Life
• Business
• Commercial auto
• Commercial property
• General liability
• Workers’ compensation
• Pet insurance
• Personal umbrella

But Farmers also offers a number of financial products, including retirement planning, college savings, and annuities — plus life insurance products for term, whole, and universal policies. So you can meet a wide range of needs with Farmers (with up to a 45% discount for bundling, according to the insurer).

Other Farmers products, services, and perks

Farmers has a lot of perks to offer policyholders, most at no additional cost. Perks include:

• Accident forgiveness: Forgives one at-fault accident for every three years you go without one.
• Guaranteed repair program: Claims-related work done to your car is guaranteed for as long as you own your vehicle.
• New car replacement: Replace your car with a new one of the same make and model instead of receiving a check for the market value of your totaled vehicle.
• Loss of use: Provides a daily transportation stipend (up to a certain dollar amount) if your car is being repaired or replaced.
• Rental reimbursement: Covers rental car costs (up to predetermined limits) if your car is being repaired or replaced.
• Towing and roadside assistance: Covers breakdowns and assists by dispatching emergency services quickly.

The vast number of policy options is one of the reasons it’s hard to compare Farmers with many of its competitors. Most large insurers don’t offer goodies like this as standard.

Farmers Signal

Signal is Farmers’ signature telematics program. Customers who opt in will have their driving monitored with the Signal app, which can earn them as much as 15% off their premiums. It also comes with an interesting feature that I’ve yet to find available with competitors: crash assist. With it, Signal will connect you with emergency services if it detects a crash. It can even help you report your claim.

The app has good reviews in both the Apple App Store and Google Play, though iOS users give it a higher rating. Reviews across both platforms call out issues with tracking driving habits accurately (which I’ve found is somewhat common among the notable telematics apps).

One customer points out that the app rarely correctly guesses which person in the vehicle is the driver. The information can be changed manually, but most reviewers covering the topic found this annoying and easy to forget. Some Android users also mention battery drain as a recurring issue.

Bottom Line: Is Farmers Car Insurance Right for You?

Farmers offers the greatest value with its full-coverage policies, including perks like accident forgiveness and auto glass coverage. But rates tend to be higher, and customer service levels are inconsistent. You should base your decision on your needs and preferences — and based on how Farmers compares to your other options.

Farmers Auto Insurance FAQs

We’ve compiled this list of common questions and answers to help you gain a better understanding of Farmers and its car insurance policies.

Does Farmers have the cheapest car insurance?

While Farmers offers competitive rates, the affordability of car insurance depends on many factors, including your location, driving history, and coverage options. Comparing quotes from multiple insurers is the best way to find your cheapest rate.

Can you purchase a policy from Farmers 100% online?

Yes, Farmers allows customers to purchase car insurance policies entirely online. You can visit its website, enter the required information, customize your coverage options, and complete the purchase in one sitting.

Does Farmers offer auto and home insurance bundling?

Yes, Farmers provides bundling options for auto and home insurance policies. Combining your auto and home insurance generally awards you a multi-policy discount, which saves the average Farmers customer about 20%.

Is Farmers good at paying claims?

Farmers has a good reputation for paying claims promptly and fairly. But individual claim experiences vary, and some customer reviews talk about long wait times and difficulty getting in touch with their adjuster.

Is Farmers hard to deal with?

I found that it was easy to contact the company during the initial buying process. But the level of difficulty depends on the complexity of your situation and the specific people you deal with. It’s always helpful to keep your own records of times you’ve contacted the company.

Methodology

Data scientists at Compare.com analyzed more than 50 million real-time auto insurance rates from more than 75 partner insurance providers in order to compile the quotes and statistics seen in this article. Compare.com’s auto insurance data includes coverage analysis and details on drivers’ vehicles, driving records, insurance histories, and demographic information. All of the quotes listed in this article have been gathered from a combination of real Compare.com quotes and external insurance rate data gathered in collaboration with Quadrant Information Services. Compare.com uses these observations to provide drivers with insight into how auto insurance companies determine their premiums.

Sources

1. D. Power “Usage-Based Auto Insurance Takes Center Stage as Satisfaction Flatlines,” Accessed June 6, 2023
2. Farmers, “Farmers Insurance Policy Perks,” Accessed June 6, 2023
3. Farmers, “Available Insurance Discounts,” Accessed June 6, 2023