Car insurance is a crucial aspect of responsible car ownership. It not only provides financial protection in case of accidents but is often legally required. With numerous insurance providers in the market, choosing the right one can be a daunting task. In this comprehensive guide, we will delve deep into Geico car insurance rates and provide you with everything you need to know to make an informed decision.

• Understanding Geico Car Insurance
• Factors Affecting Car Insurance Rates
• Geico Car Insurance Coverage Options
• Geico Car Insurance Rates Comparison
• Factors that Make Geico Stand Out
• Tips for Lowering Your Geico Car Insurance Rates
• Geico’s Additional Insurance Offerings
• Geico Car Insurance Claims Process
• Geico Car Insurance Reviews and Ratings
• Geico Car Insurance FAQs

Understanding Geico Car Insurance

Acquiring car insurance is an important part of being a responsible driver. There are many companies in the market offering car insurance, so choosing the one that’s right for you can be difficult. One possible choice is GEICO. With control of 13.8 percent of the insurance market, GEICO car insurance is the second-largest insurer in the U.S.

Although it is well known as an auto insurance provider, insuring about 28 million vehicles according to the Insurance Information Institute, GEICO also provides other policies including renters insurance, homeowners insurance, and life insurance. It offers the following types of coverage:

• Collector auto insurance
• Motorcycle insurance
• RV insurance
• ATV insurance
• Boats and personal watercraft insurance
• Mexico insurance
• Commercial vehicle insurance, including ride-share and on-demand delivery drivers

GEICO was established by Leo and Lillian Goodwin in 1936. It was initially called the Government Employees Insurance Company, which reflected its target audience of federal employees and certain groups of active military officers. In the first year, their team grew to include 12 staff members and they had issued over 3700 insurance policies.

As of 2018, GEICO had over 40,000 insurance associates across 17 major offices around the U.S. With over 16 million active auto insurance policies, it is highly rated for its financial stability and ability to pay out claims without hassle. It’s currently owned by Berkshire Hathaway and operates across the entire country, with headquarters in Chevy Chase, Maryland.

With the GEICO mobile app, you can stay up to date with your insurance policy, check your billing details, pay your bills, and file any claims. You can also communicate with an agent, check your car’s parking and maintenance history, and request roadside assistance.

Geico’s Insurance Coverage Options

GEICO’s auto insurance includes the following coverage: 

• Liability Coverages

Liability coverage includes: 

• Bodily injury liability: This coverage pays for damages for bodily injuries or death resulting from accidents where you are at fault.
• Property damage liability: This coverage pays for damages to property resulting from accidents where you are at fault.

• Medical Coverages

Medical coverage includes: 

• Medical payments coverage: Medical payments coverage pays for medical expenses resulting from a car accident.
• Personal Injury Protection (PIP): PIP covers your medical treatments, lost wages, or other accident-related expenses, regardless of who was at fault in the accident.

• Uninsured Motorist Coverages

Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage protects you in case you’re in an accident where the other driver is at fault and either is uninsured or has insufficient coverage to pay your claim.

• Vehicle Coverages

There are two parts to vehicle coverage: 

• Collision: Collision coverage pays for damage to your vehicle when it hits, or is hit, by another vehicle or object, such as a deer.
• Comprehensive: Comprehensive coverage pays for damage to your car resulting from theft, vandalism, storms, or other covered losses.

You can lower your monthly premiums by raising your collision and comprehensive deductibles.

• Additional Coverages

You also can add optional coverages to your GEICO policy:

• Emergency Road Service: You can get roadside assistance for as little as $14 per year per vehicle. Unlike other insurance companies, where you have to pay for services provided, towing coverage is included with your GEICO roadside assistance. Roadside assistance also can help you with jump starts for a dead car battery, a flat tire, or lockout services (up to $100).
• Rental Reimbursement: Rental reimbursement will help pay a portion of your rental car costs if you need to rent a vehicle while your car is being repaired as a result of a covered claim.
• Mechanical Breakdown Insurance (MBI): Instead of buying your car manufacturer’s extended warranty, you can purchase GEICO’s MBI for new or leased cars that are less than 15 months old with less than 15,000 miles. After a $250 deductible on a covered loss, MBI covers repairs on all mechanical parts of the car (except for maintenance and regular wear and tear). Progressive offers a similar program called WarrantyDirect, but it’s provided through a third party, and older vehicles are eligible. However, it tends to be more expensive.

GEICO claims to offer some of the lowest insurance rates available, which it achieves by using discount programs, some of which you may be eligible for. It offers discounts to students, military and federal employees, various membership groups, and multi-policy owners. It also has discounts on home security systems, sprinklers, and smoke alarms. In general, GEICO’s customers are happy with its policies, regardless of the fact that it was left out of J.D. Power’s report on the best providers of life insurance.

Read Also: Navigating the Complexities of Social Security Benefits in Retirement

With GEICO Insurance, you can determine your own deductible on jewelry insurance. The rates vary in each state, but on average are about one percent to two percent of the value of the item.

Factors Affecting Car Insurance Rates

A rating factor is a unique attribute of a consumer that is used to calculate vehicle insurance premiums. Simply said, the lower the riskiness of your rating criteria, the lower the cost of your vehicle insurance coverage. Some auto insurance rating elements, such as driving record or vehicle type, have a significant impact on car insurance premiums. Others, such as gender or marital status, are less significant.

1. Age

Age is a very significant rating factor, especially for young drivers. Between the most expensive insurance premiums — paid by teen drivers — and the most affordable — paid by 50-year-olds — is a cost gap of over $5,500 per year. Insurance companies view teen drivers as very risky and potentially expensive clients to insure. Data show that teen drivers drive more recklessly and get into more accidents than do drivers in any other age group.

2. Driving history

This rating factor is straightforward. Car insurance companies see a driver’s past as an accurate predictor of their future performance. A history of tickets or violations will inflate the cost of current and future insurance premiums. The below data show how a speeding ticket (speeding 16 to 20 miles per hour over the limit), a DUI, and a reckless driving charge may impact insurance premiums.

3. Vehicle

Insurance rates on a brand new sports car will be more expensive than premiums for an old Civic. If a vehicle costs more to replace, the insurance company will charge you more each month to cover these potential costs (via collision and comprehensive coverage).

4. Location

Location functions as a rating factor on two levels: state and zip code. Car insurance is regulated at the state level and subject to each state’s regulations. For example, Michigan, a no-fault state, requires all drivers to carry unlimited Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage by law. This makes car insurance expensive because the costs of PIP coverage and “unlimited” coverage are passed to insurers. Car insurance rates in Michigan are greater than $2,000 per year more expensive than in Ohio, just one state over.

Car insurance is also priced by location at a more granular level. Car insurance is priced by ZIP code to help insurance companies adjust for the external rating factors associated with each area. Insurance costs are higher in locales with more drivers. ZIP codes prone to floods, wildfires, crimes such as vandalism or theft, or other risks also face higher rates. In many cases, those in rural areas pay less in car insurance premiums than do their urban counterparts.

5. Coverage level

The more coverage you carry, the more expensive your premiums will be. The cost difference between the lowest levels of car insurance coverage and the highest can add up to more than $1,000 annually. The reason for this is simple: if you carry more coverage, your insurance company is obligated to pay out to meet a higher coverage limit.

4. Discounts and Deductibles

Auto insurance discounts depend on your location and insurance company, and many are reflections of your individual rating factors. If you’re a homeowner, pay your insurance premium upfront, or have a clean driving record, you might qualify for a discount. Below are some common discounts.

• Affinity discount
• Anti-theft device discounts
• Bundling policy discount
• E-Pay discount
• Good driver discount
• Good student discount
• Green vehicle discount
• Low mileage discount
• Loyalty discount
• Military discount
• Multi-vehicle discount

Geico Car Insurance Coverage Options

It’s difficult to know which coverage is best for you with so many options. Understanding the various types of coverage can assist you in selecting the best vehicle insurance policy for your needs and budget. GEICO explains the many forms of auto insurance coverage.

Liability Coverages

Liability Coverages include:

• Bodily Injury liability: pays damages for bodily injury or death resulting from an accident for which you are at fault
• Property Damage liability: pays for damage to someone else’s property resulting from an accident for which you are at fault

For serious accidents, you want enough insurance to cover a judgment against you in a lawsuit without jeopardizing your personal assets. Therefore, it’s a good idea to have the same level of bodily injury coverage for all your cars. You may also want to consider an umbrella policy that provides additional coverage for more serious accidents and lawsuits.

Medical Coverages

• Medical Payments coverage: may pay medical expenses related to a car accident
• Personal Injury Protection coverage: may pay for your medical treatment, lost wages, or other accident-related expenses regardless of who caused the accident

Uninsured Motorist Coverages

• Uninsured Motorist coverage: may help compensate you for your injuries or property damage caused by a driver without insurance
• Underinsured Motorist coverage: can protect you from at-fault drivers with insufficient insurance coverage to pay your claim

Vehicle Coverages

• Collision coverage: may pay for damage to your car when it hits, or is hit by, another vehicle or other object
• Comprehensive coverage: may pay for damage to your car from theft, vandalism, flood, fire or other covered losses

You may be able to lower your premium if you select a higher deductible. If you have an older vehicle you may want to consider whether you need these coverages as they are normally limited to the cash value of your car.

Additional Auto Insurance Coverage

• Emergency Road Service
• Rental Reimbursement
• Mechanical Breakdown Insurance

There’s a lot to learn about auto insurance coverage.

Geico Car Insurance Rates Comparison

When you’re doing a comparison of auto insurance quotes or rates, make sure they’re for the same:

• Coverages
• Deductibles
• Limits

Comparing car insurance can be a straightforward process once you understand what parts of a quote you need to compare. But what about the terms you encounter when getting an auto insurance quote? What is the difference between uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage? Read on for some tips that can make the comparison process quick and easy.

1. Decide on auto insurance coverage.

When you compare car insurance rates, make sure you select the same set of coverages for each quote. Coverage requirements vary and some coverages are optional.

Here’s an overview to help compare car insurance coverages:

• Comprehensive coverage may pay for losses resulting from incidents other than collision
• Collision coverage may pay for damage to your car when your car hits, or is hit by another vehicle or other object
• Uninsured motorist coverage may help compensate you for your injuries caused by a person driving without insurance
• Underinsured motorist coverage may protect you from drivers who cause an accident and may not have enough insurance to pay for your injuries
• Medical payments coverage may pay medical expenses related to an auto accident
• Personal injury protection may pay for your medical treatment, lost wages, or other accident–related expenses

Other important terms include:

• Rental reimbursement may help pay your rental car costs while your car is being repaired as a result of a covered claim
• Emergency road service may pay for towing of a disabled car to the nearest shop for repairs or for mechanical labor, up to one hour, at the place of breakdown
• Mechanical breakdown insurance may help cover services while your car is repaired or if your car breaks down

2. Choose deductibles.

A deductible is the amount of money you pay out of pocket towards a claim. If you choose a higher deductible, it may lower your premium. Make sure you choose the same deductible for each quote when comparing auto insurance rates with different insurers.

3. Review and compare liability limits.

Liability coverage is required in most states. You can easily check your minimum state car insurance coverage.

If the liability limit doesn’t sound familiar, you may know it better in this format: 100/300/50.

That’s just an example, but you’ll commonly see three numbers listed together on an auto insurance quote.

• 100 = $100,000 per person in bodily injury liability coverage limit
• 300 = $300,000 per occurrence in bodily injury liability coverage
• 50 = $50,000 per occurrence in property damage liability coverage

Bodily injury liability coverage may pay if you are in an accident and responsible for another person’s injury.

Property damage liability coverage may pay if you’re responsible for damage to another person’s property.

Average auto insurance costs go up 79% for drivers with poor credit compared to those with good credit. That comes out to over $1,500 more per year, on average. With potentially exorbitant rates, it’s vital to shop around. Geico and Nationwide had relatively cheap car insurance for drivers with bad credit among the companies we analyzed. USAA is a good bet for military members and veterans.

Company	Average cost per year for drivers with poor credit	Average cost per month for drivers with poor credit	Total savings per year compared to average
Geico	$2,426	$202	$1,203 cheaper
USAA*	$2,594	$216	$1,035 cheaper
Nationwide	$2,771	$231	$858 cheaper
Westfield	$2,964	$247	$665 cheaper
Safe Auto	$3,345	$279	$284 cheaper
Average	$3,629	$302

Factors that Make Geico Stand Out

Geico’s success as an insurance firm stems from providing people with freedom and affordable pricing, as well as launching efficient advertising campaigns emphasizing savings. Geico’s innovative and user-friendly efforts are among the driving forces behind the insurer’s success. Geico’s advertising is lighthearted and humorous, distinguishing it from competitors and earning it a sizable proportion of the U.S. insurance market.

Low Rates And Great Discounts

GEICO’s cheap car insurance rates and discounts could save you 15% or more.
These are just a few of our car insurance discounts:

• Multi-car discount
• Discount for cars with airbags and other safety features
• A discount is available to most members of organizations on this list

Excellent Customer Service

According to a recent survey,* 97% of our policyholders were satisfied with the service they received.

• Service by phone or online—even on holidays
• Claims settled quickly and fairly
• Local GEICO Insurance Agents

Exceptional Financial Strength

• GEICO will have the resources to pay your claims
• GEICO is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, Inc. and has assets of over $32 billion**

Tips for Lowering Your Geico Car Insurance Rates

You may believe that your auto insurance bill is unchangeable. No, not always. What’s the good news? Your insurance savings may only be beginning. The four suggestions below may help you get cheaper vehicle insurance:

Install Safety & Security Devices

While safety features like anti-lock brakes and airbags are now required by law in the U.S. for all new cars, be sure your insurer knows if your older car has such safety devices—it could save you some cash. Security devices may also help you cut your bill. GEICO offers a discount of up to 25 percent off the comprehensive portion of premiums to customers who install anti-theft alarm systems.

Dig For Discounts

Check out the variety of discounts you could be eligible for on GEICO’s discounts page. For instance, if you’re a member of one of the alumni, educational, professional and other organizations that work with GEICO, you could be eligible for a member discount. Completing a defensive driving course (or a driver’s education course for teens) could also make you eligible for premium reductions.

GEICO is proud to offer discounts to Military members as well as federal employees. Call (800) 861-8380 to speak with an insurance representative about additional discounts you could be eligible for. Or, if you’re looking for a new policy, learn some tips to help you compare car insurance policies and see all of the great discounts you may be eligible for with GEICO.

Combine & Consolidate

Many households with more than one vehicle maintain separate insurance policies for each, but they may be missing out on a multi-car discount of up to 25% on most coverages. Move all your vehicles to GEICO and see how much more you could save.

Depending on the state you live in, you could be eligible for a multi-policy/multi-line discount if you buy more than one type of coverage through the same insurer. Pairing auto and homeowners insurance is the most common scenario, but pairing auto insurance with renters, condo, or mobile home insurance could yield similar results. Get a fast, free quote on geico.com to see how much you could save on insurance for your home, too.

Opt For A Higher Deductible

Typically, the higher your deductible (the portion of your claim you pay out of pocket), the lower your insurance premium. Many people avoid having a high deductible because they worry that they won’t be able to cover it if something happens. To put your mind at ease, try opening a separate savings account just for emergencies. Once you’ve saved enough to comfortably pay potential deductible costs, call or go online to geico.com or use GEICO’s award-winning mobile app to adjust your coverage.

Geico’s Additional Insurance Offerings

More than just automobile insurance. GEICO may assist you with supplemental insurance such as life, umbrella, travel, and international coverage, among other things. Request a quotation for these different forms of insurance.

Jewelry Insurance

Insure your jewelry’s true value, including the memories each piece represents, with specialized, comprehensive jewelry insurance.

• Coverage designed specifically for your jewelry
• Helps protect against, loss, theft, damage, and disappearance
• Affordable rates typically costing 1-2% of the value of your jewelry

Identity Protection

Get the tools you need to protect your identity and hands-on assistance should you become a victim of identity theft.

• Around the clock coverage
• Online access to your TransUnion credit report/score
• Easy payment plans

Life Insurance

Does your family rely on your income? Could they easily pay the bills in the event you passed away? Ensure your family and loved ones are cared for with life insurance.

• Provide financial relief
• Get the peace-of-mind of financial security
• Set up flexible payment plans

Travel Insurance

Planning a vacation or business trip? Did you know you can insure your flight or even the cost of the entire trip? Help protect your travel plans with travel insurance.

• Affordable plans designed for you
• Last-minute cancellation coverage
• 24/7/365 worldwide emergency travel assistance

Overseas Insurance

Going overseas? Get the same low rates and high-quality customer service overseas that you get in the U.S. with GEICO Financial Services, GmbH (a GEICO affiliate).

• Providing overseas insurance since 1960
• Local agents available to help you
• Help with documents needed to ship your vehicle

Pet Insurance

Each day is an adventure with your cats and dogs, but paying your vet bills doesn’t have to be. Make sure you’re covered for the unexpected with pet insurance.

• Comprehensive coverage for most accidents or illnesses (that are not pre-existing)

Umbrella Insurance

Insurance is all about preparing for the unexpected. With umbrella insurance, you can rest a little easier knowing you have additional coverage if you need it.

• Helps protect you for legal lawsuits and slander
• Coverage for you and your spouse
• Additional $1 million* in coverage

Special Event Insurance

Planning a wedding, anniversary, or baby shower? Protect your special event with affordable event insurance.

Comprehensive protection for:

• Non-refundable deposits
• Cancellation fees
• Injury
• Liability, and more

Geico Car Insurance Claims Process

If someone else crashes into you, in the simplest scenario you’ll make a claim against their liability insurance. This is called a third-party claim: You’re the third party to the other driver and their insurance company.

The other person’s insurer will process the claim but don’t count on a quick payment. The insurer might want to investigate the accident to determine that their customer truly was at fault.

But if insurance claims were simple, we could all feel like insurance experts. And when someone else has caused an accident, it’s natural to feel that they should pay for what they did. But in some cases, you might need to turn to your own auto insurance, even when someone else crashed into you. Here’s how that could happen.

Situation No. 1: No-fault states

In states with no-fault insurance laws, you always make injury claims on your own insurance first. These states require personal injury protection (PIP insurance) for this purpose. You can sue another driver only when you meet certain qualifications, which each state defines. In many cases, there needs to be serious injury or death before you sue someone else for a car crash in a no-fault state. (Property damage claims can still usually be made on the other person’s liability insurance.)

In states without no-fault laws, PIP and a similar coverage called medical payments (MedPay) are often available. These can be used for injury claims for you and your passengers.

Situation No. 2: An underinsured driver

What if the driver doesn’t have enough insurance to cover accident injuries they cause to others? You could still sue them for the remainder, but if they don’t have any assets it may not be worth it. One option is to turn to your own underinsured motorist coverage if you have it. It can cover medical bills when the other driver doesn’t have enough insurance.

Situation No. 3: Not dealing with it

You could decide to use your own insurance for car damage, rather than dealing with the other person’s insurance company. If you have collision insurance, you can use it for car damage caused by someone else.

The downside is that your insurance check will be reduced by your collision deductible amount. You might get that deductible amount back later if your insurance company goes after reimbursement from the other person’s insurer.

If you have rental reimbursement coverage, you could tap that as well for a rental while your vehicle is in the repair shop for a collision claim.

Situation No. 4: Getting stuck with a car loan balance

If your vehicle was totaled in the accident, insurance should compensate you for the value of the car at the time of the accident—whether you’re making a liability claim against someone else or using your own collision insurance.

But that doesn’t mean the problem is solved. In some cases, you could owe more on a car loan or lease than what the car was worth. This can happen, for example, if you financed most of the cost of the car, or you have a vehicle that has lost value quickly. In any case, having gap insurance can provide the difference between the insurance payment and the loan/lease balance.

Sometimes the auto insurance claims process proves to be very unsatisfying. Common claim denial reasons include:

The accident was avoidable or preventable

The insurance company could deny the claim if it thinks the accident was avoidable—for example, letting an unlicensed driver operate your vehicle.

You didn’t file a claim in time

Insurance companies prefer to have customers file claims as soon as possible. And it’s wise to do so anyway, before the damage has gotten muddied or the accident witnesses have disappeared. States may set firm deadlines for making claims, which could be anywhere from one to 20 years.

Delaying medical care

Immediately after an accident, you may not know the full extent of your injuries. But if you delay treatment for injuries for too long, the insurance company may be suspicious of the claim, which could result in an investigation and even a denial.

Stating the facts is important after an accident. Don’t try to speculate about what happened if you’re not sure, or decide to accept fault at the scene. Also, the claims process isn’t the time to be chatty. Don’t overshare; too much information could impact the outcome of your claim.

So you had an accident. It happens. Just contact GEICO to get the insurance claims process started.

If your car is safe to drive, we’ll schedule a time for you to bring it in—usually within 24 hours. If it’s not safe to drive, just let us know and we will send an auto damage adjuster to the vehicle’s location.

You can choose any repair shop for your repair work, but if you would like our help when choosing a shop consider using our GEICO Auto Repair Xpress^® program for fast, hassle-free repairs. You’ll have peace of mind knowing that GEICO provides a written lifetime guarantee for as long as you own the vehicle. Find an Auto Repair Xpress facility and call to schedule an appointment.

At the inspection, which usually takes about 30 minutes, the Shop Representative will evaluate the damage to your car and write up an estimate. Plus, if you have rental reimbursement coverage, they’ll help to set you up with a rental car while your vehicle is being repaired.

Of course, if you have any questions throughout the process, simply call a GEICO claims representative at (800) 841-3000.

Geico Car Insurance Reviews and Ratings

Here are Geico’s average annual auto insurance rates compared to 2023 national averages for full coverage insurance and four driving profiles.

Driving profile	Geico average rate	National average rate
Good driver, good credit	$2,009	$2,148
Recent at-fault accident, good credit	$3,216	$3,164
Recent DUI, good credit	$4,464	$3,933
Good driver, poor credit	$2,895	$3,455

Geico had close to the expected number of complaints about auto insurance to state regulators relative to its size, according to three years’ worth of data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.

Geico received an overall satisfaction score of 76 out of 100 from a pool of its customers in a NerdWallet survey conducted online in June 2022. To put that in perspective, the average score among seven insurers was 77, and the highest was 82.

A++ From A.M. Best

A.M. Best, a leading independent analyst of the insurance industry, has consistently given GEICO its highest A++ rating for financial strength. Only 5 percent of Property and Casualty companies earn this superior rating.

AA+ From Standard and Poor’s

Standard & Poor’s (S&P) has awarded all GEICO affiliates an AA+ rating for financial strength—a very strong rating. And GEICO has earned the Standard & Poor’s coveted Security Circle designation. That means GEICO underwent S&P’s most rigorous review and achieved top ratings for financial strength.

Geico Car Insurance FAQs

Does GEICO cover me when I’m using a rental car?

Your GEICO Car Insurance may provide coverage for you while you’re using a rental car. To find out, call GEICO to see if rental cars are covered by your current auto insurance policy. You can also check with your credit card company to see if they provide coverage when you use that card to pay for the rental.

Can I get insurance for a rental car if I don’t own a car?

For affordable car rental insurance ask your GEICO representative about a non-owner liability policy. You may also have some coverage if you have a homeowners, renters, or umbrella policy.

What is a car insurance deductible?

A car insurance coverage deductible is the amount of money you agree to pay if making a claim under coverages such as comprehensive, collision, uninsured motorist property damage, and personal injury protection.

Should I finance my car or pay cash?

If you can afford it, buying a car with cash is normally the cheapest option. Now, if you can’t afford to pay cash you can still finance your new car. When you finance a car, you’ll have to meet certain obligations from the lender, like down payments, interest rates, and meeting monthly payments. Financing also means paying a lender monthly payment plus interest on the loan, meaning you’ll end up paying more than if you paid cash. Your lender will also probably require comprehensive and collision coverages as part of the loan agreement.

What is GEICO’s Car Buying Service?

If you need help with your research, GEICO offers a Car Buying Service that will help you with information, tools, and a low upfront price. The Car Buying Service can help you learn about other resources you can use to buy a car the easy way.

Conclusion

Geico offers plenty of discounts and may be an affordable choice for many drivers. The company regularly appears as one of the cheapest options in recent NerdWallet cheap car insurance analyses.

The company also offers a variety of ways to digitally manage your auto insurance policy, including through its website and mobile app. In fact, Geico received an online experience score of 77 out of 100 by a pool of its customers in a NerdWallet survey conducted online in June 2022. To put that in perspective, the average score among 10 insurers was 75, and the highest was 80.