State Farm vs. Allstate: Which is Best for You?

State Farm offers the cheapest coverage, but Allstate wins for customer service and offers more unique coverages. Allstate’s rates are lower for drivers with poor credit and young drivers, while State Farm is better for those with driving violations. Allstate offers coverage State Farm doesn’t, including coverage for custom parts and electronic equipment for owners who choose to modify their cars.

State Farm is good for cheaper average rates in 41 states, people who bundle home and auto insurance and low customer-complaint rates.

Allstate is good for broader coverage options, drivers with poor credit, young drivers and people who value quality customer service.

On average, State Farm has cheaper car insurance rates than Allstate. National rates for State Farm average $1,235 per year for auto insurance, while Allstate’s rates for the same coverage are $1,351.

The actual cost you pay for car insurance may be higher or lower than the average national rates listed here. The state you live in, your age, driving record, credit score, vehicle and coverages needed determine your rates. The sample driver used for these averages is a 40-year-old male with no tickets or accidents, 100/300/100 liability limits, comprehensive and collision coverage and a $1,000 deductible.

In 41 states, State Farm auto insurance is cheaper than Allstate. Allstate has better rates than State Farm in 10 states. Both Allstate and State Farm are available in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Keep in mind that rates vary from state to state and can differ from national auto insurance rates. Though State Farm is the most affordable in most states, that does not mean they will have the cheapest auto insurance rates in your state. If you'd like to see which company may offer you a lower quote in your state, use our car insurance estimator to get a personalized quote, instantly.

Several factors can significantly influence your car insurance rates, including age, driving record and credit score. Drivers who are young, have poor credit or have driving violations on their record are usually charged higher insurance rates than the average driver.

State Farm is cheaper than Allstate for all listed driver types, except for student drivers and those with poor credit.

• Allstate is cheaper for an 18-year-old student driver.
• State Farm is cheaper for a driver with a ticket.
• State Farm is cheaper for a driver with an at-fault accident.
• State Farm is cheaper for a driver with a driving under the influence (DUI) charge.
• Allstate is cheaper for a driver with poor credit.

Most insurance companies offer the same discounts for car safety features, safe driving habits and premiums paid in full. However, what makes the most difference in your auto insurance premium isn’t the number of discounts but the final cost of the quoted coverage.

Typically, the two most significant discounts offered are auto and home bundle discounts and usage-based programs, which monitor your driving habits and mileage. State Farm offers one of the highest discounts for bundling home and auto insurance at 25%, making it the winner in this category. Allstate’s multi-policy discount is 17%, which aligns with the national average bundling discount for major insurers. If you own a home and car, it almost always makes sense to bundle the two together to get the biggest discount available.

Allstate’s Drivewise usage-based program can lead to 40% or more in savings. It monitors speed, braking habits and the time of day you drive to determine potential discounts for making smart driving choices. They also have a mileage program called Milewise, which provides auto insurance rates based on miles driven. State Farm’s Drive Safe & Save program monitors driving habits and how many miles drive and can yield up to a 50% discount. Allstate's programs' flexibility and the potential for significant savings make it the winner in this category.

To determine which auto insurance company offers better customer service, MoneyGeek rated customer service using J.D. Power customer satisfaction scores and complaints lodged with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). After comparing these scores for the two companies, MoneyGeek found that State Farm beats out Allstate for customer satisfaction and customer complaints.

J.D. Power scores insurance companies out of 1,000 points on customer service satisfaction. State Farm scored 837, while Allstate scored 829. Both companies got the same ratings for most categories except rental experience, where Allstate edged out State Farm. In the end, State Farm has a slightly higher score for customer satisfaction than Allstate, giving it the win in this category.

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners creates a complaint index for insurance companies, with an average of 1.00 complaint index. Scores higher than the index mean a company receives higher than the average amount of complaints. Allstate’s complaint index is 1.88, while State Farm’s is 1.28, meaning Allstate gets more complaints than State Farm.

All car insurance companies offer standard coverages like liability, personal injury protection or medical payments, comprehensive and collision coverage. Both State Farm and Allstate provide the standard coverages and a few extras, though Allstate stands out as the winner with a wider range of coverage options.

Both auto insurance companies offer rideshare insurance, roadside assistance and rental car reimbursement. But Allstate also provides coverage options like new car replacement, gap insurance, sound system coverage, portable electronics and media coverage, custom parts coverage and deductible modification. For drivers with high deductibles, financed new cars, upgraded electronic equipment or installed custom parts, these extra features may be worth the additional cost.

A company’s financial stability is important because it measures how easily an insurance company can pay out legitimate claims. Most large insurance companies have high scores for financial stability, and Allstate and State Farm are no different. Both companies have a superior financial stability score with A.M. Best, though State Farm’s is higher with an A++ ranking while Allstate’s is A+.

State Farm and Allstate have similar online experiences, but Allstate wins in this category for integrating its services into one app.

Both State Farm and Allstate offer several options for online tools, including getting quotes for coverage, managing your policies, filing claims and making payments. They also have mobile apps with similar options, though Allstate’s Drivewise is included in the company app, while State Farm has a separate app for Drive Safe & Save.

Both companies offer a library of articles related to insurance coverages and allow you to perform certain tasks without logging into an account. Both also allow you to make a payment and get ID cards online, while State Farm lets you go paperless or enroll in autopay.

Data on car insurance rates comparing State Farm and Allstate are for a 40-year-old male with a full coverage car insurance policy, unless otherwise noted. The policy includes:

• $100,000 on bodily injury liability insurance per person
• $300,000 on bodily injury liability insurance per accident
• $100,000 on property damage liability insurance per person
• Comprehensive and collision insurance with a $1,000 deductible

To evaluate available coverages, discounts and online tools, MoneyGeek collected information from insurer websites and quote tools. To score insurance companies on customer satisfaction and customer complaints, MoneyGeek referenced publicly available data from J.D. Power and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). Financial stability was measured using financial strength ratings from A.M. Best, a leading insurance credit rating agency.