Best Car Insurance Companies for Filing Claims

Filing claims is the most important part of auto insurance. Learn which companies have the best claims process.

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When it comes to car insurance, there’s nothing more important than a company’s claims process. Satisfying claims is the whole point of insurance. Knowing help is there when you need it is priceless. That’s why it’s so important to consider claims handling when you’re shopping for a new insurance policy. Based on our research, State Farm is the best car insurance company for filing claims.

It’s in every insurer’s best interest to create a simple and easy claims process. This is because it’s one of the main points of contact between you and your insurance provider. If the claims process isn’t quick and painless, it reflects poorly on the entire company.

In this article, we’ll review the top auto insurance companies and rank them based on their claims process. If you want to learn how each insurer stacks up overall, be sure to visit our article on the best car insurance companies in the country.

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Best Car Insurance Company for Filing Claims: State Farm

State Farm is the top auto insurance company for filing claims. It offers several quick and easy ways for customers to report incidents. You can file a claim with State Farm over the phone, online, and on the provider’s mobile app. Tracking a claim is also simple. You can do so on State Farm’s website or app.

Expect the following when you file a claim with State Farm:

  • You’ll need to provide:
    • Date and time of the car accident
    • Which cars were part of the collision
    • Where the accident occurred
    • What happened
    • What the damage is
  • A representative will assess the damages to your vehicle
  • If approved, you’ll get your payment so you can repair your car

Here’s why State Farm is the best insurance carrier for filing claims:

High Claims Process Satisfaction

Many customers seem to feel satisfied with State Farm’s claims-handling process. In a 2021 claims satisfaction survey by J.D. Power, State Farm took sixth place with a score of 892 out of 1,000.

The J.D. Power study uses responses from 7,345 customers who settled an auto insurance claim in any of the six months before participating. Per J.D. Power, the data was collected from November 2020 to September 2021.

Well-Rated Mobile App

State Farm allows its customers to file claims on its mobile app. The State Farm Mobile App has high ratings on both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. Below are the user reviews for each platform:

Few Customer Complaints

State Farm has one of the lowest customer complaint totals in the business. According to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), State Farm had a 2021 auto complaint index of 0.67, where 1.00 is the national average. In other words, State Farm experiences a below-average number of complaints from its customers. So, one could assume the insurer does something right when it handles claims from its policyholders.

High-Quality Company

State Farm is the largest auto insurer in the nation. The company maintains superb customer satisfaction scores and financial strength ratings. A.M. Best, for example, gives State Farm an A++ (superior) rating. Likewise, State Farm earned an average car insurance customer service score of 842 from J.D. Power in 2022.

Final Word on State Farm

State Farm is a great car insurance company from top to bottom. You should expect a quick and easy claims process, especially if you’re using the company’s polished mobile app. You can also feel comfortable knowing that most of State Farm’s other customers feel satisfied with how it handles claims. An added benefit of getting insurance from State Farm is that it has some of the lowest rates among major auto insurers.

Second-Best Company for Filing Claims: Farmers           

Farmers Insurance is the second-best company in terms of filing claims. Making a claim with Farmers is just as simple as you’d want it to be. You can do it either online, over the phone, or on the insurance company’s mobile app. You can also track your claim online or using the app.

To file a claim with Farmers, you must go through the following steps:

  • Provide the below:
    • Policy number
    • Date and time of the incident
    • Your first and last name
    • What happened
  • Work with a claims representative to assess damages and get a repair estimate
  • Get your car fixed and receive your payment

Here’s why Farmers takes our second spot:

Excellent Claim Process Satisfaction

Farmers ranks especially high for customer claims satisfaction. In J.D. Power’s 2021 claims satisfaction survey, Farmers placed fifth with a score of 893.

Good Mobile App

The Farmers Insurance Mobile app gives you an easy way to report and track claims. Users have given it favorable reviews on both iOS and Android. Below are the user reviews for each platform:

Hardly Any Customer Complaints

Like State Farm, Farmers has a below-average number of customer complaints for car insurance. In 2021, Farmers had an NAIC complaint index of 0.35. This number is extremely low compared to some of the other companies on our list. This shows, at least to some degree, that Farmers does a good job of keeping its customers happy. That’s ever important during the claims process.

Highly Rated Company

Farmers is one of the top ten biggest auto insurers. It has good customer service and company strength scores from many organizations. A.M. Best gives Farmers an A rating, and J.D. Power gave it an 815 score for car insurance.

Final Word on Farmers

Farmers Insurance is a solid company with a good claims process. It has few complaints, and it comes in very highly on satisfaction lists for claims handling and car insurance in general. Farmers also has a well-rated mobile app, which you can use to take pictures of damages and easily file a claim. You can even get a quick estimate in certain cases. Be aware, however, that Farmers only writes auto policies in 41 states.

Third-Best Company for Filing Claims: American Family

American Family (AmFam) is the third-best car insurer for filing claims. If AmFam’s your carrier, you can expect an easy claims process and good customer service. The company allows you to file claims online or with the MyAmFam app. If you prefer, you can also report a claim over the phone to a claims support representative.

Here’s what happens when you file a claim with American Family Insurance:

  • You must provide the below:
    • First and last name
    • Date of birth
    • ZIP code
    • Policy number
    • Description of what happened, including photos of damages
    • Date and time of the incident
  • A claims representative will assess damages to your vehicle and reach out within two business days
  • If approved, you’ll get reimbursement and can repair your car

The following are some benefits of choosing AmFam as your auto insurance provider:

Claims Processing Customer Satisfaction

AmFam enjoys great claims satisfaction ratings. In J.D. Power’s 2021 survey, American Family took seventh place and had a score of 889.

Strong Mobile App

American Family’s MyAmFam app has strong ratings from both Apple and Android users. It allows you to do many things with your insurance, including reporting and tracking auto claims. You can also use the app to upload photos of damages. Below are the user reviews for each platform:

Not Many Customer Complaints

AmFam has a far below-average number of car insurance customer complaints. The company had a 2021 NAIC complaint index of 0.16. Based on this very low number, American Family puts a strong emphasis on satisfying its customers. Many people do business with the company and walk away without complaints.

Good Quality Company

American Family is one of the big players in the auto insurance industry. It generally holds good customer satisfaction scores and is an established, stable company. A.M. Best gives AmFam an A rating, and J.D. Power gave the carrier an 855 score for car insurance in its midsize insurer study.

Final Word on American Family

American Family is a great auto insurance company, especially if you’re looking for an easy claims process. It has an impressively low complaint number and an exceptional score for claims satisfaction. It also has a good mobile app.

Perhaps the only major downside to AmFam is that it only sells insurance in 19 states. We recommend checking out the company’s website for availability.

Compare Quotes from the Best Companies for Filing Claims

Want to save on car insurance and find a great company? Compare quotes from the insurers with the best claims handling.

Honorable Mention Best Insurers for Filing Claims

State Farm, Farmers, and GEICO are the three best car insurance companies for reporting claims. However, with many insurance companies, it’s almost like comparing apples to apples. Every company has something to offer, and most have very similar claims processes.

Here are some honorable mention insurance companies to consider:

Compare the Best Companies for Filing Auto Claims

It’s easier to compare companies when you see them side-by-side. We put together this comparison table so you can see what each company has to offer in terms of filing claims:

ProviderMobile App RatingNAIC Complaint IndexJ.D. Power Rating
Allstate4.8 stars on iOS, 4.0 stars on Android1.41870 (#14)
American Family4.8 stars on iOS, 4.3 stars on Android0.16889 (#7)
Farmers4.8 stars on iOS, 4.6 stars on Android0.35893 (#5)
GEICO4.8 stars on iOS, 4.6 stars on Android1.07881 (#8)
Liberty Mutual4.8 stars on iOS, 4.7 stars on Android3.24876 (#10)
Nationwide4.5 stars on iOS, 4.1 stars on Android0.48876 (#11)
Progressive4.7 stars on iOS, 4.6 stars on Android1.01862 (#17)
State Farm4.8 stars on iOS, 4.7 stars on Android0.67892 (#6)
The Hartford3.9 stars on iOS, 2.7 stars on Android2.09905 (#1)
Travelers4.7 stars on iOS, 3.7 stars on Android4.35871 (#13)
USAA4.8 stars on iOS, 4.3 stars on Android1.28909 (not ranked in the survey)
Note: J.D. Power rating is based on a 2021 claims satisfaction survey.

How We Chose the Best Companies for Filing Claims

We know that it’s never easy to fully understand a company’s claims process unless you’ve actually filed one. Even so, there are a few factors that reveal how well a company does for its customers during the claims process:

  • NAIC customer complaint index
  • Results in surveys from reputable organizations, such as J.D. Power
  • Mobile app ratings

We also made it a point to examine each company’s overall performance and ratings. Honorable mentions have good, but not great, claims processes.

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