Two well known companies in the insurance industry are State Farm and National General. In 2016, State Farm was ranked #4 auto insurer. Additionally, State Farm is best known for their variety of discounts and great online and mobile platform. National General is best known for their unique discounts for auto policies.
However, National General has rather high premiums. And State Farm doesn’t offer a discount for paying off premiums in full. Still, both of these companies are top rated and have excellent financial strength ratings.
So which one offers the discounts, services, and customer ratings that best fit your car insurance wants and needs? Keep reading to find out.
Best If |
State Farm
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National General
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Worst If |
State Farm
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National General
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State Farm
Commercial Auto InsuranceIf you’re a business owner and have vehicles (i.e. pickup trucks or box trucks), consider purchasing commercial auto insurance. It will cover you if an employee driving one of your business vehicles gets into an accident. There are multiple coverage options for commercial auto insurance:
There’s also Employers Non-Owned Liability Coverage (ENOL). This policy covers you if any of your employees use their own cars for business purposes. If they get into an accident, you won’t suffer any financial losses. Classic Car InsuranceState Farm provides coverage for customers who own classic or antique cars. Its website also provides a brief guide that determines whether your car is eligible for Classic Car Insurance. The coverages for this type of policy are:
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National General
National General SmartDiscounts.National General says that switching to them saves customers an average of $442 a year. And that’s before applying SmartDiscounts to your policy!
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Bundling Coverage Discounts | State Farm | National General |
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Multi-Car | ||
Home and Car | ||
Car and Life | ||
Vehicle Type and Safety Features | State Farm | National General |
Alternative Fuel | ||
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) | ||
Anti-Lock Brake | ||
Anti-Theft | ||
Passive Restraint | ||
New Car | ||
Economy Car | ||
Utility Vehicle | ||
Farm or Ranch Vehicle | ||
Driving Record and Insurance History | State Farm | National General |
Accident Free/Good Driver | ||
Prior Insurance | ||
Long Term Policy Holder | ||
Defensive Driving Course | ||
Student, Professional, and Club Memberships | State Farm | National General |
Affinity Group | ||
College Graduate | ||
Good Student | ||
Resident Student | ||
Organization or Club Membership | ||
Farm Bureau Member | ||
Military | ||
Special Circumstances | State Farm | National General |
Telematics Device | ||
Low Mileage | ||
Short Commute | ||
Days Per Week Driven | ||
Other Discounts | State Farm | National General |
Married | ||
Paid in Full | ||
Advance Renewal | ||
Electronic Funds Transfer | ||
Senior Driver | ||
55 and Retired |
State Farm Auto Insurance | National General Car Insurance | |
---|---|---|
2016 | 105 | 69 |
2015 | 155 | 74 |
2014 | 178 | 50 |
2013 | 135 | 30 |
State Farm Auto Insurance | National General Car Insurance | |
---|---|---|
Overall Purchase Experience | Above average | |
Policy Offerings | Above average | |
Pricing | Average | |
Local Agent | Among the best | |
Call Center Representative | -- | |
Insurer Website | Average |
State Farm Auto Insurance | National General Car Insurance | |
---|---|---|
Overall Satisfaction | Average | |
First Notice of Loss | Average | |
Service Interaction | Above average | |
Appraisal | Average | |
Repair Process | Above average | |
Rental Car Experience | Average | |
Settlement | Average |
State Farm Auto Insurance | National General Car Insurance | |
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A.M. Best | A++ | A- |
Moody's | Aa1 | -- |
S&P's | AA | BBB+ |
State Farm
State Farm has seven mobile apps for your smartphone or web browser that can manage your insurance policies. Pocket AgentThis app lets you:
You can also use it to pay any pending insurance premiums and deposit checks to your State Farm bank accounts. To make the app more secure, State Farm has added a fingerprint Touch ID feature you can use to login. CarCaptureThis app is powered by Edmunds.com, a car shopping website. The app recognizes any vehicle you take a picture of from the back. It can tell you anything you want to know about it. You can learn its market value and even locate a nearby dealership. You could even do this while getting a State Farm auto insurance quote. Steer ClearThis app encourages good, smart driving behaviors. It lets you earn discounts for driving well while teaching you safe driving behaviors. Some new features include driving tips for dangerous weather conditions and videos about others’ driving experiences. Driver FeedbackThis an app for drivers of all ages looking to improve their driving habits. The app focuses on the driving actions of accelerating, braking, and cornering, since they are the most risky behaviors. The app uses your phone’s accelerometer to measure and score these areas. And then it provides you with tips based on your results. Driver Feedback Instructor EditionThis app was created with drivers-ed and parent instructors in mind. It helps instructors track the progress of their student drivers in a smart and easy way and give real-time feedback. Drive Safe & Save MobileThis app is a free app you can use to help save money on auto insurance. The gist is that the less you drive and safer you drive, the more you have a chance of saving. The app also includes a wifi option so you can save data on your phone plan. MoveToolsThis app makes the moving process that much easier. You can use MoveTools to virtually pack your belongings. The app has a feature that let you label your boxes and write down each one’s contents. That can help you keep track of them during the move. Click here to learn more and download any of these State Farm mobile apps.
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National General
National General Insurance’s Claims App is fairly unique in that it actually puts you in contact with a National General claims service consultant. In addition, you can use the app to submit a claim online or request a towing service. To learn more about and download the app, click here. |
State Farm
State Farm Emergency Road ServiceThis service can help if you need:
Or if your car is stuck somewhere. Roadside Assistance Services Covered
Services Not Covered
Contact Phone NumberState Farm’s Emergency Road Service is available by calling 1 (877) 627-5757. You can visit the State Farm Roadside Assistance website here. |
National General
National General Motor Club Roadside AssistanceGives those insured by National General a membership plan for three levels of roadside assistance coverage. It's similar to other full suite roadside assistance memberships. You get travel discounts on restaurants, hotels, car rental and more. Coverage extends to all family members in any vehicle you're driving Motor Club BasicCost per year: Single - $59. Couple - $69.
Motor Club StandardCost per year: Single - $79. Couple - $94. Each Dependent - $15.
Motor Club EliteCost per year: Single - $89. Couple - $99. Family - $119.
Contact Phone NumbersRoadside Assistance Hotline 888-310-4173 Customer Service 888-310-4173 Trip Routing 888-310-4173 By signing up for the National General Motor Club, you’ll get access to roadside assistance benefits. The GM Motor Club offers 24/7 roadside assistance and no hidden fees. |