GEICO vs. Amica: Which car insurance is right for you?

GEICO vs. Amica overview

When it comes to claims satisfaction, there’s no contest — Amica wins out over GEICO on claims and customer service. Amica was ranked the highest-scoring auto insurer by Consumer Reports readers, and it beat out all but one competing insurance company on the J.D. Power 2018 U.S. Auto Claims Satisfaction Study, scoring 887 as compared to GEICO’s 857 (for reference, the industry average was 861).

Amica also offers some above-and-beyond coverage options, like free replacement of deployed airbags and free lock replacement if you lose your car keys. And for drivers willing to pay more for premium coverage, Amica has a Platinum Choice Package which offers options like identity fraud monitoring and full-auto glass coverage with no required deductible.

However, Amica can be costlier than competitors — that industry-leading service comes at a price. For drivers who value their bottom line above all else, GEICO will be a better, more affordable choice. GEICO also offers a wider range of potential discounts, giving drivers more chances to save on car insurance.

Amica can be picky when it comes to customers, meaning drivers with poor credit or spotty driving histories might have better luck getting insurance through GEICO than Amica.

GEICO fast facts

• Coverage available in all 50 states

• Discounts for federal employees

• Wide range of available discounts

• Competitive rates

• Below average claims satisfaction rating

• Easy-to-use website and online quote generator

Amica fast facts

• Coverage available in every state except Hawaii

• Top rated customer service and claims satisfaction

• Premium coverage options available

• Can be picky about its customers

• Pricier than GEICO

GEICO vs. Amica customer satisfaction ratings

Note: The J.D. Power claims satisfaction rating rates insurance providers out of a possible score of 1,000. The highest scoring provider in 2018 earned a score of 891.

GEICO vs. Amica price comparison

The cost of your car insurance is based on a number of factors unique to you: Your driving history, age, address, credit score, the kind of car you drive, even whether you own or rent your home will all go into determining how much you’ll pay for car insurance.

That means it’s difficult to predict what any given driver will pay for car insurance, but we can still look at what an average driver was quoted for identical coverage from both GEICO and Amica.

Sample Quotes

Our sample driver is a single, 30-year-old woman in Minneapolis, Minnesota who owns her home and drives a 2014 Toyota Camry. GEICO quoted her $427 for a six-month policy, which would be $854 for a year at the same rate. For near identical coverage, Amica quoted her more than double that cost: $1,939 for a 12-month policy.

GEICO sample insurance policy

Total annual premium = $854

Amica sample insurance policy

Total annual premium = $1,939

GEICO vs. Amica: Roadside assistance

GEICO and Amica both offer roadside assistance as a coverage add-on. Roadside assistance, sometimes called emergency road service coverage or towing and labor, covers the kinds of emergencies that leave you and your car stranded on the side of the road, like dead batteries or running out of gas. Adding roadside assistance to your policy is usually affordable, it typically adds around $5 to $15 per vehicle to your annual premium.

Here’s what GEICO and Amica’s roadside assistance coverage includes:

GEICO vs. Amica consumer discounts

GEICO offers a wide range of discounts for its customers, including discounts for federal employees, GEICO’s original clientele. Amica doesn’t have as wide an array of discounts, although it does offer some discounts that GEICO does not, including a legacy discount for drivers whose parents have had an Amica policy for five years or more.

Check with your current car insurance provider to make sure you’re getting every possible discount for which you qualify.

GEICO vs. Amica: How much does credit score matter?

As we mentioned above, Amica tends to be pickier about drivers than GEICO. If you have poor credit, you’ll have better luck finding coverage with GEICO than Amica. In general, the worse your credit score, the more you can expect to pay for car insurance. If your credit score is very poor, you may be denied coverage altogether.

It’s important to monitor your credit score so you aren’t blindsided — and to take steps to pay down debt and improve your score if needed. But the credit score you see when you check your own credit report isn’t necessarily what insurers are seeing. You actually have many credit scores.

There are three main credit bureaus that generate your credit reports: Equifax, TransUnion and Experian. But in addition to those multiple bureaus, there are also multiple scoring models used to calculate different types of specific scores. However, most of your credit scores will fall within a similar range.

Credit scores fall between 300 and 850, and, while there are different scales used to rank scores, generally the tiers are as follows:

• 800 to 850 = exceptional

• 740 to 799 = very good

• 670 to 739 = good

• 580 to 669 = fair

• 300 to 579 = very poor

GEICO vs. Amica state availability

GEICO writes auto insurance policies in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, and Amica writes policies in every state and D.C. with the exception of Hawaii.

If you’re ready to shop for car insurance, a Policygenius expert can help you compare quotes and get the insurance coverage that’s best for you and your wallet.