Allstate vs. State Farm: Car Insurance Comparison

Allstate and State Farm are both large insurance carriers in the United States and both offer high quality auto insurance. Each company may offer a slightly different price quote, but that difference only becomes apparent when identical quotes are obtained for the same individual. Nonetheless, there are many differences in the features offered by each company, and those features should be part of any insurance decision.

Liability Insurance

Both Allstate and State Farm provide two types of liability insurance coverage. The first, called property damage liability, covers very specific damage. Allstate's property damage liability covers damage to homes and other structures that are covered under the a policy, as well as the repair or replacement of any covered vehicles or stationary objects. Property damage liability coverage from State Farm includes the damaged property as well as loss of use. The bodily injury coverage from both companies also varies a great deal. Allstate's bodily injury liability insurance covers medical expenses, sickness, loss of income, bail bonds, emergency aid on-scene, funeral costs and the cost for a legal defense related to the accident. State Farm, on the other hand, covers only pain and suffering, a legal defense and court cost, lost wages and medical expenses

Collision and Comprehensive Coverage

Both companies offer collision and comprehensive coverage. With Allstate, collision coverage only covers the types of accidents listed in the policy. Comprehensive covers other types of damage, including vandalism and weather. State Farm's collision coverage applies to collisions with other vehicles, rollovers and collisions with objects. The comprehensive plan covers damage from hitting an animal, theft, vandalism, fire, floods and more. A deductible applies in all cases, though the amount is chosen by the policyholder and affects premium price.

Discounts

The discounts offered by State Farm and Allstate also vary. State Farm offers both multiple line and multiple vehicle discount, giving you a large reduction in your premium if you have, for example, three cars and a home insured by State Farm. Allstate, on the other hand, offers a 10% discount if you have multiple policies through them, such as auto and home insurance. State Farm Mutual offers an accident-free discount, which gives you a discount on the premiums you pay for bodily injury and property damage liability, collision coverage and medical payments if you've had the same car insured by the company for at least three years with no chargeable accidents. State Farm offers a new vehicle safety discount as well for insured vehicles made after 1994 with factory-installed safety devices. In addition, State Farm has a defensive driving discount for drivers over 55 or those that have taken an approved course, and a good driving discount, which rewards drivers with no moving violations or speeding tickets in three years. The driver training discount offered by State Farm applies to drivers under 21 that have completed a training course and the Steer Clear safe driver discount is also unique to State Farm and is given to drivers that complete a course offered by a State Farm agent. Allstate and State Farm also share many discounts in common, such as anti-theft device discounts, good student discounts, and passive restraint discounts. Allstate does have one discount that doesn't compare to State Farm. This is the early signing discount, which gives you a lower premium if you sign up for an Allstate policy before your current policy expires.