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At Bankrate, we strive to help you make smarter financial decisions. To help readers understand how insurance affects their finances, we have licensed insurance professionals on staff who have spent a combined 47 years in the auto, home and life insurance industries. While we adhere to strict , this post may contain references to products from our partners. Here's an explanation of . Our content is backed by Coverage.com, LLC, a licensed entity (NPN: 19966249). For more information, please see our .
Lincoln, Rhode Island-based Amica, founded in 1907, is the oldest mutual auto insurance company in the country. Aside from auto insurance, Amica, which stands for the Automobile Mutual Insurance Company of America, offers other insurance products, such as home, motorcycle, flood, life and small business insurance. Those who are interested in contacting Amica can do so by phone, email, direct mail or by visiting their website at www.amica.com. Additionally, Amica does have some local brick-and-mortar agencies available, but they may be few and far between, depending on where you live.
Allstate, founded in 1931, is based in Northbrook, Illinois, and is the fourth-largest car insurance company in the country by market share. Similar to Amica, Allstate began as an auto insurance company before expanding to a full suite of product offerings. The carrier also owns Esurance and Encompass and acquired National General in 2021, providing more coverage options to a variety of drivers, including those who are considered high risk to insure. Allstate does business through an extensive network of local agents, as well as through a contact center and online chat.
| Amica | Allstate | |
|---|---|---|
| Bankrate score | 4.4 | 3.8 |
| Tier 1 | 3.8 | 3.5 |
| Tier 2 | 5.0 | 4.0 |
| Tier 3 | 4.8 | 4.3 |
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Our 2023 Bankrate Score considers variables our insurance editorial team determined impacts policyholders’ experiences with an insurance company. These rating factors include a robust assessment of each company’s product availability, financial strength ratings, online capabilities and customer and claims support accessibility. Each factor was added to a category, and these categories were weighted in a tiered approach to analyze how companies perform in key customer-impacting categories.
Like our previous Bankrate Scores, each category was assigned a metric to determine performance, and the weighted sum adds up to a company’s total Bankrate Score — out of 5 points. This year, our 2023 scoring model provides a more comprehensive view, indicating when companies excel across several key areas and better highlighting where they fall short.
- Tier 1 (Cost & ratings): To determine how well auto and home insurance companies satisfy these priorities, 2023 quoted premiums from Quadrant Information Services (if available), as well as any of the latest third-party agency ratings from J.D. Power, AM Best and the NAIC, were analyzed.
- Tier 2 (Coverage & savings): We assessed companies’ coverage options and availability to help policyholders find a provider that balances cost with coverage. Additionally, we evaluated each company’s discount options listed on its website.
- Tier 3 (Support): To encompass the many ways an auto insurance company can support policyholders, we analyzed avenues of customer accessibility along with community support. This analysis incorporated additional financial strength ratings from S&P and Moody’s and factored a company’s corporate sustainability efforts.
Tier scores are unweighted to show the company’s true score in each category out of a possible five points.
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Coverage.com, LLC is a licensed insurance producer (NPN: 19966249). Coverage.com services are only available in states where it is licensed. Coverage.com may not offer insurance coverage in all states or scenarios. All insurance products are governed by the terms in the applicable insurance policy, and all related decisions (such as approval for coverage, premiums, commissions and fees) and policy obligations are the sole responsibility of the underwriting insurer. The information on this site does not modify any insurance policy terms in any way.
Compare auto insurance rates
Save on auto insurance with quotes from trusted providers like:
Drivers switch & save an average of $750+/year
Are you overpaying for auto insurance?
Safe drivers choose Allstate®
Coverage.com, LLC is a licensed insurance producer (NPN: 19966249). Coverage.com services are only available in states where it is licensed. Coverage.com may not offer insurance coverage in all states or scenarios. All insurance products are governed by the terms in the applicable insurance policy, and all related decisions (such as approval for coverage, premiums, commissions and fees) and policy obligations are the sole responsibility of the underwriting insurer. The information on this site does not modify any insurance policy terms in any way.
Allstate vs. Amica comparison
Since insurance companies can vary wildly in the coverage options and benefits they provide, you may find it helpful to review a list of pros and cons for the carriers you’re considering.
Allstate pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Less-than-ideal driving habits tracked by Allstate’s telematics program will not increase your premium | Third-party customer service scores tend to be lower than average |
| Safe drivers could earn lower collision deductibles over time through the company’s deductible rewards program | Average rates are higher than Amica’s |
| Robust coverage options allow for a highly-personalized policy | Defensive driver discount not available |
Amica pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| As a mutual company, Amica policyholders may earn dividends | Not available in Hawaii |
| Scored in first place in the J.D. Power 2022 U.S. Auto Claims Satisfaction Study | Sales and customer service not 24/7 |
| Average rates are lower than the national average | Few local offices |
Is Allstate cheaper than Amica?
Price is an important consideration for many car insurance shoppers, and generally speaking, Amica may be cheaper than Allstate for many drivers. However, because underwriters look at more than a dozen personal rating factors to determine your rate, every driver’s premium will vary. Knowing the average premium for an insurance company can help give you a baseline when figuring out if the quote you receive is competitive, so we’ve included them in the table below. To put these average rates into context, the average cost of full coverage car insurance in 2023 is $2,014 per year; minimum coverage is $622.
| Car insurance company | Average annual premium for full coverage | Average annual premium for minimum coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Allstate | $2,630 | $545 |
| Amica | $1,467 | $429 |
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Bankrate utilizes Quadrant Information Services to analyze 2023 rates for ZIP codes and carriers in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Rates are weighted based on the population density in each geographic region. Quoted rates are based on a 40-year-old male and female driver with a clean driving record, good credit and the following full coverage limits:
- $100,000 bodily injury liability per person
- $300,000 bodily injury liability per accident
- $50,000 property damage liability per accident
- $100,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury per person
- $300,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury per accident
- $500 collision deductible
- $500 comprehensive deductible
To determine minimum coverage limits, Bankrate used minimum coverage that meets each state’s requirements. Our base profile drivers own a 2021 Toyota Camry, commute five days a week and drive 12,000 miles annually.
These are sample rates and should only be used for comparative purposes.
Amica is generally cheaper for drivers with poor credit
Among some of the factors that insurance companies can use to determine your premium is your credit-based insurance score (except in California, Hawaii, Massachusetts and Michigan). Statistically speaking, the lower your score, the more likely it is that you may file a claim with your insurance company. Insurance companies tend to charge more expensive premiums to those with lower credit scores to offset this risk, as demonstrated by the tables below (please note that these rates reflect full coverage paid on an annual basis):
| Credit Score | Allstate | Amica |
|---|---|---|
| Poor | $3,496 | $2,216 |
| Average | $2,731 | $1,544 |
| Good | $2,630 | $1,467 |
| Excellent | $2,440 | $1,392 |
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Credit-based insurance scores: Rates were calculated based on the following insurance credit tiers assigned to our drivers: “poor, average, good (base) and excellent.” Insurance credit tiers factor in your official credit scores but are not dependent on that variable alone. Four states prohibit the use of credit-based insurance scores as a rating factor in determining auto insurance rates: California, Hawaii, Massachusetts and Michigan.
Amica is generally cheaper for young drivers
Because teen drivers tend to be involved in more accidents (and those accidents are usually more severe), age is a significant rating factor that impacts how much you pay for car insurance (except in Hawaii and Massachusetts). Per miles driven, the fatal crash rate for drivers 16 to 19 is almost three times higher than that of drivers 20 years old and older. However, young drivers may find some relief by being listed on their parents’ policy rather than their own. When comparing Allstate vs. Amica, the table below shows that the average annual full coverage premiums for Amica tend to be much cheaper than Allstate for younger drivers listed on their parents’ policy.
| Allstate | Amica | |
|---|---|---|
| Age 16 | $4,461 | $3,682 |
| Age 17 | $4,267 | $935 |
| Age 18 | $4,184 | $3,123 |
| Age 19 | $3,997 | $2,747 |
| Age 20 | $3,888 | $2,603 |
Amica is generally cheaper for adult drivers
Even after a driver is removed from their parents’ policy and purchases their own, age can still play a heavy role in average full coverage premiums. For the most part, a driver may expect their rates to drop after turning 25 and are no longer considered a youthful operator. As the driver ages, their premium could steadily decrease, generally until they reach 70 years old, when average premiums tend to creep up again.
| Allstate | Amica | |
|---|---|---|
| Age 18 | $7,089 | $5,423 |
| Age 25 | $3,188 | $1,718 |
| Age 30 | $2,641 | $1,515 |
| Age 40 | $2,630 | $1,467 |
| Age 60 | $2,376 | $1,434 |
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Rates were calculated by evaluating our base profile with the ages 18-60 (base: 40 years) applied. Depending on age, drivers may be a renter or homeowner. Age is not a contributing rating factor in Hawaii and Massachusetts due to state regulations.
Amica is generally cheaper for high-risk drivers
Insurance companies may deem you a high-risk driver if you have multiple incidents on your record, such as at-fault accidents, speeding tickets, or other traffic violations. For more severe violations (such as a DUI), just one incident could cause your company to move you into a high-risk category. However, just because you are high-risk doesn’t necessarily mean that you can’t find cheap rates. For instance, Amica’s average rates for many types of incidents are still lower than the national average. It does mean, though, that you may have to do a little more shopping to do so.
Below, you’ll find average annual full coverage premiums for Allstate and Amica across a few different incident scenarios. Please note that not all companies will offer a policy to a driver with a DUI on their record, so you may want to contact Allstate or Amica directly for more information on their average DUI rates.
| Allstate | Amica | |
|---|---|---|
| Clean driving record | $2,630 | $1,467 |
| Speeding ticket conviction | $3,123 | $1,788 |
| At-fault accident | $3,397 | $1,742 |
| DUI conviction | $3,817 | $3,934 |
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Incidents: Rates were calculated by evaluating our base profile with the following incidents applied: clean record (base), at-fault accident, single speeding ticket and single DUI conviction.
Allstate vs. Amica: discounts
Insurance companies usually offer their own unique suite of discounts — Allstate and Amica are no exceptions. Although Allstate’s base premiums may be higher than average, depending on the savings opportunities that you qualify for, you might still save by taking advantage of multiple discounts.
Allstate unique discounts
- Allstate eSmart discount: Drivers could save an undisclosed amount on their car insurance if they sign up for paperless policy options.
- Responsible payer discount: Allstate rewards policyholders who have not received a cancellation notice for non-payment within the last 12 months might qualify for this discount.
- Safe driving club: Safe drivers could get substantial savings on their car policy if they drive safely enough to earn this discount.
- Early signing discount: If you sign up for your policy at least seven days prior to its effective date, you could earn this discount.
Amica unique discounts
- Rewarding your parent’s loyalty: If your parents have had an Amica auto policy for the last five years and you’re under 30 years old, you could qualify for this discount.
- Homeownership: As long as you own your home, you could earn this discount (even if your home isn’t insured with Amica).
- Loyalty: If you’ve been insured with your prior company for at least two years, you could earn a loyalty discount on your Amica car insurance policy.
- Forward collision warning: Among the many vehicle-safety discounts Amica offers, you could save on your insurance premiums if your car is equipped with a collision-avoidance system.
In addition to this telematics program, Allstate also offers usage-based insurance, called Milewise. This pay-per-mile policy could be a great option for those who drive very little, and not between the hours of 11 p.m. and 4 a.m.
Allstate vs. Amica customer experience comparison
For many, an insurance company needs to offer affordable premiums. After all, insurance is supposed to provide peace of mind, and peace of mind may be hard to find if you’re struggling to pay your car insurance bill. Outside of price, however, shoppers may want to consider the customer experience. Customer experience can mean many different things, but for the purposes of our Amica vs. Allstate review, we’ll be focusing primarily on the company’s mobile experience (as this has become increasingly important in our digital world) and claims satisfaction experience, as reported by J.D. Power.
Across Google Play and the App Store, ratings for Allstate and Amica’s mobile apps are similar. According to customer feedback, the biggest complaints regarding Amica’s app are the inability to add a credit or debit card for future payments (on Android) and slow performance. In contrast, Allstate’s customers tend to complain about functionality issues regarding the company’s Drivewise telematics app.
When it comes to the J.D. Power U.S. 2022 Auto Claims Satisfaction Study, both Allstate and Amica scored above the industry average (which sits at 873 points), but Amica took this a step further by securing first place.
| Allstate | Amica | |
|---|---|---|
| Apple store | 4.8 out of 5 | 4.8 out of 5 |
| Google Play | 3.9 of 5 | 3.8 out of 5 |
| J.D. Power | 889 / 1,000 | 903 / 1,000 |
Frequently asked questions
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Yes, Allstate and Amica offer homeowners insurance. However, depending on the company, homeowners insurance may not be available in your state. For instance, Amica does not sell homeowners insurance in Hawaii or Alaska. For more information about the availability of products across companies, you may want to contact the company directly and request a homeowners insurance quote.
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It’s true that according to proprietary rate data sourced from Quadrant Information Services, Allstate may offer higher-than-average car insurance premiums. However, the word “expensive” is subjective. What seems costly to you may be competitive for another. This is because car insurance rates are based on several metrics that are specific to you, including your driving history, your location, the type of vehicle you drive, and in some states, your age and credit score. As such, the best way to find the cheapest car insurance is to shop around with multiple companies and request quotes.
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The best car insurance company is different for every driver because every driver has different needs. One carrier might offer lower prices and discounts geared toward young drivers, while regional companies may be best for those who live in a specific state. When looking for the best insurance company, you might first find it helpful to make a list of your priorities — do you need the cheapest premiums, or are you willing to pay a little more for excellent customer service? Once you have this list, you can then use it as a touchstone when requesting car insurance quotes.
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