Geico is short for Government Employees Insurance Company. Founded in 1936, Geico began as an insurance company offering insurance to government employees and military personnel. Today, it is a subsidiary of Warren Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway and insures over 30 million vehicles, with over 18 million in-force auto insurance policies nationwide. Geico holds 1.4% of the total market share for all insurance product lines and is ranked as the 14th largest insurer. Geico often tops Bankrate’s best car insurance reviews for cheapest coverage, according to our research.
Founded in 1907, Amica is headquartered in Rhode Island and is the oldest car insurance company in the U.S. Though Amica does not make the top 25 insurance carriers in premiums written, it is the 15th largest home and auto insurer nationally and consistently ranks highly in J.D. Power’s annual studies of customer satisfaction ratings. Amica offers unique features and coverage options, like its dividend auto insurance policies, which offers customers up to 20% back on their yearly premiums. If you are interested in getting a quote from Amica, you can visit its website at amica.com.
Geico vs Amica: car insurance rates comparison
For an overview of how Amica vs. Geico compares, take a look at some of the most important features you should review when choosing a carrier. Besides the average cost of insurance for full and minimum coverage, AM Best provides a grade for an insurance company’s financial strength when it comes time to pay out claims. J.D. Power releases independent, annual customer satisfaction studies based on consumer responses. To simplify the information available, Bankrate assigns each carrier with a maximum score of 5.
| Car insurance company | Bankrate Score | AM Best | J.D. Power | Average annual premium for minimum coverage | Average annual premium for full coverage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Geico | 4.6 | A++ | 881/1,000 | $433 | $1,405 |
| Amica | 4.6 | A+ | 895/1,000 | $405 | $1,378 |
Rates by credit score
Several factors could impact the cost of car insurance. Many vehicle owners are surprised that credit score is one of them. Unless you reside in the state of California, Massachusetts or Hawaii, insurance companies can use credit in order to determine your premiums. Generally speaking, a higher credit score means a lower annual premium. Here is how your credit score can affect your rates with these carriers:
| Car insurance company | Poor | Average | Good | Excellent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Geico | $1,978 | $1,505 | $1,405 | $1,312 |
| Amica | $2,125 | $1,478 | $1,378 | $1,350 |
Rates by age
Car insurance companies find that drivers up to the age of 25 are riskier to insure than older drivers due to their limited driving experience. In a Geico vs. Amica comparison, Geico is friendlier to younger drivers, with rates being considerably lower in the early driving years.
| Car insurance company | Age 16* | Age 18* | Age 25 | Age 30 | Age 40 | Age 60 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Geico | $1,897 | $3,672 | $1,674 | $1,465 | $1,405 | $1,326 |
| Amica | $2,389 | $5,077 | $1,701 | $1,469 | $1,378 | $1,401 |
*16 year old cost when added to parents’ policy, 18-year-old renter
Rates by driving record
Both carriers charge higher-risk drivers more for car insurance based on the number of tickets, accidents or DUI convictions. A DUI is the most serious offense. However, you will find that a speeding ticket could affect your premiums almost as much as an accident, if not more. But if you have a clean driving record, you may be eligible for unique types of coverage, like accident forgiveness. Other than for drivers with DUIs, Amica is the cheaper average rate option across the board when compared to Geico.
| Car insurance company | Clean driving record | Speeding ticket | Accident | DUI conviction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Geico | $1,405 | $1,734 | $1,971 | $3,064 |
| Amica | $1,378 | $1,689 | $1,665 | $3,479 |
Geico vs Amica: discounts
Each carrier has its own list of discounts designed to help prospective and current policyholders save on car insurance. Geico and Amica both offer over a dozen auto insurance discounts, including discounts for autopay, vehicle safety equipment and good student discounts. Some of the discounts with the greatest potential for savings are:
Amica
- Bundling — Buy coverage for your home and vehicle to earn up to 30% off.
- Young driver training — Drivers under 21 who successfully complete an approved young driver training program may earn you a discount on coverage.
- Multi-car — Get up to 25% off for insuring more than one vehicle.
Geico
- Good driver — If you are accident-free for more than five years, you can receive up to 22% off your premiums.
- Multi-car — You may qualify for up to 25% off when you insure more than one car with Geico.
- Emergency deployment — Military personnel that are deployed to an “imminent danger zone” may receive a 25% reduction in premiums while they are away.
Geico vs Amica: online and mobile experience comparison
Both companies have a robust mobile app that allows you to view and download insurance cards, manage your policy, manage your payments and track your claims process. Geico’s app has more innovative features, such as business chatting, which allows you to text with your agent or Geico customer service representative, and the photo estimate feature, which allows you to get an estimate simply by providing a few photos straight from the app.
Amica
- Apple Store — 4.8/5. Amica’s app integrates with Apple’s security features such as touch ID or face recognition. File and track claims, view information about your policy or call for roadside assistance in just a few taps.
- Google Play — 4.2/5. Android users do not score the app as highly as iOS users. However, the functionality is the same, with access to insurance cards, roadside assistance and the ability to file/track claims.
Geico
- Apple Store — 4.8/5. The app provides access to your coverages 24/7. You can use the business chat feature to talk with your agent or customer service through the iMessage interface.
- Google Play — 4.7/5. Some customers complain that the app is sometimes slow to load, but you can view your insurance cards, manage your account and even take photos from your phone to get a photo estimate.
Frequently asked questions
Methodology
Bankrate utilizes Quadrant Information Services to analyze 2021 rates for all ZIP codes and carriers in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. 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 coverages that meet each state’s requirements. Our base profile drivers own a 2019 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.
Credit: 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. The following states do not allow credit to be a factor in determining auto insurance rates: CA, HI, MA
Age: Rates were calculated by evaluating our base profile with the ages 18-60 (base: 40 years) applied. 16-year-old rates were factored as the added cost to their parents’ policy; 18-year-old rates were calculated as drivers who rent their primary residence.
Incident: Rates were calculated by evaluating our base profile with the following incidents applied: clean record (base), at-fault accident, single speeding ticket, single DUI conviction (BAC of >= .08) and lapse in coverage.
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