Compare Progressive vs. AAA: Quotes, Discounts (2024) (2024)

If you’re shopping for car insurance, AAA and Progressive are two insurers you may consider.

While AAA is known for its roadside assistance services, like jump-starts, flat tire replacement, and fuel delivery, it also offers car insurance in select states. AAA’s car insurance products come from CSAA Insurance Group, which serves AAA members in clubs across the country.

Progressive, meanwhile, is the third-largest insurer in the U.S. It offers a variety of car insurance products, as well as home insurance, boat insurance, condo insurance, and other products.

Here’s a closer look at how AAA and Progressive stack up so you can make the best choice for your unique situation and insurance needs.

AAA vs. Progressive: The verdict

If you’re a member of AAA or plan to become one, you can enjoy plenty of perks along with your auto insurance, like robust roadside coverage, car rental benefits, and identity theft protection. However, these perks come at an extra cost, so you have to determine whether they’re worth it for you.

Progressive, which typically offers lower car insurance rates than AAA, is a large insurance company with a variety of coverage levels and discounts. Through its Name Your Price tool, you can quickly learn about coverage options that align with your budget.

When it comes to financial stability, AM Best gave AAA an A (Excellent) rating and Progressive an A+ (Superior) rating.^[1] In a customer satisfaction study by J.D. Power, AAA scored higher than Progressive.^[2]

AAA

The American Automobile Association, or AAA, offers various insurance products through local auto clubs and is well-known for its roadside assistance program and membership perks.

Progressive

Based in Ohio, Progressive Insurance is one of the nation’s largest insurers. It’s most well known for its car insurance and small-business insurance.

AAA SMARTtrek vs. Progressive Snapshot

AAA and Progressive both offer telematics-based programs to encourage safe driving. If you download the mobile app and participate in AAA’s SMARTtrek, you’ll automatically save 10% on your policy. And if you demonstrate good driving habits, you may save up to 20%. The app will give you feedback on your driving and also provide tips on how to keep yourself safe on the road.

Progressive Snapshot also tracks your driving behavior and may reward you with an automatic discount just for signing up. However, this depends on where you live. While the total discount you can earn depends on factors like speeding and hard braking, Progressive says that good drivers save an average of $231 on their annual premiums.

AAA vs. Progressive: Which is the cheapest?

In general, Progressive offers lower rates and more affordable car insurance coverage than AAA. However, your premium will depend on a variety of factors, such as your ZIP code, location, age, marital status, driving record, credit score, and previous car insurance history.

Progressive: Cheapest for drivers with a clean driving record

Drivers with a clean driving record, free of speeding tickets and DUI violations, can find lower car insurance premiums with Progressive.

Progressive: Cheapest for drivers with a speeding ticket

Progressive offers cheaper auto insurance coverage for drivers with a speeding ticket.

Progressive: Cheapest for teen drivers

Teens and young drivers can lock in cheaper car insurance through Progressive insurance.

Progressive: Cheapest for drivers with bad credit

Not every state allows insurers to review a driver’s credit history during the underwriting process. However, most states do. In states where this is legal, drivers with poor credit scores generally pay higher rates than drivers with good or excellent credit.

In general, Progressive offers better car insurance rates for drivers with bad credit.

Progressive: Cheapest for senior drivers

Senior drivers can enjoy cheaper auto insurance rates with Progressive.

Compare coverages: AAA vs. Progressive

AAA and Progressive offer a number of main coverage options. These include bodily injury liability, property damage liability, personal injury protection, uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, collision insurance, and comprehensive insurance.

In addition, both car insurance companies allow customers to choose from a variety of optional insurance policies or add-ons. While AAA is known for its roadside assistance plan, you can find a similar option through Progressive roadside assistance.

Both insurers also offer gap insurance to help you if your car is deemed a total loss and you owe more than it’s worth. Progressive calls this coverage “loan/lease payoff coverage.”

New-car added protection is unique to AAA and can pay to repair or replace your car without depreciation if it gets totaled.

Progressive stands out for its pet injury coverage, which can protect your pet if it sustains an injury and you face medical bills after a car accident.

Finally, keep in mind that AAA’s coverage options vary by location, so it’s a good idea to check with your regional club in your home state to find out what your options are.

Compare discounts: AAA vs. Progressive

Discounts can lower your car insurance costs, but remember that not all AAA discounts are available to everyone. You may want to reach out to your local AAA office to determine which discounts members in your area can get.

The table below provides you with an idea of the discounts available from each insurer.

AAA vs. Progressive FAQs

Insurify data scientists analyzed more than 90 million quotes served to car insurance applicants in Insurify’s proprietary database to calculate the premium averages displayed on this page. These premiums are real quotes that come directly from Insurify’s 50+ partner insurance companies in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Quote averages represent the median price for a quote across the given coverage level, driver subset, and geographic area.

Unless otherwise specified, quoted rates reflect the average cost for drivers between 20 and 70 years old with a clean driving record and average or better credit (a credit score of 600 or higher).

Liability-only premium averages correspond to policies with the following coverage limits:

• Bodily injury limits between state-minimum rates and $50,000 per person, $100,000 per accident
• Property damage limits between $10,000 and $50,000
• No additional coverage

Full-coverage premium averages correspond to the same bodily injury and property damage limits in addition to:

• Comprehensive coverage with a $1,000 deductible
• Collision coverage with a $1,000 deductible

Quotes for Allstate, Farmers, GEICO, State Farm, and USAA are estimates based on Quadrant Information Services’ database of auto insurance rates.

1. AM Best. "CSAA Insurance Exchange."
2. J.D. Power. "Auto Insurance Customer Satisfaction Plummets as Rates Continue to Surge, J.D. Power Finds."

Anna Baluch is a Cleveland-based personal finance and insurance expert. With an MBA from Roosevelt University, she enjoys writing educational content that helps people make smart financial decisions. Her work can be seen across the internet on many publications, including Freedom Debt Relief, Credit Karma, RateGenius, and the Balance. Connect with Anna on LinkedIn.