Allstate vs. State Farm

Allstate is the better provider for most types of insurance

Updated October 28, 2022

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If you’ve ever shopped for insurance, you’re probably familiar with State Farm and Allstate. They’re two of the largest car insurance companies on the market, and each insures millions of people around the country. State Farm and Allstate are well known for their car insurance offerings, but you can also get a variety of other policies, like home, renters, business, pet, and life insurance.

State Farm and Allstate are among the best insurance companies, but they each have pros and cons. We reviewed the two carriers and found that, overall, Allstate is a better provider. Allstate has more policy offerings than State Farm, plus more discounts. However, State Farm has a much larger agent network, which is beneficial if you prefer to work with an agent in person.

Allstate

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Pros

Wide variety of endorsements for most policies, including commercial insurance
Great discounts for homeowners insurance
Helpful online tools, resources, and calculators

Cons

Only offers two renters insurance discounts
Fewer agents than State Farm, with a network of about 9,300
Doesn’t sell individual health or disability insurance

State Farm

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Pros

Network of more than 19,000 agents around the country
Two safe driver rewards programs, including one aimed at young drivers
One of the few providers that offers roof-related discounts for home insurance

Cons

Very few home insurance endorsements
No riders for commercial insurance
Doesn’t offer 24/7 customer service

Allstate vs. State Farm: Auto Insurance

At-a-Glance

	Allstate	State Farm
Geographic availability	Nationwide	Nationwide
Discount opportunities	13	10
Customer service	Phone, online, email, in-person	Phone, online, in-person
Claims processing	Phone, online, mobile app	Phone, online, mobile app
NAIC complaint score	2.70 (above average)	1.61 (above average)
AM Best rating	A+	A++

Coverage

Allstate and State Farm both offer exceptional auto insurance, with minimum coverage and full coverage policies available. The specific coverage limits will depend on your state, but you can request a quote online to see how much coverage you can purchase.

	Allstate	State Farm
Personal liability insurance	Yes, amount varies	Yes, amount varies
Collision insurance	Yes, amount varies	Yes, amount varies
Comprehensive insurance	Yes, amount varies	Yes, amount varies
Medical payments insurance	Yes, amount varies	Yes, amount varies
Uninsured motorist insurance	Yes, amount varies	Yes, amount varies
Underinsured motorist insurance	Yes, amount varies	Yes, amount varies

Riders

Allstate and State Farm both offer a number of riders, which are optional add-on policies that can be purchased for increased protection. Based on our comparison, Allstate offers a few more riders than State Farm, making it a better choice if you want to customize your policy.

	Allstate	State Farm
Rideshare insurance	Yes	Yes
Roadside assistance	Yes	Yes
Personal injury protection	Yes	Yes
Personal umbrella insurance	Yes	Yes
Accident forgiveness	Yes	No
New car replacement	Yes	No
Rental car reimbursement	Yes	Yes
Custom parts coverage	No	Yes
Deductible savings bank	Yes	No

Rates and Discounts

Car insurance premiums are different for every driver, but you can get a lower rate by taking advantage of each company’s auto insurance discounts. In addition, both companies offer a safe driver rewards program. Allstate has Drivewise, and State Farm has Steer Clear for drivers under 25 and Drive Safe and Save for drivers over 25.

	Allstate	State Farm
Accident-free	Yes	Yes
Defensive driving course	No	Yes
Responsible payer	Yes	No
Automatic payments	Yes	No
Paperless statements	Yes	No
Pay in full	Yes	No
Early signing	Yes	No
Good student	Yes	Yes
Driver training course	Yes	Yes
Student away at school	No	Yes
Recent model vehicle	Yes	Yes
Airbags/passive restraint	No	Yes
Anti-lock brakes	Yes	No
Anti-theft system	Yes	Yes
Multi-policy	Yes	Yes
Multi-vehicle	Yes	Yes

Allstate vs. State Farm: Home Insurance

At-a-Glance

	Allstate	State Farm
Geographic availability	Nationwide	Nationwide
Discount opportunities	7	3
Customer service	Phone, online, email, in-person	Phone, online, in-person
Claims processing	Phone, online, mobile app	Phone, online, mobile app
NAIC complaint score	0.66 (below average)	0.32 (below average)
AM Best rating	A+	A++

Coverage

In terms of home insurance coverage, Allstate and State Farm offer all the basics. Keep in mind that the amount of coverage available will depend on factors like your location and the replacement value of your home.

	Allstate	State Farm
Dwelling insurance	Yes, amount varies	Yes, amount varies
Other structures insurance	Yes, amount varies	Yes, amount varies
Personal property insurance	Yes, amount varies	Yes, amount varies
Personal liability insurance	Yes, amount varies	Yes, amount varies
Medical payments insurance	Yes, amount varies	Yes, amount varies
Loss of use insurance	Yes, amount varies	Yes, amount varies

Riders

When it comes to home insurance riders, Allstate is the clear winner. Allstate offers 14 endorsements, including some unique options, like green improvement reimbursement coverage. For comparison, State Farm only offers five endorsements.

	Allstate	State Farm
Identity theft insurance	Yes	Yes
Home sharing coverage	Yes	Yes
Inflation guard	No	Yes
Personal umbrella insurance	Yes	Yes
Flood insurance	Yes	Yes
Water backup insurance	Yes	No
Scheduled personal property	Yes	No
Business property	Yes	No
Sports equipment insurance	Yes	No
Green improvement reimbursement	Yes	No
Yard and garden coverage	Yes	No
Electronic data recovery coverage	Yes	No
Musical instrument coverage	Yes	No
Deductible savings bank	Yes	No
Rate guard	Yes	No

Rates & Discounts

Homeowners insurance rates are based on criteria like your age, state, and claim history. If you’re looking to lower your home insurance premium, State Farm and Allstate offer a handful of discounts that can help you save. When we compared the two providers, we found that Allstate’s discounts are much better than State Farm’s.

	Allstate	State Farm
Multi-policy	Yes	Yes
Security system	Yes	Yes
Impact-resistant roof	No	Yes
Responsible payer	Yes	No
Claim-free	Yes	No
Welcome and loyalty	Yes	No
Automatic payments	Yes	No
Early signing	Yes	No

Allstate vs. State Farm: Renters Insurance

At-a-Glance

	Allstate	State Farm
Geographic availability	Nationwide	Nationwide
Discount opportunities	2	2
Customer service	Phone, online, email, in-person	Phone, online, in-person
Claims processing	Phone, online, mobile app	Phone, online, mobile app
NAIC complaint score	N/A	N/A
AM Best rating	A+	A++

Coverage

You can get a standard renters insurance policy from State Farm or Allstate, which includes contents, liability, medical payments, and loss of use coverage. To find out how much coverage is available where you live, you can request a personalized quote online.

	Allstate	State Farm
Personal property insurance	Yes, amount varies	Yes, amount varies
Personal liability insurance	Yes, amount varies	Yes, amount varies
Medical payments insurance	Yes, amount varies	Yes, amount varies
Loss of use insurance	Yes, amount varies	Yes, amount varies

Riders

Allstate and State Farm offer a handful of riders that can be added to your renters insurance policy for additional protection. For renters insurance only, State Farm offers more riders than Allstate. If you’re in the market for renters insurance, State Farm is a better choice if you’re looking to build a customized policy.

	Allstate	State Farm
Personal liability umbrella insurance	Yes	Yes
Identity restoration coverage	Yes	Yes
Earthquake insurance	No	Yes
Business property insurance	No	Yes
Incidental business liability insurance	No	Yes
Scheduled personal property coverage	Yes	No
Flood insurance	Yes	Yes

Rates & Discounts

Your renters insurance premium is based on the insurance company you choose, your state, the value of your personal belongings, and more. To get a lower rate, Allstate and State Farm offer a few renters insurance discounts, but the savings from both companies are very limited.

	Allstate	State Farm
Multi-policy	Yes	Yes
Security system	No	Yes
Retired (55 or older)	Yes	No

Allstate vs. State Farm: Commercial Insurance

At-a-Glance

	Allstate	State Farm
Geographic availability	Nationwide	Nationwide
Discount opportunities	0	0
Customer service	Phone, online, email, in-person	Phone, online, in-person
Claims processing	Phone, online, mobile app	Phone, online, mobile app
NAIC complaint score	6.85 (above average)	0.90 (below average)
AM Best rating	A+	A++

Coverage

Allstate and State Farm offer a wide variety of business insurance policies. You can see the full list of product offerings in the table below. Note that the amount of coverage available depends on unique factors like your state and the industry that your business operates in.

	Allstate	State Farm
Commercial auto insurance	Yes, amount varies	Yes, amount varies
Commercial property insurance	Yes, amount varies	Yes, amount varies
Commercial liability umbrella insurance	No	Yes, amount varies
Business owners policy (BOP)	Yes, amount varies	Yes, amount varies
Workers’ compensation	No	Yes, amount varies
Surety and fidelity bonds	No	Yes, amount varies
Builder’s risk insurance	No	Yes, amount varies
General liability insurance	Yes, amount varies	Yes, amount varies
Professional liability insurance	Yes, amount varies	Yes, amount varies
Employment practices liability insurance	Yes, amount varies	Yes, amount varies
Employers non-owned car liability insurance	Yes, amount varies	Yes, amount varies
Farm and ranch insurance	No	Yes, amount varies
Key employee insurance	Yes, amount varies	Yes, amount varies
Employee health insurance	Yes, amount varies	Yes, amount varies
Employee life insurance	Yes, amount varies	Yes, amount varies
Employee disability insurance	Yes, amount varies	Yes, amount varies
Equipment breakdown insurance	Yes, amount varies	Yes, amount varies

Riders

State Farm doesn’t advertise any riders on its website. However, Allstate offers an impressive list of add-ons for more protection. Allstate is our recommendation if you’re in the market for business insurance.

	Allstate	State Farm
Outdoor sign insurance	Yes	No
Data compromise/identity theft insurance	Yes	No
Employee dishonesty insurance	Yes	No
Home-based business insurance	Yes	No
Cyberattack insurance	Yes	No
Shield endorsements	Yes	No
Inland marine insurance	Yes	No

Rates & Discounts

Commercial insurance policies are based on factors unique to your business, including the number of employees you have, the risk your employees face, and where your business operates. Based on our research, Allstate and State Farm don’t offer any discounts for commercial insurance. However, you might qualify for a multi-policy discount if you purchase two or more business insurance policies from the same company.

Allstate vs. State Farm: Other Insurance Products

Besides auto, home, renters, and commercial insurance, you can find a variety of other insurance policies from both Allstate and State Farm. However, not all policies are underwritten by these providers. Additionally, some coverages are not offered in every state.

	Allstate	State Farm
Motorcycle insurance	Yes	Yes
Boat insurance	Yes	Yes
Classic car insurance	Yes	Yes
RV insurance	Yes	Yes
Off-road vehicle insurance	Yes	Yes
Condo insurance	Yes	Yes
Landlord insurance	Yes	Yes
Personal articles insurance	Yes	Yes
Manufactured home insurance	Yes	Yes
Farm and ranch insurance	No	Yes
Identity theft insurance	Yes	Yes
Individual life insurance	Yes	Yes
Individual health insurance	No	Yes
Pet medical insurance	Yes	Yes
Individual disability insurance	No	Yes
Flood insurance	Yes	Yes
Phone protection	Yes	No
Event insurance	Yes	No

Allstate vs. State Farm: Customer Service

Allstate and State Farm both have good customer service options. You can request support by calling the company during business hours, downloading the mobile app (if you’re an existing policyholder), logging into the online customer portal, or by visiting an agent in person at a local office. However, support for certain policies, like life insurance and business insurance, is only available via phone or in person.

Allstate vs. State Farm: Claims

State Farm and Allstate have online and mobile claims systems, but only for auto, home, and renters insurance claims, as well as windshield glass repair claims. If you need to file a claim for any other type of policy, you’ll need to call the company directly.

Whether you file a claim online or by phone, the process is very similar. You’ll be asked to provide your policy number, then give a description of the claim, and submit photos if you have evidence of the damage. Then, you will be assigned an adjuster who will reach out and explain the claim process and what your policy will cover.

Allstate vs. State Farm: Customer Satisfaction

As part of our provider comparison, we looked at online reviews from current and past policyholders from both Allstate and State Farm. Overall, both companies have mostly positive reviews, with customers citing efficient claim handling, prompt roadside assistance, affordable premiums, and useful mobile tools.

Most of the negative reviews for Allstate and State Farm are from customers who feel they didn’t receive a fair payout after a claim or had a claim denied. Other customers said they have struggled to get in touch with agents and had issues with billing.

It is important to note that State Farm and Allstate work with independent agents, which means you have to call your personal agent to manage your policy and ask questions about your coverage. Your agent is able to provide the best customer service, but because they work with many policyholders, it could be more difficult to get in touch with them.

Allstate vs. State Farm: Getting a Quote

When comparing insurance providers, getting rate quotes is an important part of the process. Fortunately, State Farm and Allstate both offer online quotes for most of the insurance products they sell. You can also get a quote by calling an agent if you prefer.

The process for getting a quote is pretty much the same for each company. You will need to provide information about yourself, like your birthday, Social Security number, and address, as well as information that is relevant to the policy you’re buying.

Because Allstate and State Farm both work with independent agents, it’s important to find an agent that you feel comfortable with. If you don’t build a rapport with the first agent you speak with, you might consider finding another one in your area.

Whether you get a quote online or over the phone, the process should only take a few minutes. And if you get a quote online, you’ll have the option to save the quote and return to it later, so there’s no pressure to purchase a policy on the spot.

Methodology

To review State Farm and Allstate, we started by looking at their areas of availability, the NAIC Complaint Index score, and the AM Best score for each provider. The NAIC Company Complaint Index is a ratio of complaints per market share with 1.0 being the average and anything above 1.0 considered to have more complaints than expected for its size. Then, we looked at the coverage options, discounts, and riders available for auto, home, renters, and commercial insurance. Finally, we did some research into customer reviews and testimonials and evaluated the ease of getting a quote and filing a claim.

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Article Sources

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National Association of Insurance Commissioners. "Property and Casualty Insurance Industry Top 25 Groups and Companies by Countrywide Premium," Page 6.