Boringrate
Vol. 01 · Boring on purpose · Independent insurance research

What insurance actually costs — and who's overcharging you.

Boringrate is a research desk for insurance shoppers. We publish the rate data carriers don't advertise, rank companies by who's likely cheapest for someone like you, and tell you when to switch. No urgency. No countdown timers. No smiling stock photos.

Our promise: No phone calls. No selling your information five times. No fake "best of" lists shaped by who paid us. If we're ever paid by a carrier, we'll say so on the page. Boring is the point.

Start with your ZIP.

We'll show you average premiums in your state, the carriers most likely to be cheapest for your profile, and the ones most likely to overcharge.

Updated weekly Last refresh — Today

    § 02 — Why Boringrate

    The insurance shopping experience is broken on purpose. So we built something boring on purpose.

    i.

    One question, honestly answered.

    "Who is likely cheapest for me?" — that's what shoppers want to know. We answer it using public rate filings, complaint ratios, and statewide loss data. Not a 47-field form.

    ii.

    We don't sell your information.

    Most aggregators sell each shopper to 3–5 buyers. You then get hounded for weeks. We don't capture phone numbers unless you ask us to email you a rate-change alert. Even then, that's it.

    iii.

    Methods you can read.

    Every ranking links to its methodology. We tell you what data we used, what we couldn't get, and where you should be skeptical of our numbers. Trust isn't a logo — it's a paper trail.

    § 03 — Sample ranking

    Auto insurance, ranked for a 30-year-old driver with a clean record. Colorado.

    # Carrier Avg. 6-mo premium vs. state avg Claims satisfaction Complaint ratio Renewal behavior
    01 USAA
    Military / family only
    $612 −28% cheaper ★★★★★ 0.42 — low Stable
    02 GEICO $684 −19% cheaper ★★★★ 0.71 — low Mild creep
    03 State Farm $731 −14% cheaper ★★★★ 0.58 — low Stable
    04 Progressive $798 −6% cheaper ★★★★★ 1.04 — average Steep at year 2
    05 Allstate $921 +8% pricier ★★★★★ 1.18 — average Mild creep
    06 Liberty Mutual $1,047 +23% pricier ★★★★★ 1.62 — high Steep year-over-year

    Sources — NAIC consumer complaint database (2024), state DOI rate filings, J.D. Power claims study. Methodology: /methodology/auto-ranking

    § 04 — Carrier scorecard

    Every major carrier gets a page like this. No advertorials.

    Progressive — Auto

    B−
    Boringrate Grade

    The Verdict

    Progressive is rarely the cheapest option for shoppers with clean records — despite spending more on advertising than any other carrier. Where they shine is non-standard auto: drivers with tickets, lapses in coverage, or thin credit. If you're a clean-record shopper, get a quote from GEICO or State Farm first. If you've had two tickets in three years, Progressive often wins.

    Where they win
    • Non-standard / high-risk drivers
    • Snapshot telematics (if you drive well)
    • Bundle with home in 30+ states
    Where they don't
    • Renewal rates climb sharply at year 2
    • Higher complaint ratio than competitors
    • Heavy upsell during quote flow
    Avg. 6-mo premium (CO, clean)$798
    Year-2 increase (avg)+18%
    NAIC complaint ratio1.04
    J.D. Power claims3 / 5
    AM BestA+
    Best forNon-standard
    § 05 — From the desk

    Plain-English guides to what carriers don't volunteer.