Here are my summary and conclusions about the 2012 JD Power north central region auto insurance customer satisfaction study, surveying car insurance customers insured with the major companies in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin. As is the case with the other regional studies, some of the companies rated among the best, or better than most, did not score much above the study average. Also, some of the companies receiving JD Power’s lowest rating, 2 power circles (the rest), are not much below the average score for the study. My analysis will help you tell the difference between the companies truly performing well, the companies performing about average, and any companies performing poorly, based on the numerical scores from the north central study. I will also discuss strengths and weaknesses for each company, in the factors considered by the study, such as Pricing, Policy Offerings, Billing & Payment, and Contacting the Insurance Company.

I’m ranking the companies from best to worst. If you want to find the best price, decide on the amount and types of auto insurance coverage you need, then have each company on the list quote you for the same coverage.

Only one company scored so well in the study, you may want to choose it for its excellent customer satisfaction results, regardless of price.

With all the other companies, how much they charge you for coverage is just as important as the customer satisfaction study results.

Pricing is one of the factors considered for overall satisfaction in this study. I’ll point out the companies performing above average or below average in this category. But a study cannot tell you which companies have the best rate for you.

When you shop for some items, like groceries, you can be fairly confident you will get low prices for the items you need by shopping at a retailer known for low prices, like Walmart or Costco.

Insurance is different. There is not one (or several) insurance company offering low rates for everyone. Auto insurance rates are determined by many factors, such as your age, driving history, claims history, type of car, education level, zip code, credit, etc.
It can be said each person’s auto insurance rate is close to unique.

All insurance companies have the lowest rate for some people, and all insurance companies charge hundreds of dollars more than competing companies for some people. The only way to find the company with the best rate for you is to get price quotes from all the leading companies.

There is no relationship between price and customer service. Some of the companies at the top of the list, and some of the companies at the bottom of the list, may have the best rates for you.

I recommend getting price quotes from all the leading companies, then use the study results for the companies with the lowest prices for you, to decide on an insurance company.

Also, Look at rates for the companies at the top of the list, and decide for yourself if they are worth considering, if they don’t have the lowest price for you.

I would pay a little more for a company performing well in this survey, but I would not pay a lot more. With the exception of the top ranking company at number one on the list below, the scores for the other highly rated companies are not enough above the average to justify a much higher price.

Of course, you want to consider things beyond price and these study results, such as the availability and quality of local agents, too. You can use my company reviews on my website, smartshopyourcarinsurance.com, for more information.

You may not qualify for all the companies on this list. If you have problems qualifying for auto insurance, because of your driving record, claims history, or other reasons, I note companies willing to insure most drivers with an (*). If a company won’t quote or insure you, don’t get angry or upset. There are companies wanting your business, and because of your more limited options, it is even more important for you to find a good company with lower rates, willing to insure you.

JD Power 2012 North Central Region Auto Insurance Study: 17 Companies ranked from Best to Worst for Overall Satisfaction

1,000 points is a perfect score.

1. USAA auto insurance — 903 points. USAA is the clear winner of all 7 JD Power auto insurance customer satisfaction regional surveys. In the north central region, USAA scored 75 points higher than the next highest scoring company. USAA scored 99 points higher than the study average of 804 points. The next highest scoring company is only 24 points more, on the 1,000 point scale, than the study average.

However, USAA has restricted membership. If you are in the military, an immediate family member of someone in the military, or an honorably discharged veteran, contact USAA to see if you qualify. If you are the type of customer willing to pay more for better customer service, the study results for USAA are a good indication USAA may be worth it to you, even if they don’t have the lowest price. USAA rated 5 power circles (among the best) in all factors, including Pricing, so USAA may have the best price for you.

2. Auto-Owners auto insurance — 828 points. Although Auto Owners scored much lower than USAA in the north central region study, Auto Owners was the top scoring company, beating USAA, in the 2011 JD Power Auto Claims Study.

Scoring 24 points above the north central region study average is not impressive, considering it’s on a 1,000 point scale, but I think Auto-Owners stellar score in the 2011 auto claims study makes it worth considering, and paying more for, if it does not have the lowest price for you.

Auto Owners rated above average in all factors, except Pricing, which rated about average. I’m sure The average rating for Pricing lowered the overall numerical score, so if Auto Owners has a competitive rate for you, I think you can trust the study rating of among the best (5 power circles) for overall customer satisfaction.

3. State Farm auto insurance — 828 points. State Farm scored the exact same number of points as Auto Owners, but rated among the best in all factors, except Pricing, which rated as average, the same as Auto Owners. State Farm was only slightly below Auto Owners (by 12 points on a 1,000 point scale), in the 2011 JD Power Auto Claims Satisfaction study. Like Auto Owners, I think the score for State Farm was dragged down by the consideration of average pricing. If State Farm has competitive rates for you, I think you can trust the study rating of among the best (5 power circles).

If you can’t qualify for USAA, or if you prefer a local agent (USAA does not have local agents), State Farm or Auto-Owners are neck-and-neck for top customer satisfaction. You may choose price as the tie breaker, or the expertise, quality or personality of each company’s agent.

4. Erie auto insurance — 823 points. Erie scored only 5 points less, on the 1,000 point scale, than State Farm & Auto Owners. However, it is only 19 points more, on the 1,000 point scale, above the regional average score of 804. I don’t think Erie scored high enough to pay more than an average rated company. But the good news is Erie customers surveyed rated it among the best for the Pricing category, which is a signal Erie auto insurance may have a good rate for you.

5. Country auto insurance — 814 points. Country scored only 10 points above the regional average, which I don’t think is high enough to be an indication of above average customer satisfaction, in spite of its 4 power circle rating (better than most). Country customers surveyed did rate Pricing as better than average, so if Country has a low rate for you, it may be the best choice for you, if you are okay with average, to slightly above average service.

When considering companies in the average range, you need to know your choice of agent can make a big difference. A really good agent, committed to excellent customer service, can make insuring with an average company an above average experience.

If the top 3 companies on this list do not have good rates for you, or you don’t qualify for them, be sure to get price quotes from all the average rated companies. Consider price, the study results, and the quality and qualifications of each agent quoting you, before choosing a company.

6. Grange auto insurance — 807 points. Grange scored only 3 points above the region average. However, Grange rated above average for the category of Contacting the Insurance Company, which I consider the most important aspect of an insurance company, behind claims service. It’s actually an important component of claims service, too, since a common complaint about claims is difficulty with getting a response from the insurance company.

*7. Geico auto insurance — 805 points. Geico scored only one point above the regional average. However, it was rated among the best (5 power circles) for Pricing. It rated above average for all the other categories except Contacting the Insurance Company, where it rated average. Contact Geico for a price quote. If Geico is among the best auto insurance quotes for you, check their website to see if you can buy from an agent located in your state. Geico is known for selling direct from the company, but in some areas, it has agents, and using one may improve your ability to contact and get a response from the insurance company.

The north central region average score for all auto insurance customers responding to the survey: 804 out of 1,000 points. This is the same as the national study average of 804 points.

8. Liberty Mutual auto insurance — 798 points. Liberty Mutual scored 6 points below the region average, and rated average in all factors. If we exclude the superior score for USAA, Liberty Mutual scored only 30 points less on the 1,000 point scale than the two top rated companies, so there is not a big difference in quality between an above average rated company and an average rated company.

However, it does not make sense to me to pay more for an average rated company, and unfortunately, some people pay a lot more. If you are insured with an average rated company, like Liberty Mutual, shop to make sure you are not paying too much. If Liberty Mutual has a competitive rate for you, and you are happy with the service, Liberty Mutual may be the best choice for you.

*9. Allstate auto insurance — 796 points. Allstate is 2 points below Liberty Mutual, and 8 points below the regional average. Allstate rated about average (3 power circles) in all categories. Unless Allstate has a competitive rate for you, or a unique coverage option you value, I see no compelling reason to choose Allstate.

*10. Progressive auto insurance — 796 points. Progressive scored the same as Allstate, 8 points below the region average. Progressive rated above average for Pricing. However, Progressive rated below average for Contacting the Insurance Company.

The rest of the companies on the list not only scored below average, but rated 2 power circles, the lowest rating by JD Power, in at least 2 of the 4 factors assessed, like Contacting the Insurance Company, or Policy Offerings.

The lowest scoring company in the North Central region study, Farmers auto insurance, is 40 points below the regional average. Considering the 1,000 point scale, this is not a terrible score. When viewed as a percentage, the company ranked last in the survey receives a score of 76.4%, which in school, would be considered a “C” grade.

Unless the following companies offer a much lower price for the same coverage, the study results don’t make the case for choosing them.

*11. American Family auto insurance — 792 points.

12. Hanover auto insurance — 789 points.

13. Auto Club Group (AAA) auto insurance — 783 points.

14. Michigan Farm Bureau auto insurance — 783 points.

*15. Nationwide auto insurance — 782 points.

16. Hartford auto insurance — 777 points.

*17. Farmers auto insurance — 764 points.

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