All about the top Auto Insurance Companies

Many different auto insurance companies exist which can help you insure your car. Some companies such as Allstate, GEICO and State Farm have a long history of excellence, while newer companies such as Esurance are quickly rising. This overview of various well known auto insurance providers may help you decide where to insure your vehicle.

Allstate

Founded in 1931, Allstate is the largest publicly held supplier of personal insurance in the United States (it became publicly traded in 1993). Allstate insures approximately 17 million families, with 13 major insurance lines available including auto insurance, life insurance and property insurance. Allstate also has its own banking, retirement and investment services. You can apply for insurance online through Allstate's website, or visit one of the 14,700 offices spread throughout the U.S. and Canada. The Allstate website is www.Allstate.com.

GEICO

GEICO is known for its clever commercials which mainly feature the famous GEICO Gecko, among other things. GEICO primarily offers vehicle, property and life insurance. It was founded in 1936 as an insurance provider to employees of the United States government and military (GEICO stands for Government Employees Insurance Company). It soon branched out to include the general public, and as of 2009 was the 3rd largest supplier of private auto insurance in the U.S. as well as the fastest growing provider of auto insurance. GEICO's website is www.GEICO.com, where you can get instant insurance quotes or find local offices to visit in person.

State Farm

State Farm, founded in 1922, was originally meant to insure farmers for less money than city dwellers since they tended to get into fewer accidents. It is now the single largest insurer of cars in the United States, as well as the largest provider of home insurance. The State Fam bank was launched in 2000, giving customers banking options as well as a diverse selection of auto, home, life and businss insurance, to name just a few. State Farm's website can be found at www.StateFarm.com and offers instant insurance quotes, informative articles and more.

Esurance

You may have seen quite a few Esurance commercials, memorable for Erin, the pink-haired animated heroine and face of this company. Esurance was founded in 1999 as the Internet was rapidly growing in popularity, and has been thriving ever since. Esurance is based completely online for maximum speed and convenience, but also offers a customer service center if you prefer to use the phone. The policies that you can find through Esurance include vehicle, home and life insurance.

Progressive

Progressive, founded in 1937, offers vehicle and home insurance. It became a publicly traded company in 1971 and was the first well known insurance provider to launch a website in 1995. Progressive is known for its comparison service, which can collect auto insurance quotes from all the other major providers to give you an instant price comparison.

These 5 insurance companies are among the top providers of insurance in the United States. When shopping for auto insurance, make sure you consider all of these popular options before making your choice.