Consumer Reports Says These Are The Best Car Insurance Companies If You Make $50,000 Or Less

With auto insurance rates growing at a staggering pace since the pandemic, it might be tempting for cash-strapped households to grab the cheapest policy they can find. But simply selecting an insurance policy because it's inexpensive could be a seriously costly decision if the company providing it is less than reputable. Fortunately, in September 2025, nonprofit research organization Consumer Reports (CR) listed the top 11 car insurance companies for households earning less than $50,000 per year. The report was based on a larger survey conducted in 2024 of 40,566 car insurance policy holders, of which 35% were from households that made less than $50,000. While cost was a factor, the survey also asked participants about their satisfaction level on such things as how companies handled claims, their customer service, and the clarity of their policies.

Per that survey, the 11 companies with the highest percentages of policyholders who were completely or very satisfied were Geico (60%), CSAA (60%), Hartford (62%), American Family (63%), Nationwide (63%), Allstate (64%), State Farm (66%), Auto Club (68%), Erie (76%), Amica (79%), and USAA (79%). And while all of these are reportedly solid fits for drivers in this income bracket, many factors beyond affordability draw customers to these providers.

According to CR, Erie Insurance, USAA, and Amica policyholders were generally pleased with how they were treated. Erie Insurance's customers particularly liked how responsive the company was when addressing claims, as well as how accessible policy information was for customers. USAA was well liked for many of the same reasons, though its agents also got great reviews from consumers. Meanwhile, survey respondents appreciated Amica's "helpful" and "hassle-free" claims-addressing process, and the clear writing of its policies was praised as well.

In terms of pricing, Erie Insurance customers reported the lowest frequency of premium increases of any policyholders surveyed in 2024. Curiously, the same couldn't be said for USAA and Amica. Despite being tied for first place for their overall scoring, both companies were actually rated unfavorably for their premiums. Reviews like this show that, even among lower-income households, the cost of car insurance itself isn't the most important factor in many customers' insurer selection.

Unfortunately, not everyone will be able to obtain an auto insurance plan from Consumer Reports' top three companies for lower-income households. For example, Amica car insurance policies aren't available in Hawaii, a popular tourist destination with one of the country's worst economies. Erie, which is based in Pennsylvania, has an even more limited reach, only offering coverage in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Washington, D.C. Even if you reside in one of those states, you can only obtain auto insurance policies via Erie's network of about 14,000 insurance agents, rather than through more convenient virtual means offered by many other insurers. 

Meanwhile, USAA auto policies can be acquired throughout the country, but only by active-duty members of the U.S. military, veterans, and their family. While that could still mean millions of people are eligible for USAA coverage, it does restrict the majority of the population from being able to access these plans.