Progressive Insurance is one of the largest insurance companies in the entire country. They specialize in car insurance, and insurance for RVs, boats, four-wheelers, scooters, jet-skis, and other “toys”. You probably have seen their name everywhere, whether it’s your favorite sports team, or their commercials during your favorite sitcom. Progressive seems to be everywhere, but if you live in Lancaster PA, is Progressive insurance the best company for you?
How to Get a Policy
Progressive is interesting in that they have a hybrid approach to the insurance market. They are both direct to the consumer, and they work through insurance agents, like Susquehanna Insurance. This means you can go online to their site and purchase a policy, or you can go to your local insurance agent and have them get a policy for you. Progressive also gives you the option to purchase a policy online, and choose to work with a local agent instead of dealing directly with them.
There are no price advantages either way. Going through in an agent will not be any more expensive than purchasing online. We have often found that it is cheaper to purchase through an agent.
Pros & Cons
When dealing directly with Progressive you are able to interact with your policy through their app, website, or their 1-800 number. Some people like this option because you can go online and get a quote and policy relatively quickly. Their 1-800 number isn’t local so you can reach them anytime and you can talk to them about policy changes throughout the country if need be.
There are a few downsides to dealing directly with them. First, do you know what you are actually signing up for? Without any guidance from an agent, how do you know which tort option is best for you? What liability limit should you choose? What is an uninsured or underinsured motorist? Do you need gap coverage? Secondly, if you need to call them to make a change to your policy you need to work through their 1-800 prompts and call centers. You will never get the same customer service twice and you will simply be a number to them. When dealing with an agent, you will be able to form a relationship and seek the agent’s guidance on coverage recommendations and even claims procedures.
Pricing
Progressive is considered a high-risk insurance company which means that they specialize in customers who may be rejected by other insurance companies or are paying too much because of their accidents. Progressive will write you even if you have had a few DUI’s, multiple accidents in consecutive years, or a plethora of speeding tickets. If you fall into any of these categories and are in Lancaster PA, Progressive may be the best company for you. The more accidents and tickets you have the more expensive your insurance will be, but with Progressive it might not as bad as it would be with some other companies.
On the other hand, if you are a good driver who has never been in an accident, and doesn’t have any tickets, Progressive may not be the best option for you. You will be paying higher rates with Progressive to help cover the accidents that their “high-risk” drivers cause. You would be better off going with a more regionalized insurance company through an independent insurance agent.
Regardless of your driving history, Progressive does provide competitive pricing on “toys” such as motorcycles, scooters, snowmobiles, boats, RVs, and vehicles like these. Some of our customers will have their home and auto insurance with Erie Insurance but have a Progressive policy for their motorcycles.
What to do
Progressive Insurance in Lancaster PA is great for “toys” and drivers who have a record of tickets and accidents. If you are a good driver with a clean record, you will probably be able to find a better rate with one of our more localized insurance companies.
If you would like a quote from Progressive Insurance in Lancaster PA, or If you have questions about your current Progressive policy and want to talk through it give us a call.