Best auto insurance policy

Full coverage auto insurance includes at least the state minimum coverage, plus collision and comprehensive protection.
It can also include extras like GAP insurance and new car replacement, though these usually cost extra. Taking into consideration the available coverage options, additional benefits, and claim management, we came up with the top three full coverage car insurance providers.

Our Top Picks

• GAP insurance: This pays the difference between the value of a totaled car and the balance of your auto loan.
• Stacked uninsured motorist coverage: Combine individual coverage limits on multiple vehicles in the same household.
• Help with medical bills: Ameriprise will help pay hospital bills for injuries you sustained in an accident.

• A.M. Best Rating: A
• Mobile App: None
• GAP Insurance: Yes
• Mechanical Breakdown:No

• Mechanical breakdown coverage: This covers mechanical repair costs if your car breaks down.
• New car replacement: If your car is totaled, The Hartford will replace it with a new one that's less than a year old.
• Great claim management: The Hartford runs a 24/7 claims center and imposes no repair facility restrictions.

• A.M Best Rating: A
• Mobile App: Good
• GAP Insurance: No
• Mechanical Breakdown: Yes

• GAP coverage: If your car is totaled, State Farm pays the difference between its actual value and your loan balance.
• Roadside assistance: Contact State Farm for roadside assistance if your car breaks down.
• Personal injury protection: This covers medical bills if you or your passengers are injured in a crash.

• A.M Best Rating: A++
• Mechanical Breakdown: No

Policy Coverage

Liability insurance is required by law in many states. Bodily injury coverage protects you if you injure another person in an accident while property damage covers costs for repairing or replacing property. Additional coverages include personal injury protection, uninsured motorist coverage, and rental car coverage. Ameriprise Financial and The Hartford offer all major coverage options, except pet injury protection. State Farm is missing this as well as the option to stack your uninsured motorist coverage limits on multiple vehicles in the same household.

Vehicle Coverage

Collision and comprehensive coverage make up the core of the vehicle coverage category. Collision coverage protects your car in the event of a crash while comprehensive coverage pays for any expense caused by fire, vandalism, or other non-collision-related accidents.

Certain companies also offer GAP insurance, new car replacement, and mechanical breakdown coverage to those who want it, though typically these cost extra. There is no clear winner in this category. Ameriprise and State Farm both offer GAP insurance, but The Hartford is the only one of the three to provide mechanical breakdown coverage. Ultimately, you have to choose what types of coverage are most important to you.

Additional Benefits

Additional benefits are the extras the auto insurance company offers, beyond the basic personal liability and vehicle protections. This includes medical payment coverage, reimbursement for rental cars, roadside assistance, and coverage for towing and labor expenses. All three insurance providers listed above offer these benefits.

Claim Management

The ease of filing a claim is equally as important as the coverage you receive. A 24/7 claims center is a must, and having several options for how you file is best. You also want to ensure there aren’t restrictions on where you can get your car repaired. All three companies do well in this area, but Ameriprise Financial falls slightly behind the others because it doesn’t have a mobile app for filing a claim on the go.

The Bottom Line

All three of these car insurance providers can give you the complete protection you need. Our recommendation is Ameriprise Financial, although The Hartford or State Farm might work better if you’re looking for something specific, like mechanical breakdown coverage. For the best deal, get quotes from multiple companies and compare prices and coverage options.