When you work with an independent insurance agency like Better Choice Insurance Group, one of the biggest advantages is access to a panel of carriers. We represent 22+ insurance companies, and every carrier on our panel earned their spot. Today, we want to shine a spotlight on one of our favorites: Progressive Insurance.
Progressive is not just one of the largest auto insurers in the country — they are one of the most innovative. Since 1937, they have been pushing the insurance industry forward with technology, pricing transparency, and a willingness to insure drivers that other carriers shy away from. For our clients across Illinois, Minnesota, Texas, and Indiana, Progressive consistently delivers competitive rates and a claims experience that makes our job as advocates that much easier.
Here are five specific reasons we love having Progressive on our panel — and why our clients keep choosing them.
1. They Win on Price More Often Than You Would Expect
Let us be honest: when most people think of Progressive, they think of Flo and clever TV commercials. What they may not realize is just how often Progressive comes in as the lowest or second-lowest quote when we run a client through our full carrier panel.
Progressive invests heavily in pricing algorithms. Their actuarial models are among the most sophisticated in the industry, which means they can identify low-risk drivers with more precision than many competitors. If you have a clean driving record, a good credit score, and a relatively new vehicle, Progressive's pricing engine frequently rewards you with a rate that is hard to beat.
But here is what really sets them apart: they are also competitive for drivers who do not have a perfect profile. A recent ticket, a lapse in coverage, a younger driver on the policy — these are situations where many carriers spike their rates dramatically. Progressive takes a more nuanced approach. They price the actual risk rather than painting with a broad brush, and that means more of our clients end up with a Progressive policy than you might expect.
In our experience, Progressive is the winning quote for roughly 25 to 30 percent of the auto insurance clients we quote. That is a remarkable hit rate across a panel of 22+ carriers.
2. Snapshot Rewards Safe Drivers (Without Punishing Anyone)
Progressive's Snapshot program is one of the best usage-based insurance programs in the market, and it is a genuine win for our clients who are safe drivers. Here is how it works: you download the Snapshot app on your phone (or use a small plug-in device), and it monitors driving behaviors like hard braking, time of day, and mileage for a set period.
If your driving habits are good, you earn a discount — and Progressive guarantees that you will never be penalized for trying the program. Your rate can only go down, never up. That risk-free structure is something we love, because it means we can recommend Snapshot to every client with confidence.
We have seen clients save an additional 10 to 15 percent on top of their already-competitive Progressive rate through Snapshot. For a family paying $1,800 per year in auto insurance, that is an extra $180 to $270 in savings just for driving the way they already drive. It is free money on the table.
3. Their Claims Process Is Fast and Digital-First
Insurance is ultimately a promise: if something goes wrong, we will take care of you. The claims process is where that promise gets tested. And Progressive delivers.
Progressive offers 24/7 claims filing through their app, website, or phone (1-800-687-5581). Once a claim is filed, their process moves quickly. For auto claims, they offer photo-based estimates where you can submit photos of the damage through the app and receive an estimate without waiting for an in-person inspection. They also have a network of service centers and preferred repair shops that speed up the repair process.
From our perspective as agents, Progressive's claims team is responsive and professional. When we need to escalate an issue or get a status update for a client, we can get through to a real person who can actually help. That is not something we can say about every carrier.
4. They Make Bundling Easy (Even Across Carriers)
One of the questions we get most often is, "Can I bundle my home and auto with Progressive?" The answer is yes, and Progressive makes it particularly easy. Through their HomeQuote Explorer program, Progressive partners with select home insurance carriers to offer bundled pricing. This means you can get a multi-policy discount on your Progressive auto policy even if your home insurance is with a different company.
As an independent agency, this flexibility is gold. It means we can pair a Progressive auto policy with the best home insurance option from another carrier on our panel, and the client still gets bundling savings. You get the best auto rate from Progressive and the best home rate from whoever wins that quote — with a multi-policy discount on top.
Compare that to a captive agent who can only bundle within their single carrier. If their home rate is high but their auto rate is low, you are stuck choosing between savings on one or the other. With our approach and Progressive's flexibility, you can have both.
5. They Are an A+ Rated Carrier With 87 Years of History
For all their innovation, Progressive is not some fly-by-night startup. They have been in business since 1937. They hold an A+ (Superior) rating from AM Best, the gold standard in insurance financial strength ratings. They are the third-largest auto insurer in the United States, writing over 27 million policies.
That kind of stability matters. When you are buying insurance, you are buying a promise that the company will be there to pay your claim months or years from now. With Progressive, that promise is backed by nearly nine decades of history and some of the strongest financials in the industry.
A Real Client Story
Let us share a scenario that plays out regularly at our agency. A couple in Schaumburg, Illinois reached out to us after their auto insurance renewal came in at $3,200 for two cars. They had been with the same captive carrier for six years and had never shopped their rate. Both drivers had clean records and decent credit.
We ran them through our full panel. Progressive came back at $2,240 for the same coverage — a savings of $960 per year, or about 30 percent. We also enrolled them in Snapshot, and after the monitoring period, they earned an additional 12 percent discount, bringing their annual premium down to just under $1,970.
Total savings compared to their previous carrier: over $1,200 per year. Same coverage limits, same deductibles, same vehicles. The only difference was that an independent agent took 15 minutes to shop their rate across multiple carriers, and Progressive happened to price their specific risk profile better than anyone else.
That is the power of combining an independent agency with a carrier like Progressive.
How Progressive Stacks Up
| Feature | Progressive | Typical Captive Carrier |
|---|---|---|
| Usage-based discount program | Snapshot (no penalty guarantee) | Varies (some penalize poor scores) |
| Digital claims filing | App, web, and phone — 24/7 | Usually phone or web only |
| Photo-based estimates | Yes | Rare |
| Cross-carrier bundling | Yes (HomeQuote Explorer) | No (single carrier only) |
| AM Best rating | A+ (Superior) | Varies |
| High-risk driver pricing | Competitive — nuanced risk models | Often steep surcharges |
| Mobile app rating (iOS) | 4.8 / 5 stars | Typically 4.0–4.5 |
The Bottom Line
Progressive has earned their spot on our carrier panel many times over. They deliver competitive pricing for a wide range of drivers, their Snapshot program is a no-risk way to save even more, their claims process is among the best in the industry, and they carry the financial strength of an A+ rated, 87-year-old company. For auto insurance, they are one of the first carriers we quote — and they win more often than most.
If you are curious whether Progressive has a competitive rate for your situation, there is an easy way to find out. Get a free quote from Better Choice Insurance Group and we will compare Progressive alongside 18+ other carriers to find your best fit. It takes less than five minutes, there is no obligation, and you might be surprised at how much you can save.
You can also call us directly at (847) 908-5665 or visit our Progressive carrier page for quick links to manage your account, file a claim, or download the app.