Bottom line: Geico has cheaper insurance overall, but Liberty Mutual offers more discounts that could make its premiums more competitive.
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Best for price conscious consumersGeico
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4.50/5Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.5 stars equals Best.4 stars equals Excellent.3 stars equals Good.2 stars equals Fair.1 star equals Poor.We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
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Best for customizable insuranceLiberty Mutual
Rating image, 3.50 out of 5 stars.
3.50/5Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.5 stars equals Best.4 stars equals Excellent.3 stars equals Good.2 stars equals Fair.1 star equals Poor.We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
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Geico vs. Liberty Mutual car insurance: Which is cheaper?
Geico offers cheaper car insurance for most drivers, including teens. Here's how it compares with Liberty Mutual for some common driver types.
| Type of Driver | Which Is Cheaper? | Geico's Annual Rate | Liberty Mutual's Annual Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 35-year-old female, clean record | Geico | $1,513 | $2,244 |
| 35-year-old male, clean record | Geico | $1,502 | $2,304 |
| 35-year-old female, one accident | Geico | $2,378 | $2,400 |
| 18-year-old male, clean record | Geico | $4,459 | $4,800 |
Data source: The Ascent's analysis of standardized personas.
Geico vs. Liberty Mutual: Coverage comparison
Geico and Liberty Mutual offer the kinds of standard auto insurance expected from a big name insurance company, including:
- Liability
- Comprehensive
- Collision
- Uninsured motorist coverage
- Rental car reimbursem*nt
- Roadside assistance
- Car rental reimbursem*nt
- Mexico car insurance
In addition to these, Liberty Mutual sells many types of coverage that Geico doesn't. For example, it sells gap insurance, which helps drivers cover the gap between what's owed on an auto loan and the actual value of a car that's been totaled. It also sells "Better Car Replacement," a policy that pays you more if your car is totaled by giving you the value of a model one year newer than yours.
On the other hand, Geico sells rideshare insurance. While Liberty Mutual sells ridesharing coverage in some states, it's not available everywhere, and its availability depends on which ridesharing platform a driver is using (Lyft or Uber). For Lyft drivers, Liberty Mutual is available in Arizona, Michigan, New Mexico, Texas, and Utah, while Uber drivers can buy coverage in New England, South Carolina, and Puerto Rico.
Geico vs. Liberty Mutual: Discounts
Liberty Mutual has several hefty discounts that could make its costs on par with Geico. The company offers several "easy" discounts that Geico doesn't, such as discounts for paying online, setting up a preferred payment, and going paperless. It can also offer drivers with clean records (no violations or claims) hefty savings.
Geico, on the other hand, offers more discounts for safety features within vehicles, like anti-lock brakes, anti-theft devices, seatbelt use, and daytime running lights. Both companies give discounts for the military, but Geico also gives a discount to federal employees and those on emergency deployment.
| Common Discounts | Geico | Liberty Mutual |
|---|---|---|
| Accident-free/good driver | Yes | Yes |
| Anti-lock brakes | Yes | No |
| Anti-theft | Yes | No |
| Bundling | Yes | Yes |
| Claims free | No | Yes |
| Daytime running lights | Yes | No |
| Defensive driving | Yes | No |
| Distant student | No | Yes |
| Driver training | Yes | No |
| Early shopper discounts | No | Yes |
| Emergency deployment | Yes | No |
| Good student | Yes | Yes |
| Federal employee | Yes | No |
| Homeowner | No | Yes |
| Membership and employee | Yes | No |
| Military | Yes | Yes |
| Multiple car | Yes | Yes |
| New vehicle | Yes | No |
| Online payment | No | Yes |
| Paperless | No | Yes |
| Preferred payment | No | Yes |
| Seat belt use | Yes | No |
| Usage-based insurance | Yes | Yes |
| Violation free | No | Yes |
Data source: Geico, Liberty Mutual.
Geico vs. Liberty Mutual: Collision repair
Geico and Liberty Mutual make it easy to file claims through their respective apps, on their websites, or by calling their claims centers. When done through the app, drivers can upload photos of minor accidents (available in most states), report information, and track claims numbers.
Both companies will also recommend body shops within their service networks. For instance, Geico's Auto Repair Xpress® will send drivers to body shops where they can get estimates, authorize repairs, and pick up rental cars. Geico and the body shop will also guarantee that the repairs are to a driver's satisfaction for as long as they own the vehicle.
Similarly, Liberty Mutual can give drivers a 100% guarantee on repairs when they choose a shop within their Guaranteed Repair Network (called Superior Service Program for drivers in Rhode Island or Massachusetts). Unlike Geico's program, however, there won't be a rental car waiting for you at the body shop.
Geico vs. Liberty Mutual: Customer experience
Geico's customer service experience frequently ranks higher than Liberty Mutual. In J.D. Power's 2023 U.S. Auto Claims Satisfaction Study, Geico received an 871 (out of 1,000), while Liberty Mutual received an 866.
When broken down by region, Geico ranked higher for 9 of 10 regions, ceding to Liberty Mutual only in the Southwest. Geico also had a higher customer satisfaction score for its usage-based insurance.
Geico also had a better score in the National Complaint Index Report (NCIR), which rates insurance companies by complaint volume. Geico's complaint index score was 0.99 in 2023, which means it received just slightly fewer complaints than the national average (the baseline is 1.00). Liberty Mutual's complaint score was 1.39, meaning it had more than the expected complaint volume for a company its size.
Geico vs. Liberty Mutual auto insurance: Which is right for you?
Geico and Liberty Mutual both offer positive experiences for drivers. Though Geico has cheaper car insurance for most types of drivers, Liberty Mutual does have several more discounts that could make its prices just as competitive.
| Offer | Best For | Next Steps |
|---|---|---|
Geico Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars. 4.50/5Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.5 stars equals Best.4 stars equals Excellent.3 stars equals Good.2 stars equals Fair.1 star equals Poor.We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. | Great For: Best for price conscious consumers | Get a Quote |
Liberty Mutual Rating image, 3.50 out of 5 stars. 3.50/5Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.5 stars equals Best.4 stars equals Excellent.3 stars equals Good.2 stars equals Fair.1 star equals Poor.We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. | Great For: Best for customizable insurance | Get a Quote |
FAQs
Geico might be the right choice for those who want cheap car insurance. It might also be better for those who want a discount for certain safety features, like anti-lock brakes.
Since it offers hefty discounts for no claims or violations, Liberty Mutual is generally well suited for those with clean driving records.
Our Insurance Experts
By:Steven Porrello
Writer
Steven is a personal finance writer covering topics from mortgages to credit cards to market news. He has written for The Motley Fool Canada, Ramsey Solutions, Nerdwallet, Clever Real Estate, and other major outlets. Steven launched his writing career at the age of four with his first book, "Revenge of the Bad Guys." He currently lives in Portland, Oregon.
Fact CheckedEric McWhinnie
Eric McWhinnie has been writing and editing digital content since 2010. He specializes in personal finance and investing. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in Finance.
