The Wise Insurance Shopper

The best information about US auto & home insurance companies on the Web!



  Arkansas Auto & Home Insurance Shopping Guide 2023    

Updated: December 2022


Here are three reasons why most people pay too much for their auto or home insurance and fail to find the company that can save them a lot of money:

1. Many people never shop their auto or home insurance, sticking with the same company and paying their renewal year after year.

2. If people do shop their insurance coverage, they do not check with enough companies, failing to find the company or companies with the best combination of coverage, service, and rates for them.

3. People only get quotes online, instead of speaking with an insurance professional trained to quote them the coverage they need at the best price, with all the discounts they deserve. It is always best to buy insurance from an agent. A good agent can make the difference between loving or hating your insurance company.

How this guide can help you find the best company for you:

Many auto or home insurance customers do not know all the companies available in their state or their recent complaint records, making it unlikely they will find the company with the best rates, coverage & service for them. Some of the best companies are not very well known because they do little advertising. The objective of this guide is to show you all the major companies offering auto and/or home insurance coverage in Arkansas and the three-year auto & home insurance complaint record for each company. Links are provided to the website for each company so you can contact an agent near you or get a price quote online if available. None of the hyperlinks on my website are affiliate links and I receive no financial compensation from any company.

Will you be eligible for all these auto and home insurance companies?

Insurance companies have different eligibility criteria, so not everyone may qualify for all the companies shown in this guide. However, everyone can benefit by shopping, even if they have recent claims or other factors making them ineligible for some companies. If you do not qualify for many of the companies in this guide due to recent claims, property condition/location, driving record, or other factors, there should still be agents representing companies listed in this guide who can help you. Please email me at help@smartshopyourcarinsurance.com to let me know if none of the agents or companies listed in this guide can help you.

The Major Auto and Home Insurance Companies in Arkansas

If you are looking for a company available in Arkansas with a much better than average auto and home insurance complaint record, scroll down to check out these companies:

Auto-Owners Insurance

Cincinnati Insurance

Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company of Arkansas

Shelter Mutual Insurance

Southern Farm Bureau Casualty Insurance Company

Here are the biggest and best auto & home insurance brands in Arkansas you may or may not know, listed in alphabetical order:

1. Allstate Insurance

Allstate is a well-known, heavily advertised insurance company and is one of the largest auto & home insurance companies in almost all US states. Founded in 1931, Its corporate office is in Northfield Township, IL. Allstate offers auto insurance, residential property (homeowners, condominium, renters) insurance, and other types of policies usually available from companies in the personal insurance market.

Allstate owns these additional brands, also selling auto and/or home insurance: Encompass, Esurance, and National General. Esurance is not selling new policies in Arkansas.

2021 market share for Allstate Insurance:

Allstate is the fifth largest auto insurer and the third largest home insurer in Arkansas.

Complaint record for Allstate Insurance:

The 2019-2021 auto and home insurance complaint record for Allstate Insurance is not consistently better than the industry average. If Allstate has the coverage you need at a competitive price, be sure to choose a good agent willing & able to help if you have a problem with a claim or other service issue.

How to buy a policy from Allstate Insurance:

Allstate sells its insurance through its own network of Allstate agents with offices located in communities throughout Arkansas. Allstate insurance may also be available in Arkansas from select independent insurance agencies appointed to represent the company. There may be a discount for buying online from Allstate, but it may be worth it to pay a little more to have a personal agent to help if you have a claims or service problem. Get a price quote from an agent first, then check to see if you can get a lower rate for the same coverage online.

Check out the Allstate Insurance website to learn more about the company and find an agent near you:

https://www.allstate.com/


2. Auto-Owners Insurance

Auto-Owners Insurance is a group of insurance companies offering insurance products in 26 US states. Established in 1916, Auto-Owners is headquartered in Lansing, MI. Auto-Owners offers auto insurance, residential property (homeowners, condominium, renters) insurance, and other types of policies usually available from companies in the personal insurance market.

2021 market share for Auto-Owners Insurance:

Auto-Owners is not among the ten largest auto insurers in the state, but it is the tenth largest home insurer in Arkansas.

Complaint record for Auto-Owners Insurance:

The 2019-2021 auto and home insurance complaint record for Auto-Owners Insurance is consistently much better than the industry average. If you choose a good agent, you are likely to be happy with its customer and claims service.

How to buy a policy from Auto-Owners Insurance:

Auto-Owners sells its insurance exclusively through a network of select independent insurance agencies with offices located in communities throughout Arkansas. You cannot get a price quote online from the Auto-Owners website and there is no discount or lower rate for buying online from any other website.

Check out the Auto-Owners Insurance website to learn more about the company and find an agent near you:

https://www.auto-owners.com/


3. Cincinnati Insurance

Cincinnati Insurance Companies is another group of insurance companies offering personal insurance products in many US states, but is little known to many people, as it does little advertising. Established in 1950, Cincinnati Insurance is headquartered in Fairfield, OH. Cincinnati Insurance offers auto insurance, residential property (homeowners, condominium, renters) insurance, and other types of policies usually available from companies in the personal insurance market.

2021 market share for Cincinnati Insurance:

Cincinnati Insurance is not among the ten largest auto insurers or ten largest home insurers in Arkansas.

Complaint record for Cincinnati Insurance:

The 2019-2021 auto and home insurance complaint record for Cincinnati Insurance is consistently much better than the industry average. If you choose a good agent, you are likely to be happy with its customer and claims service.

How to buy a policy from Cincinnati Insurance:

Cincinnati Insurance sells its insurance exclusively through a network of select independent insurance agents with offices located in communities throughout Arkansas. You cannot get a price quote online from the Cincinnati Insurance website and there is no discount or lower rate for buying online from any other website.

Check out the Cincinnati Insurance website to learn more about the company and find an agent near you:

https://www.cinfin.com/


4. Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company of Arkansas

Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company of AR offers residential property insurance in Arkansas. Established over 70 years ago, Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company of AR is headquartered in Little Rock, AR. Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company of AR offers residential property (homeowners, condominium, renters) insurance but not auto insurance.

2021 market share for Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company of AR:

Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company of AR is the second largest home insurer in Arkansas.

Complaint record for Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company of AR:

The 2019-2021 home insurance complaint record for Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company of AR is consistently much better than the industry average. If you choose a good agent, you are likely to be happy with its customer and claims service.

How to buy a policy from Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company of AR:

Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company of AR sells its insurance through a network of select agents with offices located in communities throughout Arkansas. There is no discount or lower rate for buying online from the Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company of AR website or any other website.

Check out the Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company of Arkansas website to learn more about the company and find an agent near you:

https://afbic.com/


5. Farmers Insurance

Farmers Insurance Group is a heavily advertised group of insurance companies, fairly well-known for auto and homeowners insurance, available in many US states. Founded in 1928, Farmers home office is in Los Angeles, CA. Farmers offers auto insurance, residential property (homeowners, condominium, renters) insurance, and other types of policies usually available from companies in the personal insurance market.

In recent years, Farmers Insurance Group has acquired additional insurance companies, still operating as separate brands, such as Foremost, 21st Century, and Bristol West. Farmers Insurance Group itself is a wholly owned subsidiary of Zurich Insurance Group.

In 2020, Farmers purchased Metlife Auto & Home and renamed these former Metropolitan companies as Farmers companies, some now available direct from the company under the brand name of Farmers GroupSelect, marketed as a group benefit through employers. Former Metlife Auto & Home agents may now be Farmers agents and independent agents formerly representing Metlife Auto & Home may now represent Farmers. Metlife Auto & Home insurance policyholders by now should be aware of the rebranding and how Farmers new ownership impacts them.

2021 market share for Farmers Insurance:

Farmers is the eighth largest auto insurer and the fifth largest home insurer in Arkansas.

Complaint record for Farmers Insurance:

The 2019-2021 auto and home insurance complaint record for Farmers Insurance is not consistently better than the industry average. If Farmers has the coverage you need at a competitive price, be sure to choose a good agent willing & able to help if you have a problem with a claim or other service issue.

How to buy a policy from Farmers Insurance:

Farmers sells its insurance through its own network of Farmers agents with offices located in communities throughout Arkansas. There is no discount or lower rate for buying direct or online from the Farmers website or any other website.

Check out the Farmers Insurance website to learn more about the company and find an agent near you:

https://www.farmers.com/


6. GEICO Insurance

GEICO, a very heavily advertised group of insurance companies, best known for selling insurance direct to the public, operates in almost all US states, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway. Established in 1936, GEICO is headquartered in Chevy Chase, MD. GEICO underwrites auto insurance only, but sells other types of personal insurance, such as homeowners insurance, acting as an agent for other companies. So, for example, if you buy homeowners insurance from GEICO, your home is not insured by GEICO, but by another company GEICO represents as an agent.

Since April 2022, GEICO ceased doing walk-in and phone sales in these states: AK, AR, CA, CT, DC, DE, GA, HI, KS, LA, MA, NJ, NM, NY, WI, WV. Residents of these states can still get a price quote and buy a policy online from GEICO.

2021 market share for GEICO Insurance:

GEICO is the sixth largest auto insurer in Arkansas.

Complaint record for GEICO Insurance:

The 2019-2021 auto insurance complaint record for GEICO is not consistently better than the industry average. Since most GEICO customers do not have an agent to help them if they have a service problem, you should consider other companies instead of GEICO (if you do not have a good GEICO agent available to you), unless the price savings with GEICO is so much, it is worth it to you to chance service or claims problems you will need to handle on your own.

How to buy a policy from GEICO Insurance:

In Arkansas, GEICO at this time is only quoting and selling policies online through its website linked here:

geico.com


7. Progressive Insurance

Progressive, a very heavily advertised group of insurance companies, best known for selling insurance direct to the public, but is also available from most independent insurance agencies, operates in almost all US states. Established in 1937, Progressive is headquartered in Mayfield, OH.

Like GEICO, Progressive underwrites auto insurance only, but sells other types of personal insurance, acting as an agent for other companies. However, in 2015, Progressive bought controlling interest in American Strategic Insurance (ASI), which it now uses as its primary home insurer. If Progressive sells you a policy not underwritten by Progressive or ASI, they are acting as an agent and not as your insurance company. For example, Progressive represents Homesite Insurance and sells its homeowners insurance. If Progressive sells you a Homesite homeowners insurance policy, Progressive is your agent and Homesite is the insurance company insuring your home.

2021 market share for ASI & Progressive Insurance:

Progressive is the third largest auto insurer and ASI is the ninth largest home insurer in Arkansas.

Complaint record for ASI & Progressive Insurance:

The 2019-2021 auto and home insurance complaint record for ASI & Progressive is not consistently better than the industry average. If Progressive has the coverage you need at a competitive price, be sure to choose a good agent willing & able to help if you have a problem with a claim or other service issue. If you choose to buy direct from Progressive, your price savings needs to be significant, for it to be worth you having to fix claims or service problems on your own. Check out recent Progressive customers reviews online to see what problems may come up when you buy direct. Click this link to see Progressive Insurance customer reviews at the Yelp website.

How to buy a policy from Progressive Insurance:

If you want to find the best price with Progressive, you want to get a price quote direct from the company and from a local independent insurance agent representing Progressive. It may be counter-intuitive, but an agent may have the best rates for you. Also, the agent represents other companies that may have better rates for you than Progressive. Always check with an agent first, then check to see if there is a lower rate for buying direct saving you enough money to be worth not having an agent.

Check out the Progressive Insurance website to learn more about the company and find an agent near you:

https://www.progressive.com/


8. Safeco Insurance

Safeco Insurance is a group of insurance companies available across the USA, but it is best known in western states. Safeco is not available in Hawaii, Delaware, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and D.C. Safeco has been owned by Liberty Mutual since 2008 yet continues to operate as a separate entity and brand. Founded in 1923, Safeco Insurance is headquartered in Seattle, WA. Safeco offers auto insurance, residential property (homeowners, condominium, renters) insurance, and other types of policies usually available from companies in the personal insurance market.

2021 market share for Safeco Insurance:

Safeco is the major brand owned by Liberty Mutual selling auto and home insurance in Arkansas, making the Liberty Mutual group of companies the ninth largest auto insurer and seventh largest home insurer in the state.

Complaint record for Safeco Insurance:

The 2019-2021 auto and home insurance complaint record for Safeco is not consistently better than the industry average. If Safeco has the coverage you need at a competitive price, be sure to choose a good agent willing & able to help if you have a problem with a claim or other service issue.

How to buy a policy from Safeco Insurance:

Safeco sells its insurance through a network of select independent insurance agencies located in communities throughout Arkansas. There is no discount or lower rate for buying direct or online from the Safeco website or any other website.

Check out the Safeco Insurance website to learn more about the company and find an agent near you:

https://www.safeco.com/

What about Liberty Mutual, the parent company of Safeco?

Liberty Mutual auto & home insurance may be available online from the Liberty Mutual website for Arkansas residents, but Liberty Mutual currently has no sales offices or agents located in Arkansas at this time.

Check out the Liberty Mutual website to learn more about the company and get a price quote online:

https://www.libertymutual.com/


9. Shelter Insurance

Shelter Insurance is a group of insurance companies offering insurance products in these 15 US states: Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma and Tennessee. Established in 1946, Shelter is headquartered in Columbia, MO. Shelter offers auto insurance, residential property (homeowners, condominium, renters) insurance, and other types of policies usually available from companies in the personal insurance market.

Shelter created a subsidiary in 2014 called AmShield Insurance Company, to sell auto and home insurance through independent insurance agencies in the states of Arizona and Oregon. Shelter had a separate subsidiary selling auto insurance online in the states of Illinois, Colorado, Missouri, Tennessee, Indiana and Kansas, from a website called Say Insurance, but it is no longer selling new policies.

2021 market share for Shelter Insurance:

Shelter is the fourth largest auto insurer and the fourth largest home insurer in Arkansas.

Complaint record for Shelter Insurance:

The 2019-2021 auto and home insurance complaint record for Shelter Insurance is consistently much better than the industry average. If you choose a good agent, you are likely to be happy with its customer and claims service.

How to buy a policy from Shelter insurance:

Shelter sells its insurance through its own group of Shelter agents with offices located across Arkansas. There is no discount or lower rate for getting a quote from the Shelter website or buying online from any other website.

Check out the Shelter Insurance website to learn more about the company and find an agent near you:

https://www.shelterinsurance.com/


10. Southern Farm Bureau Casualty Insurance Company

Southern Farm Bureau Casualty Insurance Company offers auto insurance in Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, & South Carolina. Established in 1947, Southern Farm Bureau Casualty Insurance Company is headquartered in Ridgeland, MS. Southern Farm Bureau Casualty Insurance Company offers auto insurance but does not offer residential property (homeowners, condominium, renters) insurance.

2021 market share for Southern Farm Bureau Casualty Insurance Company:

Southern Farm Bureau Casualty Insurance Company is the second largest auto insurer in Arkansas.

Complaint record for Southern Farm Bureau Casualty Insurance Company:

The 2019-2021 auto insurance complaint record for Southern Farm Bureau Casualty Insurance Company is consistently much better than the industry average. If you choose a good agent, you are likely to be happy with its customer and claims service.

How to buy a policy from Southern Farm Bureau Casualty Insurance Company:

Southern Farm Bureau Casualty Insurance Company sells its insurance through a network of select agents with offices located in communities throughout Arkansas. There is no discount or lower rate for getting a quote online from the Southern Farm Bureau Casualty Insurance Company website or any other website.

Check out the Southern Farm Bureau Casualty Insurance Company website to learn more about the company and find an agent near you:

https://w3.sfbcic.com/


11. State Farm Insurance

State Farm is a well-known, heavily advertised insurance company and is the largest auto & home insurer in many US states. Founded in 1922, the headquarters for State Farm is in Bloomington, IL. State Farm offers auto insurance, residential property (homeowners, condominium, renters) insurance, and other types of policies usually available from companies in the personal insurance market.

In 2021, State Farm purchased GAINSCO, a nonstandard auto insurance company operating in Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Virginia. GAINSCO continues to operate as a separate brand and is available through independent insurance agencies appointed to represent GAINSCO. State Farm agents may not yet offer GAINSCO nonstandard auto insurance. State Farm itself does not offer nonstandard auto insurance, which insures drivers with a poor driving record, too many claims, or other circumstances making them ineligible for standard auto insurance.

2021 market share for State Farm Insurance:

State Farm is the largest auto insurer and the largest home insurer in Arkansas.

Complaint record for State Farm Insurance:

The 2019-2021 auto and home insurance complaint record for State Farm is not consistently better than the industry average. If State Farm has the coverage you need at a competitive price, be sure to choose a good agent willing & able to help if you have a problem with a claim or other service issue.

How to buy a policy from State Farm Insurance:

State Farm sells its insurance through its own network of State Farm agents with offices located in communities throughout Arkansas. There is no discount or lower rate for buying direct or online from the State Farm website or any other website.

Check out the State Farm Insurance website to learn more about the company and find an agent near you:

https://www.statefarm.com/


12. Travelers Insurance

Travelers Insurance is a group of insurance companies available in most US states and is not as well-known as other brands, as it does not advertise as much as some other major auto and home insurance companies. Founded in 1853, Travelers Insurance is headquartered in New York City, NY. Travelers offers auto insurance, residential property (homeowners, condominium, renters) insurance, and other types of policies usually available from companies in the personal insurance market.

2021 market share for Travelers Insurance:

Travelers is not among the ten largest auto insurers in Arkansas, but it is the eighth largest home insurer in the state.

Complaint record for Travelers Insurance:

The 2019-2021 auto and home insurance complaint record for Travelers is not consistently better than the industry average. If Travelers has the coverage you need at a competitive price, be sure to choose a good agent willing & able to help if you have a problem with a claim or other service issue.

How to buy a policy from Travelers Insurance:

Travelers sells its insurance through a network of select independent insurance agencies located in communities throughout Arkansas. There is no discount or lower rate for buying direct or online from the Travelers website or any other website.

Check out the Travelers Insurance website to learn more about the company and find an agent near you:

https://www.travelers.com/


13. USAA Insurance

USAA is a group of insurance companies providing financial services to active US military & veterans. Established in 1922, USAA is headquartered in San Antonio, TX. USAA insurance and banking products are not available if you do not meet its membership requirements.

To be considered for USAA insurance, you must be eligible for membership in USAA, most commonly by being a current military member or honorably discharged veteran, immediate family member of someone in the military, or a former policyholder. .

USAA offers auto insurance, residential property (homeowners, condominium, renters) insurance, and other types of policies usually available from companies in the personal insurance market. For some common types of personal insurance, USAA partners with other companies. For example, USAA partners with Progressive for motorcycle insurance. Be sure to know which company is actually insuring you before buying insurance from USAA.

2021 market share for USAA Insurance:

Despite its restricted membership, USAA is the seventh largest auto insurer and the sixth largest home insurer in Arkansas.

Complaint record for USAA Insurance:

Contrary to its long reputation for superior service, the 2019-2021 auto and home insurance complaint record for USAA is not consistently better than the industry average. Since you will not have an agent to help you if you have a problem, be sure to see what USAA customers are saying about the company online before choosing USAA. You can click this link to see USAA Insurance customer reviews at the Yelp website.

How to buy a policy from USAA Insurance:

The only way to buy a policy or get a price quote is from the USAA website or calling the company. USAA sells direct and does not use agents. Learn more about USAA and its eligibility requirements at their website linked here:

https://www.usaa.com/?wa_ref=pub_global_home


Do not make this mistake when shopping for auto or home insurance:

Most insurance shoppers do not check with enough companies and do not contact any independent agents. There are more auto and home insurance companies available in Arkansas. Some companies, not among the companies with the largest auto or home insurance market share in the state, were not included in this shopping guide. Some of these companies are brands you may or may not know, such as Hartford Insurance, Nationwide Insurance, and State Auto. Many of these companies, including Hartford, Nationwide, & State Auto, are available through independent agents across Arkansas. The agents you find through the Auto-Owners, Cincinnati, Progressive, Safeco, & Travelers websites are independent agents representing other companies. Make sure you check with agents representing each of the companies listed in this shopping guide to help you find the insurance agent with the best combination of coverage, service, and price for you.

There are more important auto and home insurance companies, not available through most independent agents, you can find out about here in my supplemental auto & home insurance guide.

Why can you rely on my guides to help you find the best insurance companies for you? Check out my webpage explaining the sources of the information I use in my auto & home insurance guides, how I use the information, and what it should mean to you, to help you best use this guide.