North Carolina Farm Bureau earned the highest grade as more than 1,100 automotive collision repair professional graded 75 U.S. auto insurance companies based on how well those companies ensure quality repairs and customer service for motorists. Chubb and Erie Insurance rounded out the top three.

Drivers often have little in the way of tools to help them make an informed decision about their choice of auto insurance, leading many to just choose a well-known, highly-advertised brand, or trying to compare the cost of one company's policy to another's (which may or may not be an apples-to-apples comparison)

One particular challenge: Drivers on average are involved in an accident just once every 10 years, which gives them little opportunity to compare the claims service provided by one insurer over another.

2021

1	North Carolina Farm Bureau	A+
2	Chubb	A
3	Erie Insurance	A-
4	Michigan Farm Bureau	A-
5	Amica Mutual	B+
6	Pure Insurance	B+
7	Safety Insurance	B+
8	North Star Mutual	B+
9	Acuity Insurance	B+
10	West Bend Mutual	B+
11	Iowa Farm Bureau	B+
12	Mutual of Enumclaw	B+
13	Secura Insurance	B+
14	Auto-Owners	B+
15	Frankenmuth Mutual	B+

But collision repair professionals at body shops around the country deal with many insurance companies on a daily basis, seeing first-hand how those companies take care of customers after an accident. They know, for example, which insurers pressure them to use cut-rate parts, refuse to pay for repair procedures needed to ensure a high quality repair, or add unnecessary delays to the repair and claims process.

To provide consumers a tool they can use when choosing an auto insurer, CRASH Network asks collision repairers each year to grade insurance companies based on one simple question: "How well does this company's claims handling policies, attitude and payment practices ensure quality repairs and customer service for motorists?"

The survey found that when it comes to auto insurers, bigger may not be better. Looking at just the 10 largest companies – well-known and widely-advertised brands – none of them ranked even among the top 40 in this year’s survey rankings.

Although some consumers may be less familiar with the names at the top of this year’s "Insurer Report Card," one or more of the Top 15 likely offer policies in their state. Choosing a top-ranked regional insurer also offers consumers the opportunity to spend their insurance dollars "locally," keeping it closer to home.

For more details on the survey’s findings, including the grades given to dozens of U.S. auto insurers, download the complete survey results.