American Family vs Farmers: which is better for car insurance in 2026?
Across our six scoring categories, American Family comes out ahead in 4, Farmers in 1, with 1 too close to call. American Family edges the weighted overall score by 0.6 of a point, on the strength of price, claims satisfaction, complaint record, discounts. That is not a reason to skip Farmers: it scores higher on digital experience, and a quote that comes in lower beats a review that scores higher. American Family is the safer default; Farmers is worth a quote if you are among drivers who want an agent and have specific coverage needs farmers can meet.
American Family vs Farmers, side by side
Sources: average premiums from NerdWallet's August 2026 rate analysis (Quadrant Information Services), for a 35-year-old driver with a clean record and good credit in a 2023 Toyota Camry LE at 12,000 miles a year, 100/300/50 limits with $1,000 deductibles — national average $2,356. Claims satisfaction from the J.D. Power 2025 U.S. Auto Claims Satisfaction Study (segment average 700). Complaint record from NerdWallet's analysis of NAIC complaint data, 2022–2024. Financial strength from AM Best. Discounts and app data from each carrier's published pages and the Apple App Store / Google Play, retrieved August 2026. Updated August 2026.
Category by category
Price
American Family aheadAmerican Family averages $2,785/yr for full coverage against Farmers's $4,048/yr — about $1263 a year, or 105.3 dollars a month, in American Family's favor for this profile.
$2,785 a year for full coverage, 18% above the national average. American Family is priced above the market.
$4,048 a year for full coverage, 72% above the national average and the most expensive carrier in this review by a wide margin.
Claims satisfaction
American Family aheadAmerican Family takes claims satisfaction on 702/1,000 against Farmers's 690/1,000.
702 out of 1,000, two points above the segment average. Essentially average.
690 out of 1,000, ten points below the segment average.
Complaint record
American Family aheadAmerican Family takes complaint record on Fewer than expected against Farmers's About the expected number.
Fewer complaints than expected for its size — its strongest measure.
Close to the number of complaints expected for its size.
Financial strength
Too close to callNeither pulls ahead on financial strength: American Family posts A and Farmers A, a difference too small to choose on.
AM Best A (Excellent).
AM Best A (Excellent).
Discounts
American Family aheadAmerican Family takes discounts on 14 published against Farmers's 10 published*.
Fourteen published discounts, including several unusual ones — a loyalty discount that rewards a parent's tenure, and a young-volunteer discount.
Roughly ten discounts, though Farmers blocks automated access to its own discounts page, so we could not verify the list or its telematics program name directly.
Digital experience
Farmers aheadFarmers takes digital experience on 4.84 iOS / 4.7 Android against American Family's 4.72 iOS / 3.0 Android.
4.72 on the App Store but 3.0 on Google Play. That Android score is among the lowest in this review and hard to overlook.
4.84 on the App Store and 4.7 on Google Play — the best-rated app pairing in this review, across a relatively small rating base.
So which one?
Pick American Family if…
- You are among midwest drivers who bundle and use telematics.
- Price is your first filter — American Family averages $2,785/yr for full coverage on our benchmark profile.
- You care most about how a claim actually goes: American Family scores 702/1,000.
- You want the lower complaint record — American Family sits at Fewer than expected.
Pick Farmers if…
- You are among drivers who want an agent and have specific coverage needs farmers can meet.
- You would rather handle everything in an app than on a phone call.
- Availability fits: 40 states, through agents — the Farmers brand left Florida in 2023 and does not write in Alaska, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont or West Virginia.
American Family vs Farmers, answered
The questions people ask before switching between these two.
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