Auto-Owners vs Plymouth Rock: which is better for car insurance in 2026?
Across our six scoring categories, Auto-Owners comes out ahead in 2, Plymouth Rock in 3, with 1 too close to call. On our weighted overall score the two finish within 0.1 of a point — a genuine draw. The right answer here depends less on which company is "better" and more on which one prices your specific profile lower, and that is not knowable without running both quotes. Auto-Owners is the stronger pick for drivers in its 26 states who prefer an independent agent; Plymouth Rock for northeast drivers who want a strong app and low complaint volume.
Auto-Owners vs Plymouth Rock, 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
Auto-Owners aheadAuto-Owners averages $2,094/yr for full coverage against Plymouth Rock's $2,156/yr — about $62 a year, or 5.2 dollars a month, in Auto-Owners's favor for this profile.
$2,094 a year for full coverage, 11% below the national average — mid-pack, and close to State Farm and Progressive.
$2,156 a year for full coverage, 8% below the national average — mid-pack, and not the reason to pick it.
Claims satisfaction
Too close to callNeither pulls ahead on claims satisfaction: Auto-Owners posts 711/1,000 and Plymouth Rock Not rated, a difference too small to choose on.
711 out of 1,000, eleven points above the segment average and better than every carrier in the top four by market share except State Farm.
Not in the J.D. Power claims study, which covers only the largest insurers.
Complaint record
Plymouth Rock aheadPlymouth Rock takes complaint record on Far fewer than expected against Auto-Owners's Fewer than expected.
Fewer complaints than expected for its size.
Far fewer complaints than expected for its size — the strongest complaint band we assign, shared with only a handful of carriers here.
Financial strength
Auto-Owners aheadAuto-Owners takes financial strength on A+ against Plymouth Rock's A-.
AM Best A+ (Superior).
AM Best A- (Excellent), with the outlook revised to positive in March 2026 — the only carrier in this review currently trending upward.
Discounts
Plymouth Rock aheadPlymouth Rock takes discounts on 10 published against Auto-Owners's 10 published*.
Around ten published discounts including a 20% good-student discount and a 36-month on-time payment discount — though Auto-Owners blocks automated access to its own discounts page, so this count comes from secondary sources.
Around ten published discounts, plus two distinct programs: YUBI for telematics and a separate Road Rewards points scheme.
Digital experience
Plymouth Rock aheadPlymouth Rock takes digital experience on 4.86 iOS / 4.7 Android against Auto-Owners's 4.72 iOS / 4.8 Android.
4.72 on the App Store and 4.8 on Google Play — the only carrier here rated higher on Android than iOS, and the best Play Store score in the review.
4.86 on the App Store and 4.7 on Google Play — the highest combined app ratings of any carrier in this review, by a clear margin.
So which one?
Pick Auto-Owners if…
- You are among drivers in its 26 states who prefer an independent agent.
- Price is your first filter — Auto-Owners averages $2,094/yr for full coverage on our benchmark profile.
- Financial strength is a priority; Auto-Owners holds A+ from AM Best.
- Availability fits: 26 states, through independent agents — no California, New York or Texas.
Pick Plymouth Rock if…
- You are among northeast drivers who want a strong app and low complaint volume.
- You want the lower complaint record — Plymouth Rock sits at Far fewer than expected.
- You expect to stack discounts — Plymouth Rock's lineup is the broader of the two.
- You would rather handle everything in an app than on a phone call.
Auto-Owners vs Plymouth Rock, answered
The questions people ask before switching between these two.
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