Costco vs Plymouth Rock: which is better for car insurance in 2026?
Across our six scoring categories, Costco comes out ahead in 1, Plymouth Rock in 2, with 3 too close to call. There is no overall score to compare, though: Costco does not publish enough of the underlying data to earn one, and we would rather leave it blank than build a number out of the two or three figures that happen to exist. Plymouth Rock is the better-documented of the two, which is not the same as being the better insurer for you. Judge these two on the categories where both have real figures — and on what they actually quote you.
Costco 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
Too close to callCostco does not release public rate data, so there is no like-for-like premium to set against Plymouth Rock's $2,156/yr. That is a real gap in the comparison, not a rounding error — treat Costco's price as unknown until you have a quote in hand.
No published premium. The rate study behind every other price on this site does not quote Costco separately, so the price category carries no score.
$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: Costco posts Not rated and Plymouth Rock Not rated, a difference too small to choose on.
Costco is not a ranked brand in the J.D. Power 2025 claims study. American Family's 702 is measured on a different book of business and is not borrowed here.
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 Costco's More than expected.
More complaints than expected for its size, per NerdWallet's analysis of 2022–2024 NAIC data — a worse record than American Family's own brand.
Far fewer complaints than expected for its size — the strongest complaint band we assign, shared with only a handful of carriers here.
Financial strength
Costco aheadCostco takes financial strength on A against Plymouth Rock's A-.
AM Best A (Excellent), affirmed in September 2025 for all three companies that underwrite Costco auto policies.
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 Costco's 9 published.
Nine published auto discounts, counting the member discount itself. No usage-based program is offered through Costco.
Around ten published discounts, plus two distinct programs: YUBI for telematics and a separate Road Rewards points scheme.
Digital experience
Too close to callNeither pulls ahead on digital experience: Costco posts Not published and Plymouth Rock 4.86 iOS / 4.7 Android, a difference too small to choose on.
No app-store figures we could attribute to the program. Policies are serviced through American Family's account system, and we could not confirm which app Costco policyholders use.
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 Costco if…
- You are among costco executive members who value guaranteed renewal.
- Financial strength is a priority; Costco holds A from AM Best.
- Availability fits: 40 states, members only.
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.
- Availability fits: 6 states in the Northeast.
Costco vs Plymouth Rock, answered
The questions people ask before switching between these two.
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