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Farmers Insurance: Costs, Coverage & Honest Review (2026)

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If you searched for farmers insurance, you probably want a straight answer: what is this company, how much does it cost, and is it worth your money?

Here is the short answer. Farmers Insurance is one of the oldest and largest insurance companies in the United States. It sells auto, home, renters, life, and business insurance, mostly through local agents. Its rates are usually higher than the national average, but it offers a long list of discounts and strong financial backing. Keep reading for the full, honest picture.

Quick Answer: What Is Farmers Insurance?

  • Company: Farmers Insurance Group, founded 1928 in Los Angeles, California
  • Headquarters: Woodland Hills, California
  • What it sells: Auto, home, renters, life, umbrella, and small business insurance
  • How you buy: Online, by phone, or through more than 48,000 exclusive and independent agents
  • Financial strength: A (Excellent) rating from AM Best, affirmed in September 2026
  • Cost: Usually above the national average; your price depends on your state, driving record, and home

A Brief History of Farmers

Farmers started in 1928, when two men — John C. Tyler and Thomas E. Leavey — opened an office in downtown Los Angeles. Their idea was simple: rural drivers, including farmers, had fewer accidents than city drivers, so they deserved cheaper car insurance. The company grew fast from that small beginning.

Today, Farmers is a big name in American insurance. Its insurance policies are technically issued by policyholder-owned exchanges (called reciprocal exchanges), and the company is managed by Farmers Group, Inc., which is owned by Zurich Insurance Group. For everyday customers, that structure does not matter much. What matters is that Farmers is a real, established company with nearly a century behind it.

Types of Insurance Farmers Offers

Farmers covers the main insurance needs of a household in one place:

  • Auto insurance — liability, collision, comprehensive, uninsured motorist coverage, plus rideshare coverage and optional extras like rental car reimbursement and roadside help, which vary by state
  • Home insurance — covers your house and belongings against fire, theft, storms, and other listed events; optional add-ons include water backup, identity fraud coverage, and extra coverage for valuable items
  • Renters insurance — protects your belongings and gives liability coverage if you rent
  • Life insurance — term and whole life policies, written through Farmers New World Life
  • Umbrella insurance — extra liability protection on top of your auto and home policies
  • Business insurance — policies for small businesses, including property and liability coverage

Farmers also owns other brands. Foremost covers motorcycles, boats, RVs, and mobile homes. Bristol West and 21st Century sell auto insurance, often to higher-risk drivers. But most people will deal with the main Farmers brand.

One thing to know: standard Farmers policies do not cover flood or earthquake damage. You need separate coverage for those, like with almost every other insurer.

How Much Does Farmers Insurance Cost?

There is no single price for Farmers Insurance, because rates change with your state, car, home, driving history, and coverage choices. But independent analyses give a rough picture — and the picture is consistent: Farmers is usually pricier than the national average.

For auto insurance, NerdWallet’s September 2026 analysis found an average full-coverage Farmers policy costs about $4,044 a year (around $337 a month) for a 35-year-old driver with a clean record and good credit. The national average in the same analysis was $2,344 a year. Insurance.com’s 2026 figures are a bit lower — about $3,207 a year for Farmers versus a $2,578 national average — but the message is the same: above average. Minimum-coverage auto runs about $1,247 a year on average, nearly double the $644 national average.

For homeowners insurance, Insure.com reports an average Farmers premium of $2,820 a year, a little above the $2,543 national average. MoneyGeek, using a different method, found Farmers averages $232 a month for a $250,000 dwelling policy — about 15% below the national average. Different studies, different methods, so treat all of these as rough guides, not quotes.

The honest takeaway: do not assume the averages are your price. Farmers prices vary a lot by state. People with clean driving records and good credit pay less. People in expensive insurance states pay more. Always get a personal quote — and compare it with at least two or three other companies.

Discounts That Can Lower Your Price

This is where Farmers fights back against its higher base prices. The company lists many discounts, though availability changes by state:

  • Bundling — combine auto with home, renters, life, or umbrella policies for a multi-policy discount
  • Safe driving — a clean record with no accidents or violations earns lower rates
  • Signal telematics — Farmers’ app tracks your driving; you get a discount for enrolling, and more savings for safe driving. But be careful: risky driving recorded by the app can raise your price
  • Good student — students with good grades can save
  • Multi-car — insuring more than one vehicle on the same policy
  • Homeowner discount — owning your home can lower your auto premium
  • Defensive driving course — completing an approved course
  • Anti-theft devices — cars with alarms or tracking devices
  • Home safety devices — security systems, fire alarms, and deadbolts can cut homeowners premiums
  • Nonsmoker — in most states, a discount if nobody in the household has smoked in the last two years
  • Professional discounts — teachers, police officers, firefighters, military members, doctors, nurses, and engineers may qualify
  • Pay in full and autopay — paying the full premium at once or setting up automatic payments

Ask an agent to review every discount before you buy. Many people pay full price simply because they never asked.

Farmers Insurance: Pros and Cons

Pros

  • Nearly 100 years in business, with a strong A (Excellent) financial strength rating
  • Local agents in most areas — you can talk to a real person about your policy
  • One company for auto, home, life, and business insurance, which makes bundling easy
  • Long list of discounts that can bring the price down
  • Signal app for safe drivers, with CrashAssist accident detection

Cons

  • Premiums run above the national average for both auto and home
  • Customer satisfaction is mixed: below average in J.D. Power’s 2025 auto insurance study and claims satisfaction survey
  • Not available everywhere — Farmers pulled its branded home and auto business out of Florida in 2023 and limited new homeowners policies in California the same year
  • Complaint levels vary by state and policy line, running from close to expected to above average
  • The agent-based model is a plus for some, but a hassle if you prefer to handle everything online

How to Get a Quote or Contact Farmers

There are three ways to get a Farmers quote:

  • Online: start a quote at farmers.com by entering your ZIP code
  • Local agent: use the agent finder on the Farmers website to find one near you
  • Phone: call Farmers directly to speak with someone about your options

Claims can be filed 24 hours a day through the website, the mobile app, or by phone, and Farmers assigns an adjuster to walk you through the process.

FAQs About Farmers Insurance

Is Farmers Insurance a good company?

It depends on what you value. Farmers is financially strong and has real local agents, which many people like. But its rates are usually above average and its customer satisfaction scores are only average. It is a solid option — just not the cheapest.

How much is Farmers car insurance per month?

Recent analyses put the average around $267 to $337 a month for full coverage, depending on the study. Your actual price will depend on your state, driving record, car, and credit-based insurance score.

Is Farmers Insurance available in all 50 states?

No. Farmers sells in most states, but coverage depends on the state and the product. It exited the Florida market for its main branded home and auto policies in 2023, and homeowners insurance is currently unavailable in about ten states. Check with an agent for your state.

Does Farmers offer a good driver discount?

Yes. Safe drivers with clean records get lower rates, and the Signal telematics app can add more savings based on your actual driving habits.

What is Farmers’ financial strength rating?

AM Best rates the Farmers Insurance Group companies A (Excellent), affirmed in September 2026 with a positive outlook. That means the company is considered financially strong enough to pay its claims.

Who owns Farmers Insurance?

Farmers’ policies are issued by policyholder-owned reciprocal exchanges, managed by Farmers Group, Inc., which is owned by Zurich Insurance Group.

Final Verdict

Farmers Insurance is a legitimate, well-established company with strong finances, real local agents, and plenty of discounts. It is a good fit if you want everything — car, home, life — under one roof and you value working with an agent you know.

But it is not the cheapest option, and its service scores are only average. If price is your top concern, compare Farmers against at least two or three other insurers before you decide. The discounts are real, but they do not always close the gap.

This article is general information only and is not insurance or financial advice. Insurance rates vary by state, vehicle, home, and personal history. Talk to a licensed agent before buying any policy.

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