Collision repairers issue grades for auto insurers

Body shops evaluated how well each insurer’s policies, attitude and payment practices ensured quality repairs and customer service for motorists

Portland, Ore.—Seven insurance companies received a grade of “A-” or higher from collision repairers in terms of how well those carriers’ claims practices help promote quality repairs and customer service, according to the just-released 2026 “Insurer Report Card.” A total of 35 auto insurers received a “B” or higher to earn a spot on this year’s “Honor Roll.”

But the results of the survey, conducted annually by CRASH Network, again show that 22 companies, including six of the largest U.S. auto insurers, received a grade of “C-” or lower. None of the Top 10 largest national auto insurers received an overall grade higher than a “C+,” with more than 60 other insurers ranking higher.

Body shops were asked to evaluate how well each insurer’s “policies, attitude and payment practices ensure quality repairs and customer service for motorists.” North Carolina Farm Bureau topped the list again this year, continuing to be the only insurer consistently earning an “A+”. Acuity Insurance (A-), Alfa Mutual (A), Chubb (A), Erie Insurance (A-), Michigan Farm Bureau (A-) and PURE Insurance (A-) also were among the highest-graded insurers.

While many of the highest-graded insurers – including Amica (B+), Farm Bureau Property Casualty (B+), Grinnell Mutual (B+), Mutual of Enumclaw (B+), Rural Mutual (B+), Southern Farm Bureau (B+) and West Bend (B+) – do not sell policies in all 50 states, consumers are likely to find one or more of the “Honor Roll” insurers offering coverage where they live.

“Consumers don’t have much basis to compare a claims experience with one carrier to another since most of us go years on average between claims,” CRASH Network’s John Yoswick said. “That’s why many drivers make their insurance choice based largely on price or name familiarity, choosing one of the insurers whose ads they see everywhere. We see the ‘Insurer Report Card’ as a way for collision repairers to communicate to consumers what shops see every day in terms of which companies are better at taking care of policyholders when they have a claim – and which ones have room for improvement.”

More than 1,100 body shops around the country each graded as many as 40 different insurance companies in their state. They said the highest-graded auto insurers are better than others in terms of claims processes, having more experienced and responsive claims personnel, paying for OEM repair procedures, and not pressuring shops to select replacement parts based primarily on price.

They criticized the insurers to which they gave lower grades, saying those companies ‘take forever to review a claim,’ ‘refuse to pay for quality parts,’ ‘argue about paying for repair procedures designated by the automakers,’ and ‘have poorly-trained staff,’ sometimes adding days or weeks to the repair time.

The list of highest-graded insurers in 2026 was remarkably consistent with the prior year’s findings; among the 10 highest-graded insurers in this year’s “Insurance Report Card,” nine were in the Top 10 last year as well.

A free report with the 2026 “Insurer Report Card” findings can be downloaded at https://www.crashnetwork.com/irc.