GEICO car insurance review — why it lives up to the hype

GEICO is a top option for car insurance because it can save you money, has a solid JD Power customer satisfaction rating and offers good options to protect your wallet if you run into trouble on the road.

Here are the details on coverage, additional features, discounts and more so you can determine whether it's a good option for you.

• Overview
• Features
• Discounts
• Other insurance offered
• How it compares
• Bottom line

GEICO, available nationwide, provides the lowest average rates for both minimum and comprehensive coverage plans (according to our methodology) — which is why CNBC Select has picked it as our favorite cheapest auto insurance overall. It's also earned a spot on our lists of the top car insurance companies for seniors, young adults and high-risk drivers.

Not only does GEICO offer some of the most affordable coverage, but it also has solid customer satisfaction ratings. The company maintains an A- rating with Better Business Bureau (BBB) and a relatively high J.D. Power score for customer satisfaction. And while high numbers of complaints are common for large insurance companies, GEICO car insurance has a lower complaint index from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners than many other large auto insurers.

GEICO offers a selection of coverage options and add-ons, including rental car reimbursement, emergency roadside assistance, mechanical breakdown insurance and others. Rates depend on the types and amounts of coverage you include in your policy, as well as your driving history, credit score (in most states) and discounts. According to our calculations, GEICO's average annual premium for minimum coverage is $373. For maximum coverage, the average annual premium comes in at $1,353.

GEICO offers convenient features that help customers manage and use their insurance. You can access a personalized dashboard on the company's website to track payments and any policy changes. You can also

• Download digital ID cards
• Start a new quote
• Change your current coverage
• Modify the address on your policy
• Add vehicles to your policy
• Report a claim

If you run into issues on the road, the website also offers options to get road assistance, such as for a flat tire or an empty gas tank. And should you need to contact GEICO, you can do so by email, online chat or phone. Alternatively, the company provides several addresses where you can send snail mail.

When you're on the go, you can access all the same features via GEICO's app. Additionally, GEICO partnered with CARFAX so you can check your vehicle's service history and receive service reminders and recall alerts in the app. The service even shows you when your car registration is up for renewal and when your next recommended maintenance service should be (which you can schedule directly from the app), based on your vehicle's mileage, which the app also tracks.

From including certain standard equipment in your car to good grades on your college report card, you have plenty of opportunities to qualify for discounts with GEICO, including:

• Vehicle equipment. An airbag and/or an anti-theft system in your car can save you up to 23% on your coverage. Anti-lock brakes can get you a 5% discount, and daytime running lights can earn you 3% off your insurance premium.
• New vehicle. If your car model is three years or newer, you can get a discount of up to 15%.
• Clean driving record. If you've gone without accidents for five years, you can potentially save up to 22% on most coverages at GEICO.
• Seat belt use. If you and your passengers consistently wear seat belts, GEICO can give you a discount on the personal injury protection and medical payments portion of your premium.
• Education. If you or a young driver in your family have completed a driver's education course, you can qualify for a discount (eligibility requirements vary by state). Also, if you're a full-time student and have a good academic record, you can save up to 15% on certain coverages.
• Military. Military policyholders who are part of an emergency deployment to a danger zone can qualify for a discount of up to 25%. Additionally, eligible active duty or retired military members, as well as members of the National Guard or Reserves can get 15% off certain auto insurance coverages.
• Membership and employment. Active and retired federal employees can save up to 12% on their total car insurance premium. Members of GEICO's partner organizations can receive a special discount or premium reduction as well.
• Multiple vehicles. If you get insurance for more than one car, you can get as much as 25% off on most of the coverages.
• Multiple policies. Finally, drivers who use other types of insurance provided by GEICO, can also get a discount by bundling their coverages.

GEICO makes bundling policies easy since it offers multiple types of insurance. For instance, the company has also appeared on our best-of lists of motorcycle and RV insurance. Additionally, you can get homeowners insurance, including coverage for condos, renters insurance, flood insurance, umbrella insurance, life insurance — and the list goes on.

As one of the largest insurance providers, GEICO can provide coverage for just about anything under the sun. However, before you go ahead and bundle, collect a few quotes from other insurers to see where you can save the most money on the coverage you need.

GEICO's insurance products are quite competitive, especially if your goal is to save money on insurance. But as we have mentioned, it pays to compare quotes from different providers before committing to one.

For example, GEICO offers 16 discounts in total — but Farmers Insurance advertises 22 discounts. Or, if you're a member of the military, you might want to take advantage of USAA's low premiums and highly rated customer service.

GEICO can be an excellent option to consider for drivers shopping for an auto insurance provider. From low premiums to coverage options to solid customer satisfaction ratings, GEICO has plenty to offer. Still, make sure to do your research and compare multiple insurance companies to make sure you get a good deal, as well as the coverage that meets your needs.

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To determine which car insurance companies we recommend, CNBC Select analyzed dozens of U.S. insurance companies that come with policies to suit an array of needs.

When narrowing down and ranking these car insurance companies, we focused on average cost, coverage, availability, ease of use and customer satisfaction using data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, AM Best, J.D. Power rankings and car insurance premium data from Bankrate.com.

The average annual premium data is based on a 40-year-old driver with a clean driving record and good credit. The driver insures a 2020 Toyota Camry, commutes five days a week and drives 12,000 miles annually, with the following full-coverage limits:

• $100,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $300,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $50,000 property damage liability per accident
• $100,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury per person
• $300,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury per accident
• $500 collision deductible
• $500 comprehensive deductible

After reviewing the above features, we sorted our recommendations into the following categories: overall, wide coverage, customer satisfaction, discounts and military members and veterans.

Note that the premiums and policy structures advertised for car insurance companies are subject to fluctuate in accordance with the company's policies.