GoAuto car insurance review: Cheap insurance with limited options

Woman driving her car insured with GoAuto insuranceImage: Woman driving her car insured with GoAuto insurance
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Editors’ take: GoAuto offers basic coverage options in just a few states: Louisiana, Ohio, Nevada and Texas. GoAuto could be an excellent option for those interested in flexible payment options while using a mobile app to take care of their low-cost policy. GoAuto won’t be a fit for those looking for extensive discounts or saving via bundling.


GoAuto auto insurance at a glance

AvailabilityLouisiana, Ohio, Nevada and Texas
J.D. Power customer satisfaction ratingsNot listed
Number of complaints in 2022 (National Association of Insurance Commissioners)A little more than usual for insurance companies of its size in the market, according to data as of April 2023.
How to get an insurance quoteOnline, over the phone or in person
How to submit a claimOnline, via the mobile app or hotline

Pros

  • Mobile app
  • Flexible payment options
  • Direct-to-consumer model

Cons

  • Not available in most states
  • Slightly higher than average number of complaints

What you need to know about GoAuto auto insurance

GoAuto claims to provide inexpensive “no-nonsense” auto insurance for customers in Nevada, Texas, Louisiana and Ohio.

The company describes its business model as family-oriented and community-driven. It claims to provide affordable auto insurance options using a direct-to-customer quote process, offering custom payment plans and forgoing policy add-ons.

Flexible payment options

GoAuto insurance customers can use various methods to pay their monthly auto insurance premium. Payments are accepted online, over the phone, via a local sales office or on the app.

GoAuto doesn’t accept American Express, but it does accept Visa, Mastercard or Discover debit or credit cards, including Green Dot prepaid debit cards. Also, GoAuto doesn’t charge a fee to process payments, and you can adjust your due date to create a payment schedule that works for you.

Mobile app

You can use GoAuto’s mobile app to report a claim, make a payment, manage your policy and view your policy documents and ID card. As of April 2023, the app had a 3.7-star average review on the Google Play Store and 2.4 stars on the Apple App Store.

No commissioned agents

GoAuto uses a direct-to-consumer model to provide car insurance to customers without going through commissioned agents, which can help keep costs low.

Some insurance companies sell policies through independent agents who work for multiple companies or represent a single company. When a customer buys an insurance policy through one of these agents, the agent typically gets a percentage of the premium as compensation.

When a company sells the policy directly to the customer as GoAuto does, it might pass the additional savings on to the customer.

Auto coverage offered by GoAuto

GoAuto offers bare-bones coverage options, which include …

  • Bodily injury and liability
  • Liability property damage
  • Comprehensive
  • Collision
  • Medical payments
  • Uninsured and underinsured motorist
  • SR-22 verification

Auto insurance discounts offered by GoAuto

GoAuto doesn’t advertise any auto insurance discounts on its website and doesn’t advertise any common auto insurance discounts, like multicar or multipolicy discounts, safe driving discounts or safety features discounts through its quote process.

GoAuto auto insurance FAQs

Does GoAuto pay claims?

You can file a claim through GoAuto online, over the phone or through the app. GoAuto’s six-step claims process includes a formal report, communication with the claims adjuster about the incident and an investigation and inspection of the vehicles in question. Next, coverage and liability determinations are made in compliance with state law. Claim payment or denial is issued after the claims process has been completed.

Does GoAuto offer full coverage?

Although “full coverage” isn’t technically a type of car insurance, the term usually refers to a policy that includes liability, collision and comprehensive coverages. GoAuto offers all three coverages, so it can be considered a full-coverage auto insurer. Learn more about the different types of auto insurance coverage.

Is GoAuto the cheapest car insurance?

GoAuto provides bare-bones auto insurance coverage, but you may be able to find policies with more features at a lower cost depending on different factors that can affect your car insurance rate. Moreover, GoAuto doesn’t appear to provide discounts typical among larger auto insurers, so be sure to shop around to ensure you’re getting the best deal on car insurance.

Not sure if GoAuto auto insurance is right for you? Consider these alternatives.

  • Progressive: Progressive auto insurance could be good for someone who’s a safe driver and wants to try usage-based insurance to lower their rate.
  • Geico: Geico may be ideal if you like using a mobile app to manage your insurance policy.

About the author: Sarah Sidlow is a freelance writer and editor based near Detroit. She has a master’s degree in journalism from Georgetown University. Sarah’s work has appeared in Luxembourg’s national newspaper, Washington City Paper… Read more.