THE BEST of
Insurance Awards 2026

Methodology

When choosing our FinanceBuzz Insurance Award winners, we considered quantitative factors like our star ratings as well as qualitative inputs based on discussions within our editorial team. We've aimed to identify the best companies for specific purposes or types of people. While some winners may be partners, this did not influence who we chose to win awards.

How we chose the winners

We began by compiling a list of the largest insurance companies in the country, collecting data on each, and scoring them. Pricing data for auto insurance was sourced from Insurify, home insurance from Insurify and company websites, and pet insurance from Insurify, NerdWallet, U.S. News and World Report, and Petinsurancereview.com. 

Then, for each category, we identified the minimum criteria to be included in our evaluation group. For example, when looking for the best company for teen drivers, we looked at the rates each company charges for teen drivers on average, along with the difference between the cost of policies for experienced drivers and teen drivers. 

Then within that narrowed group, we determined the most important ranking factors to compare the companies head-to-head. Those ranking factors tie directly to the award category and vary for each award. 

Some of the factors we examined were quantitative, such as monthly rates and NAIC complaint scores, while others were qualitative, including customer opinions and features that, although not essential, improved the overall experience. In the end, each account received a category-specific score that was used to determine the award winner.