State Farm

If other auto insurers won't accept you because you've had wrecks or tickets, experts say you might try State Farm. It's the biggest auto insurer in the U.S. and Canada, and although it doesn't offer the lowest prices, reviews say State Farm is more likely to take a chance on a higher-risk driver than a top-rated small car insurance company like Amica Mutual. Unlike Amica and a lot of other insurers, State Farm still works through local agents -- but reviews say some agents are better than others. State Farm gets its share of complaints about poor customer service and wrongfully denied claims. However, it gets better reviews than other mega-insurers like Allstate.

J.D. Power and Associates offers easy-to-read charts showing how State Farm stacks up against more than two dozen other auto insurance companies, based on customer surveys. Consumer Reports conducts its own surveys and puts out a similar chart, but the report is only available in a back issue of the magazine (you can't read it online). The Better Business Bureau and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners evaluate State Farm based on consumer complaints. Epinions.com offers a wealth of consumer reviews, positive and negative. The American Association for Justice, a trial lawyers' group, includes State Farm in a list of America's 10 worst insurance companies– in a study that includes lawsuits and news reports. There are no good insurance companies identified, however, to lend balance to the study.