I recently went through the whole insurance shopping ordeal myself (first-timer here), and I had similar questions about roadside assistance. From what I gathered, neither Geico nor Progressive actually own their roadside fleets—they both contract local tow companies. That means your experience can vary quite a bit depending on where you break down and who's available nearby.
My friend had Progressive and got stranded near Syracuse last winter. Took them almost an hour to show up, but honestly, given the snowstorm, that wasn't too bad. On the other hand, my cousin swears by Geico after getting help in under 30 mins near Rochester. Seems like luck plays a big role here.
Personally, I'd lean toward looking at overall coverage and price first, since roadside response times seem pretty hit-or-miss anyway. Maybe check out some local reviews for your area specifically...might give you a better sense of consistency.
"Personally, I'd lean toward looking at overall coverage and price first, since roadside response times seem pretty hit-or-miss anyway."
Yeah, I totally agree with this. When I was shopping around for my first insurance policy last year, I got pretty caught up in the roadside assistance thing too. But after talking to a few friends and family members, it seemed like roadside help was always a bit of a gamble no matter who you went with.
Funny enough, my older brother had Progressive when his car battery died in Albany. It wasn't even winter or anything—just a random Tuesday afternoon—and he still waited almost 45 minutes. He wasn't thrilled, but he said the tow guy was super nice and helpful once he finally showed up. On the flip side, my coworker has Geico and got locked out of her car near Buffalo last month. She said they were there in under 20 minutes, which sounds amazing...but honestly, she might've just gotten lucky with timing and location.
For me personally, being budget-conscious meant focusing more on the monthly premium and deductible rather than roadside assistance alone. I ended up going with Progressive because their quote was noticeably cheaper for my situation (young driver, older car). Plus, their app seemed pretty user-friendly for managing payments and claims—little things like that matter to me.
One thing I'd suggest is checking out any discounts you might qualify for. Both Geico and Progressive offer some decent savings if you're willing to bundle or take defensive driving courses online. I did one of those quick online courses (it was kinda boring but easy enough), and it knocked a good chunk off my premium.
Anyway, good luck deciding! It's definitely overwhelming at first...but once you pick one and get set up, it's honestly not as stressful as it seems right now.
I ended up going with Progressive because their quote was noticeably cheaper for my situation (young driver, older car).
I agree with focusing on coverage and price first. Roadside assistance can be unpredictable no matter the company. Had Geico myself a couple years back—waited almost an hour near Syracuse for a flat tire, but their claims process was smooth and premiums reasonable, so no regrets overall.
"I ended up going with Progressive because their quote was noticeably cheaper for my situation (young driver, older car)."
Good call on prioritizing price and coverage first. Roadside assistance is always a bit hit-or-miss, honestly. I've seen clients have great experiences with both Geico and Progressive, but also heard some horror stories... it's just luck sometimes. Main thing is you're comfortable with the premium and claims process. Sounds like you made a solid choice, especially as a younger driver. Hope it works out well for you.
Price is definitely important, but I'd also suggest double-checking the claims satisfaction ratings—especially in NY. Cheaper premiums can sometimes mean more hassle if you ever actually need to use it... learned that the hard way with my first accident.
