Auto insurance · Updated August 2026
American Family vs Liberty Mutual
American Family is built for agent-served drivers in the Midwest and West. Liberty Mutual is built for drivers who buy direct and customize coverage online. On the NAIC's 2025 complaint index, American Family Mutual Ins. Co., S.I. drew 0.18 and LM General Ins. Co. drew 0.94, against an industry median of 1.00. AM Best rates both companies A. Neither is reliably cheaper. For the same driver in the same state, either can return the lower number.
By Dylan Leggett, licensed insurance agent · NPN 17875887
The short answer
American Family has written auto since 1927 and writes through American Family Mutual Insurance Co., S.I. and affiliates. American Family Mutual Ins. Co., S.I. drew 0.18 on the NAIC's 2025 complaint index, 13 complaints on $1.5 billion of private-passenger premium. The tradeoffs: it writes in 19 states against Liberty Mutual's all 50 states, and its app carries 91,076 ratings against Liberty Mutual's 484,458.
Liberty Mutual has written auto since 1912 and writes through Liberty Mutual group companies. The tradeoff: it drew 0.94 on the 2025 complaint index against American Family's 0.18.
Both companies state by state, and their filed rates trade the lead by address. A national average will not predict which one wins for you. For the same driver in the same state, either can return the lower number.
About two minutes. No effect on your credit score.
Side by side
American Family vs Liberty Mutual: the data sheet
Sources are listed under the measured figures. How we compare
American Family | Liberty Mutual | |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Agent-served drivers in the Midwest and West | Drivers who buy direct and customize coverage online |
| Who underwrites it | American Family Mutual Insurance Co., S.I. and affiliates | Liberty Mutual group companies |
| Complaints per policyAmerican Family, by a wide margin | 0.18 13 complaints on $1.5B written | 0.94 57 complaints on $1.3B written |
NAIC complaint index, 2025, private passenger auto · American Family Mutual Ins. Co., S.I. vs LM General Ins. Co. · 1.00 is the industry median | ||
| Financial strengthTied at A | A Excellent | A Excellent |
AM Best financial strength rating · A++ is the highest issued | ||
| Coverage you can buyTied | 6 lines auto, home, renters, life, umbrella, commercial | 6 lines auto, home, renters, life, umbrella, motorcycle |
| PriceNot rated | Filed state by state, priced to the driver. The main factors are below. | |
| Mobile appEffectively tied | 4.72 91,076 ratings | 4.79 484,458 ratings |
Apple App Store, August 2026 | ||
| Telematics program | KnowYourDrive | RightTrack |
| Availability | Available in 19 states | Available in all 50 states |
| Known for | KnowYourDrive discounts, agent service | RightTrack discounts, online policy customization |
In practice
Where they differ
The complaint records
On the NAIC's 2025 complaint index, American Family Mutual Ins. Co., S.I. drew 0.18 and LM General Ins. Co. drew 0.94, against an industry median of 1.00. The index weighs a company's complaint count against the volume expected for its size, so 1.00 is the industry median and a lower number is fewer complaints than expected.
Financial strength
AM Best rates both companies A. A++ is the highest grade AM Best issues. The grade measures the company's ability to pay claims, not its service or its price.
Who underwrites each one
American Family policies are written by American Family Mutual Insurance Co., S.I. and affiliates. Liberty Mutual policies are written by Liberty Mutual group companies. The brand on the advertising and the company on the policy are often different entities, and the complaint figures on this page belong to the named companies.
What each one covers
Both write six lines. American Family writes auto, home, renters, life, umbrella, and commercial. Liberty Mutual writes auto, home, renters, life, umbrella, and motorcycle. If auto is all you need, the difference costs you nothing.
Price
Which is cheaper: American Family or Liberty Mutual?
Neither company is reliably cheaper. What sets the price:
The record sets the range. A ticket, an at-fault accident, or a moves the two prices by different amounts, and the direction is not consistent between states. A quote on the real record is what separates them.
Availability decides some matchups. American Family writes in 19 states. Liberty Mutual writes in all 50 states. Where only one of them writes in your state, the comparison answers itself.
Telematics moves the number. Both run a program: KnowYourDrive at American Family, RightTrack at Liberty Mutual. A telematics program measures driving through an app or a plug-in device and adjusts the price on the result. The size of that adjustment is filed per state.
One application. Real prices from the carriers writing in your state.