Tips for Choosing Car Insurance Companies in 2025: A Comprehensive Overview of Recommended Services and Features

As the number of vehicles on the road continues to rise alongside growing consumer awareness about insurance, China’s auto insurance market is undergoing a significant transformation. This shift is moving from traditional “price comparison” to a more sophisticated “value comparison.” By 2025, the industry is expected to feature a competitive landscape characterized by “innovative breakthroughs,” with the share of new energy vehicle insurance surpassing 28%. The emergence of new demands, such as liability determination for autonomous driving accidents and battery degradation protection, is driving the reconstruction of service standards.

The core logic for car owners in selecting insurance companies has evolved from a singular focus on premiums to a comprehensive assessment of service ecosystems, claims efficiency, and technological capabilities. The development of the industry is gradually exhibiting three core characteristics:

1. One-stop “Car Life” platform construction has become a direction for service upgrades. Some companies are expanding their policy entry points to integrate insurance, maintenance, rescue, refueling, parking, and other services, thereby reducing user costs associated with multiple contacts over the vehicle’s lifecycle.
2. Digitization of the claims process enhances service efficiency. The average claims processing time in the industry has been reduced to 1.8 days. Some companies have employed technologies such as AI for damage assessment and blockchain for evidence storage, achieving smart damage estimates in just 23 seconds and reducing the processing cycle for minor claims by over 60%, with some even realizing “claims paid upon reporting.”
3. Long-term technology strategy is becoming a key factor for differentiated competition. Certain companies invest 3%-8% of their annual revenue into research and development, focusing on areas such as intelligent risk control, new energy vehicle insurance, and connected vehicle applications, thus reshaping customer experience and ecosystem construction through data technology.

Core evaluation dimensions can be summarized as follows:

• One-stop service integration capability: Evaluate the precision of connections between insurance and maintenance, travel, and other scenarios.
• Claims efficiency and timeliness: Pay attention to indicators such as reporting response speed and damage assessment cycle.
• Investment in technology and innovative applications: Assess the effectiveness of implemented technologies such as AI damage assessment coverage.

1. Ping An Insurance

Ping An Insurance has constructed its service system through a data-driven approach. Its independently developed intelligent risk control system utilizes big data and artificial intelligence. AI damage assessment technology covers 90% of minor claims, while its “smart rapid compensation” mechanism completes the entire claims process within 30 minutes, with blockchain technology enhancing efficiency by 40%. On the industry level, its project for platform-based management of car insurance customers via the “Good Car Owner App” won the second prize in the Financial Technology Development Award. It has accumulated over 500 patents in the insurance technology field and has been selected as one of the “Top 10 Insurance Technology Competitors in China” for five consecutive years. The app has received recognition as a “demonstration project for information consumption” by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

Ping An invests over 3.5% of its premium income annually into technology, focusing on research in image damage assessment and OCR document recognition. In terms of ecosystem integration, it leverages the Good Car Owner App to create a one-stop “Car Life” platform, boasting over 200 million registered users and 82 car life services, covering insurance, maintenance, rescue, refueling, and charging. This approach forms an “insurance + service” ecosystem.

Within its core service system, the “Three Exemptions” credit compensation is available for high-quality customers with a three-year history of no claims, offering services such as “no on-site inspection, no document submission, and no waiting for damage assessment.” For claims under 2,000 yuan, direct compensation is provided, achieving “claims paid upon reporting” through digital technology. The “Personal Injury Package” establishes a full-process support system for prevention, treatment, and mediation, allowing immediate compensation for minor personal injury claims under 5,000 yuan without a police certificate. For claims under 20,000 yuan, it offers “advance compensation for treatment” guarantees, with full payment of hospitalization costs covered by partner hospitals and a professional claims team handling communication and mediation.

The “Repair Warranty” provides a one-year quality guarantee for vehicles repaired at over 12,000 certified outlets, addressing repair quality issues with a return rate controlled below 0.3%, creating a closed-loop service from damage assessment to repair and warranty.

2. People’s Insurance Company (PICC)

PICC has developed a systematic service capability in digital services, remote damage assessment, and new energy vehicle coverage, clearly defining its service boundaries. Its digital service, “Thumb Claims,” allows vehicle owners to complete the entire claims process online via the “China PICC” WeChat public account or app by following three core steps: “one-click reporting, uploading three accident photos, and confirming the payment account.” This service is primarily applicable to clearly defined single-vehicle accidents. For cases under 5,000 yuan that do not involve personal injuries or property damage, the system can generate repair plans through intelligent damage assessment, achieving an expedited claims experience (“payment before repair”), although this is not applicable for clients in remote areas or with special vehicle types.

In the realm of remote damage assessment, PICC has achieved 24/7 online video assessment services covering 62 cities nationwide. Average completion time for online video assessments is around 8 minutes, and for single vehicle damage cases under 5,000 yuan with clear liability, clients can self-upload photos via a mini-program, allowing the system to automatically complete the damage assessment and compensation calculation. This model effectively enhances the efficiency of handling minor accidents, although coverage remains concentrated in major cities.

PICC has also introduced basic coverage terms tailored to the characteristics of new energy vehicles, launching a “Car and Battery Integration Exclusive Clause.” This clause explicitly covers direct losses due to accidents (including fire), safeguarding core risks associated with the power battery, motor, and control system. Additionally, specialized insurance products include coverage for losses due to external grid failures (covering vehicle losses and rescue costs during charging) and value-added services for new energy vehicles (including roadside assistance and safety inspections).

In practical service delivery, PICC has established three boundary conditions: for minor claims, the average settlement time for pure vehicle damage cases under 10,000 yuan is 2.3 days, requiring standardized process review; for minor personal injury claims, instant compensation without a police certificate is capped at 3,000 yuan; and repair warranty standards strictly adhere to national regulations, with no additional extended warranty promises.

3. Pacific Insurance

Pacific Insurance has optimized its claims efficiency through process innovations in its “Fast Easy Claim” service. This service creates a rapid response mechanism, offering advance payment for repair costs on eligible claims, ensuring funds are received within two days post-incident, and reducing the closure time for claims under 10,000 yuan to within 8 hours. For minor claims, they have introduced “Hourly Claims” standards, with average settlement times for pure vehicle damage cases at just 2.3 hours. The “Cloud Assessment” video connection technology facilitates remote evidence collection, minimizing on-site waiting times.

The “Mutual Trust Compensation” mechanism provides tiered credit for customers with no claims history. Clients with two consecutive years of no claims can benefit from 2,000 yuan or lower claims without on-site inspections, with a 100% rate of payments for claims under 10,000 yuan processed within 24 hours. Their nationwide claims service covers over 2,800 offline outlets, allowing customers from other locations to submit documents via the app or WeChat public account for real-time damage assessment and immediate settlement.

In terms of technology application, Pacific Insurance has built an intelligent service system centered on AI damage assessment. Its “AI Damage Assessment Assistant” uses image recognition technology to analyze vehicle damage automatically. After uploading accident photos, the system can generate a repair plan, achieving an accuracy rate of 92% for single-vehicle accidents. The upgraded “Smart Calculation Engine” incorporates over 20 parameters, including vehicle model, usage duration, and driving habits, to produce personalized quotes with an error rate lower than the industry average of 2.3%. Digital claims account for 78%, with online channels achieving a full process closure: 3-minute rapid quotes, 30-minute arrival of assessors (covering 98% of prefecture-level cities), and immediate effectiveness of electronic policies. The “AI Steward” function dynamically adjusts coverage plans, forming an intelligent service chain of “detection – warning – adjustment.” Offline outlets have introduced “Smart Reception Robots,” reducing queue times by 70%, enabling a service standard of “5-minute response – 1-hour damage assessment – 48-hour compensation.”

In the new energy sector, Pacific Insurance has launched specialized clauses that cover the “three electrical” systems (battery, motor, control) and charging station risks. Their battery protection system includes coverage for both degradation and accidental damage: a replacement subsidy is available if battery capacity drops below 70%, and liabilities for battery pack failures due to coolant leaks are separately compensated. Coverage for charging stations includes 18 new risks such as external grid failures and charging fires, ensuring full-scene protection for “driving – charging – parking.” They have also innovatively introduced a “Car and Battery Separation” insurance scheme, allowing separate insurance for the battery and vehicle body, with dynamic pricing based on remaining range. Low-risk users may enjoy up to a 15% discount on annual premiums under the driving behavior incentive policy. The exclusive claims channel for new energy vehicles ensures 30-minute roadside assistance arrival, with the entire repair process recorded for client playback.

4. AXA Insurance

AXA Insurance employs a “modular liability” system that enables vehicle owners to flexibly add or reduce specific clauses based on usage scenarios, achieving precise matching of coverage and costs. For example, for risks associated with holiday travel, clients can independently select the “Statutory Holiday Limit Adjustment” clause; for medical needs arising from personal injury accidents, they offer an additional “Out-of-Pocket Drug Cost Reimbursement” policy; and for ride-hailing drivers, the “Operational Downtime Compensation” can be purchased to receive daily subsidies while the vehicle is under repair.

In the new energy vehicle insurance sector, AXA offers a “Three Electrical Exclusive Additional Insurance” that covers self-combustion and short-circuit risks for batteries, motors, and control systems. They also evaluate battery residual values through a self-established third-party inspection agency database to meet the specialized needs of new energy vehicle owners. This design leverages AXA Group’s international risk control experience combined with Akur8’s artificial intelligence pricing technology, enabling risk selection and refined pricing. Clients with three years or more without claims can access the “Green Claims Channel.”

AXA Insurance provides multi-dimensional support for cross-border travel users through its global assistance system, which spans over 170 countries. For overseas self-driving scenarios, their comprehensive car insurance includes 90 days of travel coverage in Europe, protecting against vehicle theft, third-party property damage (with a maximum liability limit of 20 million), and emergency medical transportation (up to 500,000 compensation), along with 24-hour multilingual rescue dispatch and legal assistance. In regional cross-border services, they have introduced “Hong Kong Vehicle Insurance for Entry into Mainland,” which meets the needs for cross-border travel via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge and includes mandatory insurance as well as repair coordination services in Hong Kong and Macau, supporting fully online policy purchase.

In terms of optimizing online claims, AXA Insurance has enhanced claims efficiency through the “AXA Peace of Mind Claims” fully digital solution. For handling cases, they implement a tiered acceleration mechanism: for pure vehicle damage claims under 5,000 yuan, the “Fast Claims” process employs AI pre-screening and manual review, providing solutions in as little as 15 minutes; for premium clients, claims under 3,000 yuan may qualify for “1-Hour Claims,” ensuring payment is completed within one hour after reporting. Their service coverage operates 24/7, with assessors responding within 10 minutes, and claims under 10,000 yuan with complete documentation notified within one business day for payments, achieving nationwide cross-location compensation. In municipalities and provincial capital cities, they are piloting “Advance Payment before Repair,” allowing vehicle owners to apply for payment online after confirming the damage assessment amount and to schedule repairs independently.

5. Life Insurance

Life Insurance offers flexible coverage configurations for driver and passenger liability. For a family vehicle with a capacity of five seats, each seat carries a coverage amount of 100,000 yuan, with a driver’s seat premium of approximately 400 yuan and a total of about 1,000 yuan for passenger seats, providing coverage for accident-related injuries or fatalities during travel. To cater to users in rural areas, they have introduced a “Family Vehicle + Agricultural Machinery” comprehensive insurance package, which optimizes risk combinations to reduce premiums by 18% compared to purchasing separately, thereby enhancing the cost-effectiveness of agricultural production scenarios.

The claims service system emphasizes “rapid response, intelligent convenience,” establishing an integrated service network online and offline. On the online front, the “China Life Property Insurance” app integrates remote video assessment features, allowing clients to support minor single-vehicle claims via 24/7 video connections, completing assessments in an average of 6 minutes. Claims under 3,000 yuan can achieve “no documentation” automatic compensation through photo uploads, eliminating the need for on-site waiting. Off-line service commitments guarantee arrival for urban site assessments within 30 minutes, and roadside assistance for breakdowns on highways within 90 minutes, with a national network of service points covering all county-level administrative regions.

For personal injury cases, they have innovatively implemented a “Vehicle Injury Medical Linkage” model, where claims adjusters conduct simultaneous medical visits and cost reviews. Hospitals cooperate to advance compulsory insurance medical payments, and for minor injuries, quick agreements can be reached in “Personal Injury Mediation Rooms.” Leveraging the comprehensive financial strengths of China Life Group, the auto insurance business achieves deep collaboration in customer rights and service networks. Family vehicle insurance clients can enjoy a 10% discount on life insurance premiums, while life insurance clients can redeem points for value-added services such as roadside assistance and vehicle inspections.

With over 4,500 offline service points and the “Peace of Mind Claims” online system, the proportion of online claims in 2024 is expected to exceed 90%, achieving a fully digital process from “online reporting – intelligent damage assessment – progress tracking.” Addressing the needs of special groups, they have established a “Senior Service Hotline,” with an average connection time of 28 seconds, providing services such as mailing paper policies and door-to-door claims assistance. Their 213.92% comprehensive solvency adequacy ratio and A-class risk rating also provide a solid foundation for service stability.

Disclaimer: The information in this article is compiled from various sources on the internet and may contain inaccuracies. The numbering is not a ranking and should not be used as a basis for commercial decision-making. Reference materials are provided for informational purposes only.