Quick answer: State Farm is a single insurance company that sells its own policies through captive agents, while Six Corners Insurance is an independent Chicago agency that compares quotes from many carriers to find your best fit. State Farm can be competitive for some households, but an independent agent usually wins on price and coverage flexibility for Chicago drivers and homeowners who bundle policies, have teen drivers, or own older homes — and the comparison costs you nothing.
State Farm is the largest home and auto insurer in Illinois, and for many Chicago families it's the default: a local agent, a familiar name, and policies that renew year after year. So why do so many State Farm customers end up calling an independent agency like ours? Usually it starts with a renewal notice and a question: is this still my best option?
Here's an honest, side-by-side look at how State Farm compares to working with an independent insurance agency — on price, coverage, claims, and service.
What Is the Difference Between State Farm and an Independent Insurance Agency?
State Farm is an insurance carrier. Its agents are captive agents — they represent State Farm only, sell State Farm policies only, and cannot quote you with any other company, even when a competitor would be cheaper or better suited to your home.
Six Corners is an independent insurance agency. We don't work for one carrier — we work for you, and we quote your auto, home, renters, or umbrella policy across a panel of insurance companies at once. When one carrier raises rates or tightens underwriting, we move you to a better fit. We break down the two models in detail in our post on independent vs. captive insurance agents.
Six Corners Insurance vs. State Farm at a Glance
| State Farm (Captive Agent) | Six Corners (Independent Agency) | |
|---|---|---|
| Quotes | One company's price | Multiple carriers quoted side by side |
| Who the agent works for | State Farm | You, the client |
| Coverage options | State Farm products only | Policies matched from many carriers |
| Bundling | Must bundle within State Farm | Mix-and-match carriers for the best combined price |
| Rate increases at renewal | Accept it or shop on your own | Agent re-shops your policy proactively |
| Claims help | Agent employed by the carrier | Independent advocate on your side |
| Older Chicago homes | One underwriting appetite | Carriers that specialize in older housing stock |
| Cost to compare | Free quote | Free comparison across carriers |
Is State Farm Cheaper Than an Independent Agent?
Sometimes — and any agent who tells you otherwise isn't being straight with you. State Farm is a large, efficient company, and for some driver profiles its price is genuinely the one to beat.
But a State Farm quote is exactly one price from one company. When we run the same Chicago household across our carrier panel, we frequently find equal or better coverage for less — particularly for:
- Bundlers. State Farm's bundle discount only applies within State Farm. An independent agent can pair the best auto carrier with the best home carrier — the combined price often beats any single-company bundle.
- Families with teen drivers. Carrier pricing for young drivers varies enormously, and it's one of the biggest savings opportunities we see. Our teen driver insurance guide explains why.
- Owners of older Chicago homes. Bungalows, greystones, and two-flats trip some carriers' underwriting rules. We work with carriers that actively want this housing stock — see our guide to insuring older Chicago homes.
- Drivers with a ticket or claim. One carrier's surcharge schedule is another's non-issue. Shopping matters most right after your record changes.
There's also the renewal problem. Illinois premiums have climbed sharply in recent years — we covered the drivers in our post on Midwest rate hikes. A State Farm customer absorbs State Farm's increases or shops alone. Our clients get re-shopped across carriers at renewal, automatically.
Which Has Better Coverage Options?
State Farm sells State Farm coverage. If its homeowners policy prices your 1915 Portage Park two-flat poorly — or declines it — your State Farm agent has nowhere else to go. The same applies to umbrellas, landlord policies, and small business coverage: one menu, take it or leave it.
An independent agency builds coverage from the whole market. That means matching your home's age and construction to the right carrier, setting liability limits around your actual assets, and adding endorsements — like the service line coverage and water-backup coverage that matter so much for Chicago basements — from whichever carrier does them best.
How Do Claims Compare?
With State Farm, your agent is a State Farm employee. Good captive agents do help their clients, but at the end of the day they work for the company paying your claim.
With an independent agency, your agent's loyalty runs to you. When a claim gets complicated — a disputed valuation, a coverage question, a slow-moving adjuster — we advocate for you with the carrier, and we know those carriers' claims teams because we work with them every day. And if a carrier develops a pattern of poor claims handling, an independent agent can move your policy at renewal. A captive agent can't.
Who Should Stay With State Farm — and Who Should Compare?
To be fair, State Farm is a financially strong company with genuine strengths: long-tenured customers with grandfathered pricing or loyalty discounts are sometimes already in the right place. If that's you, we'll tell you — we'd rather earn your trust than churn a policy that's working.
Comparing makes the most sense if you:
- Just received a renewal increase and want to know if it's justified
- Own an older Chicago home, condo, or two-flat
- Have a teen driver joining your policy
- Bundle home and auto with one carrier and have never tested the mix-and-match alternative
- Haven't compared quotes in the last two years
How Do I Switch From State Farm to an Independent Agent?
Switching is easier than most people expect. Send us your current State Farm declarations pages — the summary pages listing your coverages and premiums — and we'll quote the same coverages across our carriers, then walk you through the differences line by line. If you decide to switch, we handle the paperwork, time the new policy so there's no gap, and help you cancel the old one. There's no fee and no obligation.
Get your free comparison here, or call or text us at (312) 651-6759.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is State Farm more expensive than an independent insurance agency?
Not always, but often. State Farm quotes only State Farm rates, while an independent agency like Six Corners compares your profile across many carriers at once. For Chicago-area households — especially those bundling home and auto or covering teen drivers — an independent agent frequently finds equal or better coverage for less.
What is the difference between State Farm and an independent insurance agent?
State Farm is a single insurance company that sells its own policies through captive agents who represent only State Farm. An independent insurance agent represents multiple carriers, compares quotes across them, and works for the client rather than one insurance company.
Can I keep a local agent if I switch from State Farm to Six Corners?
Yes. Six Corners is a local, Chicago-based independent agency, so you keep the personal relationship of a neighborhood agent while gaining access to quotes from many insurance companies instead of just one.
Will an independent agent re-shop my insurance automatically?
A good one will. Six Corners reviews client policies at renewal and re-shops across carriers when rates climb, so you are not stuck absorbing one company’s rate increases year after year.
Does it cost anything to get a comparison quote from Six Corners?
No. Comparing your current State Farm policy against our carriers is free and comes with no obligation. Independent agents are compensated by the insurance carriers, not by clients.
