On Super Bowl Sunday, there are two types of people: those who are there for the commercials and those who are there for the game and the commercials (everyone is there for the snacks).
Companies spend millions for a 30-second spot during the game to reach one of the largest viewerships of any televised event. Insurance companies are frequently among them.
From celebrity appearances that include Drake and Bryan Cranston to old-school earworms to unexpectedly gut-wrenching scenes that had people asking, “What were they thinking?” the big names in insurance have made some very memorable Super Bowl commercials.
10 of the best insurance company Super Bowl commercials
While we wait to see the best commercials of Super Bowl LVIII on February 11 and whether any insurance companies will be among them, our editors watched insurance company Super Bowl ads from years past and chose 10 of the best (in no particular order) for a trip down Super Bowl memory lane.
- Allstate. Duet in a Desert (2021)
- Nationwide. Rollin’ VIP (2007)
- Esurance. Say My Name (2015)
- Geico. Push It (2015)
- State Farm. Drake from State Farm (2021)
- Progressive. Portabellas (2020)
- Nationwide. Boy (2015)
- Geico. Washington Crosses the Delaware (2017)
- CSAA. Bring me to InsurAAAnce (2022)
- Geico. Happier than Dikembe Mutombo Blocking Shots (2012)
1. Allstate. Duet in a Desert (2021)
Featuring actor Devere Rogers in a duet with his hood ornament, this commercial drove the Pet Shop Boys’ 1986 song “Opportunities (Let’s Make Lots of Money)” up the Billboard charts for the first time in 35 years. Rogers bursts into song when he sees a notification that he’s saved more than $700 with Allstate as “Opportunity” comes on the radio. The catchy tune makes this ad not just memorable but one of the best.
Allstate Commercial – Duet in a Desert
2. Nationwide. Rollin’ VIP (2007)
Kevin Federline’s short-lived marriage to Britney Spears and the subsequent divorce gave us plenty of tabloid headlines. It also gave us this gem of a Super Bowl commercial for Nationwide, in which Federline pokes fun at his post-divorce lifestyle change. We see him rapping and living the VIP lifestyle, which turns out to be all his head as reality interrupts in the form of his new fast-food boss barking orders. Ouch.
3. Esurance. Say My Name (2015)
Esurance’s first entry into Super Bowl commercials launched the company’s “Sorta isn’t you” campaign with a bang. After the pre-Super Bowl airing of a “Sorta” commercial starring Lindsay Lohan, the insurer stepped it up during the game. Bryan Cranston appeared in the spot in character as Walter White, the teacher-turned-drug-kingpin from the hit show “Breaking Bad.” Cranston popping up from behind a pharmacy counter and surprising a woman looking for her prescription was one of the best moments of Super Bowl XLIX.
4. Geico. Push It (2015)
Iconic rap duo Salt-N-Pepa tell people to “Push It” – it’s just what they do! – following them through everyday activities that need a little push while singing their 1987 hit song. Opening a door? The button on the elevator? The lawn mower? Salt-N-Pepa wants you to push it (real good). The combination of absurdity and nostalgia is a winner in this Super Bowl XLIX spot.
5. State Farm. Drake from State Farm (2021)
How many celebrities can you fit in one Super Bowl commercial? State Farm already regularly uses NFL stars Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes, and this TV spot also features Paul Rudd (as Rodgers’ stand-in) and Drake, who makes a surprise appearance as the stand-in for Jake from State Farm. He’s Drake from State Farm, of course.
6. Progressive. Portabellas (2020)
Progressive’s spokesperson, Flo, has been a staple of the company’s advertising for many years, but in 2020, she took on a different name tag and pushed mushroom poppers instead of insurance. This commercial features Flo and another member of her “squad” donning restaurant uniforms and acting as servers to a group of confused diners who immediately recognize them. “Are we in a Progressive commercial?” one diner asks as the slogan for fake family restaurant Portabella’s crosses the screen. Even we aren’t sure.
7. Nationwide. Boy (2015)
Including this stunner in the best list may be as controversial as the commercial when it aired during Super Bowl XLIX. The dark commercial, which shows a young boy listing all the things he will never get to do because, as he tells viewers halfway through, he died in an accident, sent social media buzzing. Some felt it was a huge mistake for Nationwide, while the company defended it as a conversation starter about the risk of childhood accidents. It certainly started conversations and made our list, if only for that reason.
8. Geico. Washington Crosses the Delaware (2017)
Geico has had a lot of memorable commercials, but this one stands out from the pack. Traffic is stopped on the Delaware Turnpike as a canoe carrying George Washington is painstakingly dragged and pushed across the road. Horns honk, Washington shouts lines such as “We’ve all got places to go!” and “Big man with the horn!” at the drivers; it’s absurd, funny, and exactly the kind of Super Bowl commercial we expect from Geico.
9. CSAA. Bring me to InsurAAAnce (2022)
CSAA’s later commercial featuring Rick Astley may have been better for Rick-rolling your friends, but this Super Bowl spot is impossible not to enjoy. Evanescence’s hit song “Bring Me to Life” becomes an ode to insurance savings as an average Joe rises into the air, belting out the song and morphing into a long-haired rock star. Of course, he’s just standing on top of his car singing, and his audience of one (his wife) is entirely unimpressed.
10. Geico – Happier than Dikembe Mutombo Blocking Shots (2012)
Basketball star Dikembe Mutombo pops up in everyday situations, doing what he did best during his NBA career: blocking shots. He chuckles gleefully and leaves with a wag of the finger as he blocks change from landing at a toll booth, trash from hitting the can and a cereal box from winding up in a grocery cart. We’re not sure anyone actually is as happy as Mutumbo blocking shots, and it’s incredibly fun to watch.
Honorable mention: Allstate. Mayhem: Forbidden Apple (2013)
Allstate’s ride through history with Mayhem actually aired directly after the Super Bowl game ended, which technically means it’s not a true Super Bowl commercial. However, its depiction of Mayhem (personified by actor Dean Williams) at the heart of historical disasters throughout history, from the Trojan War to the Great Chicago Fire, is so well done it earns an honorable mention on our list.
There you have it – the best insurance company Super Bowl commercials from years past. We can’t wait to see what’s on tap for this year.
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Laura Longero
Executive Editor
Laura Longero is an insurance expert and Executive Editor at CarInsurance.com, where she specializes in helping consumers navigate the complexities of the financial and insurance industries. She has 15 years of experience educating people about finance and car insurance. Prior to joining CarInsurance.com, she worked as a reporter and editor at the USA Today Network. Her expertise provides readers with practical guidance, helping them make informed choices about their financial and insurance needs.
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John McCormick
Editorial Director
John is the editorial director for CarInsurance.com, Insurance.com and Insure.com. Before joining QuinStreet, John was a deputy editor at The Wall Street Journal and had been an editor and reporter at a number of other media outlets where he covered insurance, personal finance, and technology.
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Leslie Kasperowicz
Executive Editor
Leslie Kasperowicz is an insurance educator and content creation professional with nearly two decades of experience first directly in the insurance industry at Farmers Insurance and then as a writer, researcher, and educator for insurance shoppers writing for sites like ExpertInsuranceReviews.com and InsuranceHotline.com and managing content, now at CarInsurance.com.
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Nupur Gambhir
Managing Editor
Nupur Gambhir is a content editor and licensed life, health, and disability insurance expert. She has extensive experience bringing brands to life and has built award-nominated campaigns for travel and tech. Her insurance expertise has been featured in Bloomberg News, Forbes Advisor, CNET, Fortune, Slate, Real Simple, Lifehacker, The Financial Gym, and the end-of-life planning service.