21st Century vs. Bristol West: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for car insurance, 21st Century offers significantly cheaper premiums than Bristol West
• 21st Century tends to be a much more affordable option for policyholders who live in rural neighborhoods
• Bristol West may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than 21st Century Insurance

21st Century or Bristol West: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

Are you in the market for a new insurance policy? After all, you've seen ads from all sorts of companies offering hefty savings. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You've maybe even narrowed it down to 21st Century or Bristol West, but which carrier will save you the most?

As you can see, 21st Century is quite a bit cheaper than Bristol West, with rates averaging $146 a month compared to $412 with Bristol West when looking at the national average rates for insurance.

That being said, that doesn't necessarily mean 21st Century will be the less expensive option for each driver. After all, car insurance carriers can offer drastically different rates to every driver depending on rating factors like where you call home, your age, your credit score, or even your driving record (among other things). So, at the end of the day, prices from each carrier will differ quite a bit from person to person.

Wanting to know if 21st Century or Bristol West is really the right company for you? Keep on reading to see how average rates can change based on all of the factors we've mentioned above.

21st Century vs. Bristol West: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

21st Century and Bristol West only compete against each other in one states, with Bristol West offering more affordable premiums to the average driver in all of them. California has the most noticable difference, where Bristol West rates are $17 less expensive than auto insurance premiums at 21st Century.

But there's more to car insurance than just your home state. As we mentioned above, there's a lot of things that go into how auto insurance companies determine your prices. Continue reading to see how other variables will affect your rates.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers generally pay a lot more for insurance than any group out there on the road. It's because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

Even so, that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their auto insurance. As you can see above, teens who use 21st Century save over 70% per month compared to those who use Bristol West.

However, both carriers will reduce premiums by the time you turn 25. For example, average prices for 21st Century policyholders decrease almost 40% and Bristol West's rates drop nearly 55% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Once you approach retirement age, you'll normally enjoy the lowest insurance premiums you'll ever find. You've been on the road for years, and all that experience pays off when it comes to your monthly rates for car insurance.

But who has the best prices for retired drivers between 21st Century and Bristol West? 21st Century gets the edge, with premiums for drivers 65 and older $242 cheaper than the national average for Bristol West.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but auto insurance rates tend to be more expensive for those who are single than they are for married couples. This usually boils down to married drivers having several vehicles on their policy -- something lots of car insurance companies will reward with discounts.

For single policyholders, the difference in average prices between these two carriers is significant, with 21st Century premiums coming in at around a third of Bristol West's. For married policyholders, the advantage is clear again - 21st Century has the edge when it comes to average prices.

21st Century or Bristol West: Average Rates by Gender

You may not know, but men usually pay more for insurance than women do. That's because men are more likely to get into accidents and get tickets, which increases the chances of filing a claim with insurance.

Women and men get the same monthly rates with 21st Century, but surprisingly, with Bristol West, women usually pay about $1 a month more than men.

Looking at overall affordability, 21st Century comes out on top for both men and women. On average, male drivers save about $265 per month and women save around $266 with 21st Century compared to the average Bristol West policyholder.

21st Century vs. Bristol West: Compare State Minimum vs. Full Coverage Rates

*State minimum value indicates liability-only policies at each state's minimum bodily injury and property damage (BI/PD) limits

**Full coverage indicates state minimum BI/PD limits with collision and comprehensive coverages added to policy.

For most people, auto insurance can be pretty complicated. Everyone needs car insurance, but there are so many different limits and terms that it can be hard to find the right policy for you.

But the most common policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (that covers bodily injury and property damage for other drivers and passengers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- collision and comprehensive -- in addition to liability).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability insurance, 21st Century has the significant edge, with average monthly premiums coming in at $79. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, 21st Century again has the edge, with policies averaging about $212 a month to Bristol West's $544.

Is 21st Century or Bristol West Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

It's no secret -- drivers with good records end up getting the best deals on their insurance. But that's not to say you can't save money if you don't have the best driving record, either.

Collisions and speeding tickets will most likely raise your prices, but is 21st Century or Bristol West more affordable for drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use 21st Century for their auto insurance can typically expect their monthly bill to go up around 21% after getting a speeding ticket. Bristol West policyholders can expect a bit more drastic of an increase of about 23%.

However, 21st Century tends to offer the best prices for both drivers who have a recent ticket and those with clean records -- their rates are around 73% cheaper for drivers with clean records and 73% less expensive for those with a ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both companies will raise rates pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault collision with Bristol West climbing by around 29%. 21st Century has a less extreme rise, but you can still expect to pay more than 45% more than you were prior to your first accident.

At the end of the day, drivers who use 21st Century end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with average prices coming in at $173 compared to Bristol West's $479.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

If you get a DUI charge, you can expect some pretty significant increases in your monthly insurance bill -- usually a lot more than an accident or speeding ticket. On average, 21st Century will climb your rates about 54% after a DUI, while Bristol West's average premiums climb by nearly 15%.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable prices, 21st Century tends to be more affordable for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at around $200 to Bristol West's $390.

How does Credit Score Impact 21st Century and Bristol West Rates?

In many cases, your credit score can come into play when carriers calculate your monthly bill. This isn't true for everyone (Michigan, for example, has banned the use of credit score as an auto insurance factor) but it will come into play for many drivers.

Car insurance companies argue that those with good credit scores are more likely to pay their bills on time every month, which reduces the risk involved on their end, while the opposite is true for those with bad credit.

So, which carrier offers the best premiums for policyholders with good, average, or poor credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

You'll often be rewarded if you have great credit. Improving your "good" credit score to an "excellent" one will normally save Bristol West customers about $40. On the other hand, because 21st Century doesn't have data available for credit scores, they most likely don't use credit to calculate your rates.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Having bad credit generally means you'll also see higher prices with Bristol West. As you can see, Bristol West customers with poor credit scores pay around 25% per month more than those with fair scores (and even more compared to drivers with good or excellent scores). 21st Century, on the other hand, doesn't have data available for credit scores, which means drivers with bad credit could find better rates with 21st Century over Bristol West.

Is 21st Century or Bristol West Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

The amount of time you spend behind the wheel of your car plays a big role in your monthly auto insurance cost. Typically, those who drive less will end up with cheaper premiums since there's less of a chance of causing a collision and filing an insurance claim.

For both remote workers and those taking short commutes, 21st Century tends to be the less expensive option. Bristol West's average rates for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in about 66% more expensive than 21st Century. Those who drive 12,000 miles each year can expect to pay around 63% more with Bristol West over 21st Century.

21st Century or Bristol West: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you call home can play a pretty big role in how much you pay for insurance. Usually, those who live in rural areas will pay less than drivers in urban areas because of the small number of cars that are on the roads where they live.

21st Century boasts the lowest average prices for drivers in all types of areas, no matter if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, 21st Century Insurance's average rates are about $388 less than Bristol West. People who live in suburban areas pay around $241 less with 21st Century compared to Bristol West. Those in rural areas can expect to save about $168 with 21st Century compared to Bristol West.

21st Century vs. Bristol West Discounts

You want to save as much money as you can, right? The best way to do that is by utilizing as many car insurance discounts as possible.

But where do you even start? With so many discounts out there, it may seem challenging to find all the of the ones you qualify for.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and compared all of the different discounts offered by 21st Century and Bristol West so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

Overall, Bristol West comes out ahead with 18 discounts to 21st Century's 13.

Both carriers offer several of the same discounts -- like advance quote discounts, discounts for being a defensive driver, discounts for being a good driver, and paid in full discounts -- but Bristol West also offers discounts for continuous insurance, distant student, EFT, and more.

On the other hand, 21st Century has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like deluxe discounts, good student discounts, and seat belt discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is 21st Century or Bristol West Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average premiums for many of the factors insurance companies look at, and we've shown you all the discounts each carrier offers. That's all well and good, but at the end of the day, which company is the best one for you and your specific needs?

21st Century might be best for you if....

• You have received a ticket within the last few years.
• Your neighborhood is in the suburbs.
• You want to save money while purchasing car insurance for a teenager.

Bristol West might be best for you if...

• You have below-average credit.
• You have above-average credit.
• You care about discounts (Bristol West offers the most).

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between 21st Century and Bristol West. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision about your auto insurance.

But, at the end of the day, there's only one way to know for sure that you're getting the best possible deal on insurance -- comparing quotes from multiple carriers, not just 21st Century and Bristol West. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get multiple quotes from some of the best auto insurance companies in your area, all for free.

21st Century vs. Bristol West FAQs

Is 21st Century or Bristol West cheaper?

21st Century is the more affordable of the two carriers when looking at national average prices, with policies averaging $146 a month with 21st Century and $412 for Bristol West. Even so, that doesn't mean 21st Century will be the most affordable carrier for every driver, since there are a variety of different variables that are considered when it comes to your car insurance payment.

Who is better, 21st Century or Bristol West?

Sadly, the real answer is "it depends.". No one company is "better" for everyone -- it all depends on what your unique insurance profile looks like. For example, Bristol West is less expensive for drivers with excellent credit, while 21st Century offers cheaper rates for drivers with a recent DUI.

Why do 21st Century and Bristol West offer me different rates?

Auto insurance companies use several different factors when determining the prices they charge. Variables like your driving record, where you park your vehicle, gender, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both 21st Century and Bristol West calculate premiums differently, so it's likely they'll offer different rates. The best way to determine which carrier is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from lots of different carriers.

How do I know if 21st Century or Bristol West is right for me?

The only way to find the car insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from several companies and finding the one best suited for your individual budget. Luckily, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Just enter your area information and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top auto insurance carriers for free. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the best premium. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't 21st Century or Bristol West at all, but another you hadn't even thought of!

Methodology

All of the data referenced in this article has been gathered in collaboration with Quadrant Information Services. We analyzed more than 2.5 million rows of carrier-reported data to calculate the average rates referenced above. All rates are based on an insurance profile of a single-vehicle policy for a driver that owns a 2016 Honda Accord. For more information on how we calculate rates, please reference our data methodology.