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

Quick Facts

• In general, 21st Century offers significantly cheaper prices than Farmers
• 21st Century offers more affordable premiums for policyholders who drive fewer than 6,000 miles every year
• Farmers may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than 21st Century Insurance

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

So, you're thinking about switching to a new insurance policy. With so many ads from all sorts of companies offering considerable savings, you're probably wondering exactly how much you might be able to save.

You might have narrowed it down to 21st Century or Farmers as your top options, but which one will save you the most?

As you can see, 21st Century is quite a bit cheaper than Farmers, with prices averaging $146 a month compared to $203 with Farmers when looking at the national average rates for auto insurance.

That being said, that doesn't mean 21st Century will necessarily be less expensive than Farmers for each driver. Insurance carriers use tons of complex algorithms to determine premiums, so depending on where you live or how good your credit score is (among a multitude of other factors), you could see wildly different rates from the ones above.

So, if you want to find out which of 21st Century or Farmers is really the best for you, keep reading to see average premiums for each company broken down by lots of different rate factors.

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

21st Century and Farmers only compete against each other in one states, with Farmers offering more affordable rates to the average driver in all of them. California has the most noticable difference, where Farmers prices are $38 less expensive than auto insurance rates at 21st Century.

There's a lot more that goes into your car insurance payment than just your home state. Read on to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- typically pay a lot for auto insurance compared to older drivers. It's because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

But still, even with seemingly sky-high premiums, teen drivers can still find ways to save money. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have 21st Century for their car insurance pay over 55% less than those who use Farmers.

Even so, both companies will offer you dramatically lower prices once you turn 25. For example, average rates for 21st Century policyholders drop almost 40% and Farmers's prices lower more than 70% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Drivers around retirement age normally enjoy some of the lowest insurance premiums out there. After all, they've likely been driving for quite some time, which generally decreases their chances of collisions and other infractions that can raise rates.

When looking at 21st Century and Farmers specifically, which carrier is best for retired drivers? 21st Century gets the edge, with premiums for drivers 65 and older nearly 15% more affordable than the national average for Farmers.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that car insurance prices are usually more expensive for those who are single than they are for married drivers? This usually boils down to married policyholders having more than one vehicle on their policy -- something many auto insurance carriers will reward with discounts.

For single drivers, the difference in average rates between these two companies is significant, with 21st Century prices coming in at a third less than Farmers's. For married couples, the advantage is clear again - 21st Century has the edge when it comes to average premiums.

21st Century or Farmers: Average Rates by Gender

Women typically to pay less for insurance than men. This is because men are statistically more likely than women to get speeding tickets and get into accidents, which leads to increased risk for insurers and, therefore, higher prices.

With 21st Century, both genders end up paying the same monthly rate, but with Farmers, the difference is closer to 3% per month.

Looking at overall affordability, 21st Century comes out as the cheapest option for both genders, with average premiums $61 less for men and $54 cheaper for women.

21st Century vs. Farmers: 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, car insurance isn't the easiest topic to understand. Everyone needs insurance, but there are so many different coverages and terms that it can be hard to find the right policy for you.

The two most common policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability coverage (which covers the other party's property damage and injuries if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which generally refers to having collision and comprehensive coverages alongside liability coverage).

Looking specifically at state minimum limits for liability insurance, 21st Century has the significant edge, with average monthly rates 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 around $212 a month to Farmers's $281.

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

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

You'll probably end up paying more with at-fault accidents and speeding tickets on your record, but which of these two carriers offers the most affordable prices to drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

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

But 21st Century tends to offer the best prices for drivers both with clean records and with a ticket, offering premiums that are $69 and $89 cheaper, respectively, compared to Farmers Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both companies will increase rates pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault collision with 21st Century increasing by about 46%. Farmers has a less extreme climb, but you can still expect to pay nearly 30% 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 premiums coming in at $173 compared to Farmers Insurance's $224.

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 auto insurance bill -- normally a lot more than an accident or speeding ticket. On average, 21st Century will raise your prices around 54% after a DUI, while Farmers's average rates increase by more than 25%.

How does Credit Score Impact 21st Century and Farmers Rates?

Did you know many insurance carriers take into account your credit score when determining premiums? Certain states and companies do not allow for credit score to be used as a car insurance factor, but it might come into play for quite a few drivers.

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

So, which company offers the cheapest rates for policyholders with good, average, or poor credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have great credit, Farmers Insurance will generally reward you. With Farmers Insurance, improving your score from "good" to "excellent" will typically save you about 10%. On the other hand, undefined doesn't have data available for credit scores, which means they most likely don't use credit to calculate your prices.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Having bad credit usually means you'll also see higher rates with Farmers Insurance. If your credit score is in the "poor" range, at Farmers Insurance, you may pay around $45 more per month compared to those with "fair" scores (and even more compared to drivers with good or excellent scores). On the other hand, undefined doesn't have data available for credit scores, which means drivers with bad credit might find better rates with undefined over Farmers Insurance.

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

How much you drive can have a large impact on your monthly insurance bill. That's because the fewer miles you drive, the less likely you are to be in a collision and file an insurance claim.

As you can see in the table above, annual mileage doesn't have much of an impact on how much Farmers charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly prices for 21st Century, with policyholders who drive 6,000 miles yearly paying about $14 less every month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles annually. Still, for drivers in both categories, 21st Century is the more affordable carrier.

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

We've already mentioned how your home state can play a role in how much you pay for auto insurance, but the type of area you live in can have a substantial impact as well. Normally, those who live in rural areas will pay less than drivers in urban areas since there are a lot fewer cars on the road where they live, which reduces the chances of an accident.

When comparing these two companies side-by-side, 21st Century generally comes out as the lowest option for drivers in every type of area, no matter if it's urban, suburban, or rural.

For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, 21st Century Insurance's average prices are around 40% less than Farmers Insurance. People who live in suburban areas pay about 23% less with 21st Century compared to Farmers. Those in rural areas can expect to save around 17% with 21st Century compared to Farmers.

21st Century vs. Farmers Discounts

No matter why you might be in the market for a new insurance policy, you're always going to want to save as much money as you can, and the best way to do that is by taking advantage of as many auto insurance discounts as possible.

But with what seems like a million different discounts out there, it can be challenging to nail down the carrier that has the most discounts for your unique driver profile and to find all the discounts you're eligible for.

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

Farmers blows 21st Century away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 28 different discounts to 21st Century's 13.

Both carriers offer lots of the same discounts -- like advance quote discounts, discounts for being a defensive driver, discounts for being a good driver, and multi-policy discounts -- but Farmers also offers discounts for alternative fuel, distant student, driver training, and more.

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

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

So, you've seen how different variables can affect your car insurance premiums. We've broken down the different discounts each company offers, too. But, when it comes down to it, which carrier is the best company for you, your vehicle, and your wallet?

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

• You have a clean record.
• You live in a rural neighborhood.
• You are purchasing your insurance with a spouse.

Farmers might be best for you if...

• You're worried about the impact your credit score will have on your rates.
• Your credit score is high.
• You care about discounts (Farmers offers the most).

Hopefully, this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare 21st Century and Farmers and that you can now make a more informed decision when it comes to your auto insurance.

At the end of the day, the sure-fire way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your car insurance policy is to compare quotes from several companies, not just 21st Century and Farmers. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code below and get free quotes from dozens of the top auto insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

21st Century vs. Farmers FAQs

Is 21st Century or Farmers cheaper?

21st Century is the cheaper of the two companies when looking at national average premiums, with policies averaging $146 a month with 21st Century and $203 for Farmers. However, that doesn't mean 21st Century will be the most affordable company for everyone, since there are a variety of different factors (things like age, driving record, gender, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, 21st Century or Farmers?

Sadly, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". No one carrier is necessarily "better" for everyone -- it all boils down to your unique insurance profile. For example, Farmers is less expensive for drivers who have less-than-stellar credit scores, while 21st Century offers cheaper rates for drivers with an at-fault collision on their record.

Why do 21st Century and Farmers offer me different rates?

Car insurance carriers use lots of different variables when calculating the prices they charge. Things such as age, gender, your driving record, where you park your vehicle, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both 21st Century and Farmers calculate rates differently, so it's likely they'll offer different premiums. The best way to determine which company is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from several different companies.

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

The only way to find the auto insurance carrier that's right for you is by getting quotes from multiple carriers and finding the one best suited for your individual budget. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your information once and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top car insurance companies for free. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the cheapest premium. And maybe you'll find that the best company for you isn't 21st Century or Farmers 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.