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

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for auto insurance, 21st Century offers significantly cheaper premiums than GEICO
• 21st Century has less expensive prices for policyholders who haven't received any speeding tickets or been in a collision in the last few years
• GEICO may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than 21st Century Insurance

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

So, you're thinking about switching to a new insurance policy. You've probably seen commercials and billboards from companies offering pretty big savings, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You might have narrowed it down to 21st Century or GEICO as potential options, but which carrier has cheaper premiums for insurance?

Looking at nationwide averages, 21st Century is around $39 a month less expensive than GEICO.

Even so, that doesn't mean 21st Century will necessarily be more affordable than GEICO for each driver. Car insurance carriers vary their rates depending on things like how good your credit score is, how old you are, where you live, how clean your driving record is, and tons of other factors. So, at the end of the day, prices from every carrier will differ quite a bit from person to person.

Wanting to know if 21st Century or GEICO 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. GEICO: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

21st Century and GEICO only compete against each other in two states, with GEICO offering cheaper prices to the average driver in all of them. California has the most noticable difference, where GEICO premiums are $64 less expensive than auto insurance rates at 21st Century.

There are plenty of other factors that go into your insurance cost than just your home state. Continue reading to see how other variables will affect your rates.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive car insurance prices of any group on the road. That's because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to cause collisions and other accidents that will result in an insurance claim.

But that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high auto insurance premiums. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of almost 35% less per month by choosing 21st Century over GEICO.

However, both companies will offer you dramatically lower rates once you turn 25. For example, average premiums for 21st Century policyholders decrease nearly 40% and GEICO's prices reduce over 55% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

When it comes to insurance, patience and experience pay off, with drivers around retirement age paying some of the lowest premiums you can find.

When looking at 21st Century and GEICO specifically, which carrier is best for retired drivers? 21st Century gets the edge, with rates for drivers 65 and older $26 more affordable than the national average for GEICO.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but auto insurance prices tend to be cheaper for married drivers than they are for single drivers. This usually boils down to married couples having several vehicles on their policy -- something a lot of car insurance carriers will reward with discounts.

For single policyholders, the difference in average rates between these two companies is significant, with 21st Century premiums coming in at a quarter less than GEICO's. The advantage for married policyholders with 21st Century is also obvious, where drivers save more than 15% a month.

21st Century or GEICO: Average Rates by Gender

Did you know women tend to pay less for insurance than men? That's because women are less likely to get into accidents and get tickets, which decreases the chances of filing a claim with insurance.

Everyone gets the same monthly prices regardless of gender with 21st Century, but with GEICO, the difference is closer to 4% per month.

When it comes to the most affordable premiums for each gender, 21st Century comes out on top for both men and women, with average prices $43 less for men and $35 cheaper for women.

21st Century vs. GEICO: 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.

It's no secret that car insurance can be pretty complicated. There are so many different terms and coverages that it can make it pretty confusing 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 an accident) and full coverage (which includes collision and comprehensive coverages that protect your own car, in addition to what you get with liability coverage).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability limits, 21st Century has the 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 about $212 a month to GEICO's $269.

Is 21st Century or GEICO 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.

It's no secret secret that at-fault collisions and speeding tickets lead to higher premiums, but which company -- 21st Century or GEICO -- has the cheapest prices 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 generally expect their monthly bill to go up around 21% after getting a speeding ticket. GEICO policyholders can expect a bit more drastic of an increase of about 23%.

That being said, 21st Century is normally the more affordable option for drivers both with a ticket and with a clean record, offering rates that are 19% and 22% less expensive, respectively, compared to GEICO.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

21st Century drivers who get in a collision can expect to see their prices climb by $80, while those who have insurance through GEICO will see around a $85 increase.

At the end of the day, 21st Century offers the lowest rates for drivers with an at-fault collision on their records, with average premiums coming in at $173 compared to GEICO's $200.

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 car insurance bill -- typically a lot more than an accident or speeding ticket. GEICO drivers usually see a 58% climb in their insurance rates after a DUI charge, while 21st Century will usually increase premiums by about 54%.

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

In many cases, your credit score can be used as one of the factors to determine your monthly auto insurance prices. Certain states and carriers do not allow for credit score to be used as an insurance factor, but it will come into play for quite a few policyholders.

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

Looking specifically at GEICO and 21st Century, which company has the most affordable rates for drivers at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have great credit, GEICO will typically reward you. Jumping from a "good" credit score to an "excellent" one will usually save GEICO customers around $35. On the other hand, 21st Century doesn't have data available for credit scores, which means they most likely don't use credit to calculate your premiums.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Having bad credit can cost you with GEICO. If your credit score is in the "poor" range, at GEICO, you may pay about $55 more per month compared to those with "fair" scores (and even more compared to drivers with good or excellent scores). On the other hand, because 21st Century doesn't have data available for credit scores, they may have better prices for drivers with bad credit over GEICO.

Is 21st Century or GEICO 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 bill. That's because the fewer miles you put on your vehicle each year, the less likely you are to be in a collision and file an insurance claim.

For both remote workers and those taking short commutes, 21st Century tends to be the more affordable option. GEICO's average rates for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in nearly 25% more expensive than 21st Century. Those who drive 12,000 miles annually can expect to pay just under 20% more with GEICO over 21st Century.

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

Where you call home can have a big impact on your monthly insurance payment. Normally, policyholders who live in less densely populated rural areas will pay quite a bit less than urban drivers due to the small number of cars that are on the roads where they live.

When comparing these two carriers 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 $60 less than GEICO. People who live in suburban areas pay about $40 less with 21st Century compared to GEICO. Those in rural areas can expect to save around $18 with 21st Century compared to GEICO.

21st Century vs. GEICO Discounts

No matter why you might be in the market for a new auto 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 car insurance discounts as possible.

The hard part is finding all of the discounts you're eligible for, since it can feel sometimes like every company has different discounts and each one is advertised differently.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and broke down all of the different discounts offered by both 21st Century and GEICO so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and, therefore, the largest savings.

GEICO blows 21st Century away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 15 more discounts than 21st Century.

There are a couple discounts both companies offer, but GEICO also offers discounts for commercial drivers license, COVID-19 relief, deployed driver, and more.

On the other hand, 21st Century has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like advance quote discounts, deluxe discounts, and homeowner discounts.

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

So, we've broken down the average premiums for many of the variables insurance carriers 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....

• Your driving record contains an at-fault accident.
• You live in a rural area.
• You're of retirement age and want to take advantage of lower rates.

GEICO might be best for you if...

• You have less-than-stellar credit.
• You have above-average credit.
• You care about discounts (GEICO offers the most).

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between 21st Century and GEICO. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision when it comes to your car insurance.

At the end of the day, the best way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your auto insurance policy is to compare quotes from multiple companies, not just 21st Century and GEICO. Luckily, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get free quotes from dozens of top insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

21st Century vs. GEICO FAQs

Is 21st Century or GEICO cheaper?

21st Century is the cheaper of the two companies when looking at national average prices, with policies averaging $146 a month with 21st Century and $185 for GEICO. Even so, that doesn't mean 21st Century will be the most affordable carrier for everyone, since there are several different factors that are considered when it comes to your auto insurance bill.

Who is better, 21st Century or GEICO?

Unfortunately, the real answer is "it depends.". No one company is "better" for everyone -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique insurance profile. For example, GEICO 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 GEICO offer me different rates?

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

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

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