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

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for insurance, 21st Century offers significantly cheaper rates than Island
• 21st Century offers more affordable average prices for people who are single and purchasing auto insurance by yourself
• Island offers more affordable rates for policyholders who have a clean record

21st Century vs. Island: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

Are you considering a new insurance policy? After all, you've seen ads from all sorts of companies offering large discounts. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You might have narrowed it down to 21st Century or Island as potential options, but which company has less expensive premiums for car insurance?

As you can see, Island is quite a bit more expensive than 21st Century, with prices averaging $210 per month compared to just $146 with 21st Century when looking at the national average rates for insurance.

Even so, that doesn't mean 21st Century will necessarily be more affordable than Island for each driver. Car insurance companies use tons of complex algorithms to calculate rates, so depending on where you live or how good your credit score is (among a multitude of other factors), you could see wildly different premiums from the ones above.

So, if you want to find out which of 21st Century or Island is really the best for you, keep reading to see average prices for each carrier broken down by many different rate factors.

21st Century or Island: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

21st Century and Island only compete against each other in Hawaii, where 21st Century offers the cheaper average rates. For Hawaii residents, 21st Century offers insurance for $86 a month on average. Island's average premiums come out to be over 70% more expensive, at $210 per month.

That being said, there's a lot more that goes into your auto insurance payment than just your home state. Keep reading to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers normally pay a lot more for car insurance than any group on the road. That's because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to get into an accident that results in an auto insurance claim, making them much riskier to insure.

But still, even with seemingly sky-high prices, teen drivers can still find ways to save money. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have Island for their auto insurance pay more than $20 less than those who use 21st Century.

But both carriers will offer you dramatically lower premiums once you turn 25. For example, average prices for 21st Century policyholders reduce nearly $90 and Island's rates lower about $0 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Drivers around retirement age generally enjoy some of the lowest insurance premiums you'll ever find. After all, they've likely been driving for quite some time, which typically lowers their chances of accidents and other infractions that can increase rates.

When looking at 21st Century and Island specifically, which company is best for retired drivers? 21st Century gets the edge here, with average prices coming in at around $122 monthly compared to Island's $210.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Married drivers tend to get slightly cheaper auto insurance premiums than those who are single. That's usually because married couples tend to own and insure multiple cars, which can often earn you a discount.

When it comes to relationship status, 21st Century is the clear winner for single drivers, with rates about $52 a month less expensive than Island, on average. The advantage for married policyholders with 21st Century is also obvious, where drivers save almost 40% per month.

21st Century vs. Island: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get into collisions and file an insurance claim, which means they'll generally end up paying more for car insurance than women.

Men and women get the same monthly prices with 21st Century; and with Island, everyone ends up paying the same monthly premiums regardless of gender.

When it comes to the cheapest rates for each gender, 21st Century offers the most affordable average prices for both men and women. On average, women save about $64 a month and men save around $64 with 21st Century compared to the average Island policyholder.

21st Century or Island: 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 insurance can be pretty complicated. There are lots of different coverages that account for a bunch of different things. Some protect you and your vehicle, while others only provide coverage for other people's property and health if you cause an accident.

The two most common policies that many drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability only (which provides bodily injury and property damage coverage for other drivers and passengers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes comprehensive and collision coverages that protect your own vehicle, alongside what you get with a liability policy).

If you're looking for state minimum liability insurance, 21st Century typically offers cheaper rates of $79 compared to Island's $105. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, 21st Century again has the edge, with policies about $100 per month more affordable than Island, on average.

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

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from car insurance companies offering great prices for good drivers, but that doesn't mean people with less-than-perfect driving records can't save money, too.

You'll probably end up paying more with tickets and accidents on your record, but which of these two carriers offers the cheapest premiums to drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

21st Century policyholders can expect their rates to go up an average of $24 a month if they get a ticket, while Island normally raises premiums around $6 per month, on average.

However, Island is usually the less expensive option for drivers both with a speeding ticket and with a clean record. Drivers with a clean record can save about $23 a month and drivers with a ticket can save around $41 per month with Island Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both companies will raise prices pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault accident with 21st Century raising by $80. Island has a less extreme increase, but you can still expect to pay just under $25 more than you were prior to your first collision.

Overall, drivers who use Island end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with monthly premiums averaging $93 compared to 21st Century Insurance's $173.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

On average, a DUI offense is going to cost you much more than a single accident or speeding ticket when it comes to your auto insurance bill. Island drivers usually see a 88% climb in their insurance rates after a DUI charge, while 21st Century will typically raise prices by about 54%.

If you have a DUI on your record and are looking for more affordable rates, 21st Century tends to be the much cheaper option with average premiums of $200 per month compared to $602 from Island.

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

Did you know that many car insurance carriers take into account your credit score when calculating prices? Certain states and companies do not allow for credit score to be used as a rating factor, but it does affect lots of drivers out there.

Auto insurance carriers argue that someone with good credit is more likely to pay their bills on time, which makes them less risky to insure. Because of that, policyholders with good credit will often be rewarded with more affordable rates.

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

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Is 21st Century or Island 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. Usually, those who drive less will end up with less expensive prices since there's less of a chance of getting into an accident and causing an insurance claim.

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

21st Century vs. Island: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you park your car can play a pretty big role in how much you pay for car insurance. Normally, those who live in urban areas will pay more than policyholders in rural areas because there are a lot more vehicles on the road in those areas, which increases 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.

Drivers in rural ZIP codes see the most affordable premiums from both carriers, but 21st Century comes out on top with average prices about $141 monthly. 21st Century also has more affordable average premiums for policyholders in urban and suburban ZIP codes -- a 31% and 34% a month respective difference when compared to Island drivers in similar areas.

21st Century vs. Island Discounts

Regardless of 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 possible, and the best way to do that is by taking advantage of as many insurance discounts as you can.

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

In the table below, we've broken down all of the different discounts offered by both 21st Century and Island so that you can see which carrier can save you the most money each month.

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

Both companies offer a lot of the same discounts -- like ABS discounts, multi-policy discounts, and passive restraint discounts -- but 21st Century also offers advance quote discounts, anti-theft discounts, deluxe discounts, and more that Island does not.

On the flip side, Island has a couple unique discounts of its own -- employee discounts, discounts for insuring multiple cars with the same company, and special customer discounts.

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

So, you've seen how different factors can affect your auto insurance prices. We've shown you all the discounts each company offers, too. That's all well and good, but when it comes down to it, is 21st Century or Island the right one for you and your specific profile and needs?

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

• You're single and purchasing insurance by yourself.
• You live in an suburban area.
• You drive often but have a short commute.

Island might be best for you if...

• You have received a ticket within the last few years.
• You have an at-fault collision on your record.
• You're buying car insurance for a teen and looking for a wallet-friendly option.

We hope this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between 21st Century and Island. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision about 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 carriers, not just 21st Century and Island. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get multiple free quotes from some of the best insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

21st Century vs. Island FAQs

Is 21st Century or Island cheaper?

Looking just at the national average rates, 21st Century is the less expensive of the two carriers, offering average rates of $146 per month compared to $210 for Island. That being said, 21st Century won't necessarily be the cheapest carrier for each driver, since there are a range of different variables that come into play when it comes to your auto insurance cost.

Who is better, 21st Century or Island?

Unfortunately, the real answer is "it depends.". One company is not necessarily "better" for everyone -- it all boils down to your unique car insurance profile.

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

Insurance companies take a look at a lot of different factors when determining the premiums they charge policyholders. Things such as your driving record, age, gender, where you call home, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both 21st Century and Island use different formulas, so each one will most likely offer different rates. The only real way to see which carrier is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from several different carriers.

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

The only way to find the auto insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from multiple companies 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 ZIP code and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best car insurance carriers in your area. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the best premium. And who knows, the best carrier for you might not be 21st Century or Island at all!

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.