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

Quick Facts

• In general, 21st Century offers significantly cheaper rates than Kemper
• 21st Century offers more affordable average prices for policyholders who may not have much of a commute
• Kemper has less expensive premiums for drivers who have less-than-stellar credit

21st Century vs. Kemper: 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 big discounts. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You've maybe even narrowed your search down to 21st Century or Kemper for your next policy, but which company will save you the most?

As you can see, Kemper is quite a bit more expensive than 21st Century, with rates averaging $235 per month compared to just $146 with 21st Century when looking at the national average rates for insurance.

However, 21st Century may not be the cheapest or best option for each driver out there. Auto insurance companies use a variety of complex algorithms to calculate prices, so depending on where you live or how good your credit score is (among quite a few other factors), you could see wildly different rates from the ones above.

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

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

21st Century and Kemper only compete against each other in one states, with Kemper offering more affordable prices to the average driver in all of them. California has the most noticable difference, where Kemper premiums are over 40% cheaper than car insurance rates at 21st Century.

There are plenty of other factors that go into your insurance bill than just where you call home. Continue reading to learn more about how other factors will affect your rates.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers typically pay a lot more for auto insurance than any other group of drivers. It's because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to cause collisions and other accidents that will result in an insurance claim.

That being said, that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their car insurance. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have 21st Century for their insurance pay more than $250 less than those who use Kemper. It's worth noting that Kemper offers auto insurance in 15 different states compared to 21st Century's two, which can skew the average prices a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

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

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Drivers around retirement age normally enjoy some of the most affordable car insurance premiums you'll ever see. After all, they've likely been driving for quite some time, which usually decreases their chances of accidents and other infractions that can increase rates.

When looking at 21st Century and Kemper specifically, which carrier is best for retired drivers? 21st Century gets the edge here, with average prices coming in at about $122 per month compared to Kemper's $179.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that insurance rates are generally less expensive for married couples than they are for those who are single? This usually boils down to married drivers having several cars on their policy -- something several car insurance companies will reward with discounts.

When it comes to relationship status, 21st Century is the clear winner for single drivers, with premiums around $114 a month cheaper than Kemper, on average. The advantage for married policyholders with 21st Century is also obvious, where drivers save more than $55 per month.

21st Century vs. Kemper: Average Rates by Gender

Did you know men usually pay more for auto insurance than women? This is because women are less likely to get speeding tickets and get into accidents, which decreases the chances of an insurance claim.

With 21st Century, everyone ends up paying the same monthly prices regardless of gender, while with Kemper, the difference is closer to 8% a month.

Looking at the data for each company specifically, 21st Century offers the cheapest average rates for both men and women. On average, male drivers save about $98 per month and women save about $79 with 21st Century compared to the average Kemper policyholder.

21st Century or Kemper: 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 a complicated subject for most people. There are so many different terms and coverages that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy.

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

If you're looking for state minimum liability limits, 21st Century normally offers significantly more affordable premiums of $79 compared to Kemper's $139. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, 21st Century again has the edge, with policies around $100 a month less expensive than Kemper, on average.

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

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

It's no secret secret that at-fault collisions and tickets lead to higher premiums, but which carrier -- 21st Century or Kemper -- has the lowest rates for drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

21st Century policyholders can expect their prices to go up an average of $24 per month if they get a ticket, while Kemper typically raises premiums about $45 a month, on average.

But 21st Century is normally the more affordable option for both drivers who have clean records and those with a recent speeding ticket, offering prices that are 47% and 47% cheaper, respectively, compared to Kemper.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

After an accident, drivers who have their car insurance through 21st Century can expect to see around an $80 -- or about 46% -- increase in their insurance rates. Drivers who use Kemper for their car insurance will see a monthly bill around $85 (or 33%) more expensive after reporting a collision to their auto insurance company.

Overall, drivers who use 21st Century end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with monthly premiums averaging $173 compared to Kemper's $259.

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 ticket. For example, Kemper increases average rates by over $100 per month -- that's just under a 40% increase.

21st Century has the overall most affordable prices for drivers with a DUI on their records at $200 a month, but it's worth noting that Kemper's average rates come from 15 states compared to just two for 21st Century, so the data may be skewed slightly.

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

You may not have known, but your credit score can come into play when companies determine your monthly bill. This isn't always the case (for example, California and Hawaii are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it does affect many drivers out there.

Auto insurance carriers argue that those with poor credit scores are less likely to pay their bills on time each month, which increases the risk involved on their end, while the opposite is true for those with good 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 stellar credit. With Kemper, improving your score from "good" to "excellent" will generally save you about $35. 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 can cost you with Kemper. For drivers with less-than-stellar credit, at Kemper, you may pay around $85 a month more if you have "poor" credit compared to those with "fair" scores. It's an even larger difference when 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 may find better rates with 21st Century over Kemper.

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

How much you drive can have a pretty big impact on how much car insurance companies will charge for coverage. Typically, those who drive less will end up with less expensive prices since there's less of a chance of getting into a collision and causing an insurance claim.

For both drivers who put 6,000 miles on their vehicles every year, as well as those who average twice that figure, 21st Century tends to be the cheaper option. Kemper average premiums for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in about $95 more expensive than 21st Century. Those who drive 12,000 miles annually can expect to pay around $82 more with Kemper over 21st Century.

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

Where you live can play a large role in how much you pay for insurance. Generally, those who live in rural areas will pay less than drivers in urban areas because there are a lot fewer vehicles on the roads in those areas.

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

Policyholders in rural ZIP codes see the most affordable premiums from both carriers, but 21st Century comes out on top with average rates about $141 monthly. 21st Century also has more affordable average prices for drivers in urban and suburban ZIP codes -- a 49% and 36% per month respective difference when compared to Kemper policyholders in similar areas.

21st Century vs. Kemper Discounts

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

But where do you even start? With what seems like a million different discounts out there, it may be difficult to find all the ones you qualify for.

In the table below, we've broken down all of the different discounts offered by both 21st Century and Kemper so that you can find the carrier that has the most discounts and, therefore, the biggest savings.

Kemper knocks 21st Century out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 11 more discounts than 21st Century.

Both companies offer several 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 Kemper also offers AAA discounts, continuous insurance discounts, distant student discounts, and more that 21st Century does not.

On the flip side, 21st Century has a couple unique discounts of its own -- deluxe discounts, paperless discounts, and seat belt discounts.

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

So, we've broken down the average rates for many of the variables auto 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, is 21st Century or Kemper the right one for you and your specific profile and needs?

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

• You haven't received any speeding tickets or been in an accident in the last few years.
• Your home is in a busy urban area.
• You are over 65 years old and want to save some money on your insurance.

Kemper might be best for you if...

• You're worried about the impact your credit score will have on your premiums.
• You have above-average credit.
• You're looking for the company with the most discounts.

We hope this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between 21st Century and Kemper and that you can now make a more informed decision when it comes to your car insurance.

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

21st Century vs. Kemper FAQs

Is 21st Century or Kemper cheaper?

Looking just at the national average prices, 21st Century is the less expensive of the two companies, offering average rates of $146 a month compared to $235 for Kemper. Even so, 21st Century won't necessarily be the cheapest carrier for each driver, since there are a range of different factors that come into play when it comes to your auto insurance payment.

Who is better, 21st Century or Kemper?

Unfortunately, the answer truly is "it depends.". No single company is necessarily "better" for every driver -- it all comes down to what your unique car insurance profile looks like. For example, 21st Century offers cheaper premiums for drivers with a recent DUI, while Kemper is more affordable for drivers with excellent credit.

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

Insurance carriers take a look at quite a few different variables when calculating the rates they charge drivers. Factors like where your home is, gender, age, where you park your car, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both 21st Century and Kemper calculate prices using 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 a variety of different companies.

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

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