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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for car insurance, 21st Century offers cheaper rates than Progressive
• 21st Century offers more affordable premiums for policyholders who drive fewer than 6,000 miles yearly
• Progressive tends to be a much less expensive option for drivers with a DUI

21st Century or Progressive: 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 big savings, you're probably wondering exactly how much you might be able to save.

You've maybe even narrowed your search down to 21st Century or Progressive as your top options, but which company has more affordable prices for insurance?

Looking at the national average rates for both carriers, Progressive has average rates that are around 19% a month more expensive than those from 21st Century.

Even so, that doesn't mean 21st Century will necessarily be cheaper than Progressive for every driver. After all, car insurance companies can offer drastically different rates to every driver depending on rating factors like your credit score, where you call home, your driving record, or even your age (among other things), so premiums will vary quite a bit from person to person.

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

21st Century and Progressive only compete against each other in one states, with 21st Century offering less expensive prices to the average driver in all of them. Hawaii has the most noticable difference, where 21st Century rates are $53 more affordable than auto insurance premiums at Progressive.

That being said, there are plenty of other factors that go into your insurance bill than just where you live. 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 auto insurance rates of any group out there on the road. That's typically because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

However, that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high car insurance prices. As you can see above, teens who use 21st Century save over 50% per month compared to those who use Progressive.

But both carriers will offer you dramatically lower premiums by the time you turn 25. Progressive offers the steepest drop, with 25-year-olds paying less than a third of what 18-year-old drivers are charged. 21st Century's average rates decrease almost 40% during that same period.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Drivers around retirement age usually enjoy some of the lowest insurance prices you can find. After all, they've likely been driving for quite some time, which generally reduces their chances of collisions and other infractions that can raise premiums.

When looking at 21st Century and Progressive specifically, which carrier is best for retired drivers? 21st Century gets the slight edge, with rates for drivers 65 and older about 7% cheaper than the national average for Progressive.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but car insurance premiums tend to be more affordable for married couples than they are for single policyholders. That's normally because married policyholders tend to own and insure several vehicles, which can often earn you a discount.

For those who are single, the difference in average prices between these two companies is significant, with 21st Century premiums coming in at a quarter less than Progressive's. It's not quite so glaring for married drivers, where drivers who use Progressive save around 2% a month.

21st Century or Progressive: Average Rates by Gender

Because women are less likely to get into collisions and get speeding tickets, they have a decreased chance of filing a claim with insurance. So, insurance carriers will tend to offer women more affordable prices.

Everyone gets the same monthly rates regardless of gender with 21st Century, but with Progressive, the difference is closer to 3% per month.

Looking at overall affordability, 21st Century comes out as the most affordable option for both genders. On average, male drivers save about $37 a month and women save about $32 with 21st Century compared to the average Progressive policyholder.

21st Century vs. Progressive: 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.

Auto insurance can be a complicated subject for most people. Everyone needs car insurance, but there are so many different terms and coverages that it can be hard to find the right policy for you.

That being said, the most common policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (which covers the other party's injuries and property damage if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- collision and comprehensive -- in addition to what you get with liability).

Looking specifically at state minimum limits for 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 around $212 per month to Progressive's $250.

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

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from 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.

It's no secret secret that speeding tickets and at-fault accidents lead to higher rates, but which company -- 21st Century or Progressive -- has the cheapest prices for drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use 21st Century for their auto insurance can usually expect their monthly bill to go up about 21% after getting a speeding ticket. Progressive policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of around 17%.

However, 21st Century tends to offer the best prices for drivers both with a ticket and with a clean record -- their rates are around 38% less expensive for drivers with clean records and 35% more affordable for those with a ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

21st Century drivers who get in an accident can expect to see their premiums increase by over 45%, while those who have insurance through Progressive will see about a 30% increase.

At the end of the day, the less expensive rates come from 21st Century, with average prices coming in at $173 compared to Progressive's $214.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

If you get a DUI charge on your record, it's probably going to cost you more than a simple speeding ticket or even a collision. 21st Century drivers usually see a 54% increase in their car insurance premiums after a DUI charge, while Progressive will generally climb rates by around 16%.

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

You may not have known, but your credit score can be used as one of the factors to determine your monthly insurance premiums. This isn't true for everyone (for example, Michigan and Hawaii are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it might come into play for several policyholders.

Auto insurance carriers argue that someone with bad credit is less likely to pay their bills on time, which makes them riskier to insure. Because of that, drivers with bad credit will often be forced to pay more.

Looking at 21st Century and Progressive specifically, which one has the best prices for policyholders at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

You'll often be rewarded if you have fantastic credit. Jumping from a "good" credit score to an "excellent" one will typically save Progressive customers about $20. 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?

If you have bad credit, it can cost you with Progressive. As you can see, Progressive customers with poor credit scores pay around $65 a month more than 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 Progressive.

Is 21st Century or Progressive 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 car insurance cost. Normally, those who drive less will end up with cheaper rates since there's less of a chance of causing an accident and filing an insurance claim.

As you can see in the table above, annual mileage doesn't have much of an impact on how much Progressive charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly premiums for 21st Century, with drivers who put 6,000 miles on their car each year 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 Progressive: 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 pretty big impact as well. Typically, drivers who live in heavily-populated urban areas will pay quite a bit more than rural policyholders due to the number of vehicles that are on the roads where they live.

21st Century boasts the lowest average prices for drivers in every type of area, no matter if it's urban, suburban, or rural.

Those in rural areas can expect to save around 8% with 21st Century compared to Progressive. People who live in suburban areas pay about 19% less with 21st Century compared to Progressive. For drivers in urban ZIP codes, 21st Century Insurance's average premiums are around 27% less than Progressive.

21st Century vs. Progressive 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. That's where auto insurance discounts comes into play.

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 looked at all of the different discounts 21st Century and Progressive offer their customers so that you can see which carrier can save you the most money each month.

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

There are a couple discounts both companies offer, but Progressive also offers discounts for advanced safety feature, agency transfer, continuous insurance, 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 Progressive Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average rates for many of the variables insurance carriers look at, and walked through the different discounts each carrier offers, too. But, at the end of the day, which company is the best fit for you?

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

• You've been pulled over for speeding recently.
• You're looking for the best prices on liability only coverage.
• You want to save money while purchasing car insurance for a teenager.

Progressive might be best for you if...

• Your driving record includes a DUI charge.
• You already have a great credit score.
• You're married and plan to have both of your names on the vehicle's auto insurance policy.

Hopefully, this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare 21st Century and Progressive. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision when it comes to your insurance.

At the end of the day, the best 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 Progressive. Luckily, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code below and get free quotes from dozens of top insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

21st Century vs. Progressive FAQs

Is 21st Century or Progressive cheaper?

21st Century is the less expensive of the two companies when looking at national average rates, with policies averaging $146 per month with 21st Century and $180 for Progressive. But that doesn't mean 21st Century will be the most affordable carrier for everyone, since there are several different factors (things like age, gender, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, 21st Century or Progressive?

Unfortunately, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". One company is not necessarily "better" for everyone -- it all depends on what your unique auto insurance profile looks like. For example, Progressive is cheaper for drivers who have less-than-stellar credit scores, while 21st Century offers less expensive premiums for policyholders with an at-fault collision on their record.

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

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

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

The only way to find the 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, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top auto insurance companies 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 Progressive 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.