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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for auto insurance, 21st Century offers slightly more affordable premiums than State National
• 21st Century offers more affordable prices for policyholders who drive fewer than 6,000 miles annually
• State National tends to be a much less expensive option for policyholders whose driving record contains an at-fault collision

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

Are you considering a new insurance policy? With so many ads from all sorts of companies offering large savings, you're probably wondering exactly how much you might be able to save.

You might be considering 21st Century or State National, but between the two, which company will offer you cheaper premiums?

Looking at nationwide averages, State National is around $13 more a month than 21st Century.

However, that doesn't necessarily mean 21st Century will be the less expensive option for every single driver. After all, insurance carriers can offer drastically different rates to every driver depending on rating factors like your age, your credit score, your driving record, or even where you call home (among other things), so rates will vary quite a bit from person to person.

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

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

21st Century and State National only compete against each other in California, where State National offers the cheaper average premiums. State National drivers tend to pay about $47 per month less on average compared to drivers who use 21st Century for their car insurance.

That being said, there's a lot more that goes into your auto insurance bill than just where you call home. Keep reading to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers generally pay a lot more for car insurance than any other group of drivers. That's because teen 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 insurance. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have 21st Century for their auto insurance pay over 25% less than those who use State National.

Even so, both companies will lower prices by the time you turn 25. State National offers the steepest reduction, with 25-year-olds paying less than half what 18-year-old drivers are charged. That being said, 21st Century still has the most affordable rates at $144 monthly.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Once you approach retirement age, you'll normally enjoy the cheapest car insurance prices you'll ever see. You've been on the road for years, and all that experience pays off when it comes to your monthly premiums for auto insurance.

But who has the best rates for retired drivers between 21st Century and State National? In this case, State National has the slight edge, with premiums about $4 a month less than 21st Century. But the difference is only around 5%, so other variables will likely come into play when determining which carrier has the lowest prices for you.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but insurance rates tend to be more expensive for single policyholders than they are for married couples. That's because policies for married policyholders typically cover more than one vehicle, which several carriers will give you a discount for.

For those who are single, the difference in average prices between these two companies is significant, with 21st Century premiums coming in at about 15% less than State National's. It's not quite so glaring for married drivers, where drivers who use 21st Century save around $2 per month.

21st Century or State National: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get pulled over for speeding or get into a collision. That means when it comes to car insurance men will usually end up paying a little more.

Men and women end up paying the same monthly rates with 21st Century; and with State National, everyone ends up paying the same monthly prices regardless of gender.

Looking at overall affordability, 21st Century comes out as the most affordable option for both genders. On average, women save about $13 a month and men save about $13 with 21st Century compared to the average State National policyholder.

21st Century vs. State National: 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 isn't the easiest topic to understand. 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 (that covers property damage and bodily injury for other drivers if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which includes collision and comprehensive coverages that protect your own car, in addition to liability coverage).

Looking specifically at state minimum limits for liability insurance, 21st Century has the slight 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 per month to State National's $240.

Is 21st Century or State National 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 speeding tickets and at-fault collisions lead to higher premiums, but which company -- 21st Century or State National -- 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 about 21% after getting a speeding ticket. State National policyholders can expect a bit more drastic of an increase of around 28%.

However, 21st Century is usually the more affordable option for both drivers who have a recent ticket and those with clean records. With 21st Century Insurance, drivers with a clean record can save about $9 a month and drivers with a speeding ticket can save around $25 per month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

21st Century drivers who get in a collision can expect to see their rates climb by $80, while those who have insurance through State National will see about a $40 increase.

At the end of the day, the cheaper premiums come from State National, with average prices coming in at $142 compared to 21st Century Insurance's $173.

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 ticket or even an accident. State National drivers usually see a 60% increase in their car insurance rates after a DUI charge, while 21st Century will typically raise premiums by around 54%.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable rates, 21st Century tends to be less expensive for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at about $200 to State National's $252.

How does Credit Score Impact 21st Century and State National Rates?

In many cases, your credit score can be used as one of the factors to determine your monthly insurance prices. This isn't true for everyone (California, for example, has banned the use of credit score as an auto insurance factor) but it might come into play for lots of policyholders.

Auto insurance carriers argue that those with poor credit scores are less likely to pay their bills on time each month, which raises the risk involved on their end, while the opposite is true for those with good credit.

Looking specifically at State National and 21st Century, which carrier has the lowest premiums for drivers at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Is 21st Century or State National 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 how much insurance companies will charge for coverage. Normally, those who drive fewer miles will end up with cheaper rates since there's less of a chance of causing a collision and filing an insurance claim.

21st Century tends to be the more affordable option for both remote workers and those taking short commutes. 21st Century's average premiums for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in 1% less expensive than State National. Those who drive 12,000 miles yearly can expect to pay nearly 15% less with 21st Century over State National.

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

Where you park your vehicle can have a considerable impact on your monthly car insurance payment. Generally, those who live in urban areas will pay more than policyholders in rural areas since there are a lot more cars on the roads where they live.

When comparing these two carriers side-by-side, 21st Century typically comes out as the cheapest option for drivers in all types of areas, no matter if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

For drivers in urban ZIP codes, 21st Century's average prices are around $151 a month compared to State National's $173. People in suburban areas pay about $145 with 21st Century compared to State National's $163 a month. If you live in a rural area, you can expect to pay around $141 per month with 21st Century compared to State National's $143.

21st Century vs. State National Discounts

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

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

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

Overall, 21st Century has advantage when it comes to total number of discounts. State National offers a grand total of 10 discounts, while 21st Century has 13.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like anti-theft discounts, discounts for being a good student, and passive restraint discounts. 21st Century also offers discounts for ABS, advance quote, defensive driver, and more.

On the other hand, State National has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like auto-pilot discounts, distant student discounts, group discounts, and more.

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

You've seen the effect certain variables have on your auto insurance and the different discounts companies offer. That's all well and good, but when it comes down to it, which insurance company is the best one for you and your specific driver profile?

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

• Your driving record includes a DUI charge.
• You're looking for discounts -- 21st Century has the most.
• You want to save money while purchasing car insurance for a teenager.

State National might be best for you if...

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

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between 21st Century and State National and that you can now make a more informed decision when it comes to your auto insurance.

But, at the end of the day, there's only one way to know for sure that you're getting the best possible deal on insurance -- comparing quotes from a handful of carriers, not just 21st Century and State National. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get free quotes from dozens of top car insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

21st Century vs. State National FAQs

Is 21st Century or State National cheaper?

21st Century is the cheaper of the two carriers when looking at national average premiums, with policies averaging $146 per month with 21st Century and $159 for State National. But that doesn't mean 21st Century will be the most affordable carrier for every policyholder, since there are many different factors (things like driving record, age, gender, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, 21st Century or State National?

Unfortunately, the real answer is "it depends.". No single company is "better" for each policyholder -- it all comes down to what your unique insurance profile looks like. For example, State National is more affordable for drivers who have already retired, while 21st Century offers less expensive prices for single drivers.

Why do 21st Century and State National offer me different rates?

Auto insurance companies use many different variables when determining the premiums they charge. Things like age, where you live, your driving record, gender, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both 21st Century and State National calculate rates using different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different prices. The best way to determine which carrier is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from lots of different carriers.

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

The only way to find the car insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from several 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 information once and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top insurance carriers for free. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the cheapest rate. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't 21st Century or State National 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.