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

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for car insurance, 21st Century offers significantly cheaper premiums than The Hartford
• 21st Century offers less expensive average rates for policyholders who drive fewer than 6,000 miles every year
• 21st Century offers more affordable premiums for policyholders who live in rural neighborhoods

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

Are you in the market for 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 might have narrowed it down to 21st Century or The Hartford as your top options, but between the two, which carrier has more affordable prices for auto insurance?

Looking at the national average rates for both carriers, 21st Century is quite a bit cheaper than The Hartford, with rates averaging $146 a month compared to $265 with The Hartford.

But that doesn't mean 21st Century will necessarily be less expensive than The Hartford for every driver. Insurance companies use all sorts of complex algorithms to determine prices, so depending on where you live or how good your credit score is (among a wide array of other factors), you could see wildly different rates from the ones above.

Wanting to know if 21st Century or The Hartford is really the right carrier for you? Keep on reading to see how average premiums can change based on all of the factors we've mentioned above.

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

21st Century and The Hartford only compete against each other in California, where 21st Century offers the cheaper average rates. 21st Century drivers tend to pay about $59 per month less on average compared to drivers who use The Hartford for their car insurance.

But there's more to insurance than just where you call home. As we mentioned above, there's a lot of things that go into how auto insurance carriers calculate your prices. Continue reading to learn more about how other variables will affect your rates.

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 other group of drivers out there on the road. It's because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into an accident that results in an auto insurance claim, making them much riskier to insure.

Even so, that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their auto insurance. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of over 45% less a month by choosing 21st Century over The Hartford.

However, both companies will lower premiums by the time drivers turn 25. The Hartford offers the steepest reduction, with 25-year-olds paying a third less what 18-year-old drivers are charged. That being said, 21st Century still has the cheapest prices at $144 a month.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

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

But who has the best premiums for retired drivers between 21st Century and The Hartford? 21st Century gets the edge, with prices for drivers 65 and older $70 more affordable than the national average for The Hartford.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Married couples tend to get slightly cheaper car insurance rates than those who are single. That's because policies for married policyholders typically cover more than one vehicle, which a lot of carriers will give you a discount for.

For single policyholders, the difference in average premiums between these two companies is significant, with 21st Century prices coming in at around half of The Hartford's. The advantage for married drivers with 21st Century is also obvious, where drivers save almost 45% per month.

21st Century or The Hartford: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to cause a collision and get into accidents, which means they'll usually end up paying more for insurance than women.

Women and men get the same monthly rates with 21st Century; and with The Hartford, both genders end up paying the same monthly price.

Looking at overall affordability, 21st Century comes out as the cheapest option for both genders. On average, male drivers save about $119 a month and women save about $119 with 21st Century compared to the average The Hartford policyholder.

21st Century vs. The Hartford: 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.

Car insurance isn't the easiest topic to understand. Everyone needs auto insurance, but there are so many different coverages and limits that it can be hard 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 a collision) and full coverage (which generally refers to having collision and comprehensive coverages alongside what you get with a liability policy).

Looking specifically at state minimum 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 The Hartford's $394.

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

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from car 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 speeding tickets and at-fault accidents lead to higher rates, but which company -- 21st Century or The Hartford -- has the most affordable premiums for drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use 21st Century for their insurance can normally expect their monthly bill to go up about 21% after getting a speeding ticket. The Hartford policyholders can expect a bit more drastic of an increase of around 36%.

That being said, 21st Century tends to offer the best prices for both drivers who have a recent ticket and those with clean records, offering prices that are 26% and 41% more affordable, respectively, compared to The Hartford.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both companies will increase rates pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault collision with The Hartford raising by about 52%. 21st Century has a less extreme climb, but you can still expect to pay more than 45% more than you were prior to your first accident.

At the end of the day, 21st Century offers the lowest prices for drivers with an at-fault collision on their records, with average premiums coming in at $173 compared to The Hartford's $262.

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. For example, The Hartford increases average rates by nearly $350 a month -- that's nearly a 75% increase.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable premiums, 21st Century tends to be less expensive for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at around $200 to The Hartford's $474.

How does Credit Score Impact 21st Century and The Hartford Rates?

Did you know many insurance carriers take your credit score into account when determining prices? This isn't true for everyone (for example, California and Massachusetts are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it does affect several drivers out there.

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

So, which carrier offers the best rates for policyholders with poor, average, or good credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Is 21st Century or The Hartford 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. That's because the fewer miles you put on your car, the less likely you are to be in an accident and file an insurance claim.

For both remote workers and those taking short commutes, 21st Century offers cheaper prices than The Hartford. 21st Century's average premiums for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in about $98 more affordable than The Hartford. Those who drive 12,000 miles yearly can expect to pay around $139 less with 21st Century over The Hartford.

21st Century or The Hartford: 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 big impact as well. Typically, if you live in a rural area with fewer cars on the road, you'll pay a little less for insurance, while the opposite is true for people in urban areas.

When comparing these two carriers side-by-side, 21st Century usually comes out as the lowest 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 Insurance's average prices are about $122 less than The Hartford. People who live in suburban areas pay around $120 less with 21st Century compared to The Hartford. Those in rural areas can expect to save about $114 with 21st Century compared to The Hartford.

21st Century vs. The Hartford Discounts

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

But with what seems like a million different discounts out there, it can be challenging to nail down the carrier that has the most discounts for your unique driver profile and to find all the discounts you can take advantage of.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and broke down all of the different discounts offered by both 21st Century and The Hartford so that you can see which one offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

You can find offers for anti-theft discounts, discounts for being a good driver, and discounts for being a good student from both companies.

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

So, we've broken down the average rates for many of the factors insurance carriers look at, and we've shown you all the discounts each company offers. But, when it comes down to it, is 21st Century or The Hartford the right company for you and your specific profile and needs?

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

• You don't have any speeding tickets, DUIs, or at-fault collisions on your record.
• You live in a rural neighborhood.
• You're married and plan to have both of your names on the vehicle's car insurance policy.

The Hartford might be best for you if...

• You have a more unique driver profile than those we mentioned above.

Hopefully, this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare 21st Century and The Hartford. 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 insurance policy is to compare quotes from a handful of companies, not just 21st Century and The Hartford. 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 car insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

21st Century vs. The Hartford FAQs

Is 21st Century or The Hartford cheaper?

21st Century is the less expensive of the two companies when looking at national average prices, with policies averaging $146 per month with 21st Century and $265 for The Hartford. But that doesn't mean 21st Century will be the cheapest carrier for every driver, since there are multiple different variables (things like gender, age, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, 21st Century or The Hartford?

Sadly, the real answer is "it depends.". No single company is "better" for each policyholder -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique auto insurance profile.

Why do 21st Century and The Hartford offer me different rates?

Insurance carriers use many different factors when calculating the rates they charge. Variables like where your home is, gender, where you park your vehicle, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both 21st Century and The Hartford calculate premiums using different factors, 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 many different companies.

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

The only way to find the car 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 information once and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top insurance companies for free. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the most affordable premium. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't 21st Century or The Hartford 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.