AAA vs. Acuity: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for insurance, Acuity offers slightly cheaper premiums than AAA
• AAA offers more affordable rates for policyholders who have a clean record
• Acuity offers less expensive average prices for couples purchasing auto insurance together

AAA vs. Acuity: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

Are you considering a new insurance policy? You've probably seen commercials and billboards from companies offering big discounts, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You've maybe even narrowed it down to AAA or Acuity as your top options, but between the two, which company will offer you more affordable premiums?

As you can see, Acuity is about $1 per month cheaper than AAA when looking at the national average rates for car insurance.

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

Wanting to know if AAA or Acuity is really the right company for you? Keep on reading to see how average prices can change based on all of the factors we've mentioned above.

AAA or Acuity: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

AAA and Acuity only compete against each other in one states, with Acuity offering less expensive rates to the average driver in all of them. Wisconsin has the most noticable difference, where Acuity premiums are more affordable than auto insurance prices at AAA.

There's a lot more that goes into your insurance cost than just where you live. Read on to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- generally pay a lot for car insurance compared to older drivers. Typically, that'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 that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high insurance rates. As you can see above, teens who use AAA save nearly $300 a month compared to those who use Acuity.

However, both carriers will offer you dramatically lower premiums once you turn 25. For example, average rates for AAA policyholders reduce more than $400 and Acuity's premiums lower around $500 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

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

But who has the best premiums for retired drivers between AAA and Acuity? Acuity gets the edge here, with average prices coming in at about $183 monthly compared to AAA's $238.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that car insurance rates are usually more expensive for single policyholders than they are for married drivers? That's because policies for married couples normally cover several cars, which quite a few companies will offer you a discount for.

When it comes to relationship status, the two carriers are comparable for those who are single, with prices only differing around $34 per month, on average. But for married policyholders, the advantage is clear - Acuity has the edge when it comes to average premiums.

AAA vs. Acuity: Average Rates by Gender

Women tend to pay less for insurance than men. This is because men are statistically more likely than women to get into accidents and get speeding tickets, which leads to increased risk for insurers and, therefore, higher rates.

On average, women see premiums almost $35 a month cheaper with AAA, while with Acuity, the difference is closer to $19 per month.

When it comes to the cheapest prices for each gender, Acuity is the most affordable carrier for men. Rates with Acuity are $8 less for men, while women can save about $7 with AAA.

AAA or Acuity: 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.

For most people, auto insurance isn't the easiest topic to understand. There are several different coverages that account for multiple 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 (that covers property damage and bodily injury for other drivers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- comprehensive and collision -- alongside what you get with a liability policy).

In this case, AAA offers the lowest average premiums for state minimum liability limits, while Acuity has the edge for full coverage policies with similar coverage limits. Drivers looking for basic state minimum coverage can save around $3 with AAA Insurance, while full coverage comes out to be around $5 less expensive with Acuity Insurance.

Is AAA or Acuity Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

It's no big secret that drivers who are accident-free get better deals on their insurance. But even if you have a spotty record, you can still find plenty of ways to save some cash on your monthly bill.

Tickets and at-fault accidents will most likely raise your rates, but is AAA or Acuity more affordable for drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

AAA policyholders can expect their prices to go up an average of $86 a month if they get a ticket, while Acuity generally raises premiums about $94 per month, on average.

But AAA has less expensive prices for drivers in both categories, offering rates that are $16 and $24 cheaper, respectively, compared to Acuity Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

AAA policyholders who get in an accident can expect to see their prices rise by over 35%, while those who have insurance through Acuity will see around a 35% increase.

Overall, drivers who use AAA end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with monthly rates averaging $339 compared to Acuity Insurance's $344.

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. On average, AAA will increase your premiums about 47% after a DUI, while Acuity's average rates increase by over 35%.

If you have a DUI on your record and are looking for more affordable prices, Acuity tends to be the much less expensive option with average premiums of $357 a month compared to $403 from AAA.

How does Credit Score Impact AAA and Acuity Rates?

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

Insurance companies 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 cheaper premiums.

So, which company offers the cheapest rates for drivers with good, average, or poor credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have solid credit, you'll usually find a better deal with AAA. Policyholders with "excellent" credit can save just under 30% compared to Acuity, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- around $40 or 14% more affordable every month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

If you have bad credit, it can be somewhat of a toss-up as far as which company offers you the best prices. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about $12 less with AAA than Acuity, but those whose credit is considered "poor" have it flipped -- saving around $150 a month with Acuity.

Is AAA or Acuity Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

Did you know that the amount of time you spend in your car have a large impact on your monthly premiums? That's because the fewer miles you drive, the less likely you are to get into a collision and cause an insurance claim.

Looking specifically at AAA and Acuity, Acuity is the cheaper option for people who work from home, while Acuity has better rates for those with short commutes. Acuity's average prices for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in about $10 less expensive than AAA. Those who drive 12,000 miles yearly can expect to pay around $10 less with AAA over Acuity.

AAA vs. Acuity: 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 sizable impact as well. Usually, if you live in an urban area with more cars on the road, you'll pay a little more for car insurance, while the opposite is true for people in rural areas.

When comparing these two carriers side-by-side, Acuity typically comes out as the more affordable option for drivers in rural and urban areas, while AAA wins in suburban areas.

In urban areas, Acuity Insurance's average prices are about 3% less than AAA Insurance. Drivers in suburban ZIP codes pay around 4% less with AAA compared to Acuity. If you live in a rural area, you can expect to save about 1% with Acuity compared to AAA.

AAA vs. Acuity Discounts

Regardless of why you might be in the market for a new 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 car insurance discounts as you can.

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

In the section below, we've compared all of the different discounts offered by AAA and Acuity so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

AAA knocks Acuity out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 33 different discounts to Acuity's nine.

There are a couple discounts both companies offer, but AAA also offers AAA discounts, academic discounts, advance quote discounts, and more that Acuity does not.

On the flip side, Acuity has a couple unique discounts of its own -- discounts for graduating college and continuous insurance discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is AAA or Acuity Best for You?

You've seen the effect certain factors have on your auto insurance and the different discounts carriers offer. But, when it comes down to it, which carrier is the best carrier for you and your specific driver profile?

AAA might be best for you if....

• You haven't received any speeding tickets or been in an accident in the last few years.
• You want basic insurance coverage at the state minimum limits.
• You live in an suburban area.

Acuity might be best for you if...

• You have a DUI charge on your record.
• You are over 65 years old and want to save some money on your car insurance.
• You drive fewer than 6,000 miles each year.

We hope this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between AAA and Acuity and that it aids in making a more informed decision about your auto 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 a handful of companies, not just AAA and Acuity. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your ZIP code below and get free quotes from dozens of the top auto insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

AAA vs. Acuity FAQs

Is AAA or Acuity cheaper?

Looking just at the national average rates, Acuity is the less expensive of the two companies, offering average rates of $313 per month compared to $314 for AAA. Even so, Acuity won't necessarily be the cheapest company for every policyholder, since there are a variety of different variables (things like gender, age, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, AAA or Acuity?

Sadly, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". One carrier is not "better" for each driver -- it all comes down to what your unique insurance profile looks like. For example, AAA offers more affordable premiums for single drivers, while Acuity is cheaper for drivers who have already retired.

Why do AAA and Acuity offer me different rates?

Car insurance carriers take a look at several different factors when determining the rates they charge policyholders. Variables such as gender, where you call home, age, your driving record, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both AAA and Acuity calculate premiums differently, so each one will most likely offer different prices. The only real way to see which company is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a bunch of different companies.

How do I know if AAA or Acuity is right for me?

The only way to find the auto insurance carrier 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 area information 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 best price. And who knows, the best company for you might not be AAA or Acuity 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.