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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for car insurance, Allstate offers significantly more affordable premiums than AAA
• Allstate has less expensive rates for drivers who have received a ticket within the last few years
• Allstate offers cheaper average prices for residents of urban areas

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

So, you're thinking about switching your auto insurance. You've probably seen commercials and billboards from companies offering large discounts, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You might have narrowed your search down to AAA or Allstate as your top options, but between the two, which carrier will save you the most?

Looking at the national average rates for both companies, Allstate has average rates that are about 35% per month less expensive than those from AAA.

Even so, that doesn't mean Allstate will necessarily be more affordable than AAA for each driver. After all, auto insurance carriers 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, at the end of the day, rates from every carrier will differ quite a bit from person to person.

Luckily, we've broken down average premiums from both AAA and Allstate by a variety of different rate factors, so read on to find out which company is the best for you.

AAA or Allstate: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

AAA and Allstate compete against each other in eight states, with Allstate offering cheaper rates to the average driver in all of them. Nebraska has the most noticable difference, where Allstate premiums are over 70% more affordable than car insurance prices at AAA.

There's a lot more that goes into your auto insurance cost than just your home state. Keep reading to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers normally pay a lot more for insurance than any group on the road. That's generally because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to cause collisions and other accidents that will result in an insurance claim.

But still, even with seemingly sky-high rates, teen drivers can still find ways to save money. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have Allstate for their car insurance pay nearly $250 less than those who use AAA.

However, both companies will decrease prices once you turn 25. Allstate offers the steepest drop, with 25-year-olds paying less than a third of what 18-year-old drivers are charged. AAA's average premiums reduce almost 60% during that same period.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

When it comes to insurance, patience and experience pay off, with drivers around retirement age paying some of the cheapest rates you can find.

So, which carrier offers the best premiums to retired drivers? Allstate gets the edge here, with average prices coming in at around $152 per month compared to AAA's $238.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Single drivers tend to get offered slightly more expensive auto insurance rates than married policyholders. That's because policies for married couples typically cover more than one car, which many carriers will offer you a discount for.

When it comes to relationship status, Allstate is the clear winner for those who are single, with prices about $138 a month less expensive than AAA, on average. For married drivers, the advantage is clear again - Allstate has the edge when it comes to average premiums.

AAA vs. Allstate: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to cause a collision and get into accidents. That means when it comes to car insurance men will usually end up paying a little more.

On average, men see prices more than 10% per month higher with AAA, while with Allstate, the difference is closer to 4% a month.

Looking at the data for each company specifically, Allstate comes out as the most affordable option for both genders. On average, male drivers save about $128 per month and women save around $103 with Allstate compared to the average AAA policyholder.

AAA or Allstate: 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 so many different coverages and limits that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy.

The two most common policies that many drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability only (that covers bodily injury and property damage for other drivers and their passengers if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which includes comprehensive and collision coverages that protect your own vehicle, in addition to liability coverage).

If you're looking for state minimum limits for liability insurance, Allstate generally offers significantly cheaper premiums of $108 compared to AAA's $169. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, Allstate again has the edge, with policies about $150 a month less expensive than AAA, on average.

Is AAA or Allstate 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.

It's no secret secret that accidents and tickets lead to higher rates, but which carrier -- AAA or Allstate -- has the lowest prices for drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

AAA policyholders can expect their premiums to go up an average of $86 per month if they get a ticket, while Allstate typically raises rates around $27 a month, on average.

That being said, Allstate is normally the more affordable option for drivers both with clean records and with a speeding ticket, offering premiums that are $57 and $116 less expensive, respectively, compared to AAA Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

After an accident, drivers who have their car insurance through AAA can expect to see about an $126 -- or around 37% -- increase in their insurance prices. Drivers who use Allstate for their auto insurance will see a monthly bill about $73 (or 32%) more expensive after reporting a collision to their insurance company.

Overall, the more affordable rates come from Allstate, with monthly premiums averaging $229 compared to AAA Insurance's $339.

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 auto insurance bill -- usually a lot more than an accident or ticket. On average, AAA will climb your prices around 47% after a DUI, while Allstate's average rates climb by over 30%.

How does Credit Score Impact AAA and Allstate Rates?

In many cases, your credit score can be used as one of the factors to calculate your monthly car insurance prices. This isn't always the case (Massachusetts, for example, has banned the use of credit score as a rating factor) but it will come into play for lots of drivers.

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.

Looking at AAA and Allstate specifically, which one has the most affordable rates for policyholders at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Is AAA or Allstate 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 considerable impact on your monthly auto insurance payment? Typically, the more miles you put on your car, the more you can expect to pay for coverage.

Allstate tends to be the cheaper option for both drivers who put 6,000 miles on their vehicles yearly, as well as those who average twice that figure. AAA average premiums for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in about $110 more expensive than Allstate. Those who drive 12,000 miles every year can expect to pay around $120 more with AAA over Allstate.

AAA vs. Allstate: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where your home is can have a sizable impact on your monthly car insurance bill. Generally, if you live in an urban area with more cars on the road, you'll pay a little more for auto insurance, while the opposite is true for people in rural areas.

Allstate tends to offer the cheapest rates for drivers in every type of area, no matter if it's urban, suburban, or rural.

Drivers in rural ZIP codes see the most affordable prices from both carriers, but Allstate comes out on top with average rates about $174 a month. Allstate also has less expensive average premiums for policyholders in urban and suburban ZIP codes -- a 42% and 34% per month respective difference when compared to AAA drivers in similar areas.

AAA vs. Allstate 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.

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.

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

Allstate knocks AAA out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering seven more discounts than AAA.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like anti-theft discounts, discounts for being a defensive driver, distant student discounts, and discounts for being a good driver. Allstate also offers ABS discounts, agency transfer discounts, alert driving discounts, and more that AAA does not.

On the flip side, AAA has a couple unique discounts of its own -- AAA discounts, academic discounts, drivesharp discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is AAA or Allstate Best for You?

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

Allstate might be best for you if....

• You've been pulled over for speeding recently.
• You want to save extra money with discounts.
• You're buying insurance for a teen and looking for a wallet-friendly option.

AAA might be best for you if...

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

We hope this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between AAA and Allstate and that it aids in making a more informed decision about your car 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 AAA and Allstate. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get multiple free quotes from some of the best car insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

AAA vs. Allstate FAQs

Is AAA or Allstate cheaper?

Looking just at the national average premiums, Allstate is the more affordable of the two carriers, offering average rates of $199 a month compared to $314 for AAA. But Allstate won't necessarily be the lowest carrier for each driver, since there are a range of different factors that are considered when it comes to your auto insurance cost.

Who is better, AAA or Allstate?

Unfortunately, the answer truly is "it depends.". No one company is "better" for every driver -- it all boils down to your unique insurance profile.

Why do AAA and Allstate offer me different rates?

Auto insurance companies take a look at several different variables when calculating the prices they charge policyholders. Things like where you park your vehicle, gender, where you call home, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both AAA and Allstate calculate rates using different formulas, so each one will most likely offer different prices. The only real way to see which carrier is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from lots of different carriers.

How do I know if AAA or Allstate 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, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your area information and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best insurance carriers in your area. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the lowest rate. And who knows, the best carrier for you might not be AAA or Allstate 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.