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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for insurance, Country Financial offers significantly cheaper premiums than AAA
• AAA may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than COUNTRY Financial
• Country Financial offers more affordable rates for residents of suburban areas

AAA or Country Financial: 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 savings, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You've maybe even narrowed it down to AAA or Country Financial for your next policy, but between the two, which company will offer you more affordable prices?

As you can see, AAA is quite a bit more expensive than Country Financial, with premiums averaging $314 a month compared to just $138 with Country Financial when looking at the national average rates for car insurance.

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

Wanting to know if AAA or Country Financial 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.

AAA vs. Country Financial: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

AAA and Country Financial only compete against each other in three states, with Country Financial offering cheaper premiums to the average driver in all of them. Illinois has the most noticable difference, where Country Financial prices are $173 less expensive than auto insurance premiums at AAA.

But there's more to calculating insurance rates than just where you call home. Continue reading to see how other variables will affect your rates.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- typically pay a lot for car insurance compared to older drivers. That's generally because teen 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 premiums, teen drivers can still find ways to save money. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of almost 65% less per month by choosing Country Financial over AAA.

That being said, both companies will offer you dramatically lower prices once you turn 25. Country Financial offers the steepest drop, with 25-year-olds paying less than half what 18-year-old drivers are charged. AAA's average rates drop nearly 60% during that same period.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

When it comes to auto insurance, patience and experience pay off, with drivers around retirement age paying some of the cheapest prices out there.

So, which carrier offers the best rates to retired drivers? Country Financial gets the edge, with premiums for drivers 65 and older $133 more affordable than the national average for AAA.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Single drivers tend to get offered slightly more expensive car insurance rates than married drivers. This usually boils down to married policyholders having several vehicles on their policy -- something quite a few auto insurance carriers will reward with discounts.

For those who are single, the difference in average premiums between these two companies is significant, with Country Financial prices coming in at around half of AAA's. The advantage for married couples with Country Financial is also obvious, where drivers save about $150 a month.

AAA or Country Financial: Average Rates by Gender

Did you know men normally pay more for insurance than women? This is because men are statistically more likely than women to cause a collision and get into accidents, which leads to increased risk for insurers and, therefore, higher rates.

On average, men see prices over 10% per month higher with AAA, and around 2% with Country Financial.

Looking at the data for each company specifically, Country Financial comes out as the most affordable option for both genders, with average premiums $191 less for men and $160 cheaper for women.

AAA vs. Country Financial: 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 insurance, but there are so many different limits and terms that it can be hard to find the right policy for you.

However, most policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (which provides bodily injury and property damage coverage for other drivers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- collision and comprehensive -- alongside liability coverage).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability limits, Country Financial has the significant edge, with average monthly prices coming in at $82. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Country Financial again has the edge, with policies averaging about $194 a month to AAA's $459.

Is AAA or Country Financial Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from auto insurance carriers offering great rates for good drivers, but that doesn't mean people with less-than-perfect driving records can't save money, too.

You'll probably end up paying more with speeding tickets and at-fault collisions on your record, but which of these two companies offers the lowest premiums to drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use AAA for their car insurance can usually expect their monthly bill to go up around 29% after getting a speeding ticket. Country Financial policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of about 23%.

But Country Financial is generally the cheaper option for drivers both with clean records and with a ticket. With COUNTRY Financial, drivers with a clean record can save around $108 per month and drivers with a speeding ticket can save about $163 a month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both carriers will raise rates pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault collision with AAA raising by around 37%. Country Financial has a less extreme climb, but you can still expect to pay nearly 30% more than you were prior to your first accident.

At the end of the day, the less expensive premiums come from Country Financial, with average prices coming in at $147 compared to AAA Insurance's $339.

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. AAA drivers usually see a 47% increase in their insurance rates after a DUI charge, while Country Financial will usually raise prices by about 36%.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable premiums, Country Financial tends to be more affordable for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at around $165 to AAA's $403.

How does Credit Score Impact AAA and Country Financial Rates?

Did you know many auto insurance companies take into account your credit score when determining rates? Certain states and carriers do not allow for credit score to be used as a car insurance factor, but it might come into play for many drivers.

Car insurance companies 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.

So, which carrier offers the best prices 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 AAA or Country Financial Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a considerable impact on your monthly insurance payment. Typically, those who drive less will end up with cheaper premiums since there's less of a chance of causing a collision and filing an insurance claim.

For both remote workers and those taking short commutes, Country Financial offers less expensive rates than AAA. Country Financial's average prices for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in about $170 more affordable than AAA. Those who drive 12,000 miles yearly can expect to pay around $181 less with Country Financial over AAA.

AAA or Country Financial: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you call home can have a sizable impact on your monthly auto insurance cost. Normally, 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, Country Financial generally comes out as the most affordable option for drivers in every type of area, no matter if it's urban, suburban, or rural.

Those in rural areas can expect to pay about $109 per month with Country Financial compared to AAA's $256. Drivers in suburban ZIP codes pay a monthly price of around $131 with Country Financial compared to $301 with AAA. In urban areas, Country Financial's average premiums are about $175 while AAA offers prices around $384.

AAA vs. Country Financial 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 taking advantage of 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 company 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 compared all of the different discounts offered by AAA and Country Financial so that you can find the one that has the most discounts and, therefore, the largest savings.

AAA knocks Country Financial out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 23 more discounts than Country Financial.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like discounts for getting driver training, discounts for being a good student, and passive restraint discounts. AAA also offers discounts for AAA, academic, advance quote, and more.

On the other hand, Country Financial has a few proprietary discounts of their own like occupation discounts and simply drive discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is AAA or Country Financial Best for You?

You've seen the effect certain factors have on your insurance and the different discounts companies offer. But, at the end of the day, which insurance carrier is the best carrier for you and your specific driver profile?

Country Financial might be best for you if....

• Your driving record includes a DUI charge.
• Your credit score is high.
• You live in a rural area.

AAA might be best for you if...

• You're looking for discounts -- Aaa has the most.

Hopefully, this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare AAA and Country Financial and that you can now make a more informed decision when it comes to 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 several carriers, not just AAA and Country Financial. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code below and get free quotes from dozens of the top auto insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

AAA vs. Country Financial FAQs

Is AAA or Country Financial cheaper?

Country Financial is the less expensive of the two carriers when looking at national average rates, with policies averaging $138 per month with Country Financial and $314 for AAA. Even so, that doesn't mean Country Financial will be the cheapest company for everyone, since there are a bunch of different variables that are considered when it comes to your insurance bill.

Who is better, AAA or Country Financial?

Sadly, the answer truly is "it depends.". No single carrier is "better" for every policyholder -- it all boils down to your unique car insurance profile.

Why do AAA and Country Financial offer me different rates?

Insurance companies use a lot of different factors when calculating the premiums they charge. Things such as gender, age, where you park your car, your driving record, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both AAA and Country Financial calculate prices using different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different premiums. The best way to determine which company is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a variety of different carriers.

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

The only way to find the car insurance carrier that's right for you is by getting quotes from a handful of companies 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 information once and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top auto insurance carriers for free. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the best premium. And maybe you'll find that the best company for you isn't AAA or Country Financial 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.