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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for car insurance, Depositors offers significantly less expensive premiums than AAA
• AAA offers more discounts than Depositors Insurance Company
• Depositors offers more affordable rates for couples purchasing insurance together

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

So, you're thinking about switching your auto insurance. With so many ads from all sorts of companies offering considerable discounts, you're probably wondering exactly how much you might be able to save.

You've maybe even narrowed it down to AAA or Depositors, but between the two, which one has more affordable prices for car insurance?

Looking at the national average rates for both companies, Depositors is quite a bit cheaper than AAA, with premiums averaging $148 per month compared to $314 with AAA.

Even so, that doesn't necessarily mean Depositors will be the cheaper option for every single driver. Auto insurance carriers use tons of complex algorithms to calculate rates, so depending on how clean your driving record is or how good your credit score is (among a multitude of other factors), you could see wildly different premiums from the ones above.

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

AAA or Depositors: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

AAA and Depositors only compete against each other in one states, with Depositors offering more affordable rates to the average driver in all of them. Nevada has the most noticable difference, where Depositors prices are over 60% less expensive than car insurance rates at AAA.

But there's more to calculating auto insurance premiums than just where you call home. Read on to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers generally pay a lot more for insurance than any group on the road. That's usually because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

However, that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high car insurance rates. As you can see above, teens who use Depositors save nearly $400 a month compared to those who use AAA.

That being said, both companies will offer you dramatically lower prices by the time drivers turn 25. Depositors offers the steepest reduction, with 25-year-olds paying less than a third of what 18-year-old drivers are charged. AAA's average premiums decrease 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 most affordable prices out there.

But who has the best rates for retired drivers between AAA and Depositors? Depositors gets the edge, with premiums for drivers 65 and older nearly 55% cheaper than the national average for AAA.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Married drivers tend to get slightly less expensive auto insurance prices than single policyholders. That's because policies for married policyholders typically cover multiple cars, which a lot of carriers will offer you a discount for.

When it comes to relationship status, Depositors is the clear winner for those who are single, with premiums about $198 per month cheaper than AAA, on average. The advantage is also clear for married couples - Depositors offers the lowest average rates.

AAA vs. Depositors: Average Rates by Gender

Men tend to pay more for insurance than women. This is because men are statistically more likely than women to get into accidents and file an insurance claim, which leads to increased risk for insurers and, therefore, higher prices.

On average, men see rates almost $35 a month higher with AAA, while with Depositors, the difference is closer to $9 per month.

Looking at overall affordability, Depositors comes out as the cheapest option for both genders. On average, women save about $154 a month and men save around $179 with Depositors compared to the average AAA policyholder.

AAA or Depositors: 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 can be a complicated subject for most people. Everyone needs car insurance, but there are so many different coverages and terms that it can be hard to find the right policy.

But most policies that many drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability only (which provides property damage and bodily injury coverage for other drivers and their passengers if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- comprehensive and collision -- alongside liability coverage).

If you're looking for state minimum liability limits, Depositors normally offers significantly more affordable premiums of $84 compared to AAA's $169. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, Depositors again has the edge, with policies about $250 per month cheaper than AAA, on average.

Is AAA or Depositors 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 collisions will most likely raise your rates, but is AAA or Depositors less expensive 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 a month if they get a ticket, while Depositors typically raises prices around $24 per month, on average.

However, Depositors is generally the more affordable option for drivers both with clean records and with a speeding ticket, offering rates that are $107 and $169 less expensive, respectively, compared to AAA Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both companies will increase prices pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault accident with AAA climbing by just under $150. Depositors has a less extreme increase, but you can still expect to pay over $50 more than you were prior to your first collision.

Overall, the cheaper premiums come from Depositors, with monthly prices averaging $157 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 a collision. On average, AAA will climb your premiums about 47% after a DUI, while Depositors's average rates climb by over 45%.

If you have a DUI on your record and are looking for more affordable prices, Depositors tends to be the much more affordable option with average premiums of $198 per month compared to $403 from AAA.

How does Credit Score Impact AAA and Depositors Rates?

Often times, your credit score can be used as one of the factors to determine your monthly auto insurance rates. This isn't always the case (Michigan, for example, has banned the use of credit score as a rating factor) but it does affect lots of drivers out there.

The reasoning car insurance carriers use is that policyholders with bad credit will be less likely to pay their bills on time; so usually, they'll be asked to pay more, while those with good credit will be rewarded with less expensive prices.

Looking specifically at Depositors and AAA, which company has the most affordable premiums for drivers at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have great credit, you'll usually find a better deal with Depositors. Policyholders with "excellent" credit can save more than 35% compared to AAA, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- around $113 or 46% more affordable each month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Depositors typically offers lower rates than AAA when it comes to drivers with less-than-perfect credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about $149 a month less with Depositors compared to AAA, and those with "poor" scores normally save an average of around $354 monthly.

Is AAA or Depositors 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 substantial impact on your monthly premiums? That's because the fewer miles you drive, the less likely you are to get into an accident and cause an insurance claim.

As you can see in the table above, annual mileage doesn't have much of an impact on how much Depositors charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly prices for AAA, with drivers who put 6,000 miles on their vehicle yearly paying about $13 less every month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles annually. Still, Depositors is the cheaper option for drivers in both categories.

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

Where you call home can have a pretty big impact on your monthly insurance bill. Usually, drivers who live in less densely populated rural areas will pay quite a bit less than urban policyholders because there are a lot fewer cars on the road in those areas, which reduces the chances of an accident.

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

For drivers in urban ZIP codes, Depositors offers premiums around $174 a month compared to AAA's $384. People who live in suburban ZIP codes can expect to pay about $139 per month for Depositors and $301 for AAA. Lastly, those in rural areas tend to get the cheapest rates from both companies, with average monthly prices coming in at $130 and $256 for Depositors and AAA respectively.

AAA vs. Depositors Discounts

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

But where do you even start? With what seems like a million different discounts out there, it may be challenging to find all the ones you can take advantage of.

In the table below, we've taken a look at all of the different discounts AAA and Depositors offer their customers 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 blows Depositors away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 16 more discounts than Depositors.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like COVID-19 relief discount, distant student discounts, EFT discounts, and discounts for being a good student. AAA also offers AAA discounts, academic discounts, anti-theft discounts, and more that Depositors does not.

On the flip side, Depositors has a couple unique discounts of its own -- intra-agency transfer discounts and life policy discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is AAA or Depositors Best for You?

So, you've seen how different variables can affect your car insurance premiums. We've shown you all the discounts each carrier offers, too. But, at the end of the day, which insurance company is the best carrier for you and your specific profile and needs?

Depositors might be best for you if....

• You have a speeding ticket on your driving record.
• Your home is located in the suburbs.
• You're buying auto insurance for a teen and looking for a wallet-friendly option.

AAA might be best for you if...

• You care about discounts (Aaa offers the most).

We hope this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare AAA and Depositors. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision about your 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 car insurance -- comparing quotes from a handful of carriers, not just AAA and Depositors. Luckily, sites like Compare.com make it easy for you to do just that. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get multiple quotes from some of the best insurance companies in your area, all for free.

AAA vs. Depositors FAQs

Is AAA or Depositors cheaper?

Looking just at the national average prices, Depositors is the less expensive of the two carriers, offering average rates of $148 a month compared to $314 for AAA. That being said, Depositors won't necessarily be the lowest carrier for each policyholder, since there are a variety of different factors that are considered when it comes to your car insurance payment.

Who is better, AAA or Depositors?

Unfortunately, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". One company is not "better" for everyone -- it all comes down to what your unique auto insurance profile looks like.

Why do AAA and Depositors offer me different rates?

Car insurance companies take a look at several different variables when calculating the rates they charge policyholders. Things such as gender, where your home is, your driving record, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both AAA and Depositors use different formulas, so each one will most likely offer different premiums. The only real way to see which carrier is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a range of different carriers.

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

The only way to find the insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from multiple 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 area information and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best auto insurance carriers in your area. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the best price. And who knows, the best carrier for you might not be AAA or Depositors 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.