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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for auto insurance, General Casualty offers significantly more affordable rates than AAA
• AAA may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than General Casualty
• General Casualty offers more affordable prices for policyholders who have a short commute

AAA or General Casualty: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

Are you in the market for a new insurance policy? After all, you've seen ads from all sorts of companies offering large savings. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You might be considering AAA or General Casualty for your next policy, but which company will offer you cheaper premiums?

Looking at nationwide averages, AAA is quite a bit more expensive than General Casualty, with rates averaging $314 a month compared to just $139 with General Casualty.

However, that doesn't mean General Casualty will necessarily be less expensive than AAA for every driver. Car insurance carriers use tons of complex algorithms to determine prices, so depending on how clean your driving record is or how old you are (among an array of other factors), you could see wildly different premiums from the ones above.

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

AAA vs. General Casualty: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

AAA and General Casualty only compete against each other in two states, with General Casualty offering more affordable rates to the average driver in all of them. Arizona has the most noticable difference, where General Casualty premiums are $197 cheaper than insurance prices at AAA.

That being said, there are plenty of other factors that go into your auto insurance bill than just where you call home. Keep reading 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 other group of drivers out there on the road. Normally, that'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.

But still, even with seemingly sky-high rates, teen drivers can still find ways to save money. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of over 60% less per month by choosing General Casualty over AAA.

But both companies will offer you dramatically lower premiums by the time you turn 25. For example, average prices for AAA policyholders reduce almost 60% and General Casualty's rates decrease more than 55% over that time.

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 most affordable premiums out there.

But who has the best rates for retired drivers between AAA and General Casualty? General Casualty gets the edge, with prices for drivers 65 and older nearly 50% less expensive than the national average for AAA.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Married drivers tend to get slightly more affordable car insurance rates than those who are single. This usually boils down to married couples having more than one vehicle on their policy -- something quite a few auto insurance carriers will reward with discounts.

For single drivers, the difference in average premiums between these two companies is significant, with General Casualty prices coming in at around half of AAA's. For married policyholders, the advantage is clear again - General Casualty has the edge when it comes to average rates.

AAA or General Casualty: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get into collisions and file an insurance claim. That means when it comes to car insurance men will typically end up paying a little more.

With AAA, men usually pay over 10% more a month than women., and about 10% more with General Casualty.

When it comes to the lowest prices for each gender, General Casualty offers the cheapest average premiums for both men and women, with average rates $185 less for men and $165 cheaper for women.

AAA vs. General Casualty: 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, insurance isn't the easiest topic to understand. There are so many different limits and terms that it can make it pretty confusing 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 typically refers to having collision and comprehensive coverages in addition to what you get with liability).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability limits, General Casualty 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, General Casualty again has the edge, with policies averaging around $195 per month to AAA's $459.

Is AAA or General Casualty Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from auto insurance carriers offering great premiums 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 prices, but which carrier -- AAA or General Casualty -- has the lowest premiums for drivers with less-than-perfect 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 about 29% after getting a speeding ticket. General Casualty policyholders can expect a bit more drastic of an increase of around 32%.

Even so, General Casualty tends to offer the best prices for drivers both with clean records and with a ticket. With General Casualty, drivers with a clean record can save about $123 a month and drivers with a speeding ticket can save around $166 per month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both companies will raise rates pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault collision with AAA raising by about 37%. General Casualty has a less extreme raise, but you can still expect to pay nearly 40% more than you were prior to your first accident.

At the end of the day, General Casualty offers the cheapest premiums for drivers with an at-fault collision on their records, with average rates coming in at $146 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 insurance bill -- generally a lot more than an accident or ticket. On average, AAA will increase your prices around 47% after a DUI, while General Casualty's average premiums increase by more than 50%.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable rates, General Casualty tends to be less expensive for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at about $186 to AAA's $403.

How does Credit Score Impact AAA and General Casualty Rates?

Often times, your credit score can be used as one of the variables to calculate your monthly auto insurance prices. This isn't true for everyone (for example, are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it does affect a lot of drivers out there.

Car insurance carriers 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 best rates for drivers with poor, average, or good credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have solid credit, General Casualty will normally reward you the most. For policyholders with "excellent" credit scores, General Casualty comes in just under 44.32 more affordable. Drivers with "good" credit scores usually save around 52% with General Casualty compared to average prices from AAA.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

General Casualty typically offers lower premiums than AAA when it comes to drivers with a below average credit score. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about 54% a month less with General Casualty compared to AAA, and those with "poor" scores typically save an average of around 64% a month.

Is AAA or General Casualty 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 how much insurance companies will charge for coverage. Generally, those who drive fewer miles will end up with less expensive prices since there's less of a chance of causing a collision and filing an insurance claim.

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

AAA or General Casualty: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

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

When comparing these two carriers side-by-side, General Casualty usually comes out as the lowest option for drivers in every type of area, no matter if it's urban, suburban, or rural.

Those in rural areas can expect to save around 49% with General Casualty compared to AAA. People who live in suburban areas pay about 55% less with General Casualty compared to AAA. For drivers in urban ZIP codes, General Casualty's average rates are around 61% less than AAA Insurance.

AAA vs. General Casualty 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 where do you even start? With so many discounts out there, it may seem difficult to find all the of the ones you're eligible for.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and looked at all of the different discounts AAA and General Casualty offer their customers so that you can see which one can save you the most money each month.

AAA blows General Casualty away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 21 more discounts than General Casualty.

There are a couple discounts both companies offer, but AAA also offers discounts for AAA, academic, COVID-19 relief, and more.

On the other hand, General Casualty has a proprietary discount of their own -- a occupation discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is AAA or General Casualty Best for You?

You've seen the effect certain factors have on your insurance and the different discounts carriers offer. That's all well and good, but at the end of the day, is AAA or General Casualty the best carrier for you, your vehicle, and your wallet?

General Casualty might be best for you if....

• You will be the only person on the car insurance policy.
• You're looking for the best premiums on liability only coverage.
• You want to save money while purchasing auto insurance for a teenager.

AAA might be best for you if...

• You want to save extra money with discounts.

Hopefully, this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare AAA and General Casualty and that you can now make a more informed decision when it comes to your insurance.

At the end of the day, the sure-fire way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your car insurance policy is to compare quotes from multiple companies, not just AAA and General Casualty. Luckily, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get free quotes from dozens of top auto insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

AAA vs. General Casualty FAQs

Is AAA or General Casualty cheaper?

General Casualty is the more affordable of the two companies when looking at national average prices, with policies averaging $139 per month with General Casualty and $314 for AAA. That being said, that doesn't mean General Casualty will be the cheapest carrier for everyone, since there are many different variables (things like age, driving record, gender, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, AAA or General Casualty?

Sadly, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". No single company is necessarily "better" for everyone -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique car insurance profile.

Why do AAA and General Casualty offer me different rates?

Insurance carriers use lots of different factors when determining the rates they charge. Variables such as gender, your driving record, age, where your home is, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both AAA and General Casualty calculate premiums differently, so it's likely they'll offer different rates. The best way to determine which carrier is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from multiple different companies.

How do I know if AAA or General Casualty 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 auto insurance companies for free. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the best premium. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't AAA or General Casualty 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.