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

Quick Facts

• In general, Mendakota offers significantly less expensive rates than AAA
• AAA offers more affordable premiums for policyholders who have a clean record
• Mendakota offers more affordable prices for policyholders who are looking to purchase insurance with a spouse

AAA or Mendakota: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

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

You might be considering AAA or Mendakota, but which company will offer you more affordable rates?

As you can see, AAA is around $70 more a month than Mendakota when looking at the national average rates for car insurance.

Even so, that doesn't mean Mendakota will necessarily be cheaper than AAA for every driver. Auto insurance carriers vary their premiums depending on things like where you live, how clean your driving record is, how old you are, how good your credit score is, and a ton of other factors, so rates will vary quite a bit from person to person.

So, if you want to find out which of AAA or Mendakota is really the best for you, keep reading to see average prices for each company broken down by multiple different rate factors.

AAA vs. Mendakota: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

AAA and Mendakota only compete against each other in Nevada, where Mendakota offers the cheaper average premiums. Mendakota drivers tend to pay about $31 per month less on average compared to drivers who use AAA for their insurance.

But there's more to calculating car insurance rates than just the state you live in. Keep reading to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive auto insurance premiums of any other group of drivers. It's typically 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 prices, teen drivers can still find ways to save money. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have Mendakota for their car insurance pay almost 35% less than those who use AAA.

However, both companies will offer you dramatically lower rates once you turn 25. For example, average prices for AAA policyholders drop about $400 and Mendakota's premiums lower over $200 over that time.

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 rates you'll ever find.

So, which carrier offers the best premiums to retired drivers? Mendakota gets the edge here, with average prices coming in at around $187 per month compared to AAA's $238.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Married policyholders tend to get slightly less expensive auto insurance rates than single drivers. This usually boils down to married drivers having multiple vehicles on their policy -- something several car insurance carriers will reward with discounts.

For single policyholders, the difference in average prices between these two companies is significant, with Mendakota premiums coming in at a quarter less than AAA's. For married couples, the advantage is clear again - Mendakota has the edge when it comes to average rates.

AAA or Mendakota: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get into a collision or get pulled over for speeding, which means they'll usually end up paying more for auto insurance than women.

Men generally pay more than 10% more a month than women with AAA, but with Mendakota, the difference is closer to 7% per month.

When it comes to the cheapest prices for each gender, Mendakota comes out on top for both men and women. On average, women save about $62 a month and men save about $78 with Mendakota compared to the average AAA policyholder.

AAA vs. Mendakota: 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.

It's no secret that insurance can be a complicated subject for most people. There are many different coverages that account for a range of different things. Some protect you and your car, while others only provide coverage for other people's property and health if you cause an accident.

But most policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (which covers the other party's injuries and property damage if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes collision and comprehensive coverages that protect your own car, in addition to liability coverage).

When it comes to state minimum liability limits, AAA has the edge, while Mendakota offers the lowest average premiums for full coverage policies with similar coverage limits. Policyholders looking for basic state minimum coverage can save around $3 with AAA Insurance, while full coverage comes out to be around $150 more affordable with Mendakota Insurance Company.

Is AAA or Mendakota Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

It's no secret -- drivers with good records end up getting the best deals on their car insurance. But that's not to say you can't save money if you don't have the best driving record, either.

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

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Drivers who use AAA for their insurance can normally expect their monthly bill to go up about 29% after getting a speeding ticket. Mendakota policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of around 8%.

If you have gotten a ticket, Mendakota tends to offer the best prices at about 20% cheaper, while AAA has the edge for drivers with a clean record.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both companies will raise premiums pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault collision with AAA increasing by around 37%. Mendakota has a less extreme increase, but you can still expect to pay nearly 20% more than you were prior to your first accident.

At the end of the day, the less expensive rates come from Mendakota, with average premiums coming in at $273 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 speeding ticket. On average, AAA will climb your prices about 47% after a DUI, while Mendakota's average rates increase by just under 10%.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable premiums, Mendakota tends to be more affordable for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at around $241 to AAA's $403.

How does Credit Score Impact AAA and Mendakota Rates?

You may not realized it, but your credit score can be used as one of the variables to determine your monthly car insurance prices. This isn't true for everyone (California, for example, has banned the use of credit score as a car insurance factor) but it might come into play for quite a few policyholders.

The reasoning auto insurance carriers use is that drivers with bad credit will be less likely to pay their bills on time; so normally, they'll be asked to pay more, while those with good credit will be rewarded with cheaper rates.

Looking specifically at AAA and Mendakota, which one has the best prices for policyholders at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have a great credit score, AAA will generally reward you the most for an "excellent" credit score. For drivers with "excellent" credit scores, AAA comes in nearly 24% more affordable. Drivers with "good" credit scores typically save about 1% with Mendakota compared to average premiums from AAA.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Mendakota typically offers lower prices than AAA when it comes to drivers with less-than-stellar credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around 20% per month less with Mendakota compared to AAA, and those with "poor" scores usually save an average of about 55% a month.

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

How much you drive can have a big impact on your monthly rates. Generally, the more milage you drive, the more you can expect to pay for coverage.

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

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

Where your home is can have a substantial impact on your monthly insurance cost. Typically, policyholders who live in heavily-populated urban areas will pay quite a bit more than rural drivers since there are a lot more cars on the roads where they live.

When comparing these two companies side-by-side, Mendakota tends to offer the most affordable option for drivers in rural and suburban areas, while AAA wins in urban areas.

For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, AAA Insurance's average prices are about 8% less than Mendakota Insurance Company. People who live in suburban areas pay around 42% less with Mendakota compared to AAA. Those in rural areas can expect to save about 46% with Mendakota compared to AAA.

AAA vs. Mendakota 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. That's where insurance discounts comes into play.

The hard part is finding all of the discounts you're eligible for, since it can feel sometimes like every carrier has different discounts and each one is advertised differently.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and looked at all of the different discounts AAA and Mendakota 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 Mendakota away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 28 more discounts than Mendakota.

There are a couple discounts both carriers offer, but AAA also offers discounts for AAA, academic, advance quote, and more.

Mendakota's discounts come through just a few categories, including Defensive Driver, Homeowner, Multi-Car, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is AAA or Mendakota Best for You?

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

Mendakota might be best for you if....

• You've received a ticket for speeding recently and don't want to see your rates rise.
• You live in a rural area.
• You have a short drive to work everyday.

AAA might be best for you if...

• You're looking for discounts -- Aaa has the most.
• You're looking for the best premiums on liability only coverage.
• You live in an urban area.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between AAA and Mendakota. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best 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 several carriers, not just AAA and Mendakota. Luckily, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get multiple quotes from some of the best auto insurance companies in your area, all for free.

AAA vs. Mendakota FAQs

Is AAA or Mendakota cheaper?

Mendakota is the cheaper of the two carriers when looking at national average rates, with policies averaging $244 a month with Mendakota and $314 for AAA. That being said, that doesn't mean Mendakota will be the lowest carrier for each policyholder, since there are a bunch of different variables that are considered when it comes to your car insurance bill.

Who is better, AAA or Mendakota?

Unfortunately, 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 insurance profile. For example, AAA is more affordable for drivers with excellent credit, while Mendakota offers less expensive prices for drivers with a recent DUI.

Why do AAA and Mendakota offer me different rates?

Auto insurance companies use lots of different factors when determining the premiums they charge. Variables like your driving record, age, where you live, gender, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both AAA and Mendakota calculate rates using different factors, so it's likely they'll offer different premiums. The best way to determine which carrier is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a variety of different carriers.

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

The only way to find the car 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 make it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your area information and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top auto insurance carriers for free. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the best price. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't AAA or Mendakota 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.