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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for car insurance, Safe Auto offers significantly less expensive prices than AAA
• AAA may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than Safe Auto
• Safe Auto tends to be a much more affordable option for policyholders who live in urban areas

AAA or Safe Auto: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

Are you in the market for a new insurance policy? With so many ads from all sorts of companies offering big savings, you're probably wondering exactly how much you might be able to save.

You might have narrowed your search down to AAA or Safe Auto for your next policy, but between the two, which carrier will save you the most?

Looking at the national average rates for both carriers, Safe Auto has average rates that are around 30% a month cheaper than those from AAA.

However, Safe Auto may not be the cheapest or best option for every single driver out there. Insurance companies vary their premiums depending on things like how old you are, where you live, how clean your driving record is, how good your credit score is, and a ton of other factors, so rates could change drastically from person to person.

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

AAA vs. Safe Auto: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

AAA and Safe Auto compete against each other in five states, with Safe Auto offering more affordable premiums to the average driver in all of them. If you live in Texas, AAA is the cheaper of the two carriers when looking at the overall average prices. Safe Auto is the less expensive option in Arizona, Illinois, Louisiana, and Missouri.

But there's more to calculating car insurance rates than just where you call home. Read on to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers normally pay a lot more for auto insurance than any group out there on the road. That's typically 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 prices, teen drivers can still find ways to save money. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of almost 35% less per month by choosing Safe Auto over AAA.

That being said, both companies will lower premiums by the time you turn 25. For example, average rates for AAA policyholders reduce nearly 60% and Safe Auto's premiums drop over 50% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Once you approach retirement age, you'll generally enjoy the most affordable car insurance rates you can find. You've been on the road for years, and all that experience pays off when it comes to your monthly prices for auto insurance.

When looking at AAA and Safe Auto specifically, which carrier is best for retired drivers? Safe Auto gets the edge, with rates for drivers 65 and older $59 cheaper than the national average for AAA.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Single policyholders tend to get offered slightly more expensive insurance premiums than married drivers. This usually boils down to married couples having more than one vehicle on their policy -- something a lot of auto insurance carriers will reward with discounts.

For single drivers, the difference in average prices between these two companies is significant, with Safe Auto rates coming in at about 30% less than AAA's. For married policyholders, the advantage is clear again - Safe Auto has the edge when it comes to average prices.

AAA or Safe Auto: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get into collisions and file an insurance claim, which means they'll usually end up paying more for car insurance than women.

Normally, women see premiums more than 10% a month less with AAA, and around 7% less with Safe Auto when compared to their male counterparts.

Looking at overall affordability, Safe Auto comes out as the lowest option for both genders. On average, women save about $83 per month and men save about $100 with Safe Auto compared to the average AAA policyholder.

AAA vs. Safe Auto: 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 so many different limits and coverages 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 (that covers property damage and bodily injury for other drivers and their passengers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- collision and comprehensive -- alongside what you get with a liability policy).

Looking specifically at state minimum limits for liability insurance, Safe Auto has the significant edge, with average monthly prices coming in at $126. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Safe Auto again has the edge, with policies averaging around $320 a month to AAA's $459.

Is AAA or Safe Auto 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 accidents on your record, but which of these two companies offers the most affordable premiums to drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use AAA for their insurance can normally expect their monthly bill to go up about 29% after getting a speeding ticket. Safe Auto policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of around 18%.

Even so, Safe Auto tends to offer the best prices for both drivers who have a recent ticket and those with clean records -- their rates are around 15% more affordable for drivers with clean records and 26% less expensive for those with a ticket.

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% -- rise in their insurance prices. Drivers who use Safe Auto for their auto insurance will see a monthly bill about $66 (or 27%) more expensive after reporting an accident to their car insurance company.

At the end of the day, the cheaper premiums come from Safe Auto, with average rates coming in at $246 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 speeding ticket or even a collision. On average, AAA will climb your premiums around 47% after a DUI, while Safe Auto's average prices rise by more than 25%.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable rates, Safe Auto tends to be less expensive for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at about $245 to AAA's $403.

How does Credit Score Impact AAA and Safe Auto Rates?

You may not have known, but your credit score can come into play when carriers determine your monthly bill. This isn't true for everyone (for example, Hawaii and Michigan are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it will come into play for quite a few drivers.

The reasoning auto insurance companies 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 more affordable prices.

Looking specifically at AAA and Safe Auto, which company has the best rates for drivers at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have solid credit, AAA will generally reward you the most for an "excellent" credit score. For policyholders with "excellent" credit scores, AAA comes in 1% less expensive. Drivers with "good" credit scores typically save around 10% with Safe Auto compared to average premiums from AAA.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Safe Auto typically offers lower rates than AAA when it comes to drivers with less-than-stellar credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about 24% per month less with Safe Auto compared to AAA, and those with "poor" scores generally save an average of around 53% per month.

Is AAA or Safe Auto 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 sizable impact on your monthly premiums? Normally, the more milage you put on your car, the more you can expect to pay for car insurance.

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

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

We've already mentioned how your home state can play a role in how much you pay for insurance, but the type of area you live in can have a large impact as well. Usually, if you live in a rural area with fewer cars on the road, you'll pay a little less for car insurance, while the opposite is true for people in urban areas.

When comparing these two carriers side-by-side, Safe Auto typically comes out as the lowest option for drivers in all areas, regardless of if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

Those in rural areas can expect to pay around $197 monthly with Safe Auto and $256 with AAA. People in suburban areas pay about $200 with Safe Auto compared to AAA's $301 a month. For drivers in urban ZIP codes, Safe Auto's average prices are around $271 while AAA offers premiums about $384.

AAA vs. Safe Auto Discounts

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

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

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

AAA knocks Safe Auto out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 19 more discounts than Safe Auto.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like anti-theft discounts, discounts for getting driver training, military discounts, and passive restraint discounts. AAA also offers discounts for AAA, academic, advance quote, and more.

On the other hand, Safe Auto has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like agency transfer discounts, claim free discounts, non-owner discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is AAA or Safe Auto Best for You?

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

Safe Auto might be best for you if....

• Your driving record includes a DUI charge.
• You're looking for the best prices on liability only coverage.
• You don't spend much time in your car.

AAA might be best for you if...

• You're looking for the company with the most discounts.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between AAA and Safe Auto and that you can now make a more informed decision when it comes to your car insurance.

At the end of the day, the best way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your insurance policy is to compare quotes from several carriers, not just AAA and Safe Auto. 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 auto insurance companies in your area, all for free.

AAA vs. Safe Auto FAQs

Is AAA or Safe Auto cheaper?

Safe Auto is the more affordable of the two carriers when looking at national average rates, with policies averaging $223 a month with Safe Auto and $314 for AAA. But that doesn't mean Safe Auto will be the most affordable carrier for every policyholder, since there are lots of different factors (things like age, gender, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, AAA or Safe Auto?

Unfortunately, the answer truly is "it depends.". Neither company is "better" for each policyholder -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique insurance profile. For example, AAA is less expensive for drivers with excellent credit, while Safe Auto offers more affordable prices for drivers with a recent DUI.

Why do AAA and Safe Auto offer me different rates?

Car insurance companies use several different variables when determining the premiums they charge. Factors like gender, your driving record, where you live, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both AAA and Safe Auto calculate rates using different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different premiums. The best way to determine which carrier is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from many different carriers.

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

The only way to find the auto 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 quotes from dozens of your local top insurance carriers for free. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the cheapest premium. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't AAA or Safe Auto 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.