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

Quick Facts

• In general, Safeway offers significantly less expensive prices than AAA
• AAA may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than Safeway Insurance
• Safeway tends to be a much cheaper option for policyholders who have a short commute

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

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

You might have narrowed it down to AAA or Safeway as potential options, but which carrier has more affordable premiums for insurance?

Looking at the national average rates for both carriers, AAA is quite a bit more expensive than Safeway, with prices averaging $314 a month compared to just $194 with Safeway.

Even so, that doesn't necessarily mean Safeway will be the cheaper option for every single driver. Auto insurance companies vary their rates depending on things like where you live, how good your credit score is, how old you are, how clean your driving record is, and a variety of other factors. So, at the end of the day, premiums from every company will differ quite a bit from person to person.

Luckily, we've broken down average rates from both AAA and Safeway by lots of different rate factors, so read on to find out which carrier is the best for you.

AAA vs. Safeway: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

AAA and Safeway only compete against each other in two states, with Safeway offering more affordable prices to the average driver in all of them. Arizona has the most noticable difference, where Safeway rates are $194 less expensive than car insurance premiums at AAA.

That being said, there's a lot more that goes into your insurance bill than just where you live. Read on to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive auto insurance prices of any group out there on the road. That's because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

But that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their insurance. As you can see above, teens who use Safeway save almost 35% per month compared to those who use AAA.

However, with both carriers, you'll see your premiums lower significantly by the time drivers turn 25. For example, average prices for AAA policyholders drop nearly 60% and Safeway's rates decrease over 60% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

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

So, which company offers the best premiums to retired drivers? Safeway gets the edge, with rates for drivers 65 and older almost 45% cheaper than the national average for AAA.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but car insurance premiums tend to be more expensive for single drivers than they are for married couples. That's normally because married drivers tend to own and insure more than one vehicle, which can often earn you a discount.

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

AAA or Safeway: Average Rates by Gender

Because women are less likely to get into accidents and get speeding tickets, they run a lower risk of filing a claim with insurance. So, women tend to pay less for insurance than men.

Men usually pay around $35 a month more than women with AAA, and nearly $20 with Safeway.

Looking at the data for each carrier specifically, Safeway offers the cheapest average premiums for both men and women, with average rates $128 less for men and $112 cheaper for women.

AAA vs. Safeway: 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, car insurance can be pretty complicated. Everyone needs auto insurance, but there are so many different terms and coverages that it can be hard to find the right policy for you.

That being said, most 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 includes two additional coverages -- collision and comprehensive -- in addition to what you get with liability).

Looking specifically at state minimum limits for liability insurance, Safeway has the edge, with average monthly prices coming in at $130. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Safeway again has the edge, with policies averaging about $258 per month to AAA's $459.

Is AAA or Safeway Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from 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.

Speeding tickets and collisions will most likely raise your prices, but is AAA or Safeway less expensive for drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use AAA for their auto insurance can typically expect their monthly bill to go up around 29% after getting a speeding ticket. Safeway policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of about 4%.

Even so, Safeway tends to offer the best prices for drivers both with clean records and with a ticket. With Safeway Insurance, drivers with a clean record can save around $50 a month and drivers with a speeding ticket can save about $129 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 around 37%. Safeway has a less extreme raise, but you can still expect to pay more than 25% more than you were prior to your first accident.

At the end of the day, Safeway offers the most affordable premiums for drivers with an at-fault collision on their records, with average prices coming in at $223 compared to AAA Insurance's $339.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

On average, a DUI offense is going to cost you much more than a single accident or ticket when it comes to your insurance bill. For example, AAA increases average premiums by nearly $200 a month -- that's over a 45% increase.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable rates, Safeway tends to be more affordable for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at about $220 to AAA's $403.

How does Credit Score Impact AAA and Safeway Rates?

You may not realized it, but your credit score can be used as one of the variables to determine your monthly car insurance premiums. This isn't true for everyone (for example, Michigan and Massachusetts are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it does affect several drivers out there.

Insurance carriers argue that those with good credit scores are more likely to pay their bills on time each month, which decreases the risk involved on their end, while the opposite is true for those with bad credit.

So, which company offers the cheapest rates 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 Safeway 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 car insurance companies will charge for coverage. Usually, those who drive less will end up with cheaper prices since there's less of a chance of causing an accident 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 Safeway charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly premiums for AAA, with policyholders who drive 6,000 miles yearly paying around $13 less every month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles annually. Still, for drivers in both categories, Safeway is the less expensive carrier.

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

Where you park your car can have a substantial impact on your monthly auto insurance payment. Normally, 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, Safeway generally comes out as the most affordable option for drivers in every type of area, no matter if it's urban, suburban, or rural.

For drivers in urban ZIP codes, Safeway Insurance's average prices are about $150 less than AAA Insurance. People who live in suburban areas pay around $100 less with Safeway compared to AAA. Those in rural areas can expect to save about $110 with Safeway compared to AAA.

AAA vs. Safeway Discounts

No matter why you might be in the market for a new auto 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 insurance discounts as possible.

The difficult part is finding all of the discounts you qualify 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 broke down all of the different discounts offered by both AAA and Safeway 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 Safeway away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 22 more discounts than Safeway.

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

On the other hand, Safeway has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like agency transfer discounts, full coverage discounts, punitive damage exclusion discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is AAA or Safeway Best for You?

You've seen the role certain factors have on your car insurance and the different discounts carriers offer. That's all well and good, but when it comes down to it, is AAA or Safeway the best company for you and your specific driver profile?

Safeway might be best for you if....

• You will be the only person on the insurance policy.
• You're looking for the best premiums on liability only coverage.
• You've started working from home and don't have much of a commute.

AAA might be best for you if...

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

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between AAA and Safeway and that you can now make a more informed decision when it comes to your auto 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 several companies, not just AAA and Safeway. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your ZIP code below and get multiple quotes from some of the best insurance carriers in your area, all for free.

AAA vs. Safeway FAQs

Is AAA or Safeway cheaper?

Safeway is the more affordable of the two companies when looking at national average prices, with policies averaging $194 per month with Safeway and $314 for AAA. But that doesn't mean Safeway will be the lowest company for each driver, since there are several different variables that come into play when it comes to your auto insurance cost.

Who is better, AAA or Safeway?

Unfortunately, the real answer is "it depends.". Neither carrier is "better" for everyone -- it all comes down to what your unique insurance profile looks like. For example, AAA is less expensive for drivers with excellent credit, while Safeway offers cheaper rates for drivers with a recent DUI.

Why do AAA and Safeway offer me different rates?

Car insurance carriers use lots of different factors when determining the premiums they charge. Things like where your home is, age, where you live, gender, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both AAA and Safeway calculate rates using different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different prices. The best way to determine which company is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from many different companies.

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

The only way to find the auto insurance carrier that's right for you is by getting quotes from multiple carriers and finding the one best suited for your individual budget. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top insurance companies for free. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the best rate. And maybe you'll find that the best company for you isn't AAA or Safeway 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.