AAA vs. Southern County Mutual: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for car insurance, Southern County Mutual offers significantly cheaper premiums than AAA
• AAA may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than Southern County Mutual Insurance Company
• Southern County Mutual has less expensive prices for policyholders who live in the suburbs

AAA or Southern County Mutual: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

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

You've maybe even narrowed your search down to AAA or Southern County Mutual, but which one has more affordable rates for auto insurance?

Looking at the national average rates for both carriers, AAA is quite a bit more expensive than Southern County Mutual, with premiums averaging $314 a month compared to just $179 with Southern County Mutual.

However, that doesn't mean Southern County Mutual will necessarily be cheaper than AAA for every driver. Car insurance companies use a variety of complex algorithms to determine rates, so depending on where you live or how old you are (among an array of other factors), you could see wildly different prices from the ones above.

So, if you want to find out which of AAA or Southern County Mutual is really the best for you, keep reading to see average premiums for each company broken down by a variety of different rate factors.

AAA vs. Southern County Mutual: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

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But there's more to auto insurance than just where you call home. As we mentioned above, there's a lot of things that go into how insurance carriers calculate your premiums. Continue reading to see how other variables will affect your rates.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive car insurance rates of any other group of drivers. That's because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to cause collisions and other accidents that will result in an insurance claim.

That being said, that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their auto insurance. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have Southern County Mutual for their car insurance pay almost 50% less than those who use AAA.

Even so, both companies will decrease premiums once you turn 25. For example, average rates for AAA policyholders drop around $400 and Southern County Mutual's prices reduce about $200 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Once you approach retirement age, you'll normally enjoy the most affordable insurance rates you'll ever 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.

So, which carrier offers the best premiums to retired drivers? Southern County Mutual gets the edge here, with average rates coming in at around $129 monthly compared to AAA's $238.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that insurance prices are usually less expensive for married drivers than they are for single drivers? That's generally because married policyholders tend to own and insure more than one vehicle, which can often earn you a discount.

For single policyholders, the difference in average premiums between these two carriers is significant, with Southern County Mutual prices coming in at about half of AAA's. The advantage is also clear for married couples - Southern County Mutual offers the cheapest average rates.

AAA or Southern County Mutual: Average Rates by Gender

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

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

Looking at overall affordability, Southern County Mutual comes out on top for both men and women, with average premiums $143 less for men and $127 cheaper for women.

AAA vs. Southern County Mutual: 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.

Car insurance isn't the easiest topic to understand. There are a range of different coverages that account for multiple 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 end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability coverage (that covers property damage and bodily injury for other drivers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which typically refers to having collision and comprehensive coverages in addition to liability coverage).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability limits, Southern County Mutual has the significant edge, with average monthly rates coming in at $105. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Southern County Mutual again has the edge, with policies averaging about $254 per month to AAA's $459.

Is AAA or Southern County Mutual Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from auto insurance companies offering great prices for good drivers, but that doesn't mean people with less-than-perfect driving records can't save money, too.

Speeding tickets and at-fault collisions will most likely raise your premiums, but is AAA or Southern County Mutual more affordable for drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use AAA for their car insurance can normally expect their monthly bill to go up around 29% after getting a speeding ticket. Southern County Mutual policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of about 6%.

Even so, Southern County Mutual is generally the less expensive option for drivers both with a ticket and with a clean record. With Southern County Mutual Insurance Company, drivers with a clean record can save around $47 a month and drivers with a speeding ticket can save about $123 per month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

After an accident, drivers who have their insurance through AAA can expect to see around an $126 -- or about 37% -- rise in their car insurance prices. Drivers who use Southern County Mutual for their insurance will see a monthly bill around $3 (or 2%) more expensive after reporting an accident to their auto insurance company.

At the end of the day, Southern County Mutual offers the lowest rates for drivers with an at-fault collision on their records, with average premiums coming in at $169 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. AAA drivers usually see a 47% climb in their car insurance rates after a DUI charge, while Southern County Mutual will typically raise prices by about 20%.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable premiums, Southern County Mutual tends to be cheaper for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at around $207 to AAA's $403.

How does Credit Score Impact AAA and Southern County Mutual 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 (California, for example, has banned the use of credit score as a car insurance factor) but it does affect several drivers out there.

Insurance companies argue that someone with bad credit is less likely to pay their bills on time, which makes them riskier to insure. Because of that, policyholders with bad credit will often be forced to pay more.

So, which carrier offers the best prices for drivers with good, average, or poor credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have a great credit score, Southern County Mutual will generally reward you the most. For policyholders with "excellent" credit scores, Southern County Mutual comes in nearly 18.92 more affordable. Drivers with "good" credit scores usually save about 34% with Southern County Mutual compared to average premiums from AAA.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Southern County Mutual typically offers lower rates than AAA when it comes to drivers with a below average credit score. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around 36% a month less with Southern County Mutual compared to AAA, and those with "poor" scores normally save an average of about 61% per month.

Is AAA or Southern County Mutual Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a pretty big impact on your monthly premiums. Usually, those who drive less will end up with cheaper rates 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 Southern County Mutual charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly prices for AAA, with drivers who put 6,000 miles on their car every year paying around $13 less each month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles annually. Still, for drivers in both categories, Southern County Mutual is the less expensive company.

AAA or Southern County Mutual: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you call home can play a big role in how much you pay for auto insurance. Normally, if you live in a rural area with fewer cars on the road, you'll pay a little less for insurance, while the opposite is true for people in urban areas.

When comparing these two carriers side-by-side, Southern County Mutual typically comes out as the cheapest 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 about 38% with Southern County Mutual compared to AAA. People who live in suburban areas pay around 41% less with Southern County Mutual compared to AAA. For drivers in urban ZIP codes, Southern County Mutual Insurance Company's average rates are about 47% less than AAA Insurance.

AAA vs. Southern County Mutual Discounts

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

But with what seems like a million different discounts out there, it can be difficult to find all the ones you're eligible for or to nail down the carrier that has the most discounts for your unique driver profile.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and broke down all of the different discounts offered by both AAA and Southern County Mutual so that you can see which carrier offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

AAA knocks Southern County Mutual out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 24 more discounts than Southern County Mutual.

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

On the other hand, Southern County Mutual has a few proprietary discounts of their own like corporate discounts and umbrella policy discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is AAA or Southern County Mutual Best for You?

So, you've seen how different factors can affect your auto insurance prices. We've broken down the different discounts each company offers, too. That's all well and good, but when it comes down to it, is AAA or Southern County Mutual the right one for you and your specific driver profile?

Southern County Mutual might be best for you if....

• You have below-average credit.
• You're looking for the best premiums on liability only coverage.
• You live in a rural area.

AAA might be best for you if...

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

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between AAA and Southern County Mutual. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best 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 Southern County Mutual. 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. Southern County Mutual FAQs

Is AAA or Southern County Mutual cheaper?

Southern County Mutual is the more affordable of the two carriers when looking at national average rates, with policies averaging $179 per month with Southern County Mutual and $314 for AAA. However, that doesn't mean Southern County Mutual will be the most affordable carrier for every policyholder, since there are a bunch of different variables (things like age, gender, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, AAA or Southern County Mutual?

Unfortunately, the real answer is "it depends.". No single company is necessarily "better" for each policyholder -- it all comes down to what your unique insurance profile looks like.

Why do AAA and Southern County Mutual offer me different rates?

Car insurance companies use a lot of different factors when determining the prices they charge. Variables such as age, your driving record, gender, where you park your vehicle, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both AAA and Southern County Mutual calculate premiums using different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different prices. The best way to determine which carrier is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from lots of different carriers.

How do I know if AAA or Southern County Mutual is right for me?

The only way to find the auto insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from a handful of companies and finding the one best suited for your individual budget. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your area information and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top car insurance carriers for free. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the most affordable rate. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't AAA or Southern County Mutual 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.