AAA vs. Southern Farm Bureau: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for insurance, Southern Farm Bureau offers significantly more affordable premiums than AAA
• AAA may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than Southern Farm Bureau Insurance
• Southern Farm Bureau tends to be a much cheaper option for drivers who have a speeding ticket on their driving record

AAA or Southern Farm Bureau: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

Are you in the market for 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 have narrowed your search down to AAA or Southern Farm Bureau as potential options, but which one will offer you less expensive prices?

As you can see, Southern Farm Bureau is quite a bit cheaper than AAA, with premiums averaging $103 a month compared to $314 with AAA when looking at the national average rates for auto insurance.

That being said, Southern Farm Bureau may not be the cheapest or best option for every single driver out there. Insurance carriers use all sorts of complex algorithms to determine prices, so depending on how good your credit score is or how clean your driving record is (among numerous other factors), you could see wildly different rates from the ones above.

So, if you want to find out which of AAA or Southern Farm Bureau is really the best for you, keep reading to see average prices for each carrier broken down by lots of different rate factors.

AAA vs. Southern Farm Bureau: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

AAA and Southern Farm Bureau only compete against each other in Arkansas, where Southern Farm Bureau offers the cheaper average rates. Southern Farm Bureau drivers tend to pay about $109 per month less on average compared to drivers who use AAA for their car insurance.

There are plenty of other factors that go into your insurance cost than just your home state. 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 premiums of any group out there on the road. It's because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to cause collisions and other accidents that will result in an insurance claim.

But that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high auto insurance rates. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have Southern Farm Bureau for their car insurance pay almost 70% less than those who use AAA.

However, both companies will offer you dramatically lower premiums by the time you turn 25. For example, average prices for AAA policyholders lower around $400 and Southern Farm Bureau's premiums drop about $100 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Drivers around retirement age normally enjoy some of the most affordable auto insurance rates you can find. After all, they've likely been driving for quite some time, which typically lowers their chances of collisions and other infractions that can raise prices.

When looking at AAA and Southern Farm Bureau specifically, which company is best for retired drivers? Southern Farm Bureau gets the edge here, with average premiums coming in at around $76 per month compared to AAA's $238.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Those who are single tend to get offered slightly more expensive insurance rates than married drivers. This usually boils down to married policyholders having more than one vehicle on their policy -- something lots of auto insurance carriers will reward with discounts.

For single drivers, the difference in average prices between these two companies is significant, with Southern Farm Bureau rates coming in at about a third of AAA's. For married couples, the advantage is clear again - Southern Farm Bureau has the edge when it comes to average prices.

AAA or Southern Farm Bureau: Average Rates by Gender

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

With AAA, men usually pay over 10% more a month than women., but with Southern Farm Bureau, the difference is closer to 6% per month.

Looking at overall affordability, Southern Farm Bureau offers the cheapest average premiums for both men and women. On average, male drivers save about $225 a month and women save around $197 with Southern Farm Bureau compared to the average AAA policyholder.

AAA vs. Southern Farm Bureau: 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 can be pretty complicated. Everyone needs auto insurance, but there are so many different terms and limits that it can be hard 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 injuries and property damage if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which generally refers to having collision and comprehensive coverages in addition to what you get with a liability policy).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability limits, Southern Farm Bureau has the significant edge, with average monthly rates coming in at $54. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Southern Farm Bureau again has the edge, with policies averaging about $151 per month to AAA's $459.

Is AAA or Southern Farm Bureau Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from car insurance carriers offering great prices 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 collisions on your record, but which of these two companies offers the most affordable premiums to drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use AAA for their insurance can usually expect their monthly bill to go up around 29% after getting a speeding ticket. Southern Farm Bureau policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of about 8%.

Even so, Southern Farm Bureau has cheaper prices for drivers in both categories, offering rates that are 58% and 68% less expensive, respectively, compared to AAA Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

After an accident, drivers who have their car insurance through AAA can expect to see around an $126 -- or about 37% -- rise in their insurance premiums. Drivers who use Southern Farm Bureau for their auto insurance will see a monthly bill around $27 (or 23%) more expensive after reporting an accident to their car insurance carrier.

At the end of the day, the more affordable rates come from Southern Farm Bureau, with average premiums coming in at $116 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 -- normally a lot more than a collision or ticket. On average, AAA will increase your prices about 47% after a DUI, while Southern Farm Bureau's average premiums increase by nearly 20%.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable prices, Southern Farm Bureau tends to be cheaper for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at around $108 to AAA's $403.

How does Credit Score Impact AAA and Southern Farm Bureau Rates?

Did you know many auto insurance carriers take into account your credit score when determining rates? Certain states and companies do not allow for credit score to be used as a car insurance factor, but it does affect several drivers out there.

Insurance carriers argue that those with poor credit scores are less likely to pay their bills on time every month, which raises the risk involved on their end, while the opposite is true for those with good credit.

Looking specifically at Southern Farm Bureau and AAA, which company has the best prices for policyholders at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have solid credit, Southern Farm Bureau will typically reward you the most. For drivers with "excellent" credit scores, Southern Farm Bureau comes in more than 61.08 less expensive. Drivers with "good" credit scores normally save about 66% with Southern Farm Bureau compared to average rates from AAA.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Southern Farm Bureau typically offers lower premiums than AAA when it comes to drivers with less-than-perfect credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around 65% a month less with Southern Farm Bureau compared to AAA, and those with "poor" scores generally save an average of about 73% a month.

Is AAA or Southern Farm Bureau Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a pretty big impact on how much car insurance companies will charge for coverage. Typically, the more milage you put on your car each year, the more you can expect to pay for auto insurance.

As you can see in the table above, annual mileage doesn't have much of an impact on how much Southern Farm Bureau charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly rates for AAA, with policyholders who drive 6,000 miles each year paying around $13 less every month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles annually. Still, for drivers in both categories, Southern Farm Bureau is the more affordable company.

AAA or Southern Farm Bureau: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

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

Southern Farm Bureau boasts the cheapest average prices for drivers in every type of area, no matter if it's urban, suburban, or rural.

For drivers in urban ZIP codes, Southern Farm Bureau's average premiums are about $110 while AAA offers rates around $384. People in suburban areas pay a monthly rate of about $115 with Southern Farm Bureau compared to $301 with AAA. Those in rural areas can expect to pay around $83 monthly with Southern Farm Bureau and $256 with AAA.

AAA vs. Southern Farm Bureau Discounts

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

The difficult part is finding all of the discounts you qualify for, since it can feel sometimes like every company 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 Southern Farm Bureau so that you can see which carrier can save you the most money each month.

AAA blows Southern Farm Bureau away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 33 different discounts to Southern Farm Bureau's four.

Both carriers offer many of the same discounts -- like discounts for being a defensive driver, discounts for being a good student, and multi-policy discounts -- but AAA also offers discounts for AAA, academic, advance quote, and more.

Southern Farm Bureau's discounts come through just a few categories, including Defensive Driver, Driver Training, Good Student, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is AAA or Southern Farm Bureau Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average prices for many of the factors insurance companies look at, and walked through the different discounts each carrier offers, too. That's all well and good, but when it comes down to it, which company is the right company for you and your specific needs?

Southern Farm Bureau might be best for you if....

• You have a clean driving record, free of accidents, tickets, or DUIs.
• You want the most robust protection via a "full coverage" policy.
• You drive fewer than 6,000 miles yearly.

AAA might be best for you if...

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

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between AAA and Southern Farm Bureau. 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 multiple carriers, not just AAA and Southern Farm Bureau. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code below and get free quotes from dozens of top car insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

AAA vs. Southern Farm Bureau FAQs

Is AAA or Southern Farm Bureau cheaper?

Southern Farm Bureau is the less expensive of the two carriers when looking at national average premiums, with policies averaging $103 per month with Southern Farm Bureau and $314 for AAA. However, that doesn't mean Southern Farm Bureau will be the most affordable carrier for everyone, since there are multiple different variables that come into play when it comes to your auto insurance payment.

Who is better, AAA or Southern Farm Bureau?

Unfortunately, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". One company is not "better" for everyone -- it all depends on what your unique car insurance profile looks like.

Why do AAA and Southern Farm Bureau offer me different rates?

Auto insurance companies use quite a few different factors when calculating the rates they charge. Variables like gender, age, where you call home, your driving record, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both AAA and Southern Farm Bureau calculate prices using different factors, so it's likely they'll offer different rates. The best way to determine which carrier is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a variety of different carriers.

How do I know if AAA or Southern Farm Bureau is right for me?

The only way to find the insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from several 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 ZIP code 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 Southern Farm Bureau 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.