AAA vs. West Bend Mutual: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• In general, West Bend Mutual offers significantly less expensive premiums than AAA
• AAA may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than West Bend Mutual Insurance
• West Bend Mutual tends to be a much cheaper option for policyholders who live in urban areas

AAA or West Bend Mutual: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

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

You might have narrowed it down to AAA or West Bend Mutual for your next policy, but which one has more affordable prices for car insurance?

As you can see, AAA is quite a bit more expensive than West Bend Mutual, with premiums averaging $314 a month compared to just $131 with West Bend Mutual when looking at the national average rates for insurance.

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

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

AAA vs. West Bend Mutual: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

AAA and West Bend Mutual only compete against each other in one states, with West Bend Mutual offering more affordable prices to the average driver in all of them. Wisconsin has the most noticable difference, where West Bend Mutual rates are $125 less expensive than auto insurance prices at AAA.

But there's more to insurance than just where you call home. As we mentioned above, there's a lot of things that go into how auto insurance companies determine your premiums. Keep reading to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive insurance rates of any other group of drivers. Usually, that'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 car insurance prices. As you can see above, teens who use West Bend Mutual save over 50% per month compared to those who use AAA.

That being said, both carriers will lower premiums by the time you turn 25. West Bend Mutual offers the steepest decrease, with 25-year-olds paying less than a third of what 18-year-old drivers are charged. AAA's average rates drop almost 60% during that same period.

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 lowest premiums you can find.

But who has the best rates for retired drivers between AAA and West Bend Mutual? West Bend Mutual gets the edge, with prices for drivers 65 and older more than 60% more affordable than the national average for AAA.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but auto insurance rates tend to be more expensive for those who are single than they are for married couples. That's because policies for married policyholders generally cover more than one vehicle, which many companies will give you a discount for.

For single policyholders, the difference in average premiums between these two carriers is significant, with West Bend Mutual prices coming in at around half of AAA's. The advantage for married drivers with West Bend Mutual is also obvious, where drivers save over 60% a month.

AAA or West Bend Mutual: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get into collisions and file an insurance claim. That means when it comes to car insurance men will normally end up paying a little more.

On average, men see premiums more than 10% per month higher with AAA, and over 10% with West Bend Mutual.

When it comes to the cheapest prices for each gender, West Bend Mutual comes out on top for both men and women, with average rates $192 less for men and $174 cheaper for women.

AAA vs. West Bend 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.

It's no secret that insurance can be pretty complicated. There are so many different coverages and limits that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy for you.

However, most policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- 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 a liability policy).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability limits, West Bend Mutual has the significant edge, with average monthly prices coming in at $77. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, West Bend Mutual again has the edge, with policies averaging about $186 a month to AAA's $459.

Is AAA or West Bend Mutual 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.

It's no secret secret that speeding tickets and at-fault accidents lead to higher premiums, but which carrier -- AAA or West Bend Mutual -- has the most affordable rates 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. West Bend Mutual policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of about 23%.

But West Bend Mutual has less expensive prices for drivers in both categories, offering rates that are 61% and 64% cheaper, respectively, compared to AAA Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

AAA drivers who get in an accident can expect to see their premiums increase by just under $150, while those who have insurance through West Bend Mutual will see around a $80 increase.

At the end of the day, West Bend Mutual offers the lowest rates for drivers with an at-fault collision on their records, with average premiums coming in at $163 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 car insurance bill. For example, AAA increases average prices by nearly $200 per month -- that's more than a 45% increase.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable premiums, West Bend Mutual tends to be more affordable for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at about $169 to AAA's $403.

How does Credit Score Impact AAA and West Bend Mutual Rates?

You may not realized it, but your credit score can come into play when companies calculate your monthly bill. This isn't true for everyone (California, for example, has banned the use of credit score as an insurance factor) but it will come into play for quite a few policyholders.

The reasoning auto insurance carriers use is that drivers with good credit will be more likely to pay their bills on time; so they'll reward them with cheaper prices, while those with poor credit will generally be forced to pay more.

Looking at AAA and West Bend Mutual specifically, which company has the best rates for policyholders at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have great credit, West Bend Mutual will usually reward you the most. For drivers with "excellent" credit scores, West Bend Mutual comes in nearly 47.57 less expensive. Drivers with "good" credit scores normally save around 53% with West Bend Mutual compared to average premiums from AAA.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

West Bend Mutual typically offers lower prices than AAA when it comes to drivers with less-than-stellar credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about 56% a month less with West Bend Mutual compared to AAA, and those with "poor" scores typically save an average of around 67% a month.

Is AAA or West Bend Mutual 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 insurance companies will charge for coverage. That's because the more milage you put on your car each year, the more likely you are to be in a collision and file an insurance claim.

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

AAA or West Bend Mutual: 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 auto insurance, but the type of area you live in can have a sizable impact as well. Usually, those who live in rural areas will pay less than policyholders in urban areas because of the small number of vehicles that are on the roads where they live.

West Bend Mutual boasts the cheapest average prices for drivers in all areas, regardless of if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

Those in rural areas can expect to save around $143 with West Bend Mutual compared to AAA. People who live in suburban areas pay about $179 less with West Bend Mutual compared to AAA. For drivers in urban ZIP codes, West Bend Mutual Insurance's average premiums are around $226 less than AAA Insurance.

AAA vs. West Bend Mutual 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. That's where car insurance discounts comes into play.

The hard 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 West Bend Mutual 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 West Bend Mutual away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 33 different discounts to West Bend Mutual's 16.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like discounts for being a defensive driver, discounts for being a good driver, discounts for being a good student, and multi-policy discounts. AAA also offers discounts for AAA, academic, advance quote, and more.

On the other hand, West Bend Mutual has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like ABS discounts, advanced safety feature discounts, excess vehicle discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is AAA or West Bend Mutual Best for You?

You've seen the effect certain variables have on your auto insurance and the different discounts carriers offer. But, when it comes down to it, is AAA or West Bend Mutual the best fit for you?

West Bend Mutual might be best for you if....

• You have less-than-stellar credit.
• You have above-average credit.
• You're of retirement age and want to take advantage of lower rates.

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 West Bend Mutual and that it aids in making a more informed decision about your 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 multiple companies, not just AAA and West Bend Mutual. Luckily, sites like Compare.com make it easy for you to do just that. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get free quotes from dozens of top insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

AAA vs. West Bend Mutual FAQs

Is AAA or West Bend Mutual cheaper?

West Bend Mutual is the less expensive of the two companies when looking at national average prices, with policies averaging $131 per month with West Bend Mutual and $314 for AAA. Even so, that doesn't mean West Bend Mutual will be the lowest carrier for each policyholder, since there are lots of different factors (things like age, driving record, gender, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, AAA or West Bend Mutual?

Unfortunately, the real answer is "it depends.". No single company is "better" for everyone -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique auto insurance profile.

Why do AAA and West Bend Mutual offer me different rates?

Car insurance carriers use several different variables when determining the premiums they charge. Things like gender, where you park your car, age, your driving record, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both AAA and West Bend Mutual calculate rates using different formulas, 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 companies.

How do I know if AAA or West Bend Mutual is right for me?

The only way to find the insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from a handful of carriers 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 information once and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top auto insurance companies for free. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the best price. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't AAA or West Bend 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.