Accc vs. Southern: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for auto insurance, Accc offers significantly more affordable rates than Southern
• Accc offers less expensive average premiums for policyholders who live in suburban areas
• Southern offers more discounts than ACCC Insurance Company

Accc vs. Southern: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

So, you're thinking about switching your auto insurance. You've probably seen commercials and billboards from companies offering huge discounts, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You might be considering Accc or Southern, but which company has cheaper prices for insurance?

As you can see, Southern has average rates that are about 55% per month more expensive than those from Accc when looking at the national average rates for auto insurance.

But that doesn't necessarily mean Accc will be the more affordable option for every driver. Car insurance companies vary their premiums depending on things like how good your credit score is, where you live, how clean your driving record is, how old you are, and a ton of other factors, so rates could vary drastically from person to person.

Luckily, we've broken down average prices from both Accc and Southern by multiple different rate factors, so read on to find out which company is the best for you.

Accc or Southern: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Accc and Southern only compete against each other in one states, with Accc offering cheaper rates to the average driver in all of them. Georgia has the most noticable difference, where Accc premiums are over 70% less expensive than insurance rates at Southern.

There are plenty of other factors that go into your car insurance payment than just your home state. Keep reading to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- usually pay a lot for auto insurance compared to older drivers. That's typically because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to get into an accident that results in an insurance claim, making them much riskier to insure.

That being said, that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their car insurance. As you can see above, teens who use Accc save nearly $450 a month compared to those who use Southern.

Even so, both carriers will decrease prices by the time you turn 25. For example, average premiums for Accc policyholders reduce almost $150 and Southern's rates lower around $450 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Drivers around retirement age generally enjoy some of the lowest insurance premiums out there. After all, they've likely been driving for quite some time, which normally reduces their chances of accidents and other infractions that can increase prices.

When looking at Accc and Southern specifically, which carrier is best for retired drivers? Accc gets the edge, with rates for drivers 65 and older more than 55% more affordable than the national average for Southern.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that auto insurance premiums are typically less expensive for married policyholders than they are for those who are single? That's because policies for married drivers usually cover several cars, which lots of companies will offer you a discount for.

When it comes to relationship status, Accc is the clear winner for single drivers, with prices about $214 per month cheaper than Southern, on average. The advantage is also clear for married couples - Accc offers the most affordable average premiums.

Accc vs. Southern: 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 generally end up paying a little more.

Typically, women see rates around 2% a month less with Accc, and about 11% less with Southern.

Looking at the data for each company specifically, Accc offers the lowest average prices for both men and women. On average, women save about $157 per month and men save around $190 with Accc compared to the average Southern policyholder.

Accc or Southern: 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 auto insurance can be pretty complicated. There are so many different limits and coverages that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy.

However, most policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability only (that covers bodily injury and property damage for other drivers and their passengers if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which includes comprehensive and collision coverages that protect your own vehicle, in addition to liability).

If you're looking for state minimum liability insurance, Accc normally offers significantly less expensive premiums of $95 compared to Southern's $192. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, Accc again has the edge, with policies about $250 a month cheaper than Southern, on average.

Is Accc or Southern Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

It's no big secret that drivers who are accident-free get better deals on their insurance. But even if you have a spotty record, you can still find plenty of ways to save some cash on your monthly bill.

You'll probably end up paying more with tickets and at-fault accidents on your record, but which of these two carriers offers the cheapest prices to drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Accc policyholders can expect their rates to go up an average of $22 per month if they get a ticket, while Southern typically raises premiums around $17 a month, on average.

But Accc tends to offer the best prices for both drivers who have a recent speeding ticket and those with clean records -- their rates are around 42% more affordable for drivers with clean records and 36% 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 Accc can expect to see about an $55 -- or around 30% -- increase in their auto insurance rates. Drivers who use Southern for their insurance will see a monthly bill about $77 (or 26%) more expensive after reporting a collision to their auto insurance carrier.

Overall, Accc offers the most affordable prices for drivers with an at-fault accident on their records, with monthly premiums averaging $181 compared to Southern Insurance Company of Virginia's $293.

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 an accident. For example, Southern increases average prices by just under $350 per month -- that's over a 60% increase.

If you have a DUI on your record and are looking for more affordable rates, Accc tends to be the much cheaper option with average prices of $140 monthly compared to $548 from Southern.

How does Credit Score Impact Accc and Southern Rates?

Did you know that many car insurance companies take into account your credit score when calculating rates? This isn't always the case (Massachusetts, for example, has banned the use of credit score as a rating factor) but it will come into play for several drivers.

Insurance carriers 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 company offers the lowest premiums for drivers with good, average, or poor credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Is Accc or Southern 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 large impact on how much auto insurance companies will charge for coverage? Usually, those who drive less will end up with more affordable prices since there's less of a chance of getting into a collision and causing an insurance claim.

As you can see in the table above, annual mileage doesn't have much of an impact on how much Accc charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly rates for Southern, with policyholders who drive the least paying around $30 less each month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles yearly. Still, Accc is the less expensive option for drivers in both categories.

Accc vs. Southern: 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 sizable impact as well. 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.

Accc tends to offer the cheapest premiums for drivers in all areas, regardless of if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

If you live in a rural area, you can expect to save about 56% with Accc compared to Southern. Drivers in suburban ZIP codes pay around 49% less with Accc compared to Southern. In urban areas, ACCC Insurance Company's average rates are about 56% less than Southern Insurance Company of Virginia.

Accc vs. Southern Discounts

Regardless of 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 possible, and the best way to do that is by utilizing as many car insurance discounts as you can.

But where do you even start? With so many discounts out there, it may seem challenging to find all the of the ones you're eligible for.

Below, we've broken down all of the different discounts offered by both Accc and Southern so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and, therefore, the biggest savings.

Southern blows Accc away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 20 different discounts to Accc's 11.

Both carriers offer lots of the same discounts -- like anti-theft discounts, discounts for being a good student, and paid in full discounts -- but Southern also offers ABS discounts, advance quote discounts, defensive driver discounts, and more that Accc does not.

On the flip side, Accc has a couple unique discounts of its own -- claim free discounts, diminution of value discounts, EFT discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Accc or Southern Best for You?

So, you've seen how different factors can affect your insurance prices. We've shown you all the discounts each company offers, too. That's all well and good, but when it comes down to it, which insurance carrier is the right carrier for you and your specific profile and needs?

Accc might be best for you if....

• You have a clean driving record, free of collisions, tickets, or DUIs.
• You're looking for more protection with "full coverage" auto insurance.
• You have a short drive to work everyday.

Southern might be best for you if...

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

We hope this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare Accc and Southern. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best 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 a handful of companies, not just Accc and Southern. Luckily, sites like Compare.com make it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your ZIP code below and get free quotes from dozens of the top insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Accc vs. Southern FAQs

Is Accc or Southern cheaper?

Looking just at the national average rates, Accc is the more affordable of the two companies, offering average rates of $149 a month compared to $322 for Southern. However, Accc won't necessarily be the lowest company for every driver, since there are a range of different variables (things like age, driving record, gender, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Accc or Southern?

Unfortunately, the real answer is "it depends.". No one carrier is necessarily "better" for everyone -- it all boils down to your unique car insurance profile.

Why do Accc and Southern offer me different rates?

Auto insurance carriers take a look at many different factors when determining the premiums they charge policyholders. Things such as age, where your home is, your driving record, gender, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both Accc and Southern calculate rates using different formulas, so each one will most likely offer different prices. The only real way to see which company is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a bunch of different companies.

How do I know if Accc or Southern is right for me?

The only way to find the insurance carrier that's right for you is by getting quotes from several carriers 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 information once and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best car insurance companies in your area. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the best premium. And who knows, the best company for you might not be Accc or Southern at all!

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.