Alliance United vs. Bristol West: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• In general, Alliance United offers significantly cheaper premiums than Bristol West
• Alliance United tends to be a much less expensive option for drivers with a DUI
• Bristol West may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than Alliance United

Alliance United or Bristol West: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

So, you're thinking about switching to a new insurance policy. You've probably seen commercials and billboards from companies offering big savings, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You've maybe even narrowed your search down to Alliance United or Bristol West for your next policy, but between the two, which company will save you the most?

Looking at nationwide averages, Alliance United has average rates that are around 45% a month more affordable than those from Bristol West.

But that doesn't mean Alliance United will necessarily be cheaper than Bristol West for every driver. Auto insurance carriers vary their rates depending on things like how clean your driving record is, how good your credit score is, where you live, how old you are, and a ton of other factors, so premiums will change quite a bit from person to person.

So, if you want to find out which of Alliance United or Bristol West is really the best for you, keep reading to see average prices for each company broken down by many different rate factors.

Alliance United vs. Bristol West: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Alliance United and Bristol West only compete against each other in California, where Bristol West offers the cheaper average rates. Bristol West drivers tend to pay about $36 per month less on average compared to drivers who use Alliance United for their insurance.

There are plenty of other factors that go into your car insurance bill than just your home state. Continue reading to learn more about how other variables will affect your rates.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive auto insurance premiums of any group out there on the road. It's generally because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into an accident that results in a car insurance claim, making them much riskier to insure.

But still, even with seemingly sky-high prices, teen drivers can still find ways to save money. As you can see above, teens who use Alliance United save over 45% a month compared to those who use Bristol West.

However, both companies will offer you dramatically lower rates by the time you turn 25. For example, average prices for Alliance United policyholders reduce about $200 and Bristol West's premiums drop almost $450 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

When it comes to car insurance, patience and experience pay off, with drivers around retirement age paying some of the most affordable rates you'll ever see.

So, which carrier offers the best premiums to retired drivers? Alliance United gets the edge, with prices for drivers 65 and older $170 more affordable than the national average for Bristol West.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but auto insurance premiums tend to be more expensive for those who are single than they are for married drivers. This usually boils down to married couples having more than one vehicle on their policy -- something many insurance carriers will reward with discounts.

For single policyholders, the difference in average rates between these two companies is significant, with Alliance United prices coming in at around half of Bristol West's. The advantage for married policyholders with Alliance United is also obvious, where drivers save about $150 per month.

Alliance United or Bristol West: Average Rates by Gender

Because women are less likely to get into accidents and get speeding tickets, they have a lower chance of filing a claim with insurance. So, women typically pay less for car insurance than men.

With Alliance United, both genders end up paying the same monthly premium, but surprisingly, with Bristol West, women normally pay around 0% more a month than men.

When it comes to the cheapest rates for each gender, Alliance United comes out on top for both men and women. On average, women save about $187 per month and men save about $186 with Alliance United compared to the average Bristol West policyholder.

Alliance United vs. Bristol West: 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.

Auto insurance can be a complicated subject for most people. There are several different coverages that account for a bunch of different things. Some protect you and your car, while others only provide coverage for other people's property and health if you cause a collision.

That being said, most policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (which provides bodily injury and property damage coverage for other drivers if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which includes collision and comprehensive coverages that protect your own car, alongside what you get with a liability policy).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability insurance, Alliance United has the significant edge, with average monthly prices coming in at $102. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Alliance United again has the edge, with policies averaging around $349 a month to Bristol West's $544.

Is Alliance United or Bristol West Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

It's no secret -- drivers with good records end up getting the best deals on their 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 collisions lead to higher premiums, but which company -- Alliance United or Bristol West -- has the lowest prices for drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Alliance United for their car insurance can usually expect their monthly bill to go up about 25% after getting a speeding ticket. Bristol West policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of around 23%.

Even so, Alliance United is typically the less expensive option for drivers both with a ticket and with a clean record -- their rates are around 59% more affordable for drivers with clean records and 58% cheaper for those with a ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

After an accident, drivers who have their insurance through Alliance United can expect to see about an $150 -- or around 52% -- rise in their auto insurance rates. Drivers who use Bristol West for their car insurance will see a monthly bill about $140 (or 29%) more expensive after reporting a collision to their auto insurance carrier.

At the end of the day, the less expensive premiums come from Alliance United, with average rates coming in at $289 compared to Bristol West's $479.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

On average, a DUI offense is going to cost you much more than a single collision or speeding ticket when it comes to your insurance bill. On average, Alliance United will increase your premiums around 52% after a DUI, while Bristol West's average prices increase by nearly 15%.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable premiums, Alliance United tends to be cheaper for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at about $289 to Bristol West's $390.

How does Credit Score Impact Alliance United and Bristol West Rates?

In many cases, your credit score can come into play when carriers determine your monthly bill. This isn't true for everyone (Michigan, for example, has banned the use of credit score as an insurance factor) but it will come into play for several drivers.

The reasoning auto insurance companies use is that policyholders 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 specifically at Alliance United and Bristol West, which one has the best rates for drivers at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have excellent credit, Bristol West will usually reward you. With Bristol West, improving your score from "good" to "excellent" will normally save you around $40. On the other hand, because Alliance United doesn't have data available for credit scores, they most likely don't use credit to calculate your premiums.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Having bad credit can cost you with Bristol West. As you can see, Bristol West customers with poor credit scores pay about 25% per month more than those with fair scores (and even more compared to drivers with good or excellent scores). Because Alliance United doesn't have data available for credit scores, they may have better rates for drivers with bad credit over Bristol West.

Is Alliance United or Bristol West Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a considerable impact on your monthly prices. Generally, those who drive less will end up with less expensive rates since there's less of a chance of causing an accident and filing an insurance claim.

For both remote workers and those taking short commutes, Alliance United tends to be the more affordable option. Alliance United average prices for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in nearly $200 less expensive than Bristol West. Those who drive 12,000 miles annually can expect to pay just under $200 less with Alliance United over Bristol West.

Alliance United or Bristol West: 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 car insurance, but the type of area you live in can have a pretty big impact as well. Typically, 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.

Alliance United tends to offer the lowest prices for drivers in every type of area, no matter if it's urban, suburban, or rural.

Those in rural areas can expect to save around $103 with Alliance United compared to Bristol West. People who live in suburban areas pay about $147 less with Alliance United compared to Bristol West. For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, Alliance United's average rates are around $309 less than Bristol West.

Alliance United vs. Bristol West Discounts

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

The difficult part is finding all of the discounts you're eligible 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 Alliance United and Bristol West so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

Bristol West knocks Alliance United out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 18 different discounts to Alliance United's 18.

There are a couple discounts both carriers offer, but Bristol West also offers discounts for ABS, advance quote, anti-theft, and more.

On the other hand, Alliance United has a proprietary discount of their own -- a renewal discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is Alliance United or Bristol West Best for You?

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

Alliance United might be best for you if....

• Your driving record includes a DUI charge.
• You want the most robust protection via a "full coverage" policy.
• You want to save money while purchasing insurance for a teenager.

Bristol West might be best for you if...

• Your credit is less-than-stellar.
• You already have a great credit score.
• You're looking for discounts -- Bristol West has the most.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between Alliance United and Bristol West and that you can now make a more informed 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 auto insurance policy is to compare quotes from a handful of carriers, not just Alliance United and Bristol West. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your ZIP code below and get multiple free quotes from some of the best car insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Alliance United vs. Bristol West FAQs

Is Alliance United or Bristol West cheaper?

Alliance United is the cheaper of the two carriers when looking at national average premiums, with policies averaging $225 a month with Alliance United and $412 for Bristol West. However, that doesn't mean Alliance United will be the most affordable carrier for everyone, since there are a range of different variables that come into play when it comes to your auto insurance cost.

Who is better, Alliance United or Bristol West?

Unfortunately, the answer truly is "it depends.". No single company is "better" for every policyholder -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique insurance profile. For example, Bristol West is more affordable for drivers with excellent credit, while Alliance United offers cheaper rates for drivers with a recent DUI.

Why do Alliance United and Bristol West offer me different rates?

Auto insurance companies use lots of different factors when determining the premiums they charge. Variables like where your home is, age, where you live, gender, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both Alliance United and Bristol West 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 multiple different carriers.

How do I know if Alliance United or Bristol West 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, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Just enter your information once 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 best price. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't Alliance United or Bristol West 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.