Allstate vs. General Casualty: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• In general, General Casualty offers significantly more affordable premiums than Allstate
• Allstate offers more discounts than General Casualty
• General Casualty has cheaper rates for residents of rural areas

Allstate vs. General Casualty: 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 hefty discounts, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You might be considering Allstate or General Casualty, but between the two, which company will offer you less expensive prices?

Looking at nationwide averages, Allstate is quite a bit more expensive than General Casualty, with premiums averaging $199 per month compared to just $139 with General Casualty.

That being said, that doesn't necessarily mean General Casualty will be the cheaper option for every driver. After all, auto insurance companies can offer drastically different rates to each driver depending on rating factors like your age, your driving record, where you call home, or even your credit score (among other things). So, at the end of the day, rates from every carrier will differ quite a bit from person to person.

Wanting to know if Allstate or General Casualty 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.

Allstate or General Casualty: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Allstate and General Casualty compete against each other in eight states, with General Casualty offering more affordable rates to the average driver in all of them. Montana has the most noticable difference, where General Casualty prices are over 60% less expensive than car insurance rates at Allstate.

But there's more to calculating insurance prices than just your home state. Read on to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers typically pay a lot more for auto insurance than any group out there on the road. The reason is that young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to cause collisions and other accidents that will result in an insurance claim.

However, that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high car insurance premiums. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of nearly $200 less a month by choosing General Casualty over Allstate.

Even so, both carriers will offer you dramatically lower prices by the time drivers turn 25. For example, average rates for Allstate policyholders drop almost 65% and General Casualty's premiums reduce more than 55% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Once you approach retirement age, you'll usually enjoy the lowest auto insurance prices you'll ever find. You've been on the road for years, and all that experience pays off when it comes to your monthly premiums for car insurance.

But who has the best rates for retired drivers between Allstate and General Casualty? General Casualty gets the edge here, with average prices coming in at about $124 monthly compared to Allstate's $152.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but insurance rates tend to be more expensive for single policyholders than they are for married couples. That's generally because married policyholders tend to own and insure several cars, which can often earn you a discount.

When it comes to relationship status, General Casualty is the clear winner for single drivers, with premiums around $70 per month cheaper than Allstate, on average. The advantage is also clear for married drivers - General Casualty offers the most affordable average prices.

Allstate vs. General Casualty: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to cause a collision and get into accidents, which means they'll normally end up paying more for car insurance than women.

With Allstate, men usually pay about 4% more a month than women., and around 10% more with General Casualty.

Looking at the data for each carrier specifically, General Casualty comes out on top for both men and women, with average rates $57 less for men and $62 cheaper for women.

Allstate or General Casualty: 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.

Insurance can be a complicated subject for most people. Everyone needs auto insurance, but there are so many different coverages and limits that it can be hard to find the right policy.

The two most common policies that many drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability only (which covers the other party's injuries and property damage if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which generally refers to having comprehensive and collision coverages in addition to liability).

If you're looking for state minimum liability insurance, General Casualty typically offers more affordable premiums of $82 compared to Allstate's $108. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, General Casualty again has the edge, with policies about $95 per month cheaper than Allstate, on average.

Is Allstate or General Casualty 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.

Tickets and accidents will most likely raise your rates, but is Allstate or General Casualty more affordable for drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Allstate policyholders can expect their premiums to go up an average of $27 a month if they get a ticket, while General Casualty normally raises prices around $43 per month, on average.

But General Casualty has less expensive premiums for drivers in both categories -- their rates are around 42% more affordable for drivers with clean records and 27% less expensive for those with a ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both companies will increase prices pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault accident with Allstate climbing by just under $75. General Casualty has a less extreme increase, but you can still expect to pay over $55 more than you were prior to your first collision.

Overall, drivers who use General Casualty end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with monthly rates averaging $146 compared to Allstate's $229.

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 speeding ticket when it comes to your car insurance bill. For example, General Casualty increases average prices by more than $95 a month -- that's over a 50% increase.

If you have a DUI on your record and are looking for more affordable premiums, General Casualty tends to be the much cheaper option with average rates of $186 a month compared to $227 from Allstate.

How does Credit Score Impact Allstate and General Casualty Rates?

You may not have known, but your credit score can be used as one of the factors to calculate your monthly auto insurance prices. This isn't always the case (for example, Michigan and California are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it might come into play for a lot of drivers.

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

So, which company offers the best premiums for policyholders with poor, average, or good credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have solid credit, you'll usually find a better deal with General Casualty. Drivers with "excellent" credit can save just under 30% compared to Allstate, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- about $54 or 31% less expensive every month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

General Casualty typically offers lower rates than Allstate when it comes to drivers with less-than-stellar credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around $64 per month less with General Casualty compared to Allstate, and those with "poor" scores generally save an average of about $80 per month.

Is Allstate or General Casualty 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 sizable impact on how much auto insurance companies will charge for coverage? That's because the more miles you put on your vehicle each year, the more likely you are to get into a collision and cause an insurance claim.

As you can see in the table above, annual mileage doesn't have much of an impact on how much General Casualty charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly premiums for Allstate, with policyholders who drive 6,000 miles each year paying around $3 less every month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles yearly. Still, General Casualty is the more affordable option for drivers in both categories.

Allstate vs. General Casualty: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you park your car can play a large role in how much you pay for car insurance. Typically, those who live in urban areas will pay more than policyholders in rural areas due to the number of vehicles that are on the roads in those areas.

General Casualty tends to offer the most affordable rates for drivers in all types of areas, no matter if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

For drivers in urban ZIP codes, General Casualty offers prices about $151 monthly compared to Allstate's $222. People who live in suburban ZIP codes can expect to pay around $134 a month for General Casualty and $199 for Allstate. Lastly, those in rural areas tend to get the lowest premiums from both carriers, with average monthly prices coming in at $131 and $174 for General Casualty and Allstate respectively.

Allstate vs. General Casualty Discounts

Regardless of why you might be in the market for a new 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 with what seems like a million different discounts out there, it can be challenging to find all the ones you're eligible for or to nail down the company that has the most discounts for your unique driver profile.

Below, we've compared all of the different discounts offered by Allstate and General Casualty so that you can find the carrier that has the most discounts and, therefore, the biggest savings.

Allstate blows General Casualty away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 28 more discounts than General Casualty.

There are a couple discounts both companies offer, but Allstate also offers ABS discounts, agency transfer discounts, alert driving discounts, and more that General Casualty does not.

On the flip side, General Casualty has a couple unique discounts of its own -- employee discounts and occupation discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is Allstate or General Casualty Best for You?

So, you've seen how different variables can affect your auto insurance rates. We've broken down the different discounts each carrier offers, too. That's all well and good, but at the end of the day, which insurance company is the best one for you and your specific profile and needs?

General Casualty might be best for you if....

• You like the personalized touch of a small, local carrier.
• Your home is located in the suburbs.
• You have a short drive to work everyday.

Allstate might be best for you if...

• You value the experience that comes with a large national insurance company.
• You're looking for discounts -- Allstate has the most.

We hope this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between Allstate and General Casualty 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 Allstate and General Casualty. Luckily, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code below and get free quotes from dozens of the top car insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Allstate vs. General Casualty FAQs

Is Allstate or General Casualty cheaper?

Looking just at the national average premiums, General Casualty is the cheaper of the two carriers, offering average rates of $139 per month compared to $199 for Allstate. That being said, General Casualty won't necessarily be the cheapest carrier for each policyholder, since there are multiple different factors (things like age, gender, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Allstate or General Casualty?

Unfortunately, the real answer is "it depends.". No single company is "better" for every driver -- it all boils down to your unique auto insurance profile.

Why do Allstate and General Casualty offer me different rates?

Insurance companies take a look at several different variables when calculating the prices they charge policyholders. Things such as gender, where you call home, your driving record, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both Allstate and General Casualty calculate premiums differently, so each one will most likely offer different rates. The only real way to see which carrier is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from lots of different carriers.

How do I know if Allstate or General Casualty is right for me?

The only way to find the auto insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from multiple companies and finding the one best suited for your individual budget. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Just enter your area information and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best insurance carriers in your area. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the best price. And who knows, the best carrier for you might not be Allstate or General Casualty 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.