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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for insurance, Patriot offers slightly more affordable premiums than Allstate
• Allstate tends to be a much cheaper option for residents of rural areas
• Patriot offers more affordable prices for residents in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont

Allstate vs. Patriot: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

So, you're thinking about switching your auto insurance. After all, you've seen ads from all sorts of companies offering hefty discounts. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You might be considering Allstate or Patriot, but which carrier has less expensive rates for auto insurance?

Looking at the national average rates for both companies, Patriot is about $8 per month more affordable than Allstate.

However, Patriot may not be the lowest or best option for every single driver out there. Insurance carriers use tons of complex algorithms to calculate premiums, so depending on how good your credit score is or how clean your driving record is (among several other factors), you could see wildly different prices from the ones above.

Luckily, we've broken down average premiums from both Allstate and Patriot by a variety of different rate factors, so read on to find out which carrier is the best for you.

Allstate or Patriot: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Allstate and Patriot only compete against each other in three states, with Allstate offering less expensive rates to the average driver in all of them. Vermont has the most noticable difference, where Allstate prices are over 70% cheaper than car insurance premiums at Patriot.

That being said, there are plenty of other factors that go into your auto insurance payment than just where you call home. Read on to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers usually pay a lot more for insurance than any other group of drivers. That's because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to get into an accident that results in an auto insurance claim, making them much riskier to insure.

That being said, that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high car insurance rates. As you can see above, teens who use Patriot save $20 a month compared to those who use Allstate. It's worth noting that Allstate offers insurance in 47 different states compared to Patriot's three, which can skew the average premiums a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

But with both companies, you'll see your prices reduce significantly by the time you turn 25. For example, average rates for Allstate policyholders lower nearly 65% and Patriot's premiums decrease more than 55% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Drivers around retirement age typically enjoy some of the cheapest car insurance rates you can find. 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 Allstate and Patriot specifically, which company is best for retired drivers? Patriot gets the edge, with premiums for drivers 65 and older over 15% more affordable than the national average for Allstate.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Those who are single tend to get offered slightly more expensive auto insurance rates than married policyholders. That's because policies for married drivers generally cover multiple cars, which several carriers will offer you a discount for.

If you're in the market for insurance, Patriot tends to have the most affordable average prices regardless of if you're married or single, with prices around 3% less expensive for single policyholders and about 4% cheaper for married couples.

Allstate vs. Patriot: Average Rates by Gender

Did you know men tend to pay more for car insurance than women? This is because men are statistically more likely than women to get into collisions and file an insurance claim, which leads to increased risk for insurers and, therefore, higher premiums.

Usually, men see rates around 4% per month higher with Allstate, and about 9% more with Patriot.

Looking at the data for each carrier specifically, Patriot offers the lowest average prices for both men and women, with average premiums 1% less for men and 6% cheaper for women.

Allstate or Patriot: 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 coverages and limits that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy.

Even so, the 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 includes two additional coverages -- comprehensive and collision -- in addition to what you get with liability).

In this case, Patriot offers the cheapest average rates for state minimum liability insurance, while Allstate has the edge for full coverage policies with similar coverage limits. Drivers looking for basic state minimum coverage can save around $30 with Patriot Insurance, while full coverage comes out to be around $15 less expensive with Allstate.

Is Allstate or Patriot Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from insurance companies offering great prices for good drivers, but that doesn't mean people with less-than-perfect driving records can't save money, too.

At-fault accidents and tickets will most likely raise your premiums, but is Allstate or Patriot cheaper for drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Allstate policyholders can expect their rates to go up an average of $27 a month if they get a ticket, while Patriot typically raises prices about $23 per month, on average.

However, Patriot tends to offer the best prices for both drivers who have clean records and those with a recent speeding ticket -- their rates are around 46% more affordable for drivers with clean records and 42% less expensive for those with a ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Allstate policyholders who get in a collision can expect to see their premiums rise by just under $75, while those who have insurance through Patriot will see around a $20 increase.

Overall, drivers who use Patriot end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with monthly prices averaging $103 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 ticket when it comes to your car insurance bill. For example, Patriot increases average rates by just under $400 a month -- that's over a 80% increase.

Allstate has the overall most affordable premiums for drivers with a DUI on their records at $227 a month, but it's worth noting that Allstate's average rates come from 47 states compared to just three for Patriot, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact Allstate and Patriot Rates?

Did you know that many auto insurance carriers take your credit score into account when calculating prices? This isn't always the case (for example, Massachusetts and Michigan are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it will come into play for quite a few drivers.

Insurance companies 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.

Looking specifically at Allstate and Patriot, which company has the lowest rates for policyholders at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have solid credit, you'll usually find a better deal with Allstate for an "excellent" credit score. Drivers with "excellent" credit can save just under 10% compared to Patriot, while those with "good" scores can expect to see better savings from Patriot -- about $1 or 1% cheaper than Allstate every month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Patriot typically offers lower prices than Allstate when it comes to drivers with less-than-stellar credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around $16 per month less with Patriot compared to Allstate, and those with "poor" scores usually save an average of about $28 per month.

Is Allstate or Patriot 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 auto insurance carriers will charge for coverage. Normally, those who drive less will end up with more affordable rates since there's less of a chance of getting into an accident 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 Patriot 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 annually. Still, Patriot is the less expensive option for drivers in both categories.

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

Where you live can play a big role in how much you pay for car insurance. Generally, 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.

Patriot boasts the most affordable average rates in urban and suburban areas, while Allstate wins in rural areas.

If you live in a rural area, you can expect to save about $9 with Allstate compared to Patriot. Drivers in suburban ZIP codes pay around $1 less with Patriot compared to Allstate. In urban areas, Patriot Insurance's average premiums are about $29 less than Allstate.

Allstate vs. Patriot Discounts

You want to save as much money as possible, right? The best way to do that is by taking advantage of as many insurance discounts as you can.

But with what seems like a million different discounts out there, it can be difficult to find all the ones you qualify for or to nail down the carrier that has the most discounts for your unique driver profile.

In the section below, we've compared all of the different discounts offered by Allstate and Patriot so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

Allstate knocks Patriot out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 29 more discounts than Patriot.

Both companies offer lots of the same discounts -- like discounts for being a defensive driver, discounts for being a good driver, life policy discounts, and paid in full discounts -- but Allstate also offers ABS discounts, agency transfer discounts, alert driving discounts, and more that Patriot does not.

On the flip side, Patriot has a unique discount of its own -- a full coverage discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is Allstate or Patriot Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average prices for many of the factors auto insurance carriers look at, and walked through the different discounts each company offers, too. That's all well and good, but at the end of the day, is Allstate or Patriot the best one for you and your specific profile and needs?

Patriot might be best for you if....

• You have a speeding ticket on your driving record.
• Your home is in a busy urban area.
• You're married and plan to have both of your names on the vehicle's car insurance policy.

Allstate might be best for you if...

• You already have plans to move to another state -- Patriot Insurance only offers policies in three states.
• You're looking for the carrier with the most discounts.
• Your neighborhood is in a rural area.

We hope this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare Allstate and Patriot. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision about your auto insurance.

At the end of the day, the sure-fire way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your insurance policy is to compare quotes from multiple companies, not just Allstate and Patriot. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get multiple quotes from some of the best car insurance carriers in your area, all for free.

Allstate vs. Patriot FAQs

Is Allstate or Patriot cheaper?

Looking just at the national average rates, Patriot is the cheaper of the two companies, offering average rates of $191 a month compared to $199 for Allstate. But Patriot won't necessarily be the lowest company for each policyholder, since there are many different variables (things like age, gender, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Allstate or Patriot?

Unfortunately, the answer truly is "it depends.". Neither carrier is "better" for everyone -- it all depends on what your unique auto insurance profile looks like.

Why do Allstate and Patriot offer me different rates?

Car insurance carriers take a look at lots of different factors when determining the premiums they charge drivers. Variables such as gender, age, your driving record, where you call home, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Allstate and Patriot calculate prices using different formulas, so each one will most likely offer different premiums. 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 Allstate or Patriot 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 ZIP code and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best auto insurance companies in your area. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the most affordable premium. And who knows, the best company for you might not be Allstate or Patriot 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.