Allstate vs. Southern Farm Bureau: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for car insurance, Southern Farm Bureau offers significantly cheaper rates than Allstate
• Allstate offers more discounts than Southern Farm Bureau Insurance
• Southern Farm Bureau offers more affordable prices for residents in Arkansas

Allstate vs. Southern Farm Bureau: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

Are you in the market for a new insurance policy? You've probably seen commercials and billboards from companies offering considerable discounts, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You might have narrowed your search down to Allstate or Southern Farm Bureau as potential options, but which one has more affordable premiums for insurance?

Looking at nationwide averages, Southern Farm Bureau has average rates that are about 50% per month less expensive than those from Allstate.

Even so, Southern Farm Bureau may not be the lowest or best option for each driver out there. Auto insurance companies vary their rates 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, premiums from each carrier will differ quite a bit from person to person.

Wanting to know if Allstate or Southern Farm Bureau is really the right company for you? Keep on reading to see how average prices can change based on all of the factors we've mentioned above.

Allstate or Southern Farm Bureau: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Allstate and Southern Farm Bureau only compete against each other in Arkansas, where Southern Farm Bureau offers the cheaper average rates. For Arkansas residents, Southern Farm Bureau offers car insurance for $103 a month on average. Allstate's average premiums come out to be over 70% more expensive, at $194 per month.

That being said, there's a lot more that goes into your auto insurance cost than just your home state. Continue reading to see how other factors will affect your rates.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive insurance prices of any other group of drivers. It's normally because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to cause collisions and other accidents that will result in an insurance claim.

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 Southern Farm Bureau save $250 a month compared to those who use Allstate. It's worth noting that Allstate offers auto insurance in 47 different states compared to Southern Farm Bureau's one, which can skew the average rates a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

But both carriers will drop prices once you turn 25. Southern Farm Bureau offers the steepest decrease, with 25-year-olds paying less than half what 18-year-old drivers are charged. Allstate's average rates decrease nearly 65% during that same period.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

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

But who has the best premiums for retired drivers between Allstate and Southern Farm Bureau? Southern Farm Bureau gets the edge, with rates for drivers 65 and older $76 more affordable than the national average for Allstate.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that insurance premiums are usually more expensive for single drivers than they are for married policyholders? This usually boils down to married couples having more than one car on their policy -- something quite a few car insurance companies will reward with discounts.

When it comes to relationship status, Southern Farm Bureau is the clear winner for single policyholders, with rates around $111 per month cheaper than Allstate, on average. The advantage is also clear for married drivers - Southern Farm Bureau offers the cheapest average prices.

Allstate vs. Southern Farm Bureau: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get into collisions and get speeding tickets. That means when it comes to auto insurance men will typically end up paying a little more.

With Allstate, men generally pay about 4% more a month than women., and around 6% with Southern Farm Bureau.

Looking at the data for each carrier specifically, Southern Farm Bureau offers the most affordable average rates for both men and women. On average, male drivers save about $97 per month and women save about $94 with Southern Farm Bureau compared to the average Allstate policyholder.

Allstate or Southern Farm Bureau: 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.

For most people, insurance isn't the easiest topic to understand. Everyone needs auto insurance, but there are so many different terms 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 property damage and injuries if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which includes comprehensive and collision coverages that protect your own vehicle, alongside liability).

If you're looking for state minimum liability insurance, Southern Farm Bureau typically offers significantly less expensive prices of $54 compared to Allstate's $108. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, Southern Farm Bureau again has the edge, with policies around $150 a month cheaper than Allstate, on average.

Is Allstate or Southern Farm Bureau Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

It's no big secret that drivers who are accident-free get better deals on their car 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 premiums, but is Allstate or Southern Farm Bureau less expensive 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 per month if they get a ticket, while Southern Farm Bureau normally raises premiums about $8 a month, on average.

However, Southern Farm Bureau tends to offer the best prices for drivers both with clean records and with a speeding ticket, offering prices that are 43% and 47% more affordable, respectively, compared to Allstate.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Allstate drivers who get in a collision can expect to see their premiums climb by over 30%, while those who have insurance through Southern Farm Bureau will see around a 25% increase.

Overall, Southern Farm Bureau offers the cheapest rates for drivers with an at-fault accident on their records, with monthly prices averaging $116 compared to Allstate's $229.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

If you get a DUI charge, you can expect some pretty significant increases in your monthly auto insurance bill -- usually a lot more than an accident or ticket. Allstate drivers usually see a 31% climb in their car insurance rates after a DUI charge, while Southern Farm Bureau will normally increase prices by about 18%.

Southern Farm Bureau has the overall lowest premiums for drivers with a DUI on their records at $108 monthly, but it's worth noting that Allstate's average rates come from 47 states compared to just one for Southern Farm Bureau, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact Allstate and Southern Farm Bureau Rates?

You may not realized it, but your credit score can be used as one of the variables to calculate your monthly insurance prices. This isn't always the case (for example, Hawaii and Michigan are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it will come into play for several policyholders.

The reasoning car insurance carriers use is that drivers with bad credit will be less likely to pay their bills on time; so typically, they'll be asked to pay more, while those with good credit will be rewarded with less expensive rates.

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

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have solid credit, you'll usually find a better deal with Southern Farm Bureau. Drivers with "excellent" credit can save over 50% compared to Allstate, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- around $87 or 51% cheaper every month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Southern Farm Bureau typically offers lower prices than Allstate when it comes to drivers with less-than-stellar credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about $97 per month less with Southern Farm Bureau compared to Allstate, and those with "poor" scores usually save an average of around $127 per month.

Is Allstate or Southern Farm Bureau 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 substantial impact on your monthly insurance payment? Generally, those who drive less will end up with more affordable premiums 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 Southern Farm Bureau charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly rates for Allstate, with policyholders who drive 6,000 miles yearly paying about $3 less each month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles every year. Still, Southern Farm Bureau is the less expensive option for drivers in both categories.

Allstate vs. Southern Farm Bureau: 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 pretty big impact as well. Normally, if you live in an urban area with more cars on the road, you'll pay a little more for car insurance, while the opposite is true for people in rural areas.

Southern Farm Bureau tends to offer the lowest prices for drivers in all types of areas, no matter if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

Policyholders in rural ZIP codes see the cheapest premiums from both companies, but Southern Farm Bureau comes out on top with average rates around $83 monthly. Southern Farm Bureau also has more affordable average premiums for drivers in urban and suburban ZIP codes -- a 50% and 42% a month respective difference when compared to Allstate policyholders in similar areas.

Allstate vs. Southern Farm Bureau 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 insurance discounts as you can.

But with what seems like a million different discounts out there, it can be challenging to nail down the carrier that has the most discounts for your unique driver profile and to find all the discounts you can take advantage of.

In the table below, we've taken a look at all of the different discounts Allstate and Southern Farm Bureau offer their customers so that you can see which company offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

Allstate knocks Southern Farm Bureau out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 36 more discounts than Southern Farm Bureau.

Both carriers offer many of the same discounts -- like discounts for being a defensive driver, discounts for being a good student, and multi-policy discounts -- but Allstate also offers ABS discounts, advance quote discounts, agency transfer discounts, and more that Southern Farm Bureau does not.

Southern Farm Bureau's discounts come through just a few categories, including Defensive Driver, Driver Training, Good Student, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Allstate or Southern Farm Bureau Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average prices for many of the factors auto insurance companies look at, and we've shown you all the discounts each company offers. That's all well and good, but at the end of the day, which carrier is the right fit for you?

Southern Farm Bureau might be best for you if....

• You haven't received any speeding tickets or been in an accident in the last few years.
• You live in an suburban area.
• You are over 65 years old and want to save some money on your car insurance.

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

Allstate vs. Southern Farm Bureau FAQs

Is Allstate or Southern Farm Bureau cheaper?

Looking just at the national average rates, Southern Farm Bureau is the cheaper of the two carriers, offering average rates of $103 per month compared to $199 for Allstate. That being said, Southern Farm Bureau won't necessarily be the lowest carrier for everyone, since there are a bunch of different variables (things like gender, age, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Allstate or Southern Farm Bureau?

Sadly, the answer truly is "it depends.". No single company is necessarily "better" for everyone -- it all boils down to your unique insurance profile.

Why do Allstate and Southern Farm Bureau offer me different rates?

Car insurance companies take a look at many different factors when calculating the premiums they charge drivers. Things like age, where you live, your driving record, gender, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Allstate and Southern Farm Bureau calculate prices using different formulas, so each one will most likely offer different rates. The only real way to see which carrier is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from lots of different carriers.

How do I know if Allstate or Southern Farm Bureau 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, 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 insurance carriers in your area. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the best premium. And who knows, the best carrier for you might not be Allstate or Southern Farm Bureau 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.