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

Quick Facts

• In general, Allstate offers significantly cheaper rates than Southern
• Allstate tends to be a much more affordable option for policyholders who live in suburban areas
• Southern offers more affordable prices for residents in Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee

Allstate 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 Allstate or Southern, but which one will offer you less expensive premiums?

As you can see, Allstate is quite a bit cheaper than Southern, with rates averaging $199 per month compared to $322 with Southern when looking at the national average rates for car insurance.

Even so, that doesn't mean Allstate will necessarily be cheaper than Southern for every single driver. Auto insurance companies use a variety of complex algorithms to calculate prices, so depending on how clean your driving record is or how old you are (among numerous other factors), you could see wildly different rates from the ones above.

Wanting to know if Allstate or Southern 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 Southern: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

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

That being said, there are plenty of other factors that go into your insurance bill than just where you live. Read on to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers typically pay a lot more for car insurance than any group on the road. It's because 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 teen drivers can't still save money on their auto insurance. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have Allstate for their insurance pay more than $250 less than those who use Southern. It's worth noting that Allstate offers auto insurance in 47 different states compared to Southern's three, which can skew the average premiums a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

But both carriers will offer you dramatically lower rates once you turn 25. For example, average prices for Allstate policyholders decrease nearly $300 and Southern's premiums drop about $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 prices to retired drivers? Allstate gets the edge here, with average premiums coming in at around $152 a month compared to Southern's $254.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but insurance prices tend to be cheaper for married drivers than they are for those who are single. That's because policies for married policyholders usually cover more than one car, which lots of companies will offer you a discount for.

When it comes to relationship status, Allstate is the clear winner for single drivers, with rates about $150 a month less expensive than Southern, on average. The advantage is also clear for married couples - Allstate offers the lowest average premiums.

Allstate vs. Southern: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to cause a collision and get into accidents. That means when it comes to auto insurance men will normally end up paying a little more.

Women generally pay almost $10 per month less than men with Allstate, and around $36 less with Southern.

Looking at the data for each company specifically, Allstate offers the cheapest average prices for both men and women. On average, women save about $110 a month and men save about $137 with Allstate compared to the average Southern policyholder.

Allstate 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.

Car insurance can be a complicated subject for most people. There are multiple different coverages that account for lots of different things. Some protect you and your vehicle, while others only provide coverage for other people's property and health if you cause an accident.

The two most common policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability only (which covers the other party's property damage and injuries if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes comprehensive and collision coverages that protect your own vehicle, in addition to liability coverage).

If you're looking for state minimum liability limits, Allstate typically offers significantly more affordable premiums of $108 compared to Southern's $192. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, Allstate again has the edge, with policies around $150 per month cheaper than Southern, on average.

Is Allstate or Southern Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

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

It's no secret secret that at-fault accidents and tickets lead to higher premiums, but which carrier -- Allstate or Southern -- has the most affordable rates for drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Allstate policyholders can expect their prices to go up an average of $27 a month if they get a ticket, while Southern generally raises rates about $17 per month, on average.

That being said, Allstate has less expensive premiums for drivers in both categories, offering prices that are 28% and 21% more affordable, respectively, compared to Southern Insurance Company of Virginia.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

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

Overall, Allstate offers the lowest rates for drivers with an at-fault accident on their records, with monthly prices averaging $229 compared to Southern Insurance Company of Virginia's $293.

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 a collision or speeding ticket. Southern drivers usually see a 61% raise in their car insurance premiums after a DUI charge, while Allstate will normally increase rates by about 31%.

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

How does Credit Score Impact Allstate and Southern Rates?

In many cases, your credit score can come into play when companies determine your monthly bill. Certain states and carriers do not allow for credit score to be used as a rating factor, but it might come into play for many policyholders.

The reasoning insurance companies use is that drivers with good credit will be more likely to pay their bills on time; so they'll reward them with cheaper premiums, while those with poor credit will typically be forced to pay more.

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

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have a great credit score, you'll usually find a better deal with Allstate. Drivers with "excellent" credit can save just under 35% compared to Southern, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- around $89 or 34% less expensive each month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Allstate typically offers lower prices than Southern when it comes to drivers with less-than-stellar credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about $126 a month less with Allstate compared to Southern, and those with "poor" scores generally save an average of around $205 monthly.

Is Allstate or Southern Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a large impact on your monthly car insurance cost. Usually, those who drive fewer miles will end up with cheaper rates since there's less of a chance of getting into an accident and causing an insurance claim.

For both drivers who put 6,000 miles on their vehicles annually, as well as those who average twice that figure, Allstate tends to be the more affordable option. Southern's average premiums for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in about 36% more expensive than Allstate. Those who drive 12,000 miles yearly can expect to pay around 41% more with Southern over Allstate.

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

Where you call home can play a pretty big role in how much you pay for auto insurance. Normally, policyholders who live in heavily-populated urban areas will pay quite a bit more than rural drivers due to the number of cars that are on the roads in those areas.

Allstate tends to offer the most affordable rates for drivers in every type of area, no matter if it's urban, suburban, or rural.

If you live in a rural area, you can expect to save about 42% with Allstate compared to Southern. Drivers in suburban ZIP codes pay around 29% less with Allstate compared to Southern. In urban areas, Allstate's average prices are about 43% less than Southern Insurance Company of Virginia.

Allstate vs. Southern 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. That's where car insurance discounts comes into play.

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

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

Allstate blows Southern away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 40 different discounts to Southern's 20.

There are a couple discounts both carriers offer, but Allstate also offers agency transfer discounts, alert driving discounts, annual mileage discounts, and more that Southern does not.

On the flip side, Southern has a couple unique discounts of its own -- experienced operator discounts, family discounts, group discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Allstate or Southern Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average premiums for many of the factors insurance companies look at, and we've shown you all the discounts each carrier offers. But, when it comes down to it, which company is the right carrier for you and your specific needs?

Allstate might be best for you if....

• You're single and purchasing auto insurance by yourself.
• You're looking for discounts -- Allstate has the most.
• Your neighborhood is in the suburbs.

Southern might be best for you if...

• You live in one of the following states: Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee.

We hope this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between Allstate and Southern 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 insurance policy is to compare quotes from several carriers, not just Allstate and Southern. 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 FAQs

Is Allstate or Southern cheaper?

Looking just at the national average rates, Allstate is the less expensive of the two carriers, offering average rates of $199 per month compared to $322 for Southern. But Allstate won't necessarily be the cheapest carrier for every driver, since there are a range of different variables that come into play when it comes to your car insurance payment.

Who is better, Allstate or Southern?

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

Why do Allstate and Southern offer me different rates?

Auto insurance companies take a look at quite a few different factors when calculating the prices they charge policyholders. Variables like gender, your driving record, where you park your vehicle, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both Allstate and Southern calculate premiums differently, so each one will most likely offer different rates. The only real way to see which carrier is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a variety of different carriers.

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

The only way to find the 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 information once and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best car insurance carriers in your area. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the most affordable rate. And who knows, the best carrier for you might not be Allstate 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.