American Family vs. Buckeye: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for auto insurance, Buckeye offers slightly more affordable prices than American Family
• American Family offers more discounts than Buckeye Insurance Group
• Buckeye offers more affordable premiums for drivers who have an at-fault accident on their record

American Family vs. Buckeye: 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 sizable discounts, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You've maybe even narrowed your search down to American Family or Buckeye as your top options, but between the two, which company has cheaper prices for car insurance?

Looking at nationwide averages, Buckeye is about $8 per month less expensive than American Family.

Even so, that doesn't necessarily mean Buckeye will be the cheaper option for each driver. Insurance companies vary their premiums depending on things like how clean your driving record is, how good your credit score is, how old you are, where you live, and a ton of other factors, so rates will change quite a bit from person to person.

Wanting to know if American Family or Buckeye 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.

American Family or Buckeye: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

American Family and Buckeye only compete against each other in two states, with American Family offering less expensive prices to the average driver in all of them. Ohio has the most noticable difference, where American Family rates are over 40% more affordable than auto insurance prices at Buckeye.

There are plenty of other factors that go into your insurance cost than just your home state. Read on to find out more.

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 usually because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

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 Buckeye save more than $40 a month compared to those who use American Family. It's worth noting that American Family offers insurance in 16 different states compared to Buckeye's two, which can skew the average rates a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

But both carriers will reduce premiums by the time drivers turn 25. For example, average prices for American Family policyholders drop nearly $200 and Buckeye's rates decrease over $150 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

When it comes to auto insurance, patience and experience pay off, with drivers around retirement age paying some of the lowest premiums out there.

When looking at American Family and Buckeye specifically, which carrier is best for retired drivers? Buckeye gets the slight edge here, with average prices coming in at around $105 per month compared to American Family's $107. However, the difference is only about 5%, so other factors (such as your credit score or your driving record) will likely come into play when determining which company has the cheapest rates for you.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Married policyholders tend to get slightly less expensive car insurance prices than those who are single. That's generally because married couples tend to own and insure multiple cars, which can often earn you a discount.

When it comes to relationship status, Buckeye is the winner for single drivers, with rates around $16 per month more affordable than American Family, on average.

American Family vs. Buckeye: 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 typically end up paying a little more.

Typically, women see premiums about $5 a month cheaper with American Family, and around $15 less with Buckeye.

When it comes to the most affordable rates for each gender, Buckeye offers the lowest average prices for both men and women, with average premiums 2% less for men and 9% cheaper for women.

American Family or Buckeye: 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 car insurance can be a complicated subject for most people. Everyone needs insurance, but there are so many different coverages and terms 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 provides bodily injury and property damage coverage for other drivers and their passengers if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which includes comprehensive and collision coverages that protect your own vehicle, in addition to liability).

In this case, Buckeye offers the cheapest average prices for state minimum liability insurance, while American Family has the edge for full coverage policies with similar coverage limits. Drivers looking for basic state minimum coverage can save around $25 with Buckeye Insurance Group, while full coverage comes out to be about $6 more affordable with American Family Insurance.

Is American Family or Buckeye Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

It's no big secret that drivers who are accident-free get better deals on their auto 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 American Family or Buckeye less expensive for drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

American Family policyholders can expect their rates to go up an average of $29 per month if they get a ticket, while Buckeye normally raises prices around $6 a month, on average.

But Buckeye tends to offer the best prices for drivers both with a speeding ticket and with a clean record. Drivers with a clean record can save about $37 per month and drivers with a ticket can save around $60 a month with Buckeye Insurance Group.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

After an accident, drivers who have their car insurance through American Family can expect to see about an $20 -- or around 14% -- increase in their insurance premiums. Drivers who use Buckeye for their car insurance will see a monthly bill about $17 (or 17%) more expensive after reporting a collision to their insurance carrier.

Overall, drivers who use Buckeye end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with monthly rates averaging $98 compared to American Family Insurance's $138.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

If you get a DUI charge on your record, it's probably going to cost you more than a simple speeding ticket or even an accident. Buckeye drivers usually see a 69% raise in their auto insurance premiums after a DUI charge, while American Family will generally increase rates by around 25%.

American Family has the overall lowest prices for drivers with a DUI on their records at $158 monthly, but it's worth noting that American Family's average rates come from 16 states compared to just two for Buckeye, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact American Family and Buckeye Rates?

In many cases, your credit score can come into play when companies calculate your monthly bill. This isn't always the case (for example, California and Michigan are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it does affect quite a few policyholders out there.

The reasoning insurance carriers 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 best rates for policyholders with poor, average, or good credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have great credit, you'll usually find a better deal with Buckeye. Drivers with "excellent" credit can save just under 15% compared to American Family, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- about $26 or 22% cheaper each month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

If you have less-than-perfect credit, it can be somewhat of a toss-up as far as which company offers you the best prices. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around $19 less with Buckeye than American Family, but those whose credit is considered "poor" have it flipped -- saving about $26 per month with American Family.

Is American Family or Buckeye 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 pretty big impact on your monthly auto insurance payment? That's because the more miles you put on your car, 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 Buckeye charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly rates for American Family, with policyholders who drive 6,000 miles yearly paying around $5 less every month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles each year. Still, Buckeye is the less expensive option for drivers in both categories.

American Family vs. Buckeye: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you call home can have a big impact on your monthly car insurance bill. Usually, if you live in a rural area with fewer cars on the road, you'll pay a little less for auto insurance, while the opposite is true for people in urban areas.

Looking at these companies side-by-side, Buckeye tends to offer the cheapest option for drivers in rural and urban areas, while American Family wins in suburban areas.

In urban areas, Buckeye Insurance Group's average prices are about 21% less than American Family Insurance. Drivers in suburban ZIP codes pay around 16% less with American Family compared to Buckeye. If you live in a rural area, you can expect to save about 12% with Buckeye compared to American Family.

American Family vs. Buckeye 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 difficult 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 compared all of the different discounts offered by American Family and Buckeye so that you can see which one offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

American Family knocks Buckeye out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 21 different discounts to Buckeye's seven.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like anti-theft discounts, discounts for being a defensive driver, and multi-policy discounts. American Family also offers advance quote discounts, connect partner discounts, COVID-19 relief discount, and more that Buckeye does not.

On the flip side, Buckeye has a unique discount of its own -- a good driving discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is American Family or Buckeye Best for You?

You've seen the role certain variables have on your insurance and the different discounts carriers offer. But, when it comes down to it, which insurance company is the best carrier for you and your specific driver profile?

Buckeye might be best for you if....

• You've been pulled over for speeding recently.
• You have above-average credit.
• You drive fewer than 12,000 miles annually.

American Family might be best for you if...

• You're planning on moving to another state soon -- Buckeye Insurance Group is only available to Indiana and Ohio residents.
• You care about discounts (American Family offers the most).
• Your neighborhood is in the suburbs.

We hope this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between American Family and Buckeye and that it aids in making a more informed 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 car insurance policy is to compare quotes from a handful of companies, not just American Family and Buckeye. Luckily, sites like Compare.com make it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your ZIP code below and get multiple quotes from some of the best auto insurance carriers in your area, all for free.

American Family vs. Buckeye FAQs

Is American Family or Buckeye cheaper?

Looking just at the national average premiums, Buckeye is the more affordable of the two companies, offering average rates of $132 a month compared to $140 for American Family. Even so, Buckeye won't necessarily be the most affordable carrier for every policyholder, since there are many different factors that are considered when it comes to your insurance cost.

Who is better, American Family or Buckeye?

Unfortunately, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". One company is not necessarily "better" for each driver -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique car insurance profile. For example, Buckeye offers cheaper prices for policyholders with an at-fault collision on their record, while American Family is more affordable for drivers who have less-than-stellar credit scores.

Why do American Family and Buckeye offer me different rates?

Auto insurance carriers take a look at a lot of different variables when calculating the premiums they charge drivers. Things such as age, where you live, gender, your driving record, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both American Family and Buckeye use different formulas, 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 lots of different companies.

How do I know if American Family or Buckeye is right for me?

The only way to find the insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from multiple carriers 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 car insurance companies in your area. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the cheapest price. And who knows, the best carrier for you might not be American Family or Buckeye 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.