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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for auto insurance, American Family offers significantly more affordable premiums than California Casualty
• American Family offers more affordable rates for residents of rural areas
• California Casualty offers more affordable premiums for residents in Colorado, Delaware, Oregon, and Washington

American Family vs. California Casualty: 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 large discounts. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You've maybe even narrowed it down to American Family or California Casualty for your next policy, but between the two, which company will save you the most?

As you can see, American Family is quite a bit cheaper than California Casualty, with rates averaging $140 per month compared to $201 with California Casualty when looking at the national average rates for insurance.

That being said, that doesn't mean American Family will necessarily be less expensive than California Casualty for every driver. Auto insurance companies vary their prices depending on things like how good your credit score is, how old you are, how clean your driving record is, where you live, and a ton of other factors. So, at the end of the day, rates from each carrier will differ quite a bit from person to person.

So, if you want to find out which of American Family or California Casualty is really the best for you, keep reading to see average prices for each company broken down by several different rate factors.

American Family or California Casualty: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

American Family and California Casualty only compete against each other in three states, with American Family offering cheaper premiums to the average driver in all of them. Colorado has the most noticable difference, where American Family prices are over 40% less expensive than insurance rates at California Casualty.

That being said, there are plenty of other factors that go into your car insurance cost than just where you live. 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 premiums of any group out there on the road. That's generally because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

But still, even with seemingly sky-high rates, teen drivers can still find ways to save money. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have American Family for their auto insurance pay more than $100 less than those who use California Casualty.

Even so, both carriers will offer you dramatically lower premiums by the time you turn 25. For example, average prices for American Family policyholders reduce over 60% and California Casualty's premiums lower nearly 60% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

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

When looking at American Family and California Casualty specifically, which carrier is best for retired drivers? American Family gets the edge here, with average prices coming in at about $107 monthly compared to California Casualty's $149.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

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

When it comes to relationship status, American Family is the clear winner for those who are single, with premiums around $66 a month more affordable than California Casualty, on average. For married drivers, the advantage is clear again - American Family has the edge when it comes to average rates.

American Family vs. California Casualty: Average Rates by Gender

You may not know, but men normally pay more for car insurance than women do. This is because men are statistically more likely than women to get into accidents and file an insurance claim, which leads to increased risk for insurers and, therefore, higher premiums.

Generally, men see prices about 3% per month higher with American Family, while with California Casualty, the difference is closer to 8% a month.

Looking at the data for each company specifically, American Family comes out on top for both men and women, with average rates $66 less for men and $55 cheaper for women.

American Family or California 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 isn't the easiest topic to understand. There are lots of different coverages that account for a range 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 (that covers property damage and bodily injury for other drivers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- comprehensive and collision -- in addition to liability).

If you're looking for state minimum liability insurance, American Family generally offers cheaper prices of $96 compared to California Casualty's $122. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, American Family again has the edge, with policies around $95 per month more affordable than California Casualty, on average.

Is American Family or California Casualty Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

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

You'll probably end up paying more with collisions and tickets on your record, but which of these two companies offers the cheapest rates to drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

American Family policyholders can expect their premiums to go up an average of $29 a month if they get a ticket, while California Casualty usually raises prices about $33 per month, on average.

But American Family is normally the less expensive option for both drivers who have a recent speeding ticket and those with clean records, offering premiums that are $19 and $23 more affordable, respectively, compared to California Casualty.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both carriers will increase prices pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault accident with California Casualty climbing by over $60. American Family has a less extreme rise, but you can still expect to pay $20 more than you were prior to your first collision.

Overall, American Family offers the most affordable rates for drivers with an at-fault accident on their records, with monthly prices averaging $138 compared to California Casualty's $198.

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 ticket or even an accident. California Casualty drivers usually see a 54% raise in their insurance premiums after a DUI charge, while American Family will typically increase rates by around 25%.

If you have a DUI on your record and are looking for more affordable premiums, American Family tends to be the much less expensive option with average rates of $158 per month compared to $300 from California Casualty.

How does Credit Score Impact American Family and California Casualty Rates?

Often times, your credit score can come into play when companies calculate your monthly bill. This isn't always the case (for example, Hawaii and California are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it will come into play for a lot of drivers.

Car insurance carriers argue that those with good credit scores are more likely to pay their bills on time every month, which reduces the risk involved on their end, while the opposite is true for those with bad credit.

Looking at American Family and California Casualty specifically, which carrier has the best prices for policyholders at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have a solid credit score, you'll usually find a better deal with American Family. Drivers with "excellent" credit can save over 25% compared to California Casualty, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- about $54 or 31% cheaper each month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

American Family typically offers lower rates than California Casualty when it comes to drivers with less-than-stellar credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around $69 a month less with American Family compared to California Casualty, and those with "poor" scores usually save an average of about $84 a month.

Is American Family or California Casualty Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a sizable impact on your monthly auto insurance bill. Normally, those who drive fewer miles will end up with less expensive prices since there's less of a chance of getting into a collision and causing an insurance claim.

American Family tends to be the more affordable option for both drivers who put 6,000 miles on their vehicles annually, as well as those who average twice that figure. American Family's average premiums for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in around 27% cheaper than California Casualty. Those who drive 12,000 miles every year can expect to pay about 33% less with American Family over California Casualty.

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

Where your home is can play a large role in how much you pay for car insurance. Typically, if you live in an urban area with more cars on the road, you'll pay a little more for auto insurance, while the opposite is true for people in rural areas.

American Family tends to offer the cheapest prices for drivers in every type of area, no matter if it's urban, suburban, or rural.

Policyholders in rural ZIP codes see the most affordable rates from both companies, but American Family comes out on top with average premiums around $121 per month. American Family also has more affordable average rates for drivers in urban and suburban ZIP codes -- a 24% and 39% per month respective difference when compared to California Casualty policyholders in similar areas.

American Family vs. California 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 auto 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're eligible for.

Below, we've taken a look at all of the different discounts American Family and California Casualty offer their customers 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 blows California Casualty away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering seven more discounts than California Casualty.

There are a couple discounts both carriers offer, but American Family also offers advance quote discounts, anti-theft discounts, connect partner discounts, and more that California Casualty does not.

On the flip side, California Casualty has a couple unique discounts of its own -- ABS discounts, discounts for getting driver training, education discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is American Family or California Casualty Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average premiums for many of the variables 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 best carrier for you and your specific driver profile?

American Family might be best for you if....

• Your driving record contains an at-fault collision.
• You have above-average credit.
• Your neighborhood is in a rural area.

California Casualty might be best for you if...

• You like the personalized touch of a small, local company.

We hope this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between American Family and California Casualty. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision about your car 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 several carriers, not just American Family and California Casualty. Luckily, sites like Compare.com make it easy for you to do just that. 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.

American Family vs. California Casualty FAQs

Is American Family or California Casualty cheaper?

Looking just at the national average prices, American Family is the cheaper of the two carriers, offering average rates of $140 a month compared to $201 for California Casualty. However, American Family won't necessarily be the lowest carrier for everyone, since there are many different factors (things like age, driving record, gender, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, American Family or California Casualty?

Unfortunately, the answer truly is "it depends.". No one company is necessarily "better" for each driver -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique auto insurance profile.

Why do American Family and California Casualty offer me different rates?

Car insurance companies take a look at lots of different variables when calculating the premiums they charge drivers. Factors such as your driving record, where you live, gender, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both American Family and California Casualty use different formulas, so each one will most likely offer different prices. The only real way to see which carrier is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from multiple different carriers.

How do I know if American Family or California 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 makes it easy for you to do just that. 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 American Family or California 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.