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

Quick Facts

• In general, American Family offers significantly more affordable rates than Safe Auto
• American Family tends to be a much cheaper option for policyholders who live in the suburbs
• American Family offers less expensive average premiums for drivers who have less-than-stellar credit

American Family vs. Safe Auto: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

So, you're considering 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 American Family or Safe Auto, but which one has cheaper rates for insurance?

As you can see, Safe Auto has average rates that are about 35% per month more expensive than those from American Family when looking at the national average rates for auto insurance.

That being said, that doesn't mean American Family will necessarily be more affordable than Safe Auto for every driver. Insurance companies vary their premiums 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 ton of other factors. So, at the end of the day, prices from each company will differ quite a bit from person to person.

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

American Family or Safe Auto: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

American Family and Safe Auto compete against each other in four states, with American Family offering less expensive rates to the average driver in all of them. Missouri has the most noticable difference, where American Family prices are over 60% more affordable than auto insurance premiums at Safe Auto.

But there's more to calculating car insurance rates than just where you live. Keep reading to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- generally pay a lot for insurance compared to older drivers. It's usually because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to cause collisions and other accidents that will result in an insurance claim.

Even so, that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their car insurance. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have American Family for their auto insurance pay nearly $150 less than those who use Safe Auto.

But both carriers will offer you dramatically lower prices by the time you turn 25. For example, average rates for American Family policyholders drop more than 60% and Safe Auto's premiums reduce over 50% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

When it comes to insurance, patience and experience pay off, with drivers around retirement age paying some of the most affordable prices you'll ever find.

But who has the best rates for retired drivers between American Family and Safe Auto? American Family gets the edge, with premiums for drivers 65 and older $72 cheaper than the national average for Safe Auto.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

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

When it comes to relationship status, American Family is the clear winner for those who are single, with rates around $93 a month less expensive than Safe Auto, on average. The advantage for married couples with American Family is also obvious, where drivers save almost 40% per month.

American Family vs. Safe Auto: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get into an accident or get pulled over for speeding. That means when it comes to auto insurance men will typically end up paying a little more.

With American Family, women normally pay about $5 a month less than men, while with Safe Auto, the difference is closer to $17 per month.

When it comes to the lowest prices for each gender, American Family comes out on top for both men and women. On average, women save about $76 a month and men save around $88 with American Family compared to the average Safe Auto policyholder.

American Family or Safe Auto: 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 insurance can be a complicated subject for most people. Everyone needs car insurance, but there are so many different limits and coverages that it can be hard to find the right policy.

However, the most common policies that many drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability only (that covers property damage and bodily injury for other drivers and their passengers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- comprehensive and collision -- alongside liability).

If you're looking for state minimum liability insurance, American Family generally offers cheaper premiums of $96 compared to Safe Auto's $126. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, American Family again has the edge, with policies about $150 per month less expensive than Safe Auto, on average.

Is American Family or Safe Auto Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

It's no big secret that drivers who are accident-free get better deals on their insurance. But even if you have a spotty record, you can still find plenty of ways to save some cash on your monthly bill.

It's no secret secret that tickets and at-fault accidents lead to higher prices, but which company -- American Family or Safe Auto -- has the most affordable premiums 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 a month if they get a ticket, while Safe Auto typically raises prices around $40 per month, on average.

But American Family is usually the cheaper option for both drivers who have clean records and those with a recent speeding ticket, offering rates that are 34% and 33% more affordable, respectively, compared to Safe Auto.

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 auto insurance premiums. Drivers who use Safe Auto for their car insurance will see a monthly bill about $66 (or 27%) more expensive after reporting an accident to their auto insurance carrier.

Overall, American Family offers the lowest prices for drivers with an at-fault accident on their records, with monthly premiums averaging $138 compared to Safe Auto's $246.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

On average, a DUI offense is going to cost you much more than a single collision or ticket when it comes to your insurance bill. Safe Auto drivers usually see a 27% increase in their auto insurance rates after a DUI charge, while American Family will normally raise premiums by around 25%.

How does Credit Score Impact American Family and Safe Auto Rates?

You may not have known, but your credit score can come into play when carriers calculate your monthly bill. This isn't always the case (Hawaii, for example, has banned the use of credit score as a rating factor) but it might come into play for lots of drivers.

Car insurance companies argue that someone with good credit is more likely to pay their bills on time, which makes them less risky to insure. Because of that, policyholders with good credit will often be rewarded with cheaper prices.

So, which company offers the best rates for drivers with good, average, or poor credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Is American Family or Safe Auto 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 your monthly insurance payment. Usually, the more miles you put on your vehicle each year, the more you can expect to pay for coverage.

As you can see in the table above, annual mileage doesn't have much of an impact on how much Safe Auto charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly prices for American Family, with drivers who put 6,000 miles on their car every year paying about $5 less each month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles yearly. Still, American Family is the more affordable option for drivers in both categories.

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

Where your home is can have a sizable impact on your monthly auto insurance bill. Typically, 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.

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

Policyholders in rural ZIP codes see the cheapest premiums from both carriers, but American Family comes out on top with average prices around $121 a month. American Family also has less expensive average premiums for drivers in urban and suburban ZIP codes -- a $105 and $66 a month respective difference when compared to Safe Auto policyholders in similar areas.

American Family vs. Safe Auto 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 where do you even start? With so many discounts out there, it may seem difficult to find all the of the ones you qualify for.

Below, we've compared all of the different discounts offered by American Family and Safe Auto so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and, therefore, the biggest savings.

American Family blows Safe Auto away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering seven more discounts than Safe Auto.

Both companies offer lots of the same discounts -- like anti-theft discounts, discounts for being a defensive driver, and discounts for insuring multiple cars with the same company -- but American Family also offers advance quote discounts, connect partner discounts, COVID-19 relief discount, and more that Safe Auto does not.

On the flip side, Safe Auto has a couple unique discounts of its own -- agency transfer discounts, claim free discounts, discounts for getting driver training, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is American Family or Safe Auto Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average rates 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 when it comes down to it, which insurance carrier is the right carrier for you and your specific driver profile?

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

• Your credit is less-than-stellar.
• You live in an suburban area.
• You drive fewer than 12,000 miles annually.

Safe Auto might be best for you if...

• You're planning on moving to another state soon -- undefined only offers policies in.

We hope this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between American Family and Safe Auto and that it aids in making a more informed decision about your 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 several companies, not just American Family and Safe Auto. 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. Safe Auto FAQs

Is American Family or Safe Auto cheaper?

Looking just at the national average prices, American Family is the more affordable of the two companies, offering average rates of $140 per month compared to $223 for Safe Auto. That being said, American Family won't necessarily be the lowest company for everyone, since there are lots of different variables (things like gender, age, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, American Family or Safe Auto?

Unfortunately, the answer truly is "it depends.". Neither carrier is "better" for every driver -- it all boils down to your unique insurance profile.

Why do American Family and Safe Auto offer me different rates?

Car insurance carriers take a look at many different factors when calculating the premiums they charge drivers. Things such as where you park your vehicle, age, where you call home, gender, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both American Family and Safe Auto use different formulas, so each one will most likely offer different rates. The only real way to see which company is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from multiple different companies.

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

The only way to find the insurance carrier that's right for you is by getting quotes from multiple 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 area information 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 lowest price. And who knows, the best company for you might not be American Family or Safe Auto 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.