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

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for car insurance, Trustgard Auto offers slightly more affordable premiums than American Family
• American Family tends to be a much cheaper option for drivers with a DUI charge on their record
• Trustgard Auto offers more affordable prices for policyholders who have a clean record

American Family vs. Trustgard Auto: 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 huge discounts, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You've maybe even narrowed it down to American Family or Trustgard Auto, but between the two, which carrier will save you the most?

Looking at the national average rates for both companies, Trustgard Auto is about $3 per month less expensive than American Family.

However, Trustgard Auto may not be the lowest or best option for each driver out there. After all, auto insurance carriers can offer drastically different rates to each driver depending on rating factors like where you call home, your age, your driving record, or even your credit score (among other things), so rates will vary quite a bit from person to person.

So, if you want to find out which of American Family or Trustgard Auto is really the best for you, keep reading to see average prices for each carrier broken down by multiple different rate factors.

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

American Family and Trustgard Auto only compete against each other in two states, with American Family offering cheaper premiums to the average driver in all of them. If you live in Illinois, American Family is the more affordable of the two companies when looking at the overall average prices. Trustgard Auto is the less expensive option in Indiana.

But there's more to insurance than just the state you live in. As we mentioned above, there's a lot of things that go into how car insurance carriers calculate your rates. Keep reading to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- typically pay a lot for auto insurance compared to older drivers. It's usually because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to get into an accident that results in an auto insurance claim, making them much riskier to insure.

But that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their car insurance. As you can see above, teens who use American Family save more than $45 a month compared to those who use Trustgard Auto. It's worth noting that American Family offers insurance in 16 different states compared to Trustgard Auto's three, which can skew the average premiums a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

Even so, both companies will offer you dramatically lower prices by the time drivers turn 25. Trustgard Auto offers the steepest reduction, with 25-year-olds paying less than a third of what 18-year-old drivers are charged. American Family's average premiums reduce over 60% during that same period.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Drivers around retirement age normally enjoy some of the most affordable auto insurance rates out there. After all, they've likely been driving for quite some time, which generally reduces their chances of accidents and other infractions that can increase premiums.

When looking at American Family and Trustgard Auto specifically, which company is best for retired drivers? Trustgard Auto gets the edge here, with average prices coming in at around $96 a month compared to American Family's $107.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Married couples tend to get slightly cheaper insurance rates than those who are single. That's usually because married policyholders tend to own and insure more than one car, which can often earn you a discount.

When it comes to relationship status, the two carriers are comparable for single policyholders, with premiums only differing about $4 per month, on average. The advantage for married drivers is more obvious, where drivers who use Trustgard Auto save more than $10 a month.

American Family vs. Trustgard Auto: Average Rates by Gender

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

Women normally pay around 3% per month less than men with American Family, and about 6% less with Trustgard Auto.

Looking at the data for each carrier specifically, Trustgard Auto offers the cheapest average rates for both men and women. On average, women save about $5 a month and men save around $1 with Trustgard Auto compared to the average American Family policyholder.

American Family or Trustgard 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.

For most people, insurance can be pretty complicated. There are so many different limits and terms that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy.

That being said, the 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 passengers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which generally refers to having comprehensive and collision coverages in addition to what you get with a liability policy).

In this case, Trustgard Auto offers the lowest average prices for state minimum liability limits, while American Family has the edge for full coverage policies with similar coverage limits. Drivers looking for basic state minimum coverage can save around $15 with Trustgard Auto Insurance, while full coverage comes out to be about $10 more affordable with American Family Insurance.

Is American Family or Trustgard Auto 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.

Collisions and tickets will most likely raise your premiums, but is American Family or Trustgard Auto 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 prices to go up an average of $29 per month if they get a ticket, while Trustgard Auto usually raises rates around $50 a month, on average.

If you have a clean record, Trustgard Auto tends to offer the best prices at about 17% cheaper, while American Family has the edge for drivers with a speeding ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

American Family policyholders who get in an accident can expect to see their premiums climb by $20, while those who have insurance through Trustgard Auto will see around a $35 increase.

Overall, drivers who use Trustgard Auto end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with monthly rates averaging $133 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 ticket or even a collision. Trustgard Auto drivers usually see a 43% raise in their car insurance premiums after a DUI charge, while American Family will typically increase rates by about 25%.

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

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

Did you know that many auto insurance companies take into account your credit score when calculating premiums? This isn't always the case (for example, Hawaii and Massachusetts are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it does affect a lot of drivers out there.

Car insurance carriers argue that someone with bad credit is less likely to pay their bills on time, which makes them riskier to insure. Because of that, policyholders with bad credit will often be forced to pay more.

Looking specifically at Trustgard Auto and American Family, which one has the most affordable rates for drivers at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have a great credit score, you'll usually find a better deal with American Family. Policyholders with "excellent" credit can save over 10% compared to Trustgard Auto, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- around $8 or 6% less expensive every month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Trustgard Auto typically offers lower prices than American Family when it comes to drivers with a below average credit score. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about $1 per month less with Trustgard Auto compared to American Family, and those with "poor" scores generally save an average of around $31 monthly.

Is American Family or Trustgard 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 how much insurance companies will charge for coverage. That's because the fewer miles you put on your vehicle each year, the less likely you are to get into an accident 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 Trustgard Auto charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly rates for American Family, with policyholders who drive 6,000 miles annually paying about $5 less each month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles yearly. Still, Trustgard Auto is the more affordable option for drivers in both categories.

American Family vs. Trustgard Auto: 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 big impact as well. Normally, drivers who live in less densely populated rural areas will pay quite a bit less than urban policyholders due to the small number of cars that are on the roads in those areas.

Looking at these carriers side-by-side, Trustgard Auto boasts the most affordable average rates in urban and suburban areas, while American Family wins in rural areas.

If you live in a rural area, you can expect to save around 10% with American Family compared to Trustgard Auto. Drivers in suburban ZIP codes pay about 1% less with Trustgard Auto compared to American Family. In urban areas, Trustgard Auto Insurance's average premiums are around 11% less than American Family Insurance.

American Family vs. Trustgard Auto Discounts

Regardless of why you might be in the market for a new car 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 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.

Below, we've compared all of the different discounts offered by American Family and Trustgard Auto so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

Looking at the total number of discounts, American Family comes out ahead with 21 discounts to Trustgard Auto's 16.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like COVID-19 relief discount, discounts for being a defensive driver, and group discounts. American Family also offers connect partner discounts, DRL discounts, EFT discounts, and more that Trustgard Auto does not.

On the flip side, Trustgard Auto has a couple unique discounts of its own -- advanced safety feature discounts, company car discounts, education discounts, and more.

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

You've seen the role certain factors have on your car insurance and the different discounts companies offer. That's all well and good, but at the end of the day, is American Family or Trustgard Auto the best company for you, your vehicle, and your wallet?

Trustgard Auto might be best for you if....

• You're looking for the best rates in IL, IN, and TN.
• You live in an urban area.
• You are over 65 years old and want to save some money on your auto insurance.

American Family might be best for you if...

• You're single and purchasing insurance by yourself.
• You already have a great credit score.
• You live in a rural neighborhood.

We hope this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between American Family and Trustgard Auto and that it aids in making a more informed decision about your car insurance.

But, at the end of the day, there's only one way to know for sure that you're getting the best possible deal on auto insurance -- comparing quotes from multiple carriers, not just American Family and Trustgard Auto. Luckily, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get free quotes from dozens of top insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

American Family vs. Trustgard Auto FAQs

Is American Family or Trustgard Auto cheaper?

Looking just at the national average prices, Trustgard Auto is the less expensive of the two carriers, offering average rates of $137 a month compared to $140 for American Family. However, Trustgard Auto won't necessarily be the cheapest company for every driver, since there are a bunch of different variables that are considered when it comes to your car insurance cost.

Who is better, American Family or Trustgard Auto?

Sadly, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". No one carrier is necessarily "better" for everyone -- it all depends on what your unique insurance profile looks like. For example, American Family offers cheaper rates for single drivers, while Trustgard Auto is more affordable for drivers who have already retired.

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

Auto insurance companies take a look at lots of different factors when determining the prices they charge policyholders. Things such as age, gender, where you call home, your driving record, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both American Family and Trustgard Auto calculate premiums using different formulas, so each one will most likely offer different prices. The only real way to see which company is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from several different carriers.

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

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