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

Quick Facts

• In general, American Family offers slightly cheaper premiums than Western National
• American Family tends to be a much less expensive option for drivers who have received a ticket within the last few years
• Western National offers more affordable rates for residents in Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin

American Family vs. Western National: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

So, you're thinking about switching your auto insurance. With so many ads from all sorts of companies offering big discounts, you're probably wondering exactly how much you might be able to save.

You might have narrowed your search down to American Family or Western National for your next policy, but between the two, which company will offer you cheaper premiums?

Looking at nationwide averages, American Family is about $14 per month more affordable than Western National.

But American Family may not be the cheapest or best option for each driver out there. After all, insurance companies can offer drastically different rates to each driver depending on rating factors like where you call home, your credit score, your driving record, or even your age (among other things), so rates will change quite a bit from person to person.

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

American Family or Western National: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

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

There's a lot more that goes into your auto insurance cost than just where you live. Continue reading to learn more about 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 rates of any other group of drivers out there on the road. Usually, that's 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.

However, that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high car insurance prices. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of $5 less a month by choosing Western National over American Family.

Even so, both carriers will offer you dramatically lower premiums by the time you turn 25. Western National offers the steepest reduction, with 25-year-olds paying less than half what 18-year-old drivers are charged. That being said, American Family still has the lowest prices at $121 monthly.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Once you approach retirement age, you'll normally enjoy the most affordable insurance premiums out there. You've been on the road for years, and all that experience pays off when it comes to your monthly rates for auto insurance.

But who has the best prices for retired drivers between American Family and Western National? American Family gets the slight edge here, with average rates coming in at around $107 per month compared to Western National's $109. That being said, the difference is only about 5%, so other variables (such as your driving record is or your credit score) will likely come into play when determining which company has the lowest premiums for you.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but car insurance rates tend to be less expensive for married drivers than they are for those who are single. That's generally because married couples tend to own and insure more than one car, which can often earn you a discount.

When it comes to relationship status, the two companies are comparable for single policyholders, with premiums only differing around $9 per month, on average. The advantage for married policyholders is more obvious, where drivers who use American Family save more than 15% a month.

American Family vs. Western National: Average Rates by Gender

Because men are more likely to get tickets and get into collisions, they have a higher chance of filing a claim with insurance. Therefore, men tend to get higher rates than women.

With American Family, women typically pay about 3% per month less than men, and nearly 10% less with Western National when compared to their male counterparts.

Looking at overall affordability, American Family offers the cheapest average prices for both men and women, with average premiums 11% less for men and 6% cheaper for women.

American Family or Western National: 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, auto insurance isn't the easiest topic to understand. Everyone needs car insurance, but there are so many different terms and limits 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 (that covers property damage and bodily injury for other drivers and passengers if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which usually refers to having comprehensive and collision coverages in addition to what you get with a liability policy).

In this case, Western National offers the most affordable average rates 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 $35 with Western National Insurance Company, while full coverage comes out to be around $65 cheaper with American Family Insurance.

Is American Family or Western National 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 accidents lead to higher prices, but which carrier -- American Family or Western National -- has the cheapest rates for drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders with Western National auto insurance policies don't report seeing their premiums increase after getting a ticket, but American Family policyholders can expect to see their monthly bill increase by about a quarter.

But American Family tends to offer the best prices for drivers both with clean records and with a ticket. Drivers with a clean record can save around $36 a month with American Family Insurance, and the same can be said for those with a speeding ticket, too.

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 prices. Drivers who use Western National for their car insurance will see a monthly bill about $0 (or 0%) more expensive after reporting a collision to their insurance company.

Overall, drivers who use American Family end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with monthly premiums averaging $138 compared to Western National Insurance Company's $154.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

On average, a DUI offense is going to cost you much more than a single accident or ticket when it comes to your auto insurance bill. On average, American Family will climb your prices around 25% after a DUI, while Western National's average rates climb by 0%.

If you have a DUI on your record and are looking for more affordable premiums, Western National tends to be the much more affordable option with average prices of $154 a month compared to $158 from American Family.

How does Credit Score Impact American Family and Western National Rates?

In many cases, your credit score can be used as one of the factors to calculate your monthly insurance rates. This isn't always the case (California, for example, has banned the use of credit score as a rating factor) but it might come into play for quite a few drivers.

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

Looking at American Family and Western National specifically, which one has the lowest 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 Western National. Drivers with "excellent" credit can save 30% compared to American Family, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- about $6 or 5% less expensive each month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

American Family typically offers lower premiums than Western National when it comes to drivers with bad credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around $13 per month less with American Family compared to Western National, and those with "poor" scores typically save an average of about $77 per month.

Is American Family or Western National Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a large impact on how much car insurance companies will charge for coverage. Generally, the more miles you put on your vehicle, the more you can expect to pay for coverage.

For both drivers who put 6,000 miles on their vehicles every year, as well as those who average twice that figure, American Family tends to be the cheaper option. Western National's average rates for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in just under $15 more expensive than American Family. Those who drive 12,000 miles annually can expect to pay nearly $15 more with Western National over American Family.

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

Where you call home can play a considerable role in how much you pay for insurance. Normally, 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 generally comes out as the less expensive option for drivers in rural and urban areas, while Western National wins in suburban areas.

If you live in a rural area, you can expect to save around 23% with American Family compared to Western National. Drivers in suburban ZIP codes pay about 5% less with Western National compared to American Family. In urban areas, American Family Insurance's average rates are around 6% less than Western National Insurance Company.

American Family vs. Western National Discounts

Regardless of why you might be in the market for a new auto insurance policy, you're always going to want to save as much money as possible, and the best way to do that is by taking advantage of as many car insurance discounts as you can.

The difficult part is finding all of the discounts you qualify for, since it can feel sometimes like every company has different discounts and each one is advertised differently.

In the section below, we've broken down all of the different discounts offered by both American Family and Western National so that you can see which company can save you the most money each month.

American Family blows Western National away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering nine more discounts than Western National.

There are a couple discounts both carriers offer, but American Family also offers advance quote discounts, connect partner discounts, DRL discounts, and more that Western National does not.

On the flip side, Western National has a couple unique discounts of its own -- corporate discounts, discounts for getting driver training, employee discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is American Family or Western National Best for You?

You've seen the effect certain variables have on your auto insurance and the different discounts companies offer. But, when it comes down to it, which insurance carrier is the right one for you and your specific profile and needs?

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

• You have a clean driving record, free of collisions, tickets, or DUIs.
• You live in an urban area.
• You have a short commute.

Western National might be best for you if...

• You're looking for the best rates in IA, MN, SD, and WI.
• You already have a great credit score.
• You live in an suburban area.

We hope this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare American Family and Western National and that it aids in making a more informed decision about your insurance.

At the end of the day, the best way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your auto insurance policy is to compare quotes from a handful of carriers, not just American Family and Western National. Luckily, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get multiple free quotes from some of the best car insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

American Family vs. Western National FAQs

Is American Family or Western National cheaper?

Looking just at the national average prices, American Family is the more affordable of the two carriers, offering average rates of $140 a month compared to $154 for Western National. That being said, American Family won't necessarily be the lowest company for each driver, since there are a bunch of different factors that come into play when it comes to your insurance payment.

Who is better, American Family or Western National?

Unfortunately, the real answer is "it depends.". One carrier is not necessarily "better" for everyone -- it all depends on what your unique car insurance profile looks like.

Why do American Family and Western National offer me different rates?

Auto insurance companies take a look at several different variables when calculating the premiums they charge policyholders. Factors such as your driving record, where you park your car, age, gender, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both American Family and Western National 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 many different carriers.

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

The only way to find the insurance carrier 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 auto insurance carriers in your area. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the best rate. And who knows, the best company for you might not be American Family or Western National 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.