Atlantic States vs. Central Mutual: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• In general, Atlantic States offers significantly more affordable rates than Central Mutual
• Atlantic States offers more affordable prices for policyholders who drive fewer than 12,000 miles every year
• Atlantic States offers more affordable premiums for policyholders who have a clean record

Atlantic States or Central Mutual: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

Are you considering a new insurance policy? After all, you've seen ads from all sorts of companies offering big savings. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You might have narrowed your search down to Atlantic States or Central Mutual for your next policy, but between the two, which one has cheaper prices for car insurance?

As you can see, Central Mutual is quite a bit more expensive than Atlantic States, with rates averaging $340 a month compared to just $160 with Atlantic States when looking at the national average rates for auto insurance.

Even so, Atlantic States may not be the cheapest or best option for each driver out there. Car insurance carriers vary their prices depending on things like how old you are, where you live, how clean your driving record is, how good your credit score is, and all sorts of other factors, so rates could change drastically from person to person.

Luckily, we've broken down average premiums from both Atlantic States and Central Mutual by a bunch of different rate factors, so read on to find out which carrier is the best for you.

Atlantic States vs. Central Mutual: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Atlantic States and Central Mutual only compete against each other in one states, with Central Mutual offering less expensive prices to the average driver in all of them. Ohio has the most noticable difference, where Central Mutual rates are $68 more affordable than insurance premiums at Atlantic States.

But there's more to calculating auto insurance rates than just where you live. Read on to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- generally pay a lot for insurance compared to older drivers. Normally, that's because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

But that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high car insurance premiums. As you can see above, teens who use Atlantic States save almost 50% per month compared to those who use Central Mutual.

However, both companies will lower prices once you turn 25. Central Mutual offers the steepest decrease, with 25-year-olds paying less than half what 18-year-old drivers are charged. That being said, Atlantic States still has the lowest rates at $159 monthly.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Drivers around retirement age usually enjoy some of the most affordable insurance prices you'll ever see. After all, they've likely been driving for quite some time, which typically reduces their chances of collisions and other infractions that can raise premiums.

When looking at Atlantic States and Central Mutual specifically, which company is best for retired drivers? Atlantic States gets the edge, with prices for drivers 65 and older $156 less expensive than the national average for Central Mutual.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that auto insurance rates are generally more expensive for those who are single than they are for married drivers? This usually boils down to married policyholders having more than one vehicle on their policy -- something lots of car insurance carriers will reward with discounts.

For single drivers, the difference in average premiums between these two companies is significant, with Atlantic States prices coming in at around half of Central Mutual's. For married couples, the advantage is clear again - Atlantic States has the edge when it comes to average rates.

Atlantic States or Central Mutual: Average Rates by Gender

Women tend to pay less for auto insurance than men. That's because men are more likely to get tickets and get into collisions, which increases the chances of filing a claim with insurance.

Men typically pay about $15 a month more than women with Atlantic States, but with Central Mutual, the difference is closer to $14 per month.

Looking at the data for each carrier specifically, Atlantic States offers the cheapest average premiums for both men and women, with average prices $180 less for men and $180 cheaper for women.

Atlantic States vs. Central Mutual: 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, car insurance isn't the easiest topic to understand. There are a variety of different coverages that account for lots of different things. Some protect you and your car, while others only provide coverage for other people's property and health if you cause a collision.

The two most common policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability coverage (that covers property damage and bodily injury for other drivers and passengers if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- collision and comprehensive -- in addition to what you get with a liability policy).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability insurance, Atlantic States has the significant edge, with average monthly premiums coming in at $85. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Atlantic States again has the edge, with policies averaging around $235 a month to Central Mutual's $506.

Is Atlantic States or Central Mutual Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

It's no secret -- drivers with good records end up getting the best deals on their insurance. But that's not to say you can't save money if you don't have the best driving record, either.

It's no secret secret that speeding tickets and accidents lead to higher rates, but which company -- Atlantic States or Central Mutual -- has the lowest premiums for drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Atlantic States for their auto insurance can normally expect their monthly bill to go up about 5% after getting a speeding ticket. Central Mutual policyholders can expect a bit more drastic of an increase of around 26%.

That being said, Atlantic States has cheaper rates for drivers in both categories. With Atlantic States Insurance Company, drivers with a clean record can save about $126 per month and drivers with a ticket can save around $204 a month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both carriers will increase prices pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault collision with Central Mutual climbing by about 22%. Atlantic States has a less extreme climb, but you can still expect to pay nearly 25% more than you were prior to your first accident.

At the end of the day, Atlantic States offers the cheapest premiums for drivers with an at-fault collision on their records, with average prices coming in at $153 compared to Central Mutual Insurance's $311.

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 a collision. Central Mutual drivers usually see a 50% raise in their car insurance rates after a DUI charge, while Atlantic States will usually increase prices by around 54%.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable premiums, Atlantic States tends to be less expensive for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at about $250 to Central Mutual's $482.

How does Credit Score Impact Atlantic States and Central Mutual Rates?

In many cases, your credit score can be used as one of the variables to determine your monthly insurance rates. This isn't true for everyone (California, for example, has banned the use of credit score as an auto insurance factor) but it might come into play for quite a few drivers.

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

So, which carrier offers the best premiums for policyholders with good, average, or poor credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have a solid credit score, Atlantic States will generally reward you the most. For drivers with "excellent" credit scores, Atlantic States comes in more than 47.08 cheaper. Drivers with "good" credit scores usually save around 50% with Atlantic States compared to average rates from Central Mutual.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Atlantic States typically offers lower prices than Central Mutual when it comes to drivers with bad credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about 53% per month less with Atlantic States compared to Central Mutual, and those with "poor" scores typically save an average of around 58% per month.

Is Atlantic States or Central Mutual Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a substantial impact on your monthly insurance cost. Normally, the more milage you drive, the more you can expect to pay for car insurance.

Atlantic States tends to be the more affordable option for both remote workers and those taking short commutes. Atlantic States's average premiums for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in about $184 less expensive than Central Mutual. Those who drive 12,000 miles annually can expect to pay around $176 less with Atlantic States over Central Mutual.

Atlantic States or Central Mutual: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you live can have a large impact on your monthly insurance bill. Generally, policyholders who live in less densely populated rural areas will pay quite a bit less than urban drivers because of the small number of cars that are on the roads where they live.

Atlantic States tends to offer the lowest rates for drivers in every type of area, no matter if it's urban, suburban, or rural.

For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, Atlantic States Insurance Company's average prices are about $324 less than Central Mutual Insurance. People who live in suburban areas pay around $120 less with Atlantic States compared to Central Mutual. Those in rural areas can expect to save about $95 with Atlantic States compared to Central Mutual.

Atlantic States vs. Central Mutual Discounts

You want to save as much money as you can, right? The best way to do that is by taking advantage of as many car insurance discounts as possible.

But with what seems like a million different discounts out there, it can be difficult to nail down the company that has the most discounts for your unique driver profile and to find all the discounts you qualify for.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and compared all of the different discounts offered by Atlantic States and Central Mutual so that you can see which company offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

Overall, Atlantic States comes out ahead with 19 discounts to Central Mutual's 15.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like anti-theft discounts, discounts for getting driver training, discounts for being a good student, and paid in full discounts. Atlantic States also offers discounts for advance quote, family discount, good driving, and more.

On the other hand, Central Mutual has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like book transfer policy discounts, distant student discounts, DRL discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Atlantic States or Central Mutual Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average premiums for many of the factors auto insurance carriers look at, and walked through the different discounts each carrier offers, too. But, at the end of the day, which insurance company is the best carrier for you, your vehicle, and your wallet?

Atlantic States might be best for you if....

• You're worried about the impact your credit score will have on your prices.
• You live in an suburban area.
• You're of retirement age and want to take advantage of lower rates.

Central Mutual might be best for you if...

• You have a more unique driver profile than those we mentioned above.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between Atlantic States and Central Mutual and that you can now make a more informed decision when it comes to your insurance.

At the end of the day, the best 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 Atlantic States and Central Mutual. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your ZIP code below and get multiple free quotes from some of the best auto insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Atlantic States vs. Central Mutual FAQs

Is Atlantic States or Central Mutual cheaper?

Atlantic States is the cheaper of the two companies when looking at national average prices, with policies averaging $160 a month with Atlantic States and $340 for Central Mutual. Even so, that doesn't mean Atlantic States will be the most affordable carrier for everyone, since there are a range of different variables that come into play when it comes to your car insurance payment.

Who is better, Atlantic States or Central Mutual?

Sadly, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". No single company is "better" for every policyholder -- it all depends on what your unique auto insurance profile looks like.

Why do Atlantic States and Central Mutual offer me different rates?

Insurance carriers use a lot of different factors when determining the rates they charge. Variables like your driving record, where you call home, gender, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both Atlantic States and Central Mutual calculate premiums differently, so it's likely they'll offer different prices. The best way to determine which carrier is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from multiple different companies.

How do I know if Atlantic States or Central Mutual is right for me?

The only way to find the car insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from several carriers and finding the one best suited for your individual budget. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top insurance companies for free. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the best price. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't Atlantic States or Central Mutual at all, but another you hadn't even thought of!

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.