Auto-owners vs. Buckeye: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• In general, Buckeye offers significantly less expensive prices than Auto-owners
• Auto-owners may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than Buckeye Insurance Group
• Buckeye tends to be a much more affordable option for policyholders who live in urban areas

Auto-owners or Buckeye: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

So, you're considering switching to a new insurance policy. You've probably seen commercials and billboards from companies offering pretty big savings, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You've maybe even narrowed your search down to Auto-owners or Buckeye, but between the two, which one has less expensive rates for car insurance?

Looking at the national average rates for both carriers, Auto-owners has average rates that are around 25% a month more expensive than those from Buckeye.

However, Buckeye may not be the lowest or best option for each driver out there. Auto insurance companies use a ton of complex algorithms to determine premiums, so depending on how good your credit score is or how clean your driving record is (among a range of other factors), you could see wildly different prices from the ones above.

Wanting to know if Auto-owners or Buckeye is really the right company for you? Keep on reading to see how average rates can change based on all of the factors we've mentioned above.

Auto-owners vs. Buckeye: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Auto-owners and Buckeye only compete against each other in one states, with Auto-owners offering cheaper prices to the average driver in all of them. Indiana has the most noticable difference, where Auto-owners premiums are $5 more affordable than car insurance rates at Buckeye.

That being said, there are plenty of other factors that go into your auto insurance payment than just the state you live in. Continue reading to see how other variables 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. Normally, that's because teen 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 Buckeye for their auto insurance pay over 30% less than those who use Auto-owners. It's worth noting that Auto-owners offers car insurance in 23 different states compared to Buckeye's two, which can skew the average prices a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

But both carriers will reduce rates once you turn 25. For example, average prices for Auto-owners policyholders decrease almost 60% and Buckeye's premiums drop nearly 60% 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 cheapest prices you can find.

But who has the best rates for retired drivers between Auto-owners and Buckeye? Buckeye gets the edge here, with average premiums coming in at about $105 a month compared to Auto-owners's $133.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but car insurance rates tend to be cheaper for married policyholders than they are for those who are single. That's usually because married drivers tend to own and insure multiple vehicles, which can often earn you a discount.

For single policyholders, the difference in average prices between these two companies is significant, with Buckeye premiums coming in at a quarter less than Auto-owners's. The advantage for married couples with Buckeye is also obvious, where drivers save more than 20% per month.

Auto-owners or Buckeye: Average Rates by Gender

Men typically pay more for auto insurance than women. This is because men are statistically more likely than women to get into collisions and file an insurance claim, which leads to increased risk for insurers and, therefore, higher prices.

On average, women see rates around 6% a month less with Auto-owners, and over 10% less with Buckeye when compared to their male counterparts.

Looking at overall affordability, Buckeye offers the most affordable average premiums for both men and women. On average, male drivers save about $45 per month and women save about $49 with Buckeye compared to the average Auto-owners policyholder.

Auto-owners vs. Buckeye: 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 pretty complicated. There are so many different coverages and limits that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy for you.

The two most common policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (which covers the other party's injuries and property damage if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which generally refers to having collision and comprehensive coverages in addition to what you get with a liability policy).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability insurance, Buckeye has the significant edge, with average monthly rates coming in at $73. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Buckeye again has the edge, with policies averaging around $191 a month to Auto-owners's $260.

Is Auto-owners or Buckeye Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

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

At-fault accidents and speeding tickets will most likely raise your premiums, but is Auto-owners or Buckeye more affordable for drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Auto-owners for their car insurance can usually expect their monthly bill to go up about 27% after getting a speeding ticket. Buckeye policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of around 7%.

That being said, Buckeye has less expensive prices for drivers in both categories -- their rates are around 33% more affordable for drivers with clean records and 47% cheaper for those with a ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Auto-owners drivers who get in an accident can expect to see their premiums rise by over $45, while those who have insurance through Buckeye will see about a $15 increase.

At the end of the day, drivers who use Buckeye end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with average rates coming in at $98 compared to Auto-Owners Insurance's $168.

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. For example, Buckeye increases average prices by nearly $200 per month -- that's nearly a 70% increase.

Buckeye has the overall cheapest rates for drivers with a DUI on their records at $263 monthly, but it's worth noting that Auto-owners's average rates come from 23 states compared to just two for Buckeye, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact Auto-owners and Buckeye Rates?

You may not realized it, but your credit score can be used as one of the factors to calculate your monthly auto insurance premiums. Certain states and carriers do not allow for credit score to be used as an auto insurance factor, but it might come into play for quite a few policyholders.

Insurance companies argue that those with poor credit scores are less likely to pay their bills on time every month, which raises the risk involved on their end, while the opposite is true for those with good credit.

Looking at Auto-owners and Buckeye specifically, which company has the most affordable prices for drivers at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have a solid credit score, Buckeye will normally reward you the most. For policyholders with "excellent" credit scores, Buckeye comes in just under NaN less expensive. Drivers with "good" credit scores typically save around 27% with Buckeye compared to average premiums from Auto-owners.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Buckeye typically offers lower rates than Auto-owners when it comes to drivers with bad credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about 31% a month less with Buckeye compared to Auto-owners, and those with "poor" scores generally save an average of around 28% per month.

Is Auto-owners or Buckeye Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

Did you know that the amount of time you spend in your car have a sizable impact on how much car insurance carriers will charge for coverage? Typically, those who drive fewer miles will end up with cheaper prices since there's less of a chance of causing a collision and filing an insurance claim.

As you can see in the table above, annual mileage doesn't have much of an impact on how much Buckeye charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly premiums for Auto-owners, with drivers who put 6,000 miles on their car each year paying about $1 less every month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles annually. Still, for drivers in both categories, Buckeye is the more affordable carrier.

Auto-owners or Buckeye: 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. Usually, those who live in urban areas will pay more than drivers in rural areas since there are a lot more vehicles on the roads where they live.

Buckeye boasts the most affordable average premiums for drivers in all types of areas, no matter if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, Buckeye Insurance Group's average prices are around 36% less than Auto-Owners Insurance. People who live in suburban areas pay about 6% less with Buckeye compared to Auto-owners. Those in rural areas can expect to save around 35% with Buckeye compared to Auto-owners.

Auto-owners vs. Buckeye Discounts

No matter why you might be in the market for a new insurance policy, you're always going to want to save as much money as you can. That's where car insurance discounts comes into play.

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

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and broke down all of the different discounts offered by both Auto-owners and Buckeye so that you can find the carrier that has the most discounts and, therefore, the largest savings.

Auto-owners blows Buckeye away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 17 more discounts than Buckeye.

Both companies offer several of the same discounts -- like anti-theft discounts, discounts for being a defensive driver, and discounts for being a good driver -- but Auto-owners also offers discounts for ABS, advance quote, company car, and more.

On the other hand, Buckeye has a proprietary discount of their own -- a renewal discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is Auto-owners or Buckeye Best for You?

You've seen the effect certain variables have on your auto insurance and the different discounts carriers offer. That's all well and good, but at the end of the day, which company is the right company for you and your specific needs?

Buckeye might be best for you if....

• You don't have any speeding tickets, DUIs, or at-fault collisions on your record.
• You have above-average credit.
• You're married and plan to have both of your names on the vehicle's insurance policy.

Auto-owners might be best for you if...

• You're planning on moving to another state soon -- Buckeye Insurance Group is only available in Indiana and Ohio.
• You want to save extra money with discounts.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between Auto-owners and Buckeye. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best 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 insurance -- comparing quotes from several companies, not just Auto-owners and Buckeye. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get multiple free quotes from some of the best auto insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Auto-owners vs. Buckeye FAQs

Is Auto-owners or Buckeye cheaper?

Buckeye is the less expensive of the two companies when looking at national average rates, with policies averaging $132 per month with Buckeye and $179 for Auto-owners. Even so, that doesn't mean Buckeye will be the cheapest carrier for each driver, since there are a bunch of different factors (things like age, gender, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Auto-owners or Buckeye?

Sadly, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". Neither company is "better" for everyone -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique car insurance profile.

Why do Auto-owners and Buckeye offer me different rates?

Auto insurance carriers use many different variables when determining the premiums they charge. Factors like age, where you park your car, gender, your driving record, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Auto-owners and Buckeye calculate prices using different variables, so it's likely they'll offer different rates. The best way to determine which carrier is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from lots of different companies.

How do I know if Auto-owners or Buckeye is right for me?

The only way to find the car insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from multiple 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 cheapest premium. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't Auto-owners or Buckeye 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.