Auto-owners vs. Farmers Mutual of Tennessee: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• In general, Farmers Mutual of Tennessee offers significantly more affordable premiums than Auto-owners
• Auto-owners may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than Farmers Mutual of Tennessee
• Farmers Mutual of Tennessee has less expensive rates in TN

Auto-owners or Farmers Mutual of Tennessee: 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 hefty savings, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You've maybe even narrowed your search down to Auto-owners or Farmers Mutual of Tennessee as potential options, but between the two, which carrier will save you the most?

As you can see, Farmers Mutual of Tennessee is quite a bit cheaper than Auto-owners, with premiums averaging $100 a month compared to $179 with Auto-owners when looking at the national average rates for auto insurance.

Even so, that doesn't mean Farmers Mutual of Tennessee will necessarily be more affordable than Auto-owners for each driver. 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 tons of other factors, so rates could vary drastically from person to person.

So, if you want to find out which of Auto-owners or Farmers Mutual of Tennessee is really the best for you, keep reading to see average premiums for each company broken down by several different rate factors.

Auto-owners vs. Farmers Mutual of Tennessee: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Auto-owners and Farmers Mutual of Tennessee only compete against each other in Tennessee, where Farmers Mutual of Tennessee offers the cheaper average prices. Farmers Mutual of Tennessee drivers tend to pay about $91 per month less on average compared to drivers who use Auto-owners for their car insurance.

There's a lot more that goes into your insurance bill than just your home state. Keep reading to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive auto insurance rates of any group on the road. It's because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into an accident that results in a car insurance claim, making them much riskier to insure.

But still, even with seemingly sky-high premiums, teen drivers can still find ways to save money. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of over 45% less a month by choosing Farmers Mutual of Tennessee over Auto-owners. It's worth noting that Auto-owners offers car insurance in 23 different states compared to Farmers Mutual of Tennessee's one, which can skew the average prices a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

However, with both companies, you'll see your premiums decrease significantly once you turn 25. For example, average rates for Auto-owners policyholders drop around $250 and Farmers Mutual of Tennessee's prices lower almost $150 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

When it comes to auto insurance, patience and experience pay off, with drivers around retirement age paying some of the cheapest premiums you can find.

When looking at Auto-owners and Farmers Mutual of Tennessee specifically, which carrier is best for retired drivers? Farmers Mutual of Tennessee gets the edge, with rates for drivers 65 and older $66 cheaper than the national average for Auto-owners.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

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

For those who are single, the difference in average rates between these two carriers is significant, with Farmers Mutual of Tennessee premiums coming in at about half of Auto-owners's. The advantage for married policyholders with Farmers Mutual of Tennessee is also obvious, where drivers save around $60 per month.

Auto-owners or Farmers Mutual of Tennessee: Average Rates by Gender

Because women are less likely to get speeding tickets and get into accidents, they have a decreased chance of filing a claim with insurance. So, women tend to pay less for auto insurance than men.

With Auto-owners, women normally pay about 6% a month less than men, but with Farmers Mutual of Tennessee, the difference is closer to 16% per month.

When it comes to the lowest prices for each gender, Farmers Mutual of Tennessee comes out on top for both men and women, with average rates 42% less for men and 48% cheaper for women.

Auto-owners vs. Farmers Mutual of Tennessee: 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.

Car insurance can be a complicated subject for most people. There are lots of different coverages that account for a range 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 (which covers the other party's property damage and injuries if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which includes collision and comprehensive coverages that protect your own car, in addition to what you get with liability).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability limits, Farmers Mutual of Tennessee has the significant edge, with average monthly prices coming in at $44. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Farmers Mutual of Tennessee again has the edge, with policies averaging around $155 a month to Auto-owners's $260.

Is Auto-owners or Farmers Mutual of Tennessee 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.

You'll probably end up paying more with collisions and speeding tickets on your record, but which of these two companies offers the most affordable premiums to drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders with Farmers Mutual of Tennessee car insurance policies don't report seeing their rates increase after getting a ticket, but Auto-owners policyholders can expect to see their monthly bill increase by about 25%.

That being said, Farmers Mutual of Tennessee is typically the more affordable option for both drivers who have a recent speeding ticket and those with clean records, offering premiums that are 29% and 48% cheaper, respectively, compared to Auto-Owners Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

After an accident, drivers who have their insurance through Auto-owners can expect to see around an $47 -- or about 28% -- rise in their auto insurance prices. Drivers who use Farmers Mutual of Tennessee for their car insurance will see a monthly bill around $3 (or 3%) more expensive after reporting a collision to their auto insurance company.

At the end of the day, the less expensive premiums come from Farmers Mutual of Tennessee, with average rates coming in at $89 compared to Auto-Owners Insurance's $168.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

If you get a DUI charge, you can expect some pretty significant increases in your monthly insurance bill -- generally a lot more than an accident or ticket. Auto-owners drivers usually see a 54% raise in their car insurance prices after a DUI charge, while Farmers Mutual of Tennessee will typically increase rates by about 37%.

Farmers Mutual of Tennessee has the overall lowest prices for drivers with a DUI on their records at $137 per month, but it's worth noting that Auto-owners's average rates come from 23 states compared to just one for Farmers Mutual of Tennessee, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact Auto-owners and Farmers Mutual of Tennessee Rates?

Did you know many auto insurance carriers take into account your credit score when determining premiums? This isn't true for everyone (for example, Massachusetts and California are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it does affect several drivers out there.

Insurance companies argue that those with good credit scores are more likely to pay their bills on time every 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 rates for policyholders with good, average, or poor credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have solid credit, Farmers Mutual of Tennessee will generally reward you the most. For drivers with "excellent" credit scores, Farmers Mutual of Tennessee comes in NaN cheaper. Drivers with "good" credit scores normally save around 26% with Farmers Mutual of Tennessee compared to average premiums from Auto-owners.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Farmers Mutual of Tennessee typically offers lower prices than Auto-owners when it comes to drivers with less-than-stellar credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about 43% per month less with Farmers Mutual of Tennessee compared to Auto-owners, and those with "poor" scores usually save an average of around 65% a month.

Is Auto-owners or Farmers Mutual of Tennessee 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 car insurance cost. Typically, those who drive less will end up with more affordable rates 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 Farmers Mutual of Tennessee charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly premiums for Auto-owners, with policyholders who drive 6,000 miles each year paying about $1 less every month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles annually. Still, for drivers in both categories, Farmers Mutual of Tennessee is the less expensive company.

Auto-owners or Farmers Mutual of Tennessee: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you live can play a pretty big role in how much you pay for auto insurance. Generally, if you live in a rural area with fewer cars on the road, you'll pay a little less for insurance, while the opposite is true for people in urban areas.

When comparing these two carriers side-by-side, Farmers Mutual of Tennessee normally comes out as the cheapest option for drivers in every type of area, no matter if it's urban, suburban, or rural.

In urban areas, Farmers Mutual of Tennessee's average prices are around $114 while Auto-owners offers rates about $205. Drivers in suburban ZIP codes pay a monthly rate of around $95 with Farmers Mutual of Tennessee compared to $169 with Auto-owners. Those in rural areas can expect to pay about $89 monthly with Farmers Mutual of Tennessee compared to Auto-owners's $164.

Auto-owners vs. Farmers Mutual of Tennessee 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 auto insurance discounts as possible.

But with what seems like a million different discounts out there, it can be hard to find all the ones you're eligible for or to nail down the carrier that has the most discounts for your unique driver profile.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and looked at all of the different discounts Auto-owners and Farmers Mutual of Tennessee offer their customers so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

Auto-owners blows Farmers Mutual of Tennessee away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 24 different discounts to Farmers Mutual of Tennessee's five.

There are a couple discounts both companies offer, but Auto-owners also offers discounts for ABS, advance quote, anti-theft, and more.

On the other hand, Farmers Mutual of Tennessee has a proprietary discount of their own -- a forgiveness discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is Auto-owners or Farmers Mutual of Tennessee Best for You?

You've seen the role certain variables have on your car insurance and the different discounts carriers offer. That's all well and good, but when it comes down to it, which company is the best one for you, your vehicle, and your wallet?

Farmers Mutual of Tennessee might be best for you if....

• You will be the only person on the insurance policy.
• Your home is in a busy urban area.
• You're of retirement age and want to take advantage of lower premiums.

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

• You're thinking about moving to another state -- Farmers Mutual of Tennessee is only available in Tennessee.
• You care about discounts (Auto-owners offers the most).

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between Auto-owners and Farmers Mutual of Tennessee. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision when it comes to your auto 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 multiple companies, not just Auto-owners and Farmers Mutual of Tennessee. 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 insurance carriers in your area, all for free.

Auto-owners vs. Farmers Mutual of Tennessee FAQs

Is Auto-owners or Farmers Mutual of Tennessee cheaper?

Farmers Mutual of Tennessee is the cheaper of the two companies when looking at national average prices, with policies averaging $100 a month with Farmers Mutual of Tennessee and $179 for Auto-owners. But that doesn't mean Farmers Mutual of Tennessee will be the most affordable carrier for everyone, since there are a bunch of different factors (things like age, driving record, gender, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Auto-owners or Farmers Mutual of Tennessee?

Sadly, the answer truly is "it depends.". Neither company is necessarily "better" for everyone -- it all boils down to your unique car insurance profile.

Why do Auto-owners and Farmers Mutual of Tennessee offer me different rates?

Auto insurance carriers use quite a few different variables when calculating the premiums they charge. Factors like your driving record, gender, where you park your vehicle, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both Auto-owners and Farmers Mutual of Tennessee calculate rates differently, so it's likely they'll offer different prices. The best way to determine which carrier is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from multiple different companies.

How do I know if Auto-owners or Farmers Mutual of Tennessee is right for me?

The only way to find the 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 makes it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your ZIP code and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top car insurance companies for free. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the best premium. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't Auto-owners or Farmers Mutual of Tennessee 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.