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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for auto insurance, Nodak offers significantly cheaper premiums than Auto-owners
• Auto-owners offers more discounts than Nodak Insurance Company
• Nodak has less expensive rates for people who are single and purchasing car insurance by yourself

Auto-owners vs. Nodak: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

So, you're thinking about switching your auto insurance. You've probably seen commercials and billboards from companies offering huge discounts, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You might have narrowed your search down to Auto-owners or Nodak for your next policy, but which company has more affordable prices for insurance?

Looking at the national average rates for both companies, Nodak is quite a bit cheaper than Auto-owners, with premiums averaging $111 per month compared to $179 with Auto-owners.

But Nodak may not be the most affordable or best option for every single driver out there. Auto insurance carriers use tons of complex algorithms to calculate rates, so depending on how old you are or how good your credit score is (among numerous other factors), you could see wildly different premiums from the ones above.

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

Auto-owners or Nodak: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Auto-owners and Nodak only compete against each other in North Dakota, where Nodak offers the cheaper average prices. For North Dakota residents, Nodak offers insurance for $111 per month on average. Auto-owners's average premiums come out to be over 30% more expensive, at $153 monthly.

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

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers usually pay a lot more for insurance than any group out there on the road. That's because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to cause collisions and other accidents that will result in an insurance claim.

Even so, that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high auto insurance rates. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have Nodak for their car insurance pay nearly $200 less than those who use Auto-owners. It's worth noting that Auto-owners offers insurance in 23 different states compared to Nodak's one, which can skew the average premiums a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

That being said, both carriers will offer you dramatically lower rates by the time drivers turn 25. For example, average prices for Auto-owners policyholders drop almost $250 and Nodak's rates decrease about $100 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Once you approach retirement age, you'll normally enjoy the cheapest auto insurance prices you'll ever find. You've been on the road for years, and all that experience pays off when it comes to your monthly premiums for car insurance.

When looking at Auto-owners and Nodak specifically, which company is best for retired drivers? Nodak gets the edge here, with average rates coming in at around $84 a month compared to Auto-owners's $133.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but auto insurance prices tend to be more expensive for those who are single than they are for married drivers. This usually boils down to married policyholders having multiple cars on their policy -- something quite a few car insurance companies will reward with discounts.

When it comes to relationship status, Nodak is the clear winner for single policyholders, with premiums about $88 a month less expensive than Auto-owners, on average. For married couples, the advantage is clear again - Nodak has the edge when it comes to average rates.

Auto-owners vs. Nodak: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get into collisions and get speeding tickets. That means when it comes to insurance men will generally end up paying a little more.

Normally, women see prices around 6% per month less with Auto-owners, and about 4% less with Nodak.

Looking at the data for each carrier specifically, Nodak comes out as the lowest option for both genders, with average premiums $71 less for men and $65 cheaper for women.

Auto-owners or Nodak: 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 auto insurance can be pretty complicated. There are multiple different coverages that account for several different things. Some protect you and your vehicle, while others only provide coverage for other people's property and health if you cause an accident.

However, most policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability only (which covers the other party's injuries and property damage if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes comprehensive and collision coverages that protect your own vehicle, alongside liability coverage).

If you're looking for state minimum liability insurance, Nodak typically offers significantly cheaper rates of $36 compared to Auto-owners's $99. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, Nodak again has the edge, with policies around $75 a month more affordable than Auto-owners, on average.

Is Auto-owners or Nodak 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.

At-fault accidents and tickets will most likely raise your prices, but is Auto-owners or Nodak less expensive for drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Auto-owners policyholders can expect their premiums to go up an average of $44 per month if they get a ticket, while Nodak usually raises prices about $17 a month, on average.

Even so, Nodak is generally the more affordable option for both drivers who have a recent speeding ticket and those with clean records, offering rates that are $31 and $58 cheaper, respectively, compared to Auto-Owners Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both carriers will increase premiums pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault accident with Auto-owners increasing by over $45. Nodak has a less extreme raise, but you can still expect to pay more than $15 more than you were prior to your first collision.

Overall, Nodak offers the most affordable prices for drivers with an at-fault accident on their records, with monthly premiums averaging $107 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 car insurance bill. Auto-owners drivers usually see a 54% climb in their auto insurance rates after a DUI charge, while Nodak will typically increase prices by around 36%.

Nodak has the overall lowest premiums for drivers with a DUI on their records at $141 per month, but it's worth noting that Auto-owners's average rates come from 23 states compared to just one for Nodak, so the data may be skewed slightly.

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

Did you know that many car insurance companies take your credit score into account when calculating rates? This isn't always the case (Massachusetts, for example, has banned the use of credit score as a rating factor) but it might come into play for lots of drivers.

The reasoning insurance carriers use is that policyholders with bad credit will be less likely to pay their bills on time; so normally, they'll be asked to pay more, while those with good credit will be rewarded with less expensive premiums.

Looking at Auto-owners and Nodak specifically, which one has the best 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 Nodak. Policyholders with "excellent" credit can save just under 40% compared to Auto-owners, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- about $45 or 35% more affordable each month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Nodak typically offers lower prices than Auto-owners when it comes to drivers with less-than-perfect credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around $65 per month less with Nodak compared to Auto-owners, and those with "poor" scores generally save an average of about $124 monthly.

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

How much you drive can have a pretty big impact on your monthly car insurance payment. Typically, those who drive fewer miles will end up with cheaper premiums since there's less of a chance of getting into an accident and causing an insurance claim.

Nodak tends to be the more affordable option for both drivers who put 6,000 miles on their vehicles yearly, as well as those who average twice that figure. Nodak average prices for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in over $70 cheaper than Auto-owners. Those who drive 12,000 miles every year can expect to pay $65 less with Nodak over Auto-owners.

Auto-owners vs. Nodak: 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 insurance, but the type of area you live in can have a sizable impact as well. Usually, if you live in a rural area with fewer cars on the road, you'll pay a little less for auto insurance, while the opposite is true for people in urban areas.

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

If you live in a rural area, you can expect to pay around $112 a month with Nodak compared to Auto-owners's $164. People in suburban areas pay about $111 with Nodak compared to Auto-owners's $169 monthly. In urban areas, Nodak's average rates are around $111 while Auto-owners offers prices about $205.

Auto-owners vs. Nodak 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 taking advantage of as many insurance discounts as you can.

But where do you even start? With so many discounts out there, it may seem hard to find all the of the ones you can take advantage of.

In the table below, we've broken down all of the different discounts offered by both Auto-owners and Nodak so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and, therefore, the biggest savings.

Auto-owners blows Nodak away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 15 more discounts than Nodak.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like discounts for getting driver training, low mileage discounts, and discounts for insuring multiple cars with the same company. Auto-owners also offers ABS discounts, advance quote discounts, anti-theft discounts, and more that Nodak does not.

On the flip side, Nodak has a couple unique discounts of its own -- EFT discounts and loyalty discounts.

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

So, we've broken down the average rates for many of the factors auto insurance companies look at, and we've shown you all the discounts each carrier offers. That's all well and good, but when it comes down to it, which company is the best fit for you?

Nodak might be best for you if....

• You don't have any speeding tickets, DUIs, or at-fault collisions on your record.
• You have below-average credit.
• You are purchasing your car insurance with a spouse.

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

• You value the experience that comes with a large national insurance carrier.
• You're looking for discounts -- Auto-owners has the most.

We hope this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between Auto-owners and Nodak and that it aids in making a more informed decision about 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 a handful of carriers, not just Auto-owners and Nodak. 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.

Auto-owners vs. Nodak FAQs

Is Auto-owners or Nodak cheaper?

Looking just at the national average prices, Nodak is the less expensive of the two carriers, offering average rates of $111 a month compared to $179 for Auto-owners. That being said, Nodak won't necessarily be the lowest company for each driver, since there are lots of different variables (things like driving record, age, gender, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Auto-owners or Nodak?

Unfortunately, the real answer is "it depends.". No one carrier is "better" for every driver -- it all boils down to your unique auto insurance profile.

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

Insurance companies take a look at many different factors when determining the premiums they charge drivers. Things such as age, your driving record, where you park your car, gender, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both Auto-owners and Nodak calculate rates using different formulas, so each one will most likely offer different prices. The only real way to see which company is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a range of different carriers.

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

The only way to find the car 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, sites like Compare.com make it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your area information 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 Auto-owners or Nodak 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.