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

Quick Facts

• In general, Pekin offers significantly less expensive premiums than Auto-owners
• Auto-owners may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than Pekin Insurance
• Pekin offers more affordable prices for single people who will be the only person on the auto insurance policy

Auto-owners or Pekin: 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 big savings, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You've maybe even narrowed it down to Auto-owners or Pekin for your next policy, but which company has cheaper premiums for car insurance?

As you can see, Pekin is quite a bit cheaper than Auto-owners, with rates averaging $74 a month compared to $179 with Auto-owners when looking at the national average rates for auto insurance.

However, that doesn't mean Pekin will necessarily be more affordable than Auto-owners for every driver. Insurance carriers vary their prices depending on things like how good your credit score is, where you live, how clean your driving record is, how old you are, and tons of other factors, so rates will vary quite a bit from person to person.

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

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

Auto-owners and Pekin only compete against each other in Indiana, where Pekin offers the cheaper average premiums. Pekin drivers tend to pay about $58 per month less on average compared to drivers who use Auto-owners for their auto insurance.

That being said, there are plenty of other factors that go into your car insurance bill than just where you call home. Keep reading to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- typically pay a lot for insurance compared to older drivers. 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. As you can see above, teens who use Pekin save over 55% a month compared to those who use Auto-owners. It's worth noting that Auto-owners offers car insurance in 23 different states compared to Pekin's one, which can skew the average premiums a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

But with both companies, you'll see your prices drop significantly by the time you turn 25. For example, average premiums for Auto-owners policyholders reduce almost 60% and Pekin's rates lower nearly 65% 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 lowest prices you'll ever see.

When looking at Auto-owners and Pekin specifically, which company is best for retired drivers? Pekin gets the edge, with rates for drivers 65 and older more than 55% cheaper than the national average for Auto-owners.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that auto insurance prices are normally less expensive for married couples than they are for single drivers? This usually boils down to married drivers having more than one vehicle on their policy -- something a lot of car insurance carriers will reward with discounts.

For single policyholders, the difference in average premiums between these two companies is significant, with Pekin prices coming in at around 60% less than Auto-owners's. For married policyholders, the advantage is clear again - Pekin has the edge when it comes to average rates.

Auto-owners or Pekin: Average Rates by Gender

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

Usually, women see premiums about $10 per month more affordable with Auto-owners, and around $1 cheaper with Pekin when compared to their male counterparts.

Looking at overall affordability, Pekin comes out on top for both men and women, with average rates $110 less for men and $100 cheaper for women.

Auto-owners vs. Pekin: 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. Everyone needs auto insurance, but there are so many different terms and coverages that it can be hard to find the right policy for you.

Even so, most policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (which covers the other party's property damage and injuries if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes collision and comprehensive coverages that protect your own car, in addition to what you get with a liability policy).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability limits, Pekin has the significant edge, with average monthly prices coming in at $46. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Pekin again has the edge, with policies averaging about $103 a month to Auto-owners's $260.

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

It's no secret -- drivers with good records end up getting the best deals on their car 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 speeding tickets and accidents on your record, but which of these two carriers offers the most affordable premiums to drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Auto-owners for their insurance can usually expect their monthly bill to go up around 27% after getting a speeding ticket. Pekin policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of about 19%.

That being said, Pekin is generally the cheaper option for drivers both with clean records and with a ticket. With Pekin Insurance, drivers with a clean record can save around $67 per month and drivers with a speeding ticket can save about $98 a month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Auto-owners drivers who get in an accident can expect to see their rates increase by over $45, while those who have insurance through Pekin will see around a $20 increase.

At the end of the day, the more affordable premiums come from Pekin, with average prices coming in at $73 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 car insurance bill -- typically a lot more than a collision or ticket. Auto-owners drivers usually see a 54% increase in their insurance rates after a DUI charge, while Pekin will normally raise prices by about 48%.

Pekin has the overall lowest premiums for drivers with a DUI on their records at $104 per month, but it's worth noting that Auto-owners's average rates come from 23 states compared to just one for Pekin, so the data may be skewed slightly.

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

Did you know many auto insurance companies take your credit score into account when determining rates? This isn't true for everyone (for example, Hawaii and Michigan are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it might come into play for lots of policyholders.

Insurance carriers argue that someone with good credit is more likely to pay their bills on time, which makes them less risky to insure. Because of that, drivers with good credit will often be rewarded with less expensive premiums.

So, which carrier offers the cheapest prices for policyholders with good, average, or poor credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have great credit, Pekin will usually reward you the most. For drivers with "excellent" credit scores, Pekin comes in nearly 49.47 cheaper. Drivers with "good" credit scores normally save around 53% with Pekin compared to average premiums from Auto-owners.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Pekin typically offers lower rates than Auto-owners when it comes to drivers with less-than-perfect credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about 57% per month less with Pekin compared to Auto-owners, and those with "poor" scores typically save an average of around 64% a month.

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

How much you drive can have a large impact on your monthly car insurance payment. Usually, the more milage you drive, the more you can expect to pay for coverage.

Pekin tends to be the less expensive option for both remote workers and those taking short commutes. Auto-owners's average prices for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in more than 60% more expensive than Pekin. Those who drive 12,000 miles annually can expect to pay over 55% more with Auto-owners over Pekin.

Auto-owners or Pekin: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you park your vehicle can have a substantial impact on your monthly auto insurance cost. Generally, policyholders who live in heavily-populated urban areas will pay quite a bit more than rural drivers because of the number of cars that are on the roads where they live.

When comparing these two companies side-by-side, Pekin typically comes out as the most affordable option for drivers in every type of area, no matter if it's urban, suburban, or rural.

Those in rural areas can expect to save about $94 with Pekin compared to Auto-owners. People who live in suburban areas pay around $101 less with Pekin compared to Auto-owners. For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, Pekin Insurance's average rates are about $120 less than Auto-Owners Insurance.

Auto-owners vs. Pekin Discounts

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

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

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

Auto-owners blows Pekin away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 14 more discounts than Pekin.

Both carriers offer quite a few of the same discounts -- like discounts for being a defensive driver, discounts for being a good student, and multi-policy discounts -- but Auto-owners also offers discounts for ABS, company car, COVID-19 relief, and more.

On the other hand, Pekin has a few proprietary discounts of their own like EFT discounts and hybrid vehicle discounts.

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

So, we've broken down the average prices for many of the variables insurance companies look at, and we've shown you all the discounts each carrier offers. But, at the end of the day, is Auto-owners or Pekin the best one for you, your vehicle, and your wallet?

Pekin might be best for you if....

• You're looking for the best rates in IN.
• You want the most robust protection via a "full coverage" policy.
• You don't spend much time in your car.

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

• You are considering moving to another state -- Pekin Insurance is only available in IN.
• You're looking for discounts -- Auto-owners has the most.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between Auto-owners and Pekin and that you can now make a more informed 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 carriers, not just Auto-owners and Pekin. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Simply enter your ZIP code below and get free quotes from dozens of the top auto insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Auto-owners vs. Pekin FAQs

Is Auto-owners or Pekin cheaper?

Pekin is the more affordable of the two carriers when looking at national average premiums, with policies averaging $74 a month with Pekin and $179 for Auto-owners. But that doesn't mean Pekin will be the cheapest company for every policyholder, since there are many different factors (things like gender, age, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Auto-owners or Pekin?

Sadly, the real answer is "it depends.". No single carrier is "better" for each policyholder -- it all depends on what your unique insurance profile looks like.

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

Car insurance companies use quite a few different variables when calculating the rates they charge. Things like your driving record, where your home is, age, gender, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both Auto-owners and Pekin use different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different premiums. The best way to determine which company is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a bunch of different carriers.

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

The only way to find the insurance carrier that's right for you is by getting quotes from several 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 information once and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top auto insurance carriers for free. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the best rate. And maybe you'll find that the best company for you isn't Auto-owners or Pekin 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.