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

Quick Facts

• In general, Rurual Mutual offers slightly less expensive premiums than Auto-owners
• Auto-owners offers more affordable rates for drivers with a DUI charge on their record
• Rurual Mutual offers more affordable premiums for policyholders who have a clean record

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

Are you in the market for a new insurance policy? After all, you've seen ads from all sorts of companies offering huge discounts. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You might have narrowed it down to Auto-owners or Rurual Mutual as your top options, but between the two, which company will offer you more affordable rates?

As you can see, Rurual Mutual is about $12 per month cheaper than Auto-owners when looking at the national average rates for car insurance.

However, that doesn't mean Rurual Mutual will necessarily be more affordable than Auto-owners for every driver. After all, auto insurance companies can offer drastically different rates to each driver depending on rating factors like your credit score, your driving record, your age, or even where you call home (among other things), so prices will vary quite a bit from person to person.

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

Auto-owners or Rurual Mutual: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Auto-owners and Rurual Mutual only compete against each other in Wisconsin, where Auto-owners offers the cheaper average premiums. For Wisconsin residents, Auto-owners offers car insurance for $158 a month on average. Rurual Mutual's average prices come out to be more expensive, at $167 per month.

That being said, there's a lot more that goes into your insurance bill than just where you live. Read on to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive car insurance premiums of any other group of drivers. The reason is that young, inexperienced 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 Rurual Mutual for their auto insurance pay more than $55 less than those who use Auto-owners. It's worth noting that Auto-owners offers insurance in 23 different states compared to Rurual Mutual's one, which can skew the average prices a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

Even so, both carriers will offer you dramatically lower rates by the time drivers turn 25. For example, average prices for Auto-owners policyholders decrease nearly $250 and Rurual Mutual's premiums lower around $200 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

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

But who has the best premiums for retired drivers between Auto-owners and Rurual Mutual? Auto-owners gets the slight edge here, with average prices coming in at about $133 monthly compared to Rurual Mutual's $135. But that difference is less than 5%, which means it ultimately will come down to other factors, such as where you live or your credit score.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Married drivers tend to get slightly cheaper car insurance premiums than those who are single. This usually boils down to married policyholders having several cars on their policy -- something quite a few insurance companies will reward with discounts.

When it comes to relationship status, Rurual Mutual is the clear winner for single drivers, with rates around $22 a month less expensive than Auto-owners, on average. But for married couples, that advantage is much less clear - Auto-owners has the edge when it comes to average premiums , but the difference is only a dollar.

Auto-owners vs. Rurual Mutual: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to cause a collision and get into accidents. That means when it comes to car insurance men will typically end up paying a little more.

On average, men see rates about 6% per month higher with Auto-owners, while with Rurual Mutual, the difference is closer to 6% a month.

When it comes to the lowest prices for each gender, Rurual Mutual offers the cheapest average rates for both men and women, with average prices $12 less for men and $12 cheaper for women.

Auto-owners or Rurual 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, insurance can be pretty complicated. There are multiple different coverages that account for many 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.

That being said, most policies that many drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability only (which provides bodily injury and property damage coverage for other drivers and their passengers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes comprehensive and collision coverages that protect your own vehicle, in addition to liability).

In this case, Rurual Mutual offers the most affordable average premiums for state minimum liability insurance, while Auto-owners has the edge for full coverage policies with similar coverage limits. Drivers looking for basic state minimum coverage can save around $30 with Rurual Mutual Insurance, while full coverage comes out to be around $7 cheaper with Auto-Owners Insurance.

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

It's no big secret that drivers who are accident-free get better deals on their auto insurance. But even if you have a spotty record, you can still find plenty of ways to save some cash on your monthly bill.

You'll probably end up paying more with tickets and collisions on your record, but which of these two carriers offers the lowest rates to drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Auto-owners policyholders can expect their prices to go up an average of $44 per month if they get a ticket, while Rurual Mutual normally raises premiums about $10 a month, on average.

However, Rurual Mutual tends to offer the best prices for both drivers who have clean records and those with a recent speeding ticket, offering prices that are $4 and $38 less expensive, respectively, compared to Auto-Owners Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Auto-owners policyholders who get in an accident can expect to see their premiums rise by over $45, while those who have insurance through Rurual Mutual will see around a $20 increase.

Overall, the more affordable rates come from Rurual Mutual, with monthly premiums averaging $136 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 -- generally a lot more than a collision or ticket. Rurual Mutual drivers usually see a 59% climb in their insurance rates after a DUI charge, while Auto-owners will usually raise prices by about 54%.

Auto-owners has the overall most affordable rates for drivers with a DUI on their records at $264 per month, but it's worth noting that Auto-owners's average rates come from 23 states compared to just one for Rurual Mutual, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact Auto-owners and Rurual Mutual Rates?

Often times, your credit score can come into play when companies calculate your monthly bill. Certain states and carriers do not allow for credit score to be used as a rating factor, but it might come into play for many drivers.

Auto insurance companies argue that those with poor credit scores are less likely to pay their bills on time every month, which increases the risk involved on their end, while the opposite is true for those with good 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 great credit score, you'll usually find a better deal with Auto-owners. Drivers with "excellent" credit can save just under 25% compared to Rurual Mutual, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- around $11 or 8% cheaper each month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

If you have less-than-perfect credit, it can be somewhat of a toss-up as far as which company offers you the best prices. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about $2 less with Auto-owners than Rurual Mutual, but those whose credit is considered "poor" have it flipped -- saving around $90 per month with Rurual Mutual.

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

How much you drive can have a sizable impact on your monthly insurance cost. That's because the more miles you drive, the more likely you are to get into an accident and cause an insurance claim.

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

Auto-owners vs. Rurual Mutual: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you park your car can have a considerable impact on your monthly auto insurance payment. Typically, those who live in urban areas will pay more than policyholders in rural areas because of the number of vehicles that are on the roads in those areas.

Rurual Mutual tends to offer the lowest option for drivers in rural and suburban areas, while Auto-owners wins in urban areas.

If you live in a rural area, you can expect to save around 4% with Rurual Mutual compared to Auto-owners. Drivers in suburban ZIP codes pay about 22% less with Rurual Mutual compared to Auto-owners. In urban areas, Auto-Owners Insurance's average rates are around 3% less than Rurual Mutual Insurance.

Auto-owners vs. Rurual Mutual 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 auto insurance discounts as you can.

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

In the table below, we've broken down all of the different discounts offered by both Auto-owners and Rurual Mutual so that you can see which one offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

Auto-owners blows Rurual Mutual away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 18 more discounts than Rurual Mutual.

There are a couple discounts both carriers offer, but Auto-owners also offers ABS discounts, advance quote discounts, anti-theft discounts, and more that Rurual Mutual does not.

On the flip side, Rurual Mutual has a unique discount of its own -- a claim free discounts.

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

You've seen the effect certain variables have on your car insurance and the different discounts companies offer. But, at the end of the day, which carrier is the best carrier for you and your specific profile and needs?

Rurual Mutual might be best for you if....

• You have a clean driving record, free of accidents, tickets, or DUIs.
• You want basic insurance coverage at the state minimum limits.
• You're buying car insurance for a teen and looking for a wallet-friendly option.

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

• You have a DUI charge on your record.
• You care about discounts (Auto-owners offers the most).
• You are over 65 years old and want to save some money on your insurance.

We hope this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between Auto-owners and Rurual Mutual. 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 several carriers, not just Auto-owners and Rurual Mutual. Luckily, sites like Compare.com make it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your ZIP code below and get free quotes from dozens of top insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Auto-owners vs. Rurual Mutual FAQs

Is Auto-owners or Rurual Mutual cheaper?

Looking just at the national average prices, Rurual Mutual is the more affordable of the two carriers, offering average rates of $167 a month compared to $179 for Auto-owners. Even so, Rurual Mutual won't necessarily be the cheapest company for everyone, since there are several different factors (things like driving record, age, gender, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Auto-owners or Rurual Mutual?

Unfortunately, the real answer is "it depends.". One carrier is not "better" for every driver -- it all comes down to what your unique auto insurance profile looks like. For example, Rurual Mutual offers less expensive rates for single drivers, while Auto-owners is more affordable for drivers who have already retired.

Why do Auto-owners and Rurual Mutual offer me different rates?

Insurance companies take a look at several different variables when calculating the prices they charge policyholders. Factors such as where your home is, age, gender, where you call home, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both Auto-owners and Rurual Mutual calculate premiums using different formulas, so each one will most likely offer different rates. The only real way to see which company is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from lots of different carriers.

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

The only way to find the auto insurance carrier that's right for you is by getting quotes from a handful of companies 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 information once and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best car insurance carriers in your area. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the best premium. And who knows, the best company for you might not be Auto-owners or Rurual Mutual 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.