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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for car insurance, Auto-owners offers less expensive rates than Safe Auto
• Auto-owners offers more affordable average prices for residents of rural areas
• Safe Auto offers more affordable premiums for drivers with a DUI charge on their record

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

So, you're considering switching your auto insurance. With so many ads from all sorts of companies offering hefty discounts, you're probably wondering exactly how much you might be able to save.

You've maybe even narrowed it down to Auto-owners or Safe Auto, but which one will offer you cheaper rates?

Looking at nationwide averages, Safe Auto is about $44 more per month than Auto-owners.

But Auto-owners may not be the lowest or best option for every driver out there. After all, insurance companies can offer drastically different rates to each driver depending on rating factors like where you call home, your age, your driving record, or even your credit score (among other things), so prices could differ drastically from person to person.

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

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

Auto-owners and Safe Auto compete against each other in nine states, with Safe Auto offering more affordable rates to the average driver in all of them. If you live in Arizona, Missouri, or Tennessee, Safe Auto is the cheaper of the two carriers when looking at the overall average prices. Auto-owners is the less expensive option in Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina.

But there's more to calculating auto insurance rates than just your home state. Continue reading to learn more about how other factors will affect your rates.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers typically pay a lot more for car insurance than any group out there on the road. It's generally 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 prices. As you can see above, teens who use Auto-owners save $50 a month compared to those who use Safe Auto.

That being said, both companies will reduce premiums by the time drivers turn 25. For example, average prices for Auto-owners policyholders lower nearly $250 and Safe Auto's rates decrease around $250 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Drivers around retirement age usually enjoy some of the cheapest car insurance premiums you'll ever find. After all, they've likely been driving for quite some time, which normally reduces their chances of accidents and other infractions that can increase prices.

When looking at Auto-owners and Safe Auto specifically, which company is best for retired drivers? Auto-owners gets the edge, with rates for drivers 65 and older $46 more affordable than the national average for Safe Auto.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Married policyholders tend to get slightly cheaper insurance premiums than those who are single. That's because policies for married drivers typically cover multiple cars, which lots of carriers will offer you a discount for.

When it comes to relationship status, Auto-owners is the clear winner for single policyholders, with prices about $48 per month less expensive than Safe Auto, on average. The advantage is also clear for married couples - Auto-owners offers the most affordable average rates.

Auto-owners vs. Safe Auto: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get into collisions and file an insurance claim, which means they'll normally end up paying more for auto insurance than women.

With Auto-owners, women generally pay more than $10 a month less than men, and around $17 less with Safe Auto.

Looking at overall affordability, Auto-owners comes out as the lowest option for both genders, with average premiums 20% less for men and 19% cheaper for women.

Auto-owners or Safe Auto: 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 isn't the easiest topic to understand. There are so many different coverages and limits that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy.

The two most common 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 an accident) and full coverage (which usually refers to having comprehensive and collision coverages in addition to what you get with liability).

If you're looking for state minimum liability insurance, Auto-owners typically offers more affordable rates of $99 compared to Safe Auto's $126. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, Auto-owners again has the edge, with policies about $60 per month cheaper than Safe Auto, on average.

Is Auto-owners or Safe Auto 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.

You'll probably end up paying more with accidents and tickets on your record, but which of these two companies offers the cheapest premiums to drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Auto-owners policyholders can expect their prices to go up an average of $44 a month if they get a ticket, while Safe Auto usually raises premiums around $40 per month, on average.

However, Auto-owners tends to offer the best prices for both drivers who have a recent speeding ticket and those with clean records -- their rates are around 33% less expensive for drivers with clean records and 25% cheaper for those with a ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

After an accident, drivers who have their auto insurance through Auto-owners can expect to see about an $47 -- or around 28% -- increase in their car insurance prices. Drivers who use Safe Auto for their insurance will see a monthly bill about $66 (or 27%) more expensive after reporting a collision to their car insurance carrier.

Overall, drivers who use Auto-owners end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with monthly rates averaging $168 compared to Safe Auto's $246.

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 -- normally a lot more than an accident or ticket. For example, Auto-owners increases average prices by just under $150 a month -- that's just under a 55% increase.

If you have a DUI on your record and are looking for more affordable premiums, Safe Auto tends to be the much less expensive option with average rates of $245 monthly compared to $264 from Auto-owners.

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

Did you know that many auto insurance carriers take into account your credit score when calculating prices? This isn't always the case (Hawaii, for example, has banned the use of credit score as a rating factor) but it does affect a lot of drivers out there.

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

So, which company offers the most affordable rates for drivers with poor, average, or good credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have solid credit, you'll usually find a better deal with Auto-owners. Policyholders with "excellent" credit can save nearly 50% compared to Safe Auto, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- around $93 or 42% less expensive every 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 premiums. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about $54 less with Auto-owners than Safe Auto, but those whose credit is considered "poor" have it flipped -- saving around $65 per month with Safe Auto.

Is Auto-owners or Safe Auto 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 how much car insurance carriers will charge for coverage. Usually, those who drive less will end up with cheaper rates since there's less of a chance of getting into a collision and causing an insurance claim.

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

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

Where you call home can play a large role in how much you pay for auto insurance. Normally, those who live in rural areas will pay less than drivers in urban areas because there are a lot fewer vehicles on the roads in those areas.

Auto-owners boasts the most affordable average prices for drivers in every type of area, no matter if it's urban, suburban, or rural.

For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, Auto-owners offers premiums around $205 a month compared to Safe Auto's $271. People who live in suburban ZIP codes can expect to pay about $169 a month for Auto-owners and $200 for Safe Auto. Lastly, those in rural areas tend to get the lowest rates from both companies, with average monthly prices coming in at $164 and $197 for Auto-owners and Safe Auto respectively.

Auto-owners vs. Safe Auto Discounts

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

But where do you even start? With what seems like a million different discounts out there, it may be difficult to find all the ones you can take advantage of.

In the table below, we've compared all of the different discounts offered by Auto-owners and Safe Auto so that you can see which company can save you the most money each month.

Auto-owners blows Safe Auto away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 24 different discounts to Safe Auto's 14.

There are a couple discounts both carriers offer, but Auto-owners also offers ABS discounts, advance quote discounts, company car discounts, and more that Safe Auto does not.

On the flip side, Safe Auto has a couple unique discounts of its own -- agency transfer discounts, claim free discounts, military discounts, and more.

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

So, you've seen how different variables can affect your car insurance rates. We've broken down the different discounts each company offers, too. But, when it comes down to it, is Auto-owners or Safe Auto the best carrier for you and your specific driver profile?

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

• You want to save money on your auto insurance after an accident.
• You want basic insurance coverage at the state minimum limits.
• You are over 65 years old and want to save some money on your car insurance.

Safe Auto might be best for you if...

• You have a DUI charge on your record.

We hope this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare Auto-owners and Safe Auto. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision about your auto 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 car insurance -- comparing quotes from multiple companies, not just Auto-owners and Safe Auto. Luckily, sites like Compare.com make it easy for you to do just that. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get multiple quotes from some of the best auto insurance carriers in your area, all for free.

Auto-owners vs. Safe Auto FAQs

Is Auto-owners or Safe Auto cheaper?

Looking just at the national average prices, Auto-owners is the less expensive of the two companies, offering average rates of $179 per month compared to $223 for Safe Auto. But Auto-owners won't necessarily be the most affordable carrier for every driver, since there are many different factors that come into play when it comes to your insurance payment.

Who is better, Auto-owners or Safe Auto?

Sadly, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". No one company is necessarily "better" for each driver -- it all boils down to your unique auto insurance profile. For example, Safe Auto offers cheaper premiums for drivers with a recent DUI, while Auto-owners is more affordable for drivers with excellent credit.

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

Insurance carriers take a look at quite a few different variables when determining the prices they charge drivers. Factors such as where you live, where you park your car, gender, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Auto-owners and Safe Auto calculate rates differently, so each one will most likely offer different premiums. The only real way to see which carrier is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a variety of different companies.

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

The only way to find the car 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 does all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best insurance companies in your area. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the best price. And who knows, the best carrier for you might not be Auto-owners or Safe Auto 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.