Bristol West vs. GEICO: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for insurance, GEICO offers significantly more affordable prices than Bristol West
• GEICO offers cheaper average rates for drivers with a DUI
• GEICO tends to be a much less expensive option for drivers who have a speeding ticket on their driving record

Bristol West or GEICO: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

So, you're thinking about switching to a new insurance policy. After all, you've seen ads from all sorts of companies offering considerable savings. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You might be considering Bristol West or GEICO as potential options, but between the two, which carrier has cheaper premiums for car insurance?

Looking at the national average rates for both carriers, GEICO is quite a bit cheaper than Bristol West, with prices averaging $185 a month compared to $412 with Bristol West.

But GEICO may not be the most affordable or best option for each driver out there. After all, insurance companies can offer drastically different rates to every driver depending on rating factors like your credit score, your driving record, where you call home, or even your age (among other things). So, at the end of the day, rates from each company will differ quite a bit from person to person.

Luckily, we've broken down average premiums from both Bristol West and GEICO by a bunch of different rate factors, so read on to find out which carrier is the best for you.

Bristol West vs. GEICO: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Bristol West and GEICO compete against each other in six states, with GEICO offering less expensive rates to the average driver in all of them. Nevada has the most noticable difference, where GEICO prices are $390 more affordable than auto insurance premiums at Bristol West.

There are plenty of other factors that go into your insurance cost than just where you call home. Read on to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers generally pay a lot more for car insurance than any other group of drivers. Usually, that's because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into an accident that results in an auto insurance claim, making them much riskier to insure.

However, that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their auto insurance. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of over 55% less per month by choosing GEICO over Bristol West.

That being said, with both carriers, you'll see your rates lower significantly by the time you turn 25. For example, average prices for Bristol West policyholders decrease almost 55% and GEICO's premiums reduce more than 55% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Drivers around retirement age normally enjoy some of the cheapest insurance prices you'll ever see. After all, they've likely been driving for quite some time, which typically reduces their chances of collisions and other infractions that can raise rates.

When looking at Bristol West and GEICO specifically, which company is best for retired drivers? GEICO gets the edge, with prices for drivers 65 and older nearly 60% less expensive than the national average for Bristol West.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but auto insurance rates tend to be cheaper for married couples than they are for those who are single. That's because policies for married policyholders normally cover more than one vehicle, which quite a few companies will give you a discount for.

For single drivers, the difference in average premiums between these two carriers is significant, with GEICO prices coming in at around half of Bristol West's. For married drivers, the advantage is clear again - GEICO has the edge when it comes to average premiums.

Bristol West or GEICO: Average Rates by Gender

Did you know men tend to pay more for car insurance than women? That's because women are less likely to get into collisions and get speeding tickets, which lowers the chances of filing a claim with insurance.

Surprisingly, with Bristol West, women typicallypay about 0% more a month than men, and around 4% less with GEICO when compared to their male counterparts.

When it comes to the lowest rates for each gender, GEICO comes out as the most affordable option for both genders. On average, women save about $231 per month and men save about $222 with GEICO compared to the average Bristol West policyholder.

Bristol West vs. GEICO: 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 a complicated subject for most people. There are so many different terms and limits that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy for you.

The two most common policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (that covers property damage and bodily injury for other drivers and their passengers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which usually refers to having collision and comprehensive coverages alongside liability coverage).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability insurance, GEICO has the significant edge, with average monthly premiums coming in at $101. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, GEICO again has the edge, with policies averaging around $269 a month to Bristol West's $544.

Is Bristol West or GEICO Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from insurance companies offering great rates for good drivers, but that doesn't mean people with less-than-perfect driving records can't save money, too.

At-fault accidents and speeding tickets will most likely raise your prices, but is Bristol West or GEICO more affordable for drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Bristol West for their car insurance can generally expect their monthly bill to go up about 23% after getting a speeding ticket. GEICO policyholders can expect a bit more drastic of an increase of around 23%.

Even so, GEICO tends to offer the best prices for both drivers who have clean records and those with a recent ticket, offering rates that are 66% and 66% less expensive, respectively, compared to Bristol West.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

After an accident, drivers who have their auto insurance through Bristol West can expect to see about an $140 -- or around 29% -- rise in their insurance prices. Drivers who use GEICO for their car insurance will see a monthly bill about $85 (or 43%) more expensive after reporting an accident to their auto insurance carrier.

At the end of the day, drivers who use GEICO end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with average premiums coming in at $200 compared to Bristol West's $479.

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 speeding ticket when it comes to your car insurance bill. For example, GEICO increases average prices by more than $150 per month -- that's nearly a 60% increase.

How does Credit Score Impact Bristol West and GEICO Rates?

You may not realized it, but your credit score can be used as one of the variables to determine your monthly insurance rates. This isn't true for everyone (for example, Michigan and California are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it does affect a lot of drivers out there.

Auto insurance carriers argue that someone with bad credit is less likely to pay their bills on time, which makes them riskier to insure. Because of that, policyholders with bad credit will often be forced to pay more.

So, which company offers the lowest premiums for drivers with poor, average, or good credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Is Bristol West or GEICO 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 prices. That's because the more milage you put on your car, the more likely you are to be in a collision and file an insurance claim.

For both remote workers and those taking short commutes, GEICO tends to be the more affordable option. Bristol West's average premiums for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in around 56% more expensive than GEICO. Those who drive 12,000 miles every year can expect to pay about 54% more with Bristol West over GEICO.

Bristol West or GEICO: 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 car insurance, but the type of area you live in can have a big impact as well. Usually, if you live in an urban area with more cars on the road, you'll pay a little more for insurance, while the opposite is true for people in rural areas.

GEICO tends to offer the lowest premiums for drivers in all areas, regardless of if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, GEICO's average prices are around $328 less than Bristol West. People who live in suburban areas pay about $201 less with GEICO compared to Bristol West. Those in rural areas can expect to save around $150 with GEICO compared to Bristol West.

Bristol West vs. GEICO Discounts

No matter why you might be in the market for a new auto insurance policy, you're always going to want to save as much money as you can, and the best way to do that is by taking advantage of as many insurance discounts as possible.

The difficult part is finding all of the discounts you qualify 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 Bristol West and GEICO so that you can see which company offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

GEICO knocks Bristol West out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 10 more discounts than Bristol West.

Both companies offer several of the same discounts -- like anti-theft discounts, distant student discounts, EFT discounts, and multi-policy discounts -- but GEICO also offers discounts for commercial drivers license, COVID-19 relief, deployed driver, and more.

On the other hand, Bristol West has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like advance quote discounts, continuous insurance discounts, homeowner discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Bristol West or GEICO Best for You?

You've seen the role certain factors have on your car insurance and the different discounts carriers offer. That's all well and good, but when it comes down to it, is Bristol West or GEICO the right one for you and your specific profile and needs?

GEICO might be best for you if....

• You want to save money on your insurance after an accident.
• You want the most robust protection via a "full coverage" policy.
• You're married and plan to have both of your names on the vehicle's car insurance policy.

Bristol West might be best for you if...

• You have a more unique driver profile than those we mentioned above.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between Bristol West and GEICO and that you can now make a more informed decision when it comes to 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 insurance -- comparing quotes from multiple companies, not just Bristol West and GEICO. 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 the top auto insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Bristol West vs. GEICO FAQs

Is Bristol West or GEICO cheaper?

GEICO is the cheaper of the two companies when looking at national average rates, with policies averaging $185 a month with GEICO and $412 for Bristol West. However, that doesn't mean GEICO will be the cheapest carrier for each driver, since there are a range of different variables (things like age, gender, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Bristol West or GEICO?

Unfortunately, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". One company is not necessarily "better" for everyone -- it all depends on what your unique car insurance profile looks like.

Why do Bristol West and GEICO offer me different rates?

Auto insurance carriers use lots of different factors when determining the premiums they charge. Variables such as where you call home, gender, where you park your vehicle, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Bristol West and GEICO calculate prices using different factors, so it's likely they'll offer different rates. The best way to determine which carrier is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from several different companies.

How do I know if Bristol West or GEICO is right for me?

The only way to find the car insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from a handful of 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 insurance companies for free. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the cheapest price. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't Bristol West or GEICO 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.