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

Quick Facts

• In general, Infinity offers significantly cheaper prices than Bristol West
• Bristol West may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than Infinity Insurance
• Infinity has less expensive premiums for policyholders who live in the suburbs

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

So, you're thinking about switching to a new insurance policy. You've probably seen commercials and billboards from companies offering hefty savings, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You might have narrowed it down to Bristol West or Infinity as your top options, but between the two, which company will offer you more affordable rates?

Looking at the national average rates for both carriers, Bristol West has average rates that are around 55% a month more expensive than those from Infinity.

That being said, that doesn't necessarily mean Infinity will be the less expensive option for every driver. Insurance companies vary their prices depending on things like where you live, how old you are, how good your credit score is, how clean your driving record is, and tons of other factors, so premiums will vary quite a bit from person to person.

Wanting to know if Bristol West or Infinity is really the right carrier for you? Keep on reading to see how average prices can change based on all of the factors we've mentioned above.

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

Bristol West and Infinity only compete against each other in California, where Infinity offers the cheaper average rates. Infinity drivers tend to pay about $11 per month less on average compared to drivers who use Bristol West for their auto insurance.

That being said, there are plenty of other factors that go into your car insurance bill than just the state you live in. Read on to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- typically pay a lot for insurance compared to older drivers. The reason is that teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

But that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high auto insurance premiums. As you can see above, teens who use Infinity save over 40% a month compared to those who use Bristol West.

However, both carriers will reduce rates by the time drivers turn 25. For example, average prices for Bristol West policyholders drop about $450 and Infinity's premiums decrease around $300 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Drivers around retirement age generally enjoy some of the cheapest insurance prices out there. After all, they've likely been driving for quite some time, which normally lowers their chances of collisions and other infractions that can raise premiums.

When looking at Bristol West and Infinity specifically, which company is best for retired drivers? Infinity gets the edge here, with average rates coming in at about $134 a month compared to Bristol West's $364.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but car insurance prices tend to be more expensive for single policyholders than they are for married drivers. That's because policies for married policyholders usually cover multiple vehicles, which several companies will give you a discount for.

For single drivers, the difference in average premiums between these two carriers is significant, with Infinity rates coming in at around half of Bristol West's. The advantage is also clear for married couples - Infinity offers the lowest average premiums.

Bristol West or Infinity: Average Rates by Gender

You may not know, but men typically pay more for auto insurance than women do. This is because men are statistically more likely than women to get speeding tickets and get into accidents, which leads to increased risk for insurers and, therefore, higher rates.

Surprisingly, with Bristol West, women usuallypay about $1 per month more than men; men and women end up paying the same monthly prices with Infinity.

When it comes to the cheapest rates for each gender, Infinity comes out as the most affordable option for both genders, with average premiums 57% less for men and 57% cheaper for women.

Bristol West vs. Infinity: 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 car insurance can be a complicated subject for most people. There are a bunch of different coverages that account for lots of different things. Some protect you and your car, while others only provide coverage for other people's property and health if you cause a collision.

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

Looking specifically at state minimum liability insurance, Infinity has the significant edge, with average monthly prices coming in at $93. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Infinity again has the edge, with policies averaging around $262 a month to Bristol West's $544.

Is Bristol West or Infinity 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.

Speeding tickets and at-fault accidents will most likely raise your prices, but is Bristol West or Infinity cheaper for drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Bristol West for their auto insurance can normally expect their monthly bill to go up about 23% after getting a speeding ticket. Infinity policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of around 20%.

That being said, Infinity is generally the more affordable option for drivers both with a ticket and with a clean record -- their rates are around 62% cheaper for drivers with clean records and 64% less expensive for those with a ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Bristol West drivers who get in a collision can expect to see their premiums increase by just under 30%, while those who have insurance through Infinity will see about a 40% increase.

At the end of the day, Infinity offers the lowest prices for drivers with an at-fault collision on their records, with average premiums coming in at $211 compared to Bristol West's $479.

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 -- typically a lot more than an accident or speeding ticket. On average, Infinity will climb your rates around 39% after a DUI, while Bristol West's average prices climb by nearly 15%.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable rates, Infinity tends to be more affordable for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at about $211 to Bristol West's $390.

How does Credit Score Impact Bristol West and Infinity Rates?

You may not have known, but your credit score can come into play when carriers determine your monthly bill. This isn't true for everyone (Michigan, for example, has banned the use of credit score as an auto insurance factor) but it will come into play for lots of policyholders.

The reasoning auto insurance companies use is that drivers with good credit will be more likely to pay their bills on time; so they'll reward them with cheaper premiums, while those with poor credit will normally be forced to pay more.

So, which carrier offers the best rates for policyholders with poor, average, or good credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Generally, if you have excellent credit, you can expect to be rewarded. Improving your "good" credit score to an "excellent" one will usually save Bristol West customers around $40. On the other hand, Infinity doesn't have data available for credit scores, which means they most likely don't use credit to calculate your prices.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

If you have bad credit, it can cost you with Bristol West. For drivers with less-than-stellar credit, at Bristol West, you may pay about $150 per month more if you have "poor" credit compared to those with "fair" scores. It's an even larger difference when compared to drivers with "good" or "excellent" scores. On the other hand, Infinity doesn't have data available for credit scores, which means drivers with bad credit might find better rates with Infinity over Bristol West.

Is Bristol West or Infinity 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 premiums. That's because the fewer miles you put on your vehicle each year, the less likely you are to be in a collision and file an insurance claim.

For both remote workers and those taking short commutes, Infinity offers less expensive rates than Bristol West. Infinity's average prices for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in around 59% more affordable than Bristol West. Those who drive 12,000 miles annually can expect to pay about 54% less with Infinity over Bristol West.

Bristol West or Infinity: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you park your car can play a pretty big role in how much you pay for car insurance. Generally, 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.

When comparing these two carriers side-by-side, Infinity typically comes out as the cheapest option for drivers in all areas, regardless of if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

If you live in a rural area, you can expect to pay around $149 per month with Infinity and $309 with Bristol West. Drivers in suburban ZIP codes pay a monthly rate of about $186 with Infinity compared to $386 with Bristol West. In urban areas, Infinity's average premiums are around $198 while Bristol West offers prices about $539.

Bristol West vs. Infinity 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 car insurance discounts as possible.

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

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and compared all of the different discounts offered by Bristol West and Infinity so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and, therefore, the largest savings.

Bristol West knocks Infinity out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 18 different discounts to Infinity's three.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like discounts for being a defensive driver and discounts for being a good driver. Bristol West also offers discounts for ABS, advance quote, anti-theft, and more.

On the other hand, Infinity has a proprietary discount of their own -- a good student discounts.

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

You've seen the role certain variables have on your auto insurance and the different discounts companies offer. That's all well and good, but when it comes down to it, which company is the right fit for you?

Infinity might be best for you if....

• You don't have any speeding tickets, DUIs, or at-fault collisions on your record.
• You live in a rural neighborhood.
• You've started working from home and don't have much of a commute.

Bristol West might be best for you if...

• You have less-than-stellar credit.
• Your credit score is high.
• You care about discounts (Bristol West offers the most).

Hopefully, this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare Bristol West and Infinity and that you can now make a more informed decision when it comes to your car 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 a handful of carriers, not just Bristol West and Infinity. Luckily, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code below and get multiple free quotes from some of the best car insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Bristol West vs. Infinity FAQs

Is Bristol West or Infinity cheaper?

Infinity is the cheaper of the two carriers when looking at national average rates, with policies averaging $178 a month with Infinity and $412 for Bristol West. However, that doesn't mean Infinity will be the most affordable carrier for every policyholder, since there are a variety of different factors that come into play when it comes to your auto insurance cost.

Who is better, Bristol West or Infinity?

Unfortunately, the answer truly is "it depends.". No one company is necessarily "better" for each policyholder -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique insurance profile. For example, Bristol West is less expensive for drivers with excellent credit, while Infinity offers more affordable premiums for drivers with a recent DUI.

Why do Bristol West and Infinity offer me different rates?

Car insurance companies use a lot of different variables when determining the rates they charge. Things like your driving record, gender, where you call home, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Bristol West and Infinity calculate prices using different factors, so it's likely they'll offer different premiums. The best way to determine which carrier is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from several different carriers.

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

The only way to find the insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from multiple 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 quotes from dozens of your local top auto insurance carriers for free. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the best price. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't Bristol West or Infinity 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.