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

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for car insurance, Kemper offers significantly less expensive rates than Bristol West
• Bristol West has more affordable premiums in CA, FL, ME, MI, NV, and SC
• Kemper offers more affordable prices for drivers who have below-average credit

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

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

You might be considering Bristol West or Kemper, but which carrier will save you the most?

Looking at the national average rates for both carriers, Bristol West is quite a bit more expensive than Kemper, with rates averaging $412 a month compared to just $235 with Kemper.

Even so, Kemper may not be the lowest or best option for every single 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, your age, or even where you call home (among other things). So, at the end of the day, prices from each company will differ quite a bit from person to person.

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

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

Bristol West and Kemper only compete against each other in two states, with Kemper offering cheaper rates to the average driver in all of them. Nevada has the most noticable difference, where Kemper premiums are $333 more affordable than auto insurance rates at Bristol West.

But there's more to car insurance than just where you call home. As we mentioned above, there's a lot of things that go into how auto insurance carriers determine your prices. Continue reading to see how other variables will affect your rates.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers usually pay a lot more for car insurance than any group out there on the road. That's because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to cause collisions and other accidents that will result in an insurance claim.

But still, even with seemingly sky-high rates, teen drivers can still find ways to save money. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of almost 40% less per month by choosing Kemper over Bristol West.

However, both companies will offer you dramatically lower premiums once you turn 25. Kemper offers the steepest reduction, with 25-year-olds paying less than half what 18-year-old drivers are charged. Bristol West's average prices drop nearly 55% during that same period.

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 most affordable premiums you'll ever find.

When looking at Bristol West and Kemper specifically, which company is best for retired drivers? Kemper gets the edge, with rates for drivers 65 and older $185 cheaper than the national average for Bristol West.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Single policyholders tend to get offered slightly more expensive car insurance prices than married drivers. That's normally because married couples tend to own and insure more than one vehicle, which can often earn you a discount.

For those who are single, the difference in average rates between these two carriers is significant, with Kemper prices coming in at around half of Bristol West's. The advantage is also clear for married policyholders - Kemper offers the cheapest average premiums.

Bristol West or Kemper: Average Rates by Gender

Because women are less likely to get speeding tickets and get into accidents, they have a decreased chance of filing a claim with insurance. So, insurance companies will tend to offer women more affordable rates.

Surprisingly, with Bristol West, men typicallypay about $1 a month less than women, and around $19 more with Kemper.

When it comes to the most affordable premiums for each gender, Kemper offers the lowest average prices for both men and women. On average, women save about $187 per month and men save about $167 with Kemper compared to the average Bristol West policyholder.

Bristol West vs. Kemper: 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, auto insurance can be pretty complicated. There are so many different terms and coverages that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy for you.

That being said, most policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability coverage (which covers the other party's property damage and injuries if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which generally refers to having collision and comprehensive coverages alongside what you get with a liability policy).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability limits, Kemper has the significant edge, with average monthly rates coming in at $139. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Kemper again has the edge, with policies averaging around $331 a month to Bristol West's $544.

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

It's no secret -- drivers with good records end up getting the best deals on their 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 at-fault collisions and speeding tickets on your record, but which of these two carriers offers the cheapest premiums to drivers with less-than-perfect 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. Kemper policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of around 21%.

But Kemper is usually the less expensive option for both drivers who have clean records and those with a recent ticket, offering prices that are 49% and 50% cheaper, respectively, compared to Bristol West.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both companies will raise premiums pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault collision with Bristol West raising by about 29%. Kemper has a less extreme raise, but you can still expect to pay nearly 35% more than you were prior to your first accident.

At the end of the day, Kemper offers the lowest prices for drivers with an at-fault collision on their records, with average rates coming in at $259 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 accident or speeding ticket when it comes to your car insurance bill. For example, Kemper increases average prices by more than $100 per month -- that's just under a 40% increase.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable premiums, Kemper tends to be more affordable for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at around $287 to Bristol West's $390.

How does Credit Score Impact Bristol West and Kemper Rates?

In many cases, your credit score can come into play when carriers calculate your monthly bill. This isn't true for everyone (for example, California and Massachusetts are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it might come into play for quite a few drivers.

Insurance companies argue that those with good credit scores are more likely to pay their bills on time every month, which decreases the risk involved on their end, while the opposite is true for those with bad credit.

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

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have a great credit score, Kemper will typically reward you the most. For drivers with "excellent" credit scores, Kemper comes in nearly 48.83 less expensive. Drivers with "good" credit scores generally save about 45% with Kemper compared to average premiums from Bristol West.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Kemper typically offers lower prices than Bristol West when it comes to drivers with bad credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around 42% a month less with Kemper compared to Bristol West, and those with "poor" scores usually save an average of about 42% monthly.

Is Bristol West or Kemper Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a substantial impact on how much car insurance carriers will charge for coverage. Normally, those who drive less will end up with more affordable rates since there's less of a chance of causing an accident and filing an insurance claim.

For both remote workers and those taking short commutes, Kemper offers cheaper prices than Bristol West. Kemper's average premiums for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in around 43% less expensive than Bristol West. Those who drive 12,000 miles yearly can expect to pay about 43% less with Kemper over Bristol West.

Bristol West or Kemper: 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 insurance, but the type of area you live in can have a sizable impact as well. Generally, those who live in rural areas will pay less than policyholders in urban areas because of the small number of cars that are on the roads where they live.

Kemper boasts the cheapest average premiums for drivers in every type of area, no matter if it's urban, suburban, or rural.

Those in rural areas can expect to save around 41% with Kemper compared to Bristol West. People who live in suburban areas pay about 41% less with Kemper compared to Bristol West. For drivers in urban ZIP codes, Kemper's average rates are around 45% less than Bristol West.

Bristol West vs. Kemper 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 with what seems like a million different discounts out there, it can be challenging to nail down the carrier that has the most discounts for your unique driver profile and to find all the discounts you can take advantage of.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and looked at all of the different discounts Bristol West and Kemper offer their customers so that you can find the one that has the most discounts and, therefore, the largest savings.

Kemper knocks Bristol West out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 24 different discounts to Bristol West's 24.

There are a couple discounts both companies offer, but Kemper also offers discounts for AAA, driver training, DRL, and more.

On the other hand, Bristol West has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like minor child discounts, mobile home policy discounts, paperless discounts, and more.

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

So, we've broken down the average prices for many of the factors auto insurance carriers look at, and we've shown you all the discounts each company offers. That's all well and good, but at the end of the day, which carrier is the best fit for you?

Kemper might be best for you if....

• You have received a ticket within the last few years.
• You're looking for the best rates on liability only coverage.
• You are purchasing your insurance with a spouse.

Bristol West might be best for you if...

• You live in one of the following states: California, Florida, Maine, Michigan, Nevada, and South Carolina.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between Bristol West and Kemper. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision about your car insurance.

At the end of the day, the best way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your auto insurance policy is to compare quotes from a handful of companies, not just Bristol West and Kemper. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your ZIP code below and get multiple quotes from some of the best insurance carriers in your area, all for free.

Bristol West vs. Kemper FAQs

Is Bristol West or Kemper cheaper?

Kemper is the cheaper of the two companies when looking at national average premiums, with policies averaging $235 per month with Kemper and $412 for Bristol West. However, that doesn't mean Kemper will be the most affordable company for everyone, since there are a bunch of different variables that are considered when it comes to your auto insurance bill.

Who is better, Bristol West or Kemper?

Sadly, the real answer is "it depends.". Neither carrier is necessarily "better" for everyone -- it all boils down to your unique insurance profile.

Why do Bristol West and Kemper offer me different rates?

Car insurance carriers use lots of different factors when determining the prices they charge. Variables such as your driving record, age, where your home is, gender, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both Bristol West and Kemper calculate premiums using different factors, so it's likely they'll offer different rates. The best way to determine which company is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from many different companies.

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

The only way to find the insurance carrier that's right for you is by getting quotes from multiple carriers and finding the one best suited for your individual budget. Luckily, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Just enter your information once and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top auto insurance companies for free. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the cheapest premium. And maybe you'll find that the best company for you isn't Bristol West or Kemper 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.