Bristol West vs. Pioneer State Mutual: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for auto insurance, Pioneer State Mutual offers significantly less expensive prices than Bristol West
• Bristol West offers cheaper average premiums for drivers with a DUI charge on their record
• Pioneer State Mutual has more affordable prices for people who are single and purchasing insurance by yourself

Bristol West vs. Pioneer State Mutual: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

Are you in the market for a new insurance policy? With so many ads from all sorts of companies offering substantial discounts, you're probably wondering exactly how much you might be able to save.

You've maybe even narrowed your search down to Bristol West or Pioneer State Mutual for your next policy, but between the two, which company has cheaper rates for car insurance?

Looking at the national average rates for both companies, Bristol West is about $102 more per month than Pioneer State Mutual.

Even so, that doesn't mean Pioneer State Mutual will necessarily be less expensive than Bristol West for every driver. Auto insurance carriers vary their premiums depending on things like where you live, how old you are, how clean your driving record is, how good your credit score is, and all sorts of other factors, so prices will vary quite a bit from person to person.

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

Bristol West or Pioneer State Mutual: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Bristol West and Pioneer State Mutual only compete against each other in Michigan, where Pioneer State Mutual offers the cheaper average premiums. For Michigan residents, Pioneer State Mutual offers insurance for $310 per month on average. Bristol West's average prices come out to be over 70% more expensive, at $650 a month.

But there's more to car insurance than just where you live. As we mentioned above, there's a lot of things that go into how auto insurance companies calculate your rates. Read on to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive car insurance premiums of any group out there on the road. The reason is that young, inexperienced 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. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have Pioneer State Mutual for their auto insurance pay nearly $250 less than those who use Bristol West.

That being said, both carriers will offer you dramatically lower premiums by the time drivers turn 25. For example, average prices for Bristol West policyholders drop almost $450 and Pioneer State Mutual's rates decrease around $250 over that time.

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 cheapest prices you'll ever find.

So, which carrier offers the best premiums to retired drivers? Pioneer State Mutual gets the edge, with prices for drivers 65 and older nearly 35% more affordable than the national average for Bristol West.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but car insurance rates tend to be more expensive for single drivers than they are for married drivers. This usually boils down to married couples having several cars on their policy -- something a lot of insurance companies will reward with discounts.

When it comes to relationship status, Pioneer State Mutual is the clear winner for single policyholders, with premiums about $127 a month cheaper than Bristol West, on average. The advantage is also clear for married policyholders - Pioneer State Mutual offers the lowest average rates.

Bristol West vs. Pioneer State Mutual: Average Rates by Gender

Women tend to pay less for auto insurance than men. This is because men are more likely to get into accidents and get speeding tickets, which raises the chances of an insurance claim.

Surprisingly, women normally pay around $1 per month more than men with Bristol West; and with Pioneer State Mutual, both genders end up paying the same monthly rate.

When it comes to the most affordable prices for each gender, Pioneer State Mutual comes out on top for both men and women, with average premiums 25% less for men and 25% cheaper for women.

Bristol West or Pioneer State 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.

It's no secret that insurance can be pretty complicated. There are several different coverages that account for lots of 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.

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

If you're looking for state minimum liability limits, Pioneer State Mutual usually offers significantly less expensive rates of $182 compared to Bristol West's $279. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, Pioneer State Mutual again has the edge, with policies about $100 a month more affordable than Bristol West, on average.

Is Bristol West or Pioneer State Mutual Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

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

Tickets and accidents will most likely raise your prices, but is Bristol West or Pioneer State Mutual cheaper for drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Bristol West policyholders can expect their premiums to go up an average of $100 per month if they get a ticket, while Pioneer State Mutual typically raises rates around $152 a month, on average.

But Pioneer State Mutual has more affordable premiums for drivers in both categories, offering prices that are $131 and $79 less expensive, respectively, compared to Bristol West.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both carriers will increase rates pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault accident with Bristol West increasing by just under $150. Pioneer State Mutual has a less extreme climb, but you can still expect to pay nearly $40 more than you were prior to your first collision.

Overall, the cheaper prices come from Pioneer State Mutual, with monthly premiums averaging $247 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 auto insurance bill -- generally a lot more than an accident or speeding ticket. Pioneer State Mutual drivers usually see a 51% increase in their car insurance prices after a DUI charge, while Bristol West will typically raise rates by about 13%.

If you have a DUI on your record and are looking for more affordable premiums, Bristol West tends to be the much less expensive option with average prices of $390 monthly compared to $425 from Pioneer State Mutual.

How does Credit Score Impact Bristol West and Pioneer State Mutual Rates?

In many cases, your credit score can come into play when companies determine 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.

Insurance companies argue that those with poor credit scores are less likely to pay their bills on time each month, which increases the risk involved on their end, while the opposite is true for those with good credit.

Looking at Bristol West and Pioneer State Mutual specifically, which one has the cheapest rates for policyholders at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Michigan is one of a small number of states that bans auto insurance carriers from using credit scores to calculate premiums. And since Pioneer State Mutual is only available in Michigan, there is no data available on how credit score impacts prices because it's not a factor at all. This may be a good thing, since Bristol West and other companies tend to raise rates quite a bit in other states if you don't have excellent credit.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

If you have a below average credit score and live in Michigan, the good news is it won't cost you extra when it comes to car insurance. As you can see, poor credit can really cost Bristol West drivers in other states, but no need to worry if you live in Michigan.

Is Bristol West or Pioneer State Mutual Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a big impact on your monthly insurance cost. Usually, those who drive less will end up with more affordable premiums 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 Pioneer State Mutual charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly rates for Bristol West, with drivers who put 6,000 miles on their car annually paying around $3 less every month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles yearly. Still, Pioneer State Mutual is the less expensive option for drivers in both categories.

Bristol West vs. Pioneer State Mutual: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you live can have a pretty big impact on your monthly auto insurance bill. Generally, drivers who live in less densely populated rural areas will pay quite a bit less than urban policyholders because of the small number of vehicles that are on the roads in those areas.

When comparing these two carriers side-by-side, Pioneer State Mutual normally comes out as the lowest option for drivers in every type of area, no matter if it's urban, suburban, or rural.

For drivers in urban ZIP codes, Pioneer State Mutual offers premiums about $395 per month compared to Bristol West's $539. People who live in suburban ZIP codes can expect to pay around $304 per month for Pioneer State Mutual and $386 for Bristol West. Lastly, those in rural areas tend to get the most affordable prices from both companies, with average monthly rates coming in at $231 and $309 for Pioneer State Mutual and Bristol West respectively.

Bristol West vs. Pioneer State Mutual Discounts

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

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

In the section below, we've compared all of the different discounts offered by Bristol West and Pioneer State Mutual so that you can see which carrier offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

Bristol West blows Pioneer State Mutual away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 18 different discounts to Pioneer State Mutual's 12.

There are a couple discounts both carriers offer, but Bristol West also offers advance quote discounts, continuous insurance discounts, defensive driver discounts, and more that Pioneer State Mutual does not.

On the flip side, Pioneer State Mutual has a couple unique discounts of its own -- affiliation policy experience discounts, comp only discounts, employee discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Bristol West or Pioneer State Mutual Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average prices for many of the factors auto insurance companies look at, and we've shown you all the discounts each company offers. That's all well and good, but when it comes down to it, which insurance carrier is the best one for you and your specific needs?

Pioneer State Mutual might be best for you if....

• You have a speeding ticket on your driving record.
• You live in an suburban area.
• Your neighborhood is in a rural area.

Bristol West might be best for you if...

• You have a DUI charge on your record.
• You're looking for the company with the most discounts.

We hope this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between Bristol West and Pioneer State Mutual and that it aids in making a more informed decision about your 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 several carriers, not just Bristol West and Pioneer State Mutual. Luckily, Compare.com makes 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.

Bristol West vs. Pioneer State Mutual FAQs

Is Bristol West or Pioneer State Mutual cheaper?

Looking just at the national average premiums, Pioneer State Mutual is the cheaper of the two carriers, offering average rates of $310 a month compared to $412 for Bristol West. However, Pioneer State Mutual won't necessarily be the cheapest carrier for everyone, since there are a variety of different variables that are considered when it comes to your auto insurance payment.

Who is better, Bristol West or Pioneer State Mutual?

Sadly, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". No single company is "better" for each driver -- it all depends on what your unique insurance profile looks like. For example, Bristol West offers more affordable prices for drivers with a recent DUI, while Pioneer State Mutual is less expensive for drivers with excellent credit.

Why do Bristol West and Pioneer State Mutual offer me different rates?

Car insurance companies take a look at quite a few different factors when calculating the rates they charge policyholders. Variables like gender, where your home is, your driving record, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Bristol West and Pioneer State Mutual calculate premiums using different formulas, so each one will most likely offer different rates. The only real way to see which carrier is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from multiple different carriers.

How do I know if Bristol West or Pioneer State Mutual is right for me?

The only way to find the auto 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, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Just enter your area information and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best insurance carriers in your area. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the best premium. And who knows, the best carrier for you might not be Bristol West or Pioneer State 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.