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

Quick Facts

• In general, Progressive offers significantly less expensive premiums than Bristol West
• Progressive has more affordable rates for residents of suburban areas
• Progressive offers more affordable premiums for policyholders who drive a short distance to work everyday

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

So, you're considering switching to a new insurance policy. With so many ads from all sorts of companies offering large savings, you're probably wondering exactly how much you might be able to save.

You might be considering Bristol West or Progressive as your top options, but which company will offer you less expensive rates?

As you can see, Progressive has average rates that are around 55% a month more affordable than those from Bristol West when looking at the national average rates for insurance.

However, that doesn't necessarily mean Progressive will be the cheaper option for every single driver. After all, auto insurance carriers can offer drastically different rates to every driver depending on rating factors like where you call home, your credit score, your driving record, or even your age (among other things), so prices could vary drastically from person to person.

So, if you want to find out which of Bristol West or Progressive is really the best for you, keep reading to see average premiums for each company broken down by lots of different rate factors.

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

Bristol West and Progressive only compete against each other in three states, with Progressive offering less expensive rates to the average driver in all of them. Nevada has the most noticable difference, where Progressive prices are $389 cheaper than insurance rates at Bristol West.

That being said, there are plenty of other factors that go into your auto insurance cost than just your home state. Read on to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive car insurance premiums of any group on the road. That's typically because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

But still, even with seemingly sky-high prices, teen drivers can still find ways to save money. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have Progressive for their insurance pay almost 45% less than those who use Bristol West.

That being said, both companies will lower rates by the time drivers turn 25. For example, average premiums for Bristol West policyholders decrease about $450 and Progressive's prices reduce around $300 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

When it comes to car insurance, patience and experience pay off, with drivers around retirement age paying some of the most affordable rates you'll ever find.

When looking at Bristol West and Progressive specifically, which carrier is best for retired drivers? Progressive gets the edge, with premiums for drivers 65 and older nearly 65% more affordable than the national average for Bristol West.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but auto insurance prices tend to be more expensive for those who are single than they are for married policyholders. That's normally because married couples tend to own and insure more than one vehicle, which can often earn you a discount.

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

Bristol West or Progressive: Average Rates by Gender

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

Surprisingly, with Bristol West, women generallypay around $1 per month more than men, and about $5 less with Progressive.

Looking at overall affordability, Progressive comes out as the lowest option for both genders, with average prices 55% less for men and 57% cheaper for women.

Bristol West vs. Progressive: 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 a range of different coverages that account for a bunch 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.

But most 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 an accident) and full coverage (which usually refers to having collision and comprehensive coverages in addition to liability coverage).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability limits, Progressive has the significant edge, with average monthly premiums coming in at $111. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Progressive again has the edge, with policies averaging around $250 a month to Bristol West's $544.

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

It's no secret -- drivers with good records end up getting the best deals on their car insurance. But that's not to say you can't save money if you don't have the best driving record, either.

At-fault collisions and speeding tickets will most likely raise your rates, but is Bristol West or Progressive less expensive for drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Bristol West for their insurance can typically expect their monthly bill to go up about 23% after getting a speeding ticket. Progressive policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of around 17%.

Even so, Progressive has more affordable prices for drivers in both categories, offering rates that are $190 and $259 cheaper, respectively, compared to Bristol West.

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 Progressive will see about a 30% increase.

At the end of the day, Progressive offers the most affordable prices for drivers with an at-fault collision on their records, with average premiums coming in at $214 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 ticket. Bristol West drivers usually see a 13% climb in their car insurance rates after a DUI charge, while Progressive will usually raise prices by around 16%.

How does Credit Score Impact Bristol West and Progressive Rates?

Did you know many auto insurance companies take your credit score into account when determining premiums? This isn't true for everyone (California, for example, has banned the use of credit score as an auto insurance factor) but it might come into play for lots of policyholders.

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

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

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

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

How much you drive can have a considerable impact on your monthly insurance payment. 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.

As you can see in the table above, annual mileage doesn't have much of an impact on how much Progressive charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly rates for Bristol West, with drivers who put 6,000 miles on their vehicle yearly paying about $3 less each month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles every year. Still, for drivers in both categories, Progressive is the less expensive carrier.

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

Where you call home can have a big impact on your monthly auto insurance bill. Usually, drivers who live in less densely populated rural areas will pay quite a bit less than urban policyholders due to the small number of cars that are on the roads where they live.

When comparing these two companies side-by-side, Progressive generally comes out as the most affordable option for drivers in all areas, regardless of if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

Those in rural areas can expect to pay around $154 monthly with Progressive compared to Bristol West's $309. People in suburban areas pay about $179 with Progressive compared to Bristol West's $386 a month. In urban areas, Progressive's average rates are around $207 while Bristol West offers prices about $539.

Bristol West vs. Progressive Discounts

No matter why you might be in the market for a new car 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 utilizing as many insurance discounts as possible.

But where do you even start? With what seems like a million different discounts out there, it may be challenging to find all 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 Progressive so that you can find the carrier that has the most discounts and, therefore, the largest savings.

Progressive knocks Bristol West out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 16 more discounts than Bristol West.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like advance quote discounts, continuous insurance discounts, discounts for being a defensive driver, and discounts for being a good driver. Progressive also offers discounts for advanced safety feature, agency transfer, COVID-19 relief, and more.

On the other hand, Bristol West has a few proprietary discounts of their own like pay plan discounts and prior carrier discounts.

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

You've seen the role certain variables have on your car insurance and the different discounts carriers offer. That's all well and good, but at the end of the day, is Bristol West or Progressive the best one for you, your vehicle, and your wallet?

Progressive might be best for you if....

• You will be the only person on the auto insurance policy.
• You're looking for the best rates on liability only coverage.
• You're married and plan to have both of your names on the vehicle's 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 better idea of the difference between Bristol West and Progressive. 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 Progressive. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code below and get multiple free quotes from some of the best insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Bristol West vs. Progressive FAQs

Is Bristol West or Progressive cheaper?

Progressive is the more affordable of the two companies when looking at national average premiums, with policies averaging $180 per month with Progressive and $412 for Bristol West. That being said, that doesn't mean Progressive will be the lowest carrier for everyone, since there are a variety of different factors (things like driving record, age, gender, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Bristol West or Progressive?

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

Why do Bristol West and Progressive offer me different rates?

Auto insurance carriers use a lot of different variables when calculating the prices they charge. Things such as your driving record, where you park your vehicle, age, gender, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both Bristol West and Progressive calculate rates using different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different premiums. The best way to determine which carrier is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from multiple different companies.

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

The only way to find the insurance company 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 area information and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top car insurance companies for free. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the lowest price. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't Bristol West or Progressive 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.