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

Quick Facts

• In general, The Hartford offers significantly cheaper prices than Bristol West
• Bristol West has more affordable premiums for drivers who have below-average credit
• The Hartford offers less expensive average rates for single people who will be the only person on the insurance policy

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

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

You've maybe even narrowed it down to Bristol West or The Hartford as potential options, but which carrier has cheaper premiums for car insurance?

As you can see, Bristol West is quite a bit more expensive than The Hartford, with prices averaging $412 a month compared to just $265 with The Hartford when looking at the national average rates for auto insurance.

But that doesn't necessarily mean The Hartford will be the less expensive option for every single driver. Insurance carriers vary their rates depending on things like how clean your driving record is, where you live, how good your credit score is, how old you are, and a variety of other factors, so premiums could differ drastically from person to person.

So, if you want to find out which of Bristol West or The Hartford is really the best for you, keep reading to see average prices for each company broken down by a bunch of different rate factors.

Bristol West vs. The Hartford: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Bristol West and The Hartford only compete against each other in California, where Bristol West offers the cheaper average rates. Bristol West drivers tend to pay about $76 per month less on average compared to drivers who use The Hartford for their car insurance.

But there's more to calculating insurance prices than just where you call home. Continue reading to learn more about how other variables will affect your rates.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- generally pay a lot for auto insurance compared to older drivers. That's typically because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

However, that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high car insurance premiums. As you can see above, teens who use The Hartford save 45% a month compared to those who use Bristol West.

That being said, both companies will offer you dramatically lower prices by the time drivers turn 25. For example, average rates for Bristol West policyholders decrease around $450 and The Hartford's premiums lower almost $150 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

When it comes to auto insurance, patience and experience pay off, with drivers around retirement age paying some of the cheapest rates out there.

When looking at Bristol West and The Hartford specifically, which carrier is best for retired drivers? The Hartford gets the edge, with prices for drivers 65 and older over 45% more affordable than the national average for Bristol West.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but insurance premiums tend to be less expensive for married couples than they are for single policyholders. This usually boils down to married drivers having several vehicles on their policy -- something lots of car insurance carriers will reward with discounts.

For single drivers, the difference in average prices between these two companies is significant, with The Hartford premiums coming in at a third less than Bristol West's. The advantage for married policyholders with The Hartford is also obvious, where drivers save nearly 35% per month.

Bristol West or The Hartford: Average Rates by Gender

You may not know, but auto insurance is usually cheaper for women than it is for men. That's because women are less likely to get speeding tickets and get into accidents, which decreases the chances of filing a claim with insurance.

Surprisingly, with Bristol West, men normallypay about $1 a month less than women; and with The Hartford, everyone ends up paying the same monthly rates regardless of gender.

Looking at the data for each company specifically, The Hartford comes out on top for both men and women. On average, women save about $147 per month and men save around $146 with The Hartford compared to the average Bristol West policyholder.

Bristol West vs. The Hartford: 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.

Insurance isn't the easiest topic to understand. There are lots of different coverages that account for many 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 property damage and injuries if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which usually refers to having collision and comprehensive coverages alongside liability coverage).

Looking specifically at state minimum limits for liability insurance, The Hartford has the significant edge, with average monthly prices coming in at $135. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, The Hartford again has the edge, with policies averaging about $394 a month to Bristol West's $544.

Is Bristol West or The Hartford 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.

You'll probably end up paying more with speeding tickets and at-fault collisions on your record, but which of these two carriers offers the lowest premiums to 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 around 23% after getting a speeding ticket. The Hartford policyholders can expect a bit more drastic of an increase of about 36%.

But The Hartford tends to offer the best prices for drivers both with clean records and with a ticket. With The Hartford, drivers with a clean record can save around $213 per month and drivers with a speeding ticket can save about $242 a month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Bristol West drivers who get in a collision can expect to see their rates increase by just under $150, while those who have insurance through The Hartford will see around a $150 increase.

At the end of the day, the cheaper premiums come from The Hartford, with average rates coming in at $262 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 -- normally a lot more than an accident or ticket. The Hartford drivers usually see a 73% increase in their insurance prices after a DUI charge, while Bristol West will generally climb premiums by about 13%.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable rates, Bristol West tends to be more affordable for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at around $390 to The Hartford's $474.

How does Credit Score Impact Bristol West and The Hartford Rates?

In many cases, your credit score can be used as one of the factors to determine your monthly car insurance prices. This isn't true for everyone (for example, Massachusetts and California are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it will come into play for several policyholders.

The reasoning auto insurance companies use is that drivers with bad credit will be less likely to pay their bills on time; so typically, they'll be asked to pay more, while those with good credit will be rewarded with cheaper rates.

Looking specifically at Bristol West and The Hartford, which company has the most affordable premiums for policyholders at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

You'll often be rewarded if you have great credit. Jumping from a "good" credit score to an "excellent" one will generally save Bristol West customers about 10%. On the other hand, because The Hartford doesn't have data available for credit scores, 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. As you can see, Bristol West customers with poor credit scores pay around 25% per month more than those with fair scores (and even more compared to drivers with good or excellent scores). On the other hand, The Hartford doesn't have data available for credit scores, which means drivers with bad credit may find better rates with The Hartford over Bristol West.

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

How much you drive can have a substantial impact on your monthly car insurance payment. Normally, the more milage you put on your car each year, the more you can expect to pay for insurance.

The Hartford tends to be the less expensive option for both remote workers and those taking short commutes. Bristol West average rates for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in about $173 more expensive than The Hartford. Those who drive 12,000 miles annually can expect to pay around $121 more with Bristol West over The Hartford.

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

Where you park your vehicle can have a large impact on your monthly auto insurance bill. Usually, those who live in urban areas will pay more than drivers in rural areas due to the number of cars that are on the roads where they live.

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

For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, The Hartford's average prices are about $266 less than Bristol West. People who live in suburban areas pay around $121 less with The Hartford compared to Bristol West. Those in rural areas can expect to save about $54 with The Hartford compared to Bristol West.

Bristol West vs. The Hartford Discounts

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

The hard part is finding all of the discounts you qualify for, since it can feel sometimes like every carrier has different discounts and each one is advertised differently.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and looked at all of the different discounts Bristol West and The Hartford offer their customers so that you can see which one can save you the most money each month.

Overall, Bristol West has the advantage when it comes to total number of discounts. The Hartford offers a grand total of 13 discounts, while Bristol West has 18.

Both companies offer a lot of the same discounts -- like anti-theft discounts, distant student discounts, and discounts for being a good driver -- but Bristol West also offers discounts for advance quote, continuous insurance, EFT, and more.

On the other hand, The Hartford has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like employee discounts, good student discounts, group discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Bristol West or The Hartford Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average premiums for many of the variables car insurance carriers 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 carrier is the right carrier for you and your specific needs?

The Hartford might be best for you if....

• You've been pulled over for speeding recently.
• You live in an urban area.
• You're of retirement age and want to take advantage of lower rates.

Bristol West might be best for you if...

• You have less-than-stellar credit.
• You already have a great credit score.
• You're looking for discounts -- Bristol West has the most.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between Bristol West and The Hartford 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 auto insurance -- comparing quotes from several companies, not just Bristol West and The Hartford. Luckily, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code below and get multiple quotes from some of the best car insurance carriers in your area, all for free.

Bristol West vs. The Hartford FAQs

Is Bristol West or The Hartford cheaper?

The Hartford is the more affordable of the two companies when looking at national average premiums, with policies averaging $265 a month with The Hartford and $412 for Bristol West. Even so, that doesn't mean The Hartford will be the lowest company for everyone, since there are a variety of different factors that are considered when it comes to your auto insurance cost.

Who is better, Bristol West or The Hartford?

Unfortunately, the answer truly is "it depends.". No one carrier is necessarily "better" for every policyholder -- it all comes down to what your unique car insurance profile looks like. For example, Bristol West is less expensive for drivers who have less-than-stellar credit scores, while The Hartford offers more affordable prices for drivers with an at-fault collision on their record.

Why do Bristol West and The Hartford offer me different rates?

Insurance carriers use many different variables when determining the rates they charge. Things such as where you call home, where you live, gender, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Bristol West and The Hartford calculate premiums differently, so it's likely they'll offer different prices. The best way to determine which company is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a range of different companies.

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

The only way to find the auto 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, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. 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 best premium. And maybe you'll find that the best company for you isn't Bristol West or The Hartford 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.