Buckeye vs. National Mutual: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• In general, Buckeye offers significantly more affordable premiums than National Mutual
• Buckeye offers cheaper average rates for drivers who have below-average credit
• National Mutual may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than Buckeye Insurance Group

Buckeye or National Mutual: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

Are you in the market for a new insurance policy? After all, you've seen ads from all sorts of companies offering hefty savings. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You've maybe even narrowed it down to Buckeye or National Mutual, but between the two, which carrier has less expensive prices for insurance?

Looking at nationwide averages, National Mutual has average rates that are around 35% a month more expensive than those from Buckeye.

But that doesn't necessarily mean Buckeye will be the more affordable option for each driver. Auto insurance carriers vary their premiums depending on things like how clean your driving record is, how good your credit score is, how old you are, where you live, and tons of other factors. So, at the end of the day, rates from every carrier will differ quite a bit from person to person.

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

Buckeye vs. National Mutual: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Buckeye and National Mutual only compete against each other in two states, with Buckeye offering cheaper premiums to the average driver in all of them. Indiana has the most noticable difference, where Buckeye rates are $87 less expensive than car insurance premiums at National Mutual.

But there's more to insurance than just your home state. As we mentioned above, there's a lot of things that go into how car insurance companies determine your rates. Read on to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- generally 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.

That being said, that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their auto insurance. As you can see above, teens who use Buckeye save over 45% per month compared to those who use National Mutual.

However, both carriers will decrease prices by the time drivers turn 25. National Mutual offers the steepest decrease, with 25-year-olds paying less than a third of what 18-year-old drivers are charged. That being said, Buckeye still has the lowest premiums at $114 a month.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Once you approach retirement age, you'll normally enjoy the cheapest insurance rates you can find. You've been on the road for years, and all that experience pays off when it comes to your monthly prices for car insurance.

But who has the best rates for retired drivers between Buckeye and National Mutual? Buckeye gets the edge here, with average prices coming in at about $105 per month compared to National Mutual's $134.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Single policyholders tend to get offered slightly more expensive auto insurance premiums than married drivers. This usually boils down to married policyholders having more than one vehicle on their policy -- something a lot of car insurance companies will reward with discounts.

For single drivers, the difference in average prices between these two carriers is significant, with Buckeye rates coming in at a third less than National Mutual's. The advantage is also clear for married couples - Buckeye offers the most affordable average premiums.

Buckeye or National Mutual: Average Rates by Gender

Because women are less likely to get into collisions and get speeding tickets, they have a decreased chance of filing a claim with insurance. So, women tend to pay less for insurance than men.

With Buckeye, women typically pay around $15 a month less than men, and about $20 with National Mutual.

Looking at overall affordability, Buckeye comes out as the lowest option for both genders, with average rates 34% less for men and 35% cheaper for women.

Buckeye vs. National 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.

Auto insurance isn't the easiest topic to understand. Everyone needs insurance, but there are so many different limits and coverages that it can be hard to find the right policy for you.

The two most common policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability coverage (which covers the other party's injuries and property damage if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which usually refers to having collision and comprehensive coverages in addition to what you get with liability coverage).

Looking specifically at state minimum limits for liability insurance, Buckeye has the edge, with average monthly prices coming in at $73. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Buckeye again has the edge, with policies averaging around $191 per month to National Mutual's $308.

Is Buckeye or National Mutual Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

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

Speeding tickets and at-fault collisions will most likely raise your premiums, but is Buckeye or National Mutual cheaper for drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Buckeye for their car insurance can typically expect their monthly bill to go up about 7% after getting a speeding ticket. National Mutual policyholders can expect a bit more drastic of an increase of around 8%.

Even so, Buckeye has less expensive prices for drivers in both categories, offering premiums that are $50 and $55 more affordable, respectively, compared to National Mutual Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

After an accident, drivers who have their auto insurance through Buckeye can expect to see about an $17 -- or around 17% -- rise in their insurance rates. Drivers who use National Mutual for their car insurance will see a monthly bill about $76 (or 37%) more expensive after reporting an accident to their insurance carrier.

At the end of the day, drivers who use Buckeye end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with average premiums coming in at $98 compared to National Mutual Insurance's $207.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

If you get a DUI charge on your record, it's probably going to cost you more than a simple ticket or even a collision. For example, National Mutual increases average prices by nearly $200 a month -- that's nearly a 60% increase.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable rates, Buckeye tends to be less expensive for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at around $263 to National Mutual's $325.

How does Credit Score Impact Buckeye and National Mutual Rates?

Did you know many car insurance companies take into account your credit score when determining prices? This isn't true for everyone (for example, are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it will come into play for quite a few drivers.

Auto insurance carriers argue that someone with bad credit is less likely to pay their bills on time, which makes them riskier to insure. Because of that, policyholders with bad credit will often be forced to pay more.

Looking specifically at Buckeye and National Mutual, which one has the cheapest rates for drivers at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Is Buckeye or National Mutual 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. Usually, those who drive less will end up with cheaper prices since there's less of a chance of causing an accident and filing an insurance claim.

In this case, neither Buckeye or National Mutual report increasing premiums for drivers with higher annual mileage figures. Even so, Buckeye comes out as the most affordable for drivers at both intervals, whether they put 6,000 or 12,000 miles on their car yearly, with average rates of $132 per month for both.

Buckeye or National Mutual: 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 substantial impact as well. Normally, those who live in urban areas will pay more than policyholders in rural areas since there are a lot more vehicles on the road where they live, which increases the chances of an accident.

Buckeye boasts the cheapest average premiums for drivers in all areas, regardless of if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

Those in rural areas can expect to save about $82 with Buckeye compared to National Mutual. People who live in suburban areas pay around $42 less with Buckeye compared to National Mutual. For drivers in urban ZIP codes, Buckeye Insurance Group's average rates are about $83 less than National Mutual Insurance.

Buckeye vs. National Mutual 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 utilizing as many car insurance discounts as possible.

But with what seems like a million different discounts out there, it can be difficult 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 broke down all of the different discounts offered by both Buckeye and National Mutual so that you can see which company offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

National Mutual knocks Buckeye out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 12 more discounts than Buckeye.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like anti-theft discounts, multi-policy discounts, and renewal discounts. National Mutual also offers discounts for advance quote, claim free, continuous insurance, and more.

On the other hand, Buckeye has a few proprietary discounts of their own like distant student discounts and good driving discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is Buckeye or National Mutual Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average prices for many of the variables insurance companies look at, and walked through the different discounts each company offers, too. That's all well and good, but when it comes down to it, which insurance carrier is the best one for you, your vehicle, and your wallet?

Buckeye might be best for you if....

• You will be the only person on the auto insurance policy.
• Your home is located in the suburbs.
• You've started working from home and don't have much of a commute.

National Mutual might be best for you if...

• You're looking for the company with the most discounts.

Hopefully, this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare Buckeye and National Mutual and that it aids in making a more informed 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 insurance policy is to compare quotes from multiple carriers, not just Buckeye and National Mutual. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get multiple free quotes from some of the best auto insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Buckeye vs. National Mutual FAQs

Is Buckeye or National Mutual cheaper?

Buckeye is the more affordable of the two carriers when looking at national average premiums, with policies averaging $132 a month with Buckeye and $201 for National Mutual. However, that doesn't mean Buckeye will be the lowest carrier for each policyholder, since there are many different factors (things like driving record, age, gender, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Buckeye or National Mutual?

Unfortunately, the answer truly is "it depends.". No one company is "better" for everyone -- it all boils down to your unique car insurance profile.

Why do Buckeye and National Mutual offer me different rates?

Auto insurance companies use lots of different variables when calculating the rates they charge. Factors such as age, where you live, gender, your driving record, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Buckeye and National Mutual calculate premiums using different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different rates. The best way to determine which carrier is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from multiple different carriers.

How do I know if Buckeye or National Mutual is right for me?

The only way to find the car insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from a handful of 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 area information and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top insurance carriers for free. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the most affordable premium. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't Buckeye or National Mutual 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.