Buckeye vs. Safe Auto: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• In general, Buckeye offers significantly more affordable prices than Safe Auto
• Buckeye tends to be a much cheaper option for drivers who have an at-fault accident on their record
• Safe Auto offers less expensive average rates for drivers with a DUI charge on their record

Buckeye vs. Safe Auto: 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 discounts, you're probably wondering exactly how much you might be able to save.

You might have narrowed it down to Buckeye or Safe Auto as potential options, but which carrier will save you the most?

Looking at the national average rates for both companies, Safe Auto is quite a bit more expensive than Buckeye, with premiums averaging $223 per month compared to just $132 with Buckeye.

However, that doesn't mean Buckeye will necessarily be cheaper than Safe Auto for each driver. Insurance carriers vary their prices depending on things like how good your credit score is, where you live, how old you are, how clean your driving record is, and tons of other factors, so rates could change drastically from person to person.

So, if you want to find out which of Buckeye or Safe Auto is really the best for you, keep reading to see average prices for each carrier broken down by a range of different rate factors.

Buckeye or Safe Auto: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Buckeye and Safe Auto only compete against each other in one states, with Buckeye offering less expensive premiums to the average driver in all of them. Indiana has the most noticable difference, where Buckeye rates are more affordable than auto insurance premiums at Safe Auto.

But there's more to insurance than just where you call home. As we mentioned above, there's a lot of things that go into how auto insurance companies calculate your prices. Keep reading to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- generally pay a lot for car insurance compared to older drivers. That's because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to get into an accident that results in a car insurance claim, making them much riskier to insure.

But that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high auto insurance rates. As you can see above, teens who use Buckeye save more than $150 a month compared to those who use Safe Auto.

Even so, both carriers will offer you dramatically lower prices once you turn 25. Safe Auto offers the steepest drop, with 25-year-olds paying less than half what 18-year-old drivers are charged. That being said, Buckeye still has the lowest premiums at $114 monthly.

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 rates you can find.

When looking at Buckeye and Safe Auto specifically, which company is best for retired drivers? Buckeye gets the edge here, with average premiums coming in at about $105 a month compared to Safe Auto's $179.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that car insurance rates are usually cheaper for married policyholders than they are for those who are single? That's because policies for married couples normally cover more than one car, which a lot of companies will offer you a discount for.

When it comes to relationship status, Buckeye is the clear winner for single policyholders, with prices around $109 per month more affordable than Safe Auto, on average. The advantage for married drivers with Buckeye is also obvious, where drivers save nearly 40% a month.

Buckeye vs. Safe Auto: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to cause a collision and get into accidents. That means when it comes to auto insurance men will typically end up paying a little more.

On average, women see premiums about $15 per month less expensive with Buckeye, while with Safe Auto, the difference is closer to $17 a month.

When it comes to the cheapest rates for each gender, Buckeye comes out on top for both men and women. On average, women save about $89 per month and men save around $91 with Buckeye compared to the average Safe Auto policyholder.

Buckeye or Safe Auto: 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 can be a complicated subject for most people. There are so many different terms and coverages that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy.

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

If you're looking for state minimum liability insurance, Buckeye usually offers significantly cheaper prices of $73 compared to Safe Auto's $126. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, Buckeye again has the edge, with policies about $150 a month less expensive than Safe Auto, on average.

Is Buckeye or Safe Auto 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 rates, but is Buckeye or Safe Auto more affordable for drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Buckeye policyholders can expect their prices to go up an average of $6 per month if they get a ticket, while Safe Auto typically raises premiums around $40 a month, on average.

However, Buckeye is generally the less expensive option for both drivers who have clean records and those with a recent speeding ticket, offering rates that are $99 and $133 more affordable, respectively, compared to Safe Auto.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Buckeye drivers who get in a collision can expect to see their premiums climb by over $15, while those who have insurance through Safe Auto will see about a $65 increase.

Overall, drivers who use Buckeye end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with monthly prices averaging $98 compared to Safe Auto's $246.

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. On average, Buckeye will increase your rates around 69% after a DUI, while Safe Auto's average prices rise by over 25%.

How does Credit Score Impact Buckeye and Safe Auto Rates?

You may not realized it, but your credit score can be used as one of the factors to determine your monthly insurance premiums. This isn't always the case (Michigan, for example, has banned the use of credit score as a rating factor) but it does affect many policyholders out there.

Car insurance carriers argue that someone with good credit is more likely to pay their bills on time, which makes them less risky to insure. Because of that, drivers with good credit will often be rewarded with cheaper prices.

Looking at Buckeye and Safe Auto specifically, which one has the lowest premiums for policyholders 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 Safe Auto Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a sizable impact on how much insurance companies will charge for coverage. Usually, the more miles you put on your vehicle each year, the more you can expect to pay for coverage.

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

Buckeye vs. Safe Auto: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you live can play a pretty big role in how much you pay for auto insurance. Generally, drivers who live in heavily-populated urban areas will pay quite a bit more than rural policyholders because there are a lot more vehicles on the road in those areas, which increases the chances of an accident.

When comparing these two carriers side-by-side, Buckeye typically comes out as the cheapest option for drivers in all types of areas, no matter if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

Drivers in rural ZIP codes see the lowest prices from both companies, but Buckeye comes out on top with average rates about $107 per month. Buckeye also has more affordable average premiums for policyholders in urban and suburban ZIP codes -- a $140 and $41 a month respective difference when compared to Safe Auto drivers in similar areas.

Buckeye vs. Safe Auto 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 qualify for.

Below, we've broken down all of the different discounts offered by both Buckeye and Safe Auto so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and, therefore, the biggest savings.

Safe Auto knocks Buckeye out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 14 different discounts to Buckeye's 14.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like anti-theft discounts, paid in full discounts, and renewal discounts. Safe Auto also offers agency transfer discounts, claim free discounts, driver training discounts, and more that Buckeye does not.

On the flip side, Buckeye has a couple unique discounts of its own -- distant student discounts, discounts for being a good driver, and multi-policy discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is Buckeye or Safe Auto Best for You?

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

Buckeye might be best for you if....

• You have received a ticket within the last few years.
• You're looking for more protection with "full coverage" insurance.
• You're buying car insurance for a teen and looking for a wallet-friendly option.

Safe Auto might be best for you if...

• You already have plans to move to another state -- undefined is only available in.
• You have a DUI charge on your record.
• You're looking for discounts -- Safe Auto has the most.

We hope this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between Buckeye and Safe Auto. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision when it comes to 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 multiple companies, not just Buckeye and Safe Auto. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get free quotes from dozens of top car insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Buckeye vs. Safe Auto FAQs

Is Buckeye or Safe Auto cheaper?

Looking just at the national average rates, Buckeye is the less expensive of the two companies, offering average rates of $132 per month compared to $223 for Safe Auto. That being said, Buckeye won't necessarily be the most affordable carrier for every policyholder, since there are multiple different factors (things like age, gender, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Buckeye or Safe Auto?

Unfortunately, the real answer is "it depends.". Neither company is "better" for everyone -- it all comes down to what your unique auto insurance profile looks like. For example, Safe Auto offers cheaper premiums for drivers with a recent DUI, while Buckeye is more affordable for drivers with excellent credit.

Why do Buckeye and Safe Auto offer me different rates?

Car insurance carriers take a look at several different variables when calculating the prices they charge policyholders. Factors like gender, age, where your home is, your driving record, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both Buckeye and Safe Auto use different formulas, so each one will most likely offer different rates. The only real way to see which carrier is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a bunch of different companies.

How do I know if Buckeye or Safe Auto is right for me?

The only way to find the insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from a handful of carriers and finding the one best suited for your individual budget. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best auto insurance companies in your area. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the most affordable rate. And who knows, the best carrier for you might not be Buckeye or Safe Auto 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.