California Casualty vs. Donegal Mutual: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for car insurance, California Casualty offers significantly more affordable prices than Donegal Mutual
• California Casualty has cheaper rates for policyholders who don't have any speeding tickets, DUIs, or at-fault collisions on their record
• Donegal Mutual may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than California Casualty

California Casualty or Donegal Mutual: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

So, you're considering switching to a new insurance policy. After all, you've seen ads from all sorts of companies offering big savings. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You might be considering California Casualty or Donegal Mutual for your next policy, but between the two, which one will offer you less expensive premiums?

As you can see, Donegal Mutual is quite a bit more expensive than California Casualty, with rates averaging $290 a month compared to just $201 with California Casualty when looking at the national average rates for insurance.

Even so, that doesn't necessarily mean California Casualty will be the more affordable option for each driver. Auto insurance carriers use tons of complex algorithms to determine prices, so depending on how clean your driving record is or where you live (among lots of other factors), you could see wildly different premiums from the ones above.

Luckily, we've broken down average rates from both California Casualty and Donegal Mutual by several different rate factors, so read on to find out which carrier is the best for you.

California Casualty vs. Donegal Mutual: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

California Casualty and Donegal Mutual only compete against each other in one states, with Donegal Mutual offering less expensive prices to the average driver in all of them. Delaware has the most noticable difference, where Donegal Mutual rates are $6 cheaper than car insurance prices at California Casualty.

That being said, there's a lot more that goes into your insurance payment than just your home state. Keep reading 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 other group of drivers out there on the road. Generally, that's because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into an accident that results in an insurance claim, making them much riskier to insure.

However, that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their insurance. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of over 35% less per month by choosing California Casualty over Donegal Mutual.

That being said, both companies will offer you dramatically lower rates once you turn 25. For example, average premiums for California Casualty policyholders decrease almost 60% and Donegal Mutual's prices lower more than 60% 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 most affordable rates you'll ever find.

When looking at California Casualty and Donegal Mutual specifically, which company is best for retired drivers? California Casualty gets the edge, with premiums for drivers 65 and older $63 less expensive than the national average for Donegal Mutual.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Those who are single tend to get offered slightly more expensive car insurance prices than married couples. That's normally because married drivers tend to own and insure multiple vehicles, which can often earn you a discount.

For single policyholders, the difference in average premiums between these two carriers is significant, with California Casualty rates coming in at a third less than Donegal Mutual's. The advantage is also clear for married policyholders - California Casualty offers the cheapest average prices.

California Casualty or Donegal Mutual: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get into a collision or get pulled over for speeding. That means when it comes to auto insurance men will typically end up paying a little more.

Typically, men see premiums around $15 a month higher with California Casualty, and about $18 more with Donegal Mutual.

Looking at the data for each carrier specifically, California Casualty offers the lowest average prices for both men and women. On average, women save about $88 per month and men save around $90 with California Casualty compared to the average Donegal Mutual policyholder.

California Casualty vs. Donegal 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.

Insurance isn't the easiest topic to understand. There are a variety of different coverages that account for multiple different things. Some protect you and your car, while others only provide coverage for other people's property and health if you cause an accident.

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

Looking specifically at state minimum liability insurance, California Casualty has the significant edge, with average monthly rates coming in at $122. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, California Casualty again has the edge, with policies averaging about $281 a month to Donegal Mutual's $409.

Is California Casualty or Donegal Mutual Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from car insurance companies offering great prices for good drivers, but that doesn't mean people with less-than-perfect driving records can't save money, too.

It's no secret secret that speeding tickets and at-fault accidents lead to higher premiums, but which company -- California Casualty or Donegal Mutual -- has the cheapest rates for drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use California Casualty for their auto insurance can typically expect their monthly bill to go up around 19% after getting a speeding ticket. Donegal Mutual policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of about 19%.

But California Casualty tends to offer the best prices for both drivers who have a recent ticket and those with clean records, offering premiums that are $60 and $74 more affordable, respectively, compared to Donegal Mutual Insurance Company.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

California Casualty drivers who get in an accident can expect to see their rates rise by over 30%, while those who have insurance through Donegal Mutual will see around a 20% increase.

At the end of the day, drivers who use California Casualty end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with average prices coming in at $198 compared to Donegal Mutual Insurance Company's $245.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

On average, a DUI offense is going to cost you much more than a single collision or speeding ticket when it comes to your insurance bill. On average, Donegal Mutual will increase your premiums about 58% after a DUI, while California Casualty's average rates increase by nearly 55%.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable prices, California Casualty tends to be cheaper for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at around $300 to Donegal Mutual's $472.

How does Credit Score Impact California Casualty and Donegal Mutual Rates?

You may not have known, but your credit score can be used as one of the variables to calculate your monthly auto insurance premiums. Certain states and carriers do not allow for credit score to be used as a car insurance factor, but it does affect many policyholders out there.

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

Looking at California Casualty and Donegal Mutual specifically, which carrier has the most affordable rates for policyholders at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have solid credit, California Casualty will usually reward you the most. For drivers with "excellent" credit scores, California Casualty comes in more than 35.85 cheaper. Drivers with "good" credit scores generally save about 28% with California Casualty compared to average premiums from Donegal Mutual.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

California Casualty typically offers lower rates than Donegal Mutual when it comes to drivers with less-than-perfect credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around 24% per month less with California Casualty compared to Donegal Mutual, and those with "poor" scores typically save an average of about 34% per month.

Is California Casualty or Donegal 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 how much insurance carriers will charge for coverage. Normally, the more milage you drive, the more you can expect to pay for auto insurance.

California Casualty tends to be the less expensive option for both remote workers and those taking short commutes. California Casualty's average prices for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in over 30% more affordable than Donegal Mutual. Those who drive 12,000 miles every year can expect to pay more than 30% less with California Casualty over Donegal Mutual.

California Casualty or Donegal Mutual: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where your home is can play a pretty big role in how much you pay for insurance. Usually, policyholders who live in less densely populated rural areas will pay quite a bit less than urban drivers because of the small number of cars that are on the roads where they live.

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

For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, California Casualty's average rates are around 51% less than Donegal Mutual Insurance Company. People who live in suburban areas pay about 8% less with California Casualty compared to Donegal Mutual. Those in rural areas can expect to save around 11% with California Casualty compared to Donegal Mutual.

California Casualty vs. Donegal Mutual Discounts

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

But where do you even start? With what seems like a million different discounts out there, it may be hard to find all the ones you qualify for.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and broke down all of the different discounts offered by both California Casualty and Donegal Mutual so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

Donegal Mutual knocks California Casualty out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 20 different discounts to California Casualty's 20.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like discounts for getting driver training, discounts for being a good student, group discounts, and passive restraint discounts. Donegal Mutual also offers discounts for advance quote, anti-theft, defensive driver, and more.

On the other hand, California Casualty has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like education discounts, full coverage discounts, mature driver discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is California Casualty or Donegal Mutual Best for You?

You've seen the effect certain factors have on your insurance and the different discounts carriers offer. But, at the end of the day, is California Casualty or Donegal Mutual the best company for you and your specific profile and needs?

California Casualty might be best for you if....

• You've been pulled over for speeding recently.
• Your neighborhood is in the suburbs.
• You've started working from home and don't have much of a commute.

Donegal Mutual might be best for you if...

• You want to save extra money with discounts.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between California Casualty and Donegal Mutual. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision about your auto insurance.

At the end of the day, the sure-fire way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your car insurance policy is to compare quotes from several companies, not just California Casualty and Donegal Mutual. Luckily, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get multiple free quotes from some of the best auto insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

California Casualty vs. Donegal Mutual FAQs

Is California Casualty or Donegal Mutual cheaper?

California Casualty is the cheaper of the two companies when looking at national average prices, with policies averaging $201 a month with California Casualty and $290 for Donegal Mutual. That being said, that doesn't mean California Casualty will be the most affordable company for each driver, since there are many different variables (things like gender, age, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, California Casualty or Donegal Mutual?

Unfortunately, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". No one carrier is necessarily "better" for everyone -- it all boils down to your unique car insurance profile.

Why do California Casualty and Donegal Mutual offer me different rates?

Insurance carriers use lots of different factors when determining the rates they charge. Things such as age, where you call home, your driving record, gender, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both California Casualty and Donegal Mutual calculate prices differently, so it's likely they'll offer different premiums. The best way to determine which company is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from lots of different companies.

How do I know if California Casualty or Donegal Mutual 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 does all the hard work for you. Just enter your information once 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 most affordable premium. And maybe you'll find that the best company for you isn't California Casualty or Donegal 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.