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

Quick Facts

• In general, General Casualty offers significantly less expensive premiums than California Casualty
• California Casualty may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than General Casualty
• General Casualty has cheaper rates for policyholders who live in rural neighborhoods

California Casualty or General Casualty: 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 pretty big savings, you're probably wondering exactly how much you might be able to save.

You've maybe even narrowed your search down to California Casualty or General Casualty, but which one has more affordable prices for insurance?

Looking at the national average rates for both carriers, General Casualty has average rates that are around 30% a month cheaper than those from California Casualty.

That being said, that doesn't necessarily mean General Casualty will be the less expensive option for every driver. Auto insurance companies use all sorts of complex algorithms to determine premiums, so depending on how clean your driving record is or how good your credit score is (among a range of other factors), you could see wildly different rates from the ones above.

Wanting to know if California Casualty or General Casualty is really the right company for you? Keep on reading to see how average premiums can change based on all of the factors we've mentioned above.

California Casualty vs. General Casualty: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

California Casualty and General Casualty only compete against each other in one states, with General Casualty offering more affordable prices to the average driver in all of them. Oregon has the most noticable difference, where General Casualty rates are $80 cheaper than insurance prices at California Casualty.

There are plenty of other factors that go into your car insurance cost than just your home state. Continue reading to see how other variables will affect your rates.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive auto insurance premiums of any group on the road. Generally, that's because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to cause collisions and other accidents that will result in an insurance claim.

However, that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high insurance rates. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have General Casualty for their car insurance pay over 40% less than those who use California Casualty.

Even so, both carriers will offer you dramatically lower premiums by the time you turn 25. For example, average prices for California Casualty policyholders decrease almost 60% and General Casualty's premiums lower more than 55% over that time.

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 cheapest prices you'll ever see.

When looking at California Casualty and General Casualty specifically, which carrier is best for retired drivers? General Casualty gets the edge, with rates for drivers 65 and older over 15% more affordable than the national average for California Casualty.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that auto insurance premiums are normally less expensive for married drivers than they are for single policyholders? This usually boils down to married couples having multiple vehicles on their policy -- something many car insurance companies will reward with discounts.

For single drivers, the difference in average prices between these two carriers is significant, with General Casualty rates coming in at a third less than California Casualty's. The advantage for married policyholders with General Casualty is also obvious, where drivers save more than 30% per month.

California Casualty or General Casualty: Average Rates by Gender

Did you know men typically pay more for insurance than women? That's because women are less likely to get tickets and get into collisions, which decreases the chances of filing a claim with insurance.

With California Casualty, women usually pay nearly 10% a month less than men, and about 10% less with General Casualty.

When it comes to the most affordable prices for each gender, General Casualty comes out as the lowest option for both genders, with average premiums 30% less for men and 32% cheaper for women.

California Casualty vs. General Casualty: 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.

For most people, auto insurance isn't the easiest topic to understand. Everyone needs car insurance, but there are so many different terms and limits that it can be hard to find the right policy for you.

The two most common policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (which provides property damage and bodily injury coverage for other drivers and their passengers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes collision and comprehensive coverages that protect your own car, in addition to what you get with a liability policy).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability limits, General Casualty has the significant edge, with average monthly rates coming in at $82. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, General Casualty again has the edge, with policies averaging around $195 per month to California Casualty's $281.

Is California Casualty or General Casualty Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from 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.

You'll probably end up paying more with at-fault collisions and speeding tickets on your record, but which of these two carriers offers the cheapest premiums to drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use California Casualty for their car insurance can generally expect their monthly bill to go up about 19% after getting a speeding ticket. General Casualty policyholders can expect a bit more drastic of an increase of around 32%.

But General Casualty has cheaper rates for drivers in both categories, offering prices that are 34% and 22% less expensive, respectively, compared to California Casualty.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

After an accident, drivers who have their auto insurance through California Casualty can expect to see about an $61 -- or around 31% -- rise in their car insurance rates. Drivers who use General Casualty for their insurance will see a monthly bill about $56 (or 38%) more expensive after reporting an accident to their auto insurance company.

At the end of the day, General Casualty offers the lowest premiums for drivers with an at-fault collision on their records, with average rates coming in at $146 compared to California Casualty's $198.

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, California Casualty increases average prices by more than $150 a month -- that's nearly a 55% increase.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable premiums, General Casualty tends to be more affordable for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at around $186 to California Casualty's $300.

How does Credit Score Impact California Casualty and General Casualty Rates?

You may not have known, but your credit score can be used as one of the factors to calculate your monthly car insurance rates. This isn't true for everyone (for example, are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it does affect lots of drivers out there.

Auto insurance companies 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.

So, which carrier offers the best premiums for drivers with poor, average, or good credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Is California Casualty or General Casualty 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 insurance bill. Usually, the more milage you put on your vehicle each year, the more you can expect to pay for coverage.

As you can see in the table above, annual mileage doesn't have much of an impact on how much General Casualty charges. However, there's a pretty significant difference in monthly prices for California Casualty, with policyholders who drive the least paying about $25 less every month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles annually. Still, for drivers in both categories, General Casualty is the cheaper company.

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

Where you call home can have a substantial impact on your monthly car insurance payment. Typically, if you live in a rural area with fewer cars on the road, you'll pay a little less for insurance, while the opposite is true for people in urban areas.

General Casualty tends to offer the lowest prices for drivers in all areas, regardless of if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

Those in rural areas can expect to save around 20% with General Casualty compared to California Casualty. People who live in suburban areas pay about 39% less with General Casualty compared to California Casualty. For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, General Casualty's average premiums are around 31% less than California Casualty.

California Casualty vs. General Casualty 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 taking advantage of as many car insurance discounts as possible.

The challenging part is finding all of the discounts you're eligible for, since it can feel sometimes like every company 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 California Casualty and General Casualty offer their customers so that you can find the company that has the most discounts and, therefore, the largest savings.

Overall, California Casualty has a slight advantage when it comes to total number of discounts. General Casualty offers a grand total of 12 discounts, while California Casualty has 14.

There are a couple discounts both carriers offer, but California Casualty also offers discounts for ABS, driver training, education, and more.

On the other hand, General Casualty has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like advance quote discounts, anti-theft discounts, defensive driver discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is California Casualty or General Casualty Best for You?

So, you've seen how different variables can affect your auto insurance rates. We've shown you all the discounts each carrier offers, too. That's all well and good, but when it comes down to it, which insurance company is the best carrier for you and your specific profile and needs?

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

• You have an at-fault accident on your record.
• You already have a great credit score.
• You have a short drive to work everyday.

California Casualty might be best for you if...

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

Hopefully, this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare California Casualty and General Casualty and that it aids in making a more informed decision about your 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 several companies, not just California Casualty and General Casualty. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get multiple quotes from some of the best insurance carriers in your area, all for free.

California Casualty vs. General Casualty FAQs

Is California Casualty or General Casualty cheaper?

General Casualty is the more affordable of the two companies when looking at national average premiums, with policies averaging $139 per month with General Casualty and $201 for California Casualty. That being said, that doesn't mean General Casualty will be the most affordable company for everyone, since there are a bunch of different factors (things like driving record, age, gender, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, California Casualty or General Casualty?

Unfortunately, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". One carrier is not "better" for each policyholder -- it all boils down to your unique car insurance profile.

Why do California Casualty and General Casualty offer me different rates?

Auto insurance carriers use several different variables when determining the prices they charge. Factors such as your driving record, gender, age, where you park your car, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both California Casualty and General Casualty calculate premiums using different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different prices. The best way to determine which company is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from several different companies.

How do I know if California Casualty or General Casualty is right for me?

The only way to find the insurance carrier 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, sites like Compare.com make 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. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the best price. And maybe you'll find that the best company for you isn't California Casualty or General Casualty 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.