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

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for auto insurance, Nationwide offers less expensive premiums than California Casualty
• Nationwide has cheaper rates for policyholders whose driving record contains an at-fault collision
• Nationwide tends to be a much more affordable option for single people who will be the only person on the car insurance policy

California Casualty or Nationwide: 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 big savings. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You've maybe even narrowed your search down to California Casualty or Nationwide, but between the two, which one has less expensive premiums for insurance?

Looking at the national average rates for both carriers, California Casualty has average rates that are around 15% a month more expensive than those from Nationwide.

Even so, Nationwide may not be the lowest or best option for each driver out there. Auto insurance companies vary their rates depending on things like how old you are, how clean your driving record is, where you live, how good your credit score is, and tons of other factors, so prices will change quite a bit from person to person.

Luckily, we've broken down average premiums from both California Casualty and Nationwide by a variety of different rate factors, so read on to find out which company is the best for you.

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

California Casualty and Nationwide compete against each other in four states, with Nationwide offering cheaper prices to the average driver in all of them. Washington has the most noticable difference, where Nationwide rates are $30 more affordable than insurance premiums at California Casualty.

But there's more to auto insurance than just your home state. As we mentioned above, there's a lot of things that go into how car insurance carriers determine your prices. Keep reading to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers usually pay a lot more for auto insurance than any other group of drivers out there on the road. It's normally 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.

That being said, that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their car insurance. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of over 10% less per month by choosing Nationwide over California Casualty.

But with both companies, you'll see your rates drop significantly by the time you turn 25. For example, average premiums for California Casualty policyholders decrease almost 60% and Nationwide's rates reduce more than 60% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Drivers around retirement age generally enjoy some of the most affordable insurance prices you'll ever find. After all, they've likely been driving for quite some time, which typically reduces their chances of collisions and other infractions that can raise premiums.

When looking at California Casualty and Nationwide specifically, which carrier is best for retired drivers? Nationwide gets the edge, with prices for drivers 65 and older $24 cheaper than the national average for California Casualty.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but auto insurance rates tend to be less expensive for married couples than they are for single policyholders. That's usually because married policyholders tend to own and insure multiple vehicles, which can often earn you a discount.

For single drivers, the difference in average premiums between these two carriers is significant, with Nationwide prices coming in at about 15% less than California Casualty's. The advantage for married drivers with Nationwide is also obvious, where drivers save around $30 a month.

California Casualty or Nationwide: Average Rates by Gender

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

Usually, women see rates nearly 10% per month less with California Casualty, and about 7% less with Nationwide.

Looking at overall affordability, Nationwide offers the cheapest average premiums for both men and women. On average, women save about $29 a month and men save around $33 with Nationwide compared to the average California Casualty policyholder.

California Casualty vs. Nationwide: 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.

Car insurance isn't the easiest topic to understand. There are so many different terms and limits that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy for you.

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

Looking specifically at state minimum limits for liability insurance, Nationwide has the slight edge, with average monthly prices coming in at $112. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Nationwide again has the edge, with policies averaging about $229 per month to California Casualty's $281.

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

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from auto insurance companies offering great rates 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 accidents lead to higher prices, but which company -- California Casualty or Nationwide -- has the most affordable rates for drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use California Casualty for their insurance can normally expect their monthly bill to go up around 19% after getting a speeding ticket. Nationwide policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of about 16%.

However, Nationwide is generally the more affordable option for both drivers who have a recent ticket and those with clean records -- their rates are around 9% less expensive for drivers with clean records and 12% more affordable for those with a ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both carriers will increase premiums pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault accident with California Casualty raising by around 31%. Nationwide has a less extreme raise, but you can still expect to pay nearly 30% more than you were prior to your first collision.

At the end of the day, drivers who use Nationwide end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with average prices coming in at $178 compared to California Casualty's $198.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

On average, a DUI offense is going to cost you much more than a single accident or speeding ticket when it comes to your car insurance bill. For example, California Casualty increases average rates by more than $150 a month -- that's just under a 55% increase.

How does Credit Score Impact California Casualty and Nationwide Rates?

You may not realized it, but your credit score can be used as one of the variables to calculate your monthly auto insurance premiums. This isn't true for everyone (for example, Hawaii and Michigan are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it does affect several drivers out there.

Car insurance companies argue that those with good credit scores are more likely to pay their bills on time every month, which lowers the risk involved on their end, while the opposite is true for those with bad credit.

So, which carrier offers the best rates for policyholders 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 Nationwide 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. Typically, the more milage you put on your car each year, the more you can expect to pay for coverage.

For both remote workers and those taking short commutes, Nationwide offers cheaper prices than California Casualty. Nationwide's average premiums for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in about 10% more affordable than California Casualty. Those who drive 12,000 miles each year can expect to pay around 20% less with Nationwide over California Casualty.

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

Where you park your vehicle can have a sizable impact on your monthly auto insurance payment. Generally, if you live in an urban area with more cars on the road, you'll pay a little more for insurance, while the opposite is true for people in rural areas.

When comparing these two companies side-by-side, Nationwide typically comes out as the lowest option for drivers in all areas, regardless of if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

Those in rural areas can expect to save about $13 with Nationwide compared to California Casualty. People who live in suburban areas pay around $62 less with Nationwide compared to California Casualty. For drivers in urban ZIP codes, Nationwide's average premiums are about $19 less than California Casualty.

California Casualty vs. Nationwide 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.

The challenging 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 broke down all of the different discounts offered by both California Casualty and Nationwide so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

Nationwide blows California Casualty away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 22 different discounts to California Casualty's 14.

Both carriers offer several of the same discounts -- like discounts for being a good student, group discounts, and passive restraint discounts -- but Nationwide also offers discounts for advance quote, agency transfer, anti-theft, and more.

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

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

So, we've broken down the average rates for many of the factors auto insurance companies look at, and walked through the different discounts each company offers, too. But, at the end of the day, is California Casualty or Nationwide the right carrier for you and your specific profile and needs?

Nationwide might be best for you if....

• Your driving record includes a DUI charge.
• You already have a great credit score.
• You live in a rural neighborhood.

California Casualty might be best for you if...

• You have a more unique driver profile than those we mentioned above.

Hopefully, this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare California Casualty and Nationwide and that you can now make a more informed decision when it comes to your 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 multiple carriers, not just California Casualty and Nationwide. Luckily, sites like Compare.com make it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your ZIP code below and get multiple quotes from some of the best auto insurance companies in your area, all for free.

California Casualty vs. Nationwide FAQs

Is California Casualty or Nationwide cheaper?

Nationwide is the cheaper of the two carriers when looking at national average premiums, with policies averaging $170 per month with Nationwide and $201 for California Casualty. That being said, that doesn't mean Nationwide will be the most affordable carrier for every driver, since there are a range of different variables that are considered when it comes to your insurance cost.

Who is better, California Casualty or Nationwide?

Sadly, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". No one company is "better" for each policyholder -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique car insurance profile.

Why do California Casualty and Nationwide offer me different rates?

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

How do I know if California Casualty or Nationwide 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 does all the hard work for you. Just enter your information once and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top auto insurance carriers for free. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the best premium. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't California Casualty or Nationwide 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.