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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for auto insurance, Pemco offers significantly cheaper rates than California Casualty
• California Casualty offers more discounts than PEMCO Insurance
• Pemco has less expensive premiums for residents of suburban areas

California Casualty vs. Pemco: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

So, you're considering switching your auto insurance. 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've maybe even narrowed it down to California Casualty or Pemco, but between the two, which one will save you the most?

Looking at the national average rates for both companies, California Casualty is quite a bit more expensive than Pemco, with prices averaging $201 per month compared to just $107 with Pemco.

Even so, that doesn't necessarily mean Pemco will be the more affordable option for every single driver. Car insurance carriers use a variety of complex algorithms to calculate premiums, so depending on how good your credit score is or where you live (among a whole range of other factors), you could see wildly different rates from the ones above.

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

California Casualty or Pemco: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

California Casualty and Pemco only compete against each other in Washington, where Pemco offers the cheaper average prices. For Washington residents, Pemco offers insurance for $107 monthly on average. California Casualty's average rates come out to be over 30% more expensive, at $146 per month.

But there's more to calculating auto insurance prices than just your home state. Read on to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- typically pay a lot for car insurance compared to older drivers. That's normally because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

However, that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high insurance rates. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of more than $200 less a month by choosing Pemco over California Casualty.

That being said, both companies will offer you dramatically lower premiums by the time drivers turn 25. Pemco offers the steepest reduction, with 25-year-olds paying less than half what 18-year-old drivers are charged. California Casualty's average prices lower nearly 60% during that same period.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Once you approach retirement age, you'll usually enjoy the most affordable auto insurance rates you'll ever see. You've been on the road for years, and all that experience pays off when it comes to your monthly premiums for insurance.

But who has the best prices for retired drivers between California Casualty and Pemco? Pemco gets the edge, with rates for drivers 65 and older almost 40% less expensive than the national average for California Casualty.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Single drivers tend to get offered slightly more expensive auto insurance premiums than married policyholders. That's because policies for married drivers generally cover several cars, which a lot of carriers will offer you a discount for.

When it comes to relationship status, Pemco is the clear winner for single policyholders, with rates about $109 per month more affordable than California Casualty, on average. The advantage for married couples with Pemco is also obvious, where drivers save over 45% a month.

California Casualty vs. Pemco: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get pulled over for speeding or get into an accident, which means they'll typically end up paying more for car insurance than women.

Typically, women see prices more than $15 per month cheaper with California Casualty, and around $4 less with Pemco.

Looking at overall affordability, Pemco comes out as the cheapest option for both genders, with average premiums 48% less for men and 46% cheaper for women.

California Casualty or Pemco: 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, insurance can be pretty complicated. Everyone needs car insurance, but there are so many different coverages and limits that it can be hard to find the right policy.

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

If you're looking for state minimum limits for liability insurance, Pemco generally offers significantly less expensive rates of $62 compared to California Casualty's $122. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, Pemco again has the edge, with policies about $150 a month cheaper than California Casualty, on average.

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

It's no big secret that drivers who are accident-free get better deals on their auto 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 at-fault accidents will most likely raise your prices, but is California Casualty or Pemco more affordable for drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

California Casualty policyholders can expect their premiums to go up an average of $33 per month if they get a ticket, while Pemco usually raises prices around $16 a month, on average.

But Pemco has less expensive premiums for drivers in both categories -- their rates are around 38% cheaper for drivers with clean records and 41% more affordable for those with a ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

After an accident, drivers who have their insurance through California Casualty can expect to see about an $61 -- or around 31% -- increase in their car insurance rates. Drivers who use Pemco for their auto insurance will see a monthly bill about $26 (or 23%) more expensive after reporting an accident to their insurance company.

Overall, drivers who use Pemco end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with monthly prices averaging $111 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 speeding ticket or even a collision. On average, California Casualty will increase your rates around 54% after a DUI, while Pemco's average premiums rise by over 35%.

If you have a DUI on your record and are looking for more affordable prices, Pemco tends to be the much less expensive option with average rates of $131 a month compared to $300 from California Casualty.

How does Credit Score Impact California Casualty and Pemco Rates?

You may not have known, but your credit score can come into play when companies determine your monthly bill. This isn't always the case (Hawaii, for example, has banned the use of credit score as a rating factor) but it might 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 California Casualty and Pemco, which carrier has the lowest premiums for drivers at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have great credit, you'll usually find a better deal with Pemco. Policyholders with "excellent" credit can save just under 55% compared to California Casualty, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- about $92 or 53% more affordable each month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Pemco typically offers lower prices than California Casualty when it comes to drivers with a below average credit score. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around $104 per month less with Pemco compared to California Casualty, and those with "poor" scores normally save an average of about $107 monthly.

Is California Casualty or Pemco Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

Did you know that the amount of time you spend in your car have a substantial impact on your monthly premiums? Usually, the more miles you put on your vehicle, the more you can expect to pay for coverage.

For both drivers who put 6,000 miles on their vehicles yearly, as well as those who average twice that figure, Pemco tends to be the cheaper option. California Casualty's average rates for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in nearly 45% more expensive than Pemco. Those who drive 12,000 miles every year can expect to pay just under 50% more with California Casualty over Pemco.

California Casualty vs. Pemco: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

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

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

For drivers in urban ZIP codes, Pemco offers prices around $115 per month compared to California Casualty's $218. People who live in suburban ZIP codes can expect to pay about $119 a month for Pemco and $221 for California Casualty. Lastly, those in rural areas tend to get the cheapest rates from both companies, with average monthly premiums coming in at $88 and $164 for Pemco and California Casualty respectively.

California Casualty vs. Pemco Discounts

Regardless of why you might be in the market for a new insurance policy, you're always going to want to save as much money as possible. That's where car insurance discounts comes into play.

But with what seems like a million different discounts out there, it can be difficult to find all the ones you can take advantage of or to nail down the company that has the most discounts for your unique driver profile.

In the section below, we've taken a look at all of the different discounts California Casualty and Pemco offer their customers so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

Looking at the total number of discounts, California Casualty comes out ahead with 14 discounts to Pemco's 12.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like discounts for being a good student, multi-policy discounts, and passive restraint discounts. California Casualty also offers ABS discounts, driver training discounts, education discounts, and more that Pemco does not.

On the flip side, Pemco has a couple unique discounts of its own -- advance quote discounts, anti-theft discounts, discounts for being a defensive driver, and more.

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

So, we've broken down the average prices for many of the factors insurance carriers look at, and walked through the different discounts each carrier offers, too. That's all well and good, but when it comes down to it, which insurance company is the right company for you and your specific driver profile?

Pemco might be best for you if....

• You have less-than-stellar credit.
• You want basic car insurance coverage at the state minimum limits.
• You don't spend much time in your car.

California Casualty might be best for you if...

• You're looking for discounts -- California Casualty has the most.

We hope this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare California Casualty and Pemco. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision about your auto 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 insurance -- comparing quotes from multiple companies, not just California Casualty and Pemco. Luckily, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code below and get free quotes from dozens of top car insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

California Casualty vs. Pemco FAQs

Is California Casualty or Pemco cheaper?

Looking just at the national average rates, Pemco is the more affordable of the two companies, offering average rates of $107 per month compared to $201 for California Casualty. That being said, Pemco won't necessarily be the lowest carrier for each policyholder, since there are a range of different variables that are considered when it comes to your auto insurance cost.

Who is better, California Casualty or Pemco?

Unfortunately, the answer truly is "it depends.". No single company is necessarily "better" for every driver -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique insurance profile.

Why do California Casualty and Pemco offer me different rates?

Car insurance carriers take a look at several different factors when calculating the premiums they charge policyholders. Variables such as where you live, where your home is, age, gender, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both California Casualty and Pemco calculate prices differently, so each one will most likely offer different rates. The only real way to see which carrier is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from several different companies.

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

The only way to find the auto 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, sites like Compare.com make it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your area information and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best car insurance companies in your area. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the cheapest price. And who knows, the best carrier for you might not be California Casualty or Pemco 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.