Central Mutual vs. Safeway: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for car insurance, Safeway offers significantly less expensive premiums than Central Mutual
• Central Mutual may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than Safeway Insurance
• Safeway has more affordable rates for drivers who have a speeding ticket on their driving record

Central Mutual or Safeway: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

So, you're considering switching to a new insurance policy. You've probably seen commercials and billboards from companies offering hefty savings, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You might have narrowed it down to Central Mutual or Safeway for your next policy, but between the two, which one has cheaper prices for auto insurance?

As you can see, Central Mutual has average rates that are around 45% a month more expensive than those from Safeway when looking at the national average rates for car insurance.

Even so, that doesn't mean Safeway will necessarily be more affordable than Central Mutual for each driver. After all, insurance carriers can offer drastically different rates to every driver depending on rating factors like your driving record, your credit score, where you call home, or even your age (among other things). So, at the end of the day, rates from each carrier will differ quite a bit from person to person.

Wanting to know if Central Mutual or Safeway 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.

Central Mutual vs. Safeway: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Central Mutual and Safeway only compete against each other in one states, with Safeway offering cheaper prices to the average driver in all of them. Georgia has the most noticable difference, where Safeway premiums are $174 less expensive than auto insurance rates at Central Mutual.

But there's more to calculating car 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 insurance compared to older drivers. It's generally because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to cause collisions and other accidents that will result in an insurance claim.

That being said, that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high car insurance premiums. As you can see above, teens who use Safeway save almost 20% per month compared to those who use Central Mutual.

But both companies will offer you dramatically lower rates once you turn 25. For example, average premiums for Central Mutual policyholders lower nearly 45% and Safeway's rates decrease over 60% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Once you approach retirement age, you'll normally enjoy the lowest auto insurance prices you can find. 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 rates for retired drivers between Central Mutual and Safeway? Safeway gets the edge, with prices for drivers 65 and older $139 more affordable than the national average for Central Mutual.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but car insurance rates tend to be cheaper for married drivers than they are for single policyholders. That's because policies for married policyholders usually cover more than one vehicle, which many carriers will give you a discount for.

For those who are single, the difference in average premiums between these two companies is significant, with Safeway prices coming in at a third less than Central Mutual's. For married couples, the advantage is clear again - Safeway has the edge when it comes to average rates.

Central Mutual or Safeway: Average Rates by Gender

You may not know, but men generally pay more for insurance than women do. This is because men are statistically more likely than women to cause a collision and get into accidents, which leads to increased risk for insurers and, therefore, higher prices.

Men usually pay about 4% more a month than women with Central Mutual, and almost 10% with Safeway.

Looking at overall affordability, Safeway comes out as the cheapest option for both genders, with average premiums $144 less for men and $148 cheaper for women.

Central Mutual vs. Safeway: 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.

Auto insurance isn't the easiest topic to understand. There are so many different limits and terms 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 (which provides bodily injury and property damage coverage for other drivers and passengers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- collision and comprehensive -- alongside liability).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability limits, Safeway has the significant edge, with average monthly rates coming in at $130. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Safeway again has the edge, with policies averaging around $258 per month to Central Mutual's $506.

Is Central Mutual or Safeway Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

It's no secret -- drivers with good records end up getting the best deals on their car insurance. But that's not to say you can't save money if you don't have the best driving record, either.

Speeding tickets and at-fault collisions will most likely raise your premiums, but is Central Mutual or Safeway less expensive for drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Central Mutual for their auto insurance can normally expect their monthly bill to go up about 26% after getting a speeding ticket. Safeway policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of around 4%.

However, Safeway has cheaper prices for drivers in both categories, offering rates that are 33% and 48% more affordable, respectively, compared to Central Mutual Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

After an accident, drivers who have their insurance through Central Mutual can expect to see about an $69 -- or around 22% -- rise in their car insurance prices. Drivers who use Safeway for their insurance will see a monthly bill about $60 (or 27%) more expensive after reporting an accident to their auto insurance carrier.

At the end of the day, Safeway offers the most affordable premiums for drivers with an at-fault collision on their records, with average rates coming in at $223 compared to Central Mutual Insurance's $311.

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. Central Mutual drivers usually see a 50% increase in their car insurance prices after a DUI charge, while Safeway will typically climb premiums by around 26%.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable prices, Safeway tends to be less expensive for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at about $220 to Central Mutual's $482.

How does Credit Score Impact Central Mutual and Safeway Rates?

Did you know many insurance carriers take your credit score into account when determining premiums? This isn't true for everyone (Michigan, for example, has banned the use of credit score as a car insurance factor) but it might come into play for a lot of drivers.

The reasoning auto insurance companies use is that policyholders with bad credit will be less likely to pay their bills on time; so usually, they'll be asked to pay more, while those with good credit will be rewarded with cheaper rates.

So, which company offers the best prices 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 Central Mutual or Safeway Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a substantial impact on your monthly rates. Typically, the more milage you drive, 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 Safeway charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly premiums for Central Mutual, with policyholders who drive the least paying around $10 less every month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles each year. Still, for drivers in both categories, Safeway is the less expensive carrier.

Central Mutual or Safeway: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

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

When comparing these two carriers side-by-side, Safeway generally comes out as the cheapest option for drivers in every type of area, no matter if it's urban, suburban, or rural.

For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, Safeway Insurance's average rates are about $295 less than Central Mutual Insurance. People who live in suburban areas pay around $62 less with Safeway compared to Central Mutual. Those in rural areas can expect to save about $82 with Safeway compared to Central Mutual.

Central Mutual vs. Safeway Discounts

No matter why you might be in the market for a new car 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 utilizing as many insurance discounts as possible.

The hard part is finding all of the discounts you can take advantage of, 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 compared all of the different discounts offered by Central Mutual and Safeway so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and, therefore, the largest savings.

Overall, Central Mutual comes out ahead with 15 discounts to Safeway's 11.

Both companies offer a lot of the same discounts -- like discounts for being a defensive driver, paid in full discounts, and renewal discounts -- but Central Mutual also offers discounts for ABS, anti-theft, book transfer policy, and more.

On the other hand, Safeway has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like agency transfer discounts, full coverage discounts, homeowner discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Central Mutual or Safeway Best for You?

You've seen the effect certain variables have on your car insurance and the different discounts carriers offer. That's all well and good, but at the end of the day, which company is the right carrier for you and your specific needs?

Safeway might be best for you if....

• You want to save money on your auto insurance after an accident.
• You want the most robust protection via a "full coverage" policy.
• You're of retirement age and want to take advantage of lower prices.

Central Mutual might be best for you if...

• You're looking for discounts -- Central Mutual has the most.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between Central Mutual and Safeway. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision when it comes to 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 multiple companies, not just Central Mutual and Safeway. 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 car insurance carriers in your area, all for free.

Central Mutual vs. Safeway FAQs

Is Central Mutual or Safeway cheaper?

Safeway is the more affordable of the two companies when looking at national average premiums, with policies averaging $194 a month with Safeway and $340 for Central Mutual. That being said, that doesn't mean Safeway will be the lowest carrier for every policyholder, since there are several different factors that come into play when it comes to your insurance bill.

Who is better, Central Mutual or Safeway?

Sadly, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". One company is not "better" for each policyholder -- it all depends on what your unique auto insurance profile looks like.

Why do Central Mutual and Safeway offer me different rates?

Car insurance carriers use quite a few different variables when calculating the rates they charge. Things such as where your home is, where you call home, age, gender, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Central Mutual and Safeway calculate premiums using different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different rates. The best way to determine which carrier is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a range of different companies.

How do I know if Central Mutual or Safeway is right for me?

The only way to find the auto insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from several 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 information once 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 carrier for you isn't Central Mutual or Safeway 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.