Cincinatti Financial vs. Metlife: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

If you're in the market for a new auto insurance policy, you might be wondering how Metlife and Cincinatti Financial compare when it comes to the lowest premiums and biggest discounts. To find out which of these companies is the best fit for you and your wallet, check out our newest guide below.
Newly insured car driving down the road
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Quick Facts

  • Looking at the national averages for car insurance, Cincinatti Financial offers significantly more affordable prices than Metlife
  • Cincinatti Financial tends to be a much cheaper option for drivers with a DUI
  • Metlife may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than Cincinatti Financial


Cincinatti Financial or Metlife: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

So, you're thinking about 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've maybe even narrowed your search down to Cincinatti Financial or Metlife, but between the two, which company will save you the most?

Cincinatti Financial Metlife
$200$340

As you can see, Cincinatti Financial is quite a bit cheaper than Metlife, with rates averaging $200 a month compared to $340 with Metlife when looking at the national average rates for auto insurance.

That being said, Cincinatti Financial may not be the most affordable or best option for every single driver out there. Car insurance carriers vary their prices depending on things like how old you are, where you live, how clean your driving record is, how good your credit score is, and a variety of other factors, so premiums will change quite a bit from person to person.

Luckily, we've broken down average rates from both Cincinatti Financial and Metlife by multiple different rate factors, so read on to find out which carrier is the best for you.

Cincinatti Financial vs. Metlife: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

State Cincinatti Financial Metlife
AL$137$348
KY$218$817
OH$147$202
TN$194$321
VA$301$315

Cincinatti Financial and Metlife compete against each other in five states, with Cincinatti Financial offering less expensive prices to the average driver in all of them. Kentucky has the most noticable difference, where Cincinatti Financial rates are $599 more affordable than insurance premiums at Metlife.

There's a lot more that goes into your auto insurance payment than just where you call home. Keep reading to learn more.


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Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Cincinatti Financial Metlife
18-year-old drivers$496$959
25-year-old drivers$193$274

You might already know that teen drivers normally pay a lot more for insurance than any other group of drivers. It's because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into an accident that results in a car insurance claim, making them much riskier to insure.

But still, even with seemingly sky-high rates, teen drivers can still find ways to save money. As you can see above, teens who use Cincinatti Financial save over 50% per month compared to those who use Metlife.

Even so, both companies will reduce prices by the time drivers turn 25. For example, average premiums for Cincinatti Financial policyholders decrease more than 60% and Metlife's rates drop over 70% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Cincinatti Financial Metlife
65+-year-old drivers$122$205

Once you approach retirement age, you'll typically enjoy the cheapest car insurance premiums you can find. You've been on the road for years, and all that experience pays off when it comes to your monthly prices for auto insurance.

But who has the best rates for retired drivers between Cincinatti Financial and Metlife? Cincinatti Financial gets the edge, with prices for drivers 65 and older $83 less expensive than the national average for Metlife.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Cincinatti Financial Metlife
Single$242$434
Married$143$216

Single policyholders tend to get offered slightly more expensive car insurance premiums than married policyholders. This usually boils down to married couples having multiple vehicles on their policy -- something quite a few insurance carriers will reward with discounts.

For single drivers, the difference in average prices between these two companies is significant, with Cincinatti Financial premiums coming in at around half of Metlife's. The advantage for married drivers with Cincinatti Financial is also obvious, where drivers save almost 35% a month.

Cincinatti Financial or Metlife: Average Rates by Gender

Cincinatti Financial Metlife
Male$206$354
Female$193$326

Women tend to pay less for car insurance than men. That's because women are less likely to get speeding tickets and get into accidents, which decreases the chances of filing a claim with insurance.

On average, women see rates about 6% per month less with Cincinatti Financial, and around 8% less with Metlife.

Looking at overall affordability, Cincinatti Financial comes out on top for both men and women. On average, women save about $133 a month and men save about $148 with Cincinatti Financial compared to the average Metlife policyholder.


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Cincinatti Financial vs. Metlife: Compare State Minimum vs. Full Coverage Rates

Cincinatti Financial Metlife
State Minimum*$106$215
Full Coverage**$293$466

*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.

It's no secret that auto insurance can be a complicated subject for most people. There are so many different terms and limits that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy for you.

However, most policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability coverage (which provides bodily injury and property damage 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, Cincinatti Financial has the significant edge, with average monthly premiums coming in at $106. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Cincinatti Financial again has the edge, with policies averaging around $293 per month to Metlife's $466.

Is Cincinatti Financial or Metlife Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

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

It's no secret secret that at-fault collisions and speeding tickets lead to higher rates, but which company -- Cincinatti Financial or Metlife -- has the most affordable prices for drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Cincinatti Financial Metlife
Clean Record$122$220
1 Speeding Ticket$143$279

Policyholders who use Cincinatti Financial for their auto insurance can usually expect their monthly bill to go up about 15% after getting a speeding ticket. Metlife policyholders can expect a bit more drastic of an increase of around 21%.

But Cincinatti Financial is generally the cheaper option for both drivers who have a recent ticket and those with clean records, offering premiums that are 45% and 49% more affordable, respectively, compared to MetLife.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Cincinatti Financial Metlife
Clean Record$122$220
1 At-Fault Accident$214$368

After an accident, drivers who have their insurance through Cincinatti Financial can expect to see about an $92 -- or around 43% -- rise in their car insurance prices. Drivers who use Metlife for their insurance will see a monthly bill about $148 (or 40%) more expensive after reporting an accident to their auto insurance carrier.

At the end of the day, Cincinatti Financial offers the lowest rates for drivers with an at-fault collision on their records, with average premiums coming in at $214 compared to MetLife's $368.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

Cincinatti Financial Metlife
Clean Record$122$220
1 DUI$320$494

If you get a DUI charge, you can expect some pretty significant increases in your monthly car insurance bill -- usually a lot more than a collision or speeding ticket. Metlife drivers usually see a 55% increase in their insurance rates after a DUI charge, while Cincinatti Financial will typically raise prices by around 62%.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable rates, Cincinatti Financial tends to be cheaper for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at about $320 to Metlife's $494.


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How does Credit Score Impact Cincinatti Financial and Metlife Rates?

Did you know many car insurance carriers take your credit score into account when determining premiums? This isn't true for everyone (for example, California and Michigan are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it might come into play for many drivers.

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

Looking at Cincinatti Financial and Metlife specifically, which one has the cheapest prices for policyholders at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Cincinatti Financial Metlife
Excellent Credit Score$147$222
Good Credit Score$172$274

If you have a great credit score, Cincinatti Financial will generally reward you the most. For drivers with "excellent" credit scores, Cincinatti Financial comes in nearly 33.78 less expensive. Drivers with "good" credit scores normally save around 37% with Cincinatti Financial compared to average premiums from Metlife.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Cincinatti Financial Metlife
Fair Credit Score$198$339
Poor Credit Score$281$530

Cincinatti Financial typically offers lower prices than Metlife when it comes to drivers with less-than-perfect credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about 42% a month less with Cincinatti Financial compared to Metlife, and those with "poor" scores usually save an average of around 47% per month.


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Is Cincinatti Financial or Metlife Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

Cincinatti Financial Metlife
6,000 Annual Miles$200$339
12,000 Annual Miles$200$342

How much you drive can have a big impact on your monthly car insurance cost. Typically, those who drive fewer miles will end up with cheaper rates since there's less of a chance of causing an accident and filing an insurance claim.

As you can see in the table above, annual mileage doesn't have much of an impact on how much Cincinatti Financial charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly prices for Metlife, with drivers who put 6,000 miles on their vehicle annually paying about $3 less each month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles every year. Still, for drivers in both categories, Cincinatti Financial is the more affordable company.

Cincinatti Financial or Metlife: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

We've already mentioned how your home state can play a role in how much you pay for insurance, but the type of area you live in can have a sizable impact as well. Normally, those who live in urban areas will pay more than policyholders in rural areas since there are a lot more cars on the roads where they live.

Cincinatti Financial Metlife
Urban Areas$220$389
Suburban Areas$197$333
Rural Areas$182$299

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

Those in rural areas can expect to save around $117 with Cincinatti Financial compared to Metlife. People who live in suburban areas pay about $136 less with Cincinatti Financial compared to Metlife. For drivers in urban ZIP codes, Cincinatti Financial's average rates are around $169 less than MetLife.

Cincinatti Financial vs. Metlife 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 auto 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 Cincinatti Financial and Metlife 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.

Cincinatti Financial Metlife
AAA Discount 
ABS Discount 
Academic Discount 
Advance Quote Discount 
Agency Transfer Discount 
Annual Mileage Discount 
Anti-Theft Discount
Combat Auto-Theft Discount 
Covid-19 Relief Discount 
Defensive Driver Discount
Distant Student Discount 
EFT Discount 
Employee Discount 
Employers Subject to MA Worker Discount 
Employment Tenure Discount 
Family Car Discount 
Farm Discount 
Good Driving Discount 
Good Student Discount
Group Discount

Metlife knocks Cincinatti Financial out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 26 more discounts than Cincinatti Financial.

Both companies offer several of the same discounts -- like anti-theft discounts, discounts for being a defensive driver, and group discounts -- but Metlife also offers discounts for AAA, ABS, academic, and more.

On the other hand, Cincinatti Financial has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like advance quote discounts, COVID-19 relief discount, paid in full discounts, and more.


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Final Thoughts: Is Cincinatti Financial or Metlife Best for You?

So, you've seen how different variables can affect your car insurance prices. 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 company is the best carrier for you and your specific profile and needs?

Cincinatti Financial might be best for you if....

  • You will be the only person on the auto insurance policy.
  • Your neighborhood is in a city.
  • You're of retirement age and want to take advantage of lower rates.


Metlife might be best for you if...

  • You value the experience that comes with a large national insurance carrier.
  • You care about discounts (Metlife offers the most).

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between Cincinatti Financial and Metlife and that it aids in making a more informed decision about your car insurance.

At the end of the day, the best way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your insurance policy is to compare quotes from several carriers, not just Cincinatti Financial and Metlife. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Simply enter your ZIP code below and get free quotes from dozens of the top auto insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.


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Cincinatti Financial vs. Metlife FAQs

Is Cincinatti Financial or Metlife cheaper?

Cincinatti Financial is the less expensive of the two carriers when looking at national average premiums, with policies averaging $200 per month with Cincinatti Financial and $340 for Metlife. However, that doesn't mean Cincinatti Financial will be the lowest company for each policyholder, since there are a variety of different factors (things like gender, age, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Cincinatti Financial or Metlife?

Sadly, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". No one carrier is necessarily "better" for every policyholder -- it all depends on what your unique insurance profile looks like.

Why do Cincinatti Financial and Metlife offer me different rates?

Auto insurance companies use a lot of different variables when calculating the rates they charge. Factors like your driving record, age, gender, where you live, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both Cincinatti Financial and Metlife 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 many different carriers.

How do I know if Cincinatti Financial or Metlife is right for me?

The only way to find the car insurance carrier 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, sites like Compare.com make it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your ZIP code and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top auto insurance carriers for free. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the best rate. And maybe you'll find that the best company for you isn't Cincinatti Financial or Metlife 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.

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