Columbia vs. Farmers: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for auto insurance, Columbia offers significantly cheaper prices than Farmers
• Columbia tends to be a much more affordable option for policyholders who are looking to purchase insurance with a spouse
• Farmers may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than Columbia Insurance Group

Columbia or Farmers: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

Are you in the market for a new insurance policy? You've probably seen commercials and billboards from companies offering substantial savings, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You might have narrowed it down to Columbia or Farmers as potential options, but which carrier will save you the most?

As you can see, Columbia has average rates that are around 25% a month cheaper than those from Farmers when looking at the national average rates for insurance.

Even so, Columbia may not be the cheapest or best option for every single driver out there. Auto insurance carriers vary their premiums depending on things like how old you are, how good your credit score is, how clean your driving record is, where you live, and all sorts of other factors. So, at the end of the day, rates from every carrier will differ quite a bit from person to person.

Luckily, we've broken down average prices from both Columbia and Farmers by a range of different rate factors, so read on to find out which company is the best for you.

Columbia vs. Farmers: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Columbia and Farmers only compete against each other in one states, with Columbia offering less expensive premiums to the average driver in all of them. Arkansas has the most noticable difference, where Columbia prices are $4 more affordable than car insurance rates at Farmers.

There's a lot more that goes into your insurance bill than just where you live. 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 other group of drivers. It's because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

That being said, that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their insurance. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have Columbia for their car insurance pay over 40% less than those who use Farmers.

However, both companies will lower rates once you turn 25. Farmers offers the steepest drop, with 25-year-olds paying less than a third of what 18-year-old drivers are charged. That being said, Columbia still has the most affordable premiums at $145 per month.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Once you approach retirement age, you'll normally enjoy the lowest insurance prices 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 auto insurance.

When looking at Columbia and Farmers specifically, which carrier is best for retired drivers? Columbia gets the edge, with rates for drivers 65 and older almost 25% cheaper than the national average for Farmers.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Those who are single tend to get offered slightly more expensive car insurance prices than married policyholders. That's because policies for married couples generally cover more than one vehicle, which many carriers will give you a discount for.

For single policyholders, the difference in average premiums between these two companies is significant, with Columbia prices coming in at a quarter less than Farmers's. For married drivers, the advantage is clear again - Columbia has the edge when it comes to average rates.

Columbia or Farmers: Average Rates by Gender

Did you know men typically pay more for insurance than women? This is because men are statistically more likely than women to get into collisions and get tickets, which leads to increased risk for insurers and, therefore, higher prices.

Men usually pay nearly 10% more per month than women with Columbia, and about 3% more with Farmers.

Looking at overall affordability, Columbia comes out as the most affordable option for both genders, with average premiums $51 less for men and $56 cheaper for women.

Columbia vs. Farmers: 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. Everyone needs car insurance, but there are so many different coverages 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 (that covers property damage and bodily injury 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, Columbia has the significant edge, with average monthly rates coming in at $68. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Columbia again has the edge, with policies averaging around $232 a month to Farmers's $281.

Is Columbia or Farmers Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from insurance carriers 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 speeding tickets and collisions on your record, but which of these two companies offers the cheapest premiums to drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Columbia for their auto insurance can normally expect their monthly bill to go up about 12% after getting a speeding ticket. Farmers policyholders can expect a bit more drastic of an increase of around 21%.

But Columbia has less expensive rates for drivers in both categories -- their rates are around 36% more affordable for drivers with clean records and 43% less expensive for those with a ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Columbia drivers who get in an accident can expect to see their prices climb by just under $40, while those who have insurance through Farmers will see about a $60 increase.

At the end of the day, Columbia offers the most affordable premiums for drivers with an at-fault collision on their records, with average rates coming in at $142 compared to Farmers Insurance's $224.

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. Columbia drivers usually see a 56% climb in their car insurance prices after a DUI charge, while Farmers will typically raise rates by around 27%.

How does Credit Score Impact Columbia and Farmers Rates?

In many cases, your credit score can be used as one of the factors to determine your monthly insurance premiums. Certain states and carriers do not allow for credit score to be used as an insurance factor, but it will come into play for lots of policyholders.

Car 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, drivers with bad credit will often be forced to pay more.

So, which company offers the best rates for policyholders with good, average, or poor credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Is Columbia or Farmers Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a large impact on your monthly auto insurance payment. That's because the fewer miles you drive, the less likely you are to be in an accident and file an insurance claim.

In this case, neither Columbia or Farmers report increasing prices for drivers with higher annual mileage figures. That being said, Columbia comes out as the lowest for drivers at both intervals, whether they put 6,000 or 12,000 miles on their car annually, with average premiums of $150 per month for both.

Columbia or Farmers: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you park your vehicle can have a big impact on your monthly car insurance cost. Usually, those who live in urban areas will pay more than drivers in rural areas because of the number of cars that are on the roads where they live.

Columbia boasts the most affordable average prices for drivers in every type of area, no matter if it's urban, suburban, or rural.

For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, Columbia Insurance Group's average premiums are about 33% less than Farmers Insurance. People who live in suburban areas pay around 20% less with Columbia compared to Farmers. Those in rural areas can expect to save about 24% with Columbia compared to Farmers.

Columbia vs. Farmers 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 insurance discounts as possible.

The challenging part is finding all of the discounts you can take advantage of, 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 Columbia and Farmers offer their customers so that you can see which company offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

Farmers knocks Columbia out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 17 more discounts than Columbia.

Both carriers offer many of the same discounts -- like ABS discounts, discounts for being a defensive driver, discounts for getting driver training, and multi-policy discounts -- but Farmers also offers discounts for advance quote, alternative fuel, EFT, and more.

On the other hand, Columbia has a few proprietary discounts of their own like education discounts and employee discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is Columbia or Farmers Best for You?

So, you've seen how different variables can affect your auto insurance prices. We've shown you all the discounts each carrier offers, too. But, at the end of the day, which insurance company is the right fit for you?

Columbia might be best for you if....

• You have less-than-stellar credit.
• Your home is in a busy urban area.
• You live in a rural area.

Farmers might be best for you if...

• You're thinking about moving to another state -- undefined only offers policies in.
• Your driving record includes a DUI charge.
• You're looking for discounts -- Farmers has the most.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between Columbia and Farmers and that you can now make a more informed decision when it comes to your car 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 several companies, not just Columbia and Farmers. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get free quotes from dozens of top auto insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Columbia vs. Farmers FAQs

Is Columbia or Farmers cheaper?

Columbia is the cheaper of the two companies when looking at national average rates, with policies averaging $150 a month with Columbia and $203 for Farmers. Even so, that doesn't mean Columbia will be the lowest carrier for each policyholder, since there are a variety of different factors that are considered when it comes to your insurance payment.

Who is better, Columbia or Farmers?

Unfortunately, the real answer is "it depends.". No single company is "better" for every policyholder -- it all comes down to what your unique car insurance profile looks like. For example, Columbia is more affordable for drivers with excellent credit, while Farmers offers cheaper premiums for drivers with a recent DUI.

Why do Columbia and Farmers offer me different rates?

Auto insurance carriers use quite a few different variables when determining the rates they charge. Things like gender, your driving record, age, where you call home, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both Columbia and Farmers use different formulas, 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 many different companies.

How do I know if Columbia or Farmers is right for me?

The only way to find the car insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from multiple 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 ZIP code and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top auto 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 Columbia or Farmers 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.