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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for auto insurance, Columbia offers slightly more affordable premiums than State Farm
• Columbia offers more affordable prices for drivers who have less-than-stellar credit
• State Farm has less expensive rates for residents of rural areas

Columbia vs. State Farm: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

So, you're thinking about switching your auto insurance. You've probably seen commercials and billboards from companies offering big discounts, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You might have narrowed your search down to Columbia or State Farm for your next policy, but which one will offer you cheaper prices?

Looking at the national average rates for both companies, Columbia is about $8 per month less expensive than State Farm.

Even so, that doesn't necessarily mean Columbia will be the more affordable option for every driver. Insurance carriers vary their premiums depending on things like how clean your driving record is, how good your credit score is, how old you are, where you live, and a ton of other factors. So, at the end of the day, rates from each company will differ quite a bit from person to person.

Wanting to know if Columbia or State Farm is really the right carrier for you? Keep on reading to see how average prices can change based on all of the factors we've mentioned above.

Columbia or State Farm: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Columbia and State Farm only compete against each other in two states, with Columbia offering cheaper premiums to the average driver in all of them. Missouri has the most noticable difference, where State Farm rates are over 30% less expensive than car insurance prices at Columbia.

That being said, there's a lot more that goes into your insurance bill than just where you live. Keep reading to learn more.

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 out there on the road. It's generally because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

But still, even with seemingly sky-high prices, teen drivers can still find ways to save money. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have Columbia for their car insurance pay nearly $30 less than those who use State Farm.

That being said, both companies will offer you dramatically lower premiums by the time drivers turn 25. State Farm offers the steepest drop, with 25-year-olds paying less than a third of what 18-year-old drivers are charged. Columbia's average rates drop more than 55% during that same period.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Drivers around retirement age typically enjoy some of the most affordable insurance premiums you'll ever see. After all, they've likely been driving for quite some time, which normally decreases their chances of accidents and other infractions that can increase prices.

So, which company offers the best rates to retired drivers? Columbia gets the slight edge here, with average prices coming in at around $109 per month compared to State Farm's $111. But the difference is only about 5%, so other factors will likely come into play when determining which carrier has the lowest rates for you.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

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

If you're in the market for car insurance, Columbia tends to have the most affordable average prices regardless of if you're married or single, with prices around 7% cheaper for married couples and about 3% less expensive for single drivers.

Columbia vs. State Farm: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to cause a collision and get into accidents. That means when it comes to insurance men will generally end up paying a little more.

Women typically pay almost 10% a month less than men with Columbia, while with State Farm, the difference is closer to 7% per month.

When it comes to the lowest premiums for each gender, Columbia comes out on top for both men and women, with average rates 5% less for men and 5% cheaper for women.

Columbia or State Farm: 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.

It's no secret that auto insurance can be a complicated subject for most people. Everyone needs insurance, but there are so many different limits and coverages 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 an accident) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- comprehensive and collision -- alongside liability coverage).

In this case, Columbia offers the cheapest average prices for state minimum liability limits, while State Farm has the edge for full coverage policies with similar coverage limits. Drivers looking for basic state minimum coverage can save around $30 with Columbia Insurance Group, while full coverage comes out to be around $15 more affordable with State Farm.

Is Columbia or State Farm 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.

You'll probably end up paying more with tickets and collisions on your record, but which of these two carriers offers the lowest premiums to drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Columbia policyholders can expect their rates to go up an average of $14 a month if they get a ticket, while State Farm usually raises prices about $21 per month, on average.

However, Columbia has less expensive premiums for drivers in both categories. Drivers with a clean record can save around $30 a month and drivers with a speeding ticket can save about $37 per month with Columbia Insurance Group.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both companies will raise rates pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault accident with Columbia climbing by just under $40. State Farm has a less extreme increase, but you can still expect to pay nearly $30 more than you were prior to your first collision.

Overall, Columbia offers the most affordable premiums for drivers with an at-fault accident on their records, with monthly prices averaging $142 compared to State Farm's $163.

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 rates after a DUI charge, while State Farm will normally raise prices by around 25%.

How does Credit Score Impact Columbia and State Farm Rates?

In many cases, your credit score can come into play when carriers calculate your monthly bill. This isn't always the case (California, for example, has banned the use of credit score as a rating factor) but it might come into play for several policyholders.

Auto 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.

Looking at Columbia and State Farm specifically, which company has the best premiums for policyholders at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Is Columbia or State Farm 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 sizable impact on your monthly rates? Generally, those who drive less will end up with more affordable prices since there's less of a chance of getting into an accident and causing an insurance claim.

As you can see in the table above, annual mileage doesn't have much of an impact on how much Columbia charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly premiums for State Farm, with policyholders who drive the least paying about $13 less every month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles annually. Still, Columbia is the cheaper option for drivers in both categories.

Columbia vs. State Farm: 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 pretty big impact as well. Normally, drivers who live in less densely populated rural areas will pay quite a bit less than urban policyholders because of the small number of vehicles that are on the roads in those areas.

Columbia typically comes out as the more affordable option for drivers in urban and suburban areas, while State Farm wins in rural areas.

In urban areas, Columbia Insurance Group's average premiums are around 9% less than State Farm. Drivers in suburban ZIP codes pay about 6% less with Columbia compared to State Farm. If you live in a rural area, you can expect to save around 2% with State Farm compared to Columbia.

Columbia vs. State Farm Discounts

You want to save as much money as possible, right? The best way to do that is by utilizing as many car insurance discounts as you can.

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.

In the section below, we've compared all of the different discounts offered by Columbia and State Farm so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and, therefore, the biggest savings.

State Farm knocks Columbia out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 23 different discounts to Columbia's 23.

There are a couple discounts both carriers offer, but State Farm also offers annual mileage discounts, drive safe & save discounts, DRL discounts, and more that Columbia does not.

On the flip side, Columbia has a couple unique discounts of its own -- education discounts and employee discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is Columbia or State Farm Best for You?

You've seen the effect certain variables have on your insurance and the different discounts companies offer. But, at the end of the day, is Columbia or State Farm the right one for you and your specific needs?

Columbia might be best for you if....

• You want to save money on your car insurance after a collision.
• You have less-than-stellar credit.
• You drive fewer than 6,000 miles each year.

State Farm might be best for you if...

• You're planning on moving to another state soon -- undefined only offers policies to residents.
• Your credit score is high.
• You're looking for more protection with "full coverage" auto insurance.

We hope this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between Columbia and State Farm and that you can now make a more informed 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 several carriers, not just Columbia and State Farm. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get multiple free quotes from some of the best car insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Columbia vs. State Farm FAQs

Is Columbia or State Farm cheaper?

Looking just at the national average prices, Columbia is the less expensive of the two carriers, offering average rates of $150 a month compared to $158 for State Farm. Even so, Columbia won't necessarily be the most affordable company for every policyholder, since there are multiple different factors that come into play when it comes to your insurance cost.

Who is better, Columbia or State Farm?

Sadly, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". No single carrier is necessarily "better" for each driver -- it all comes down to what your unique car insurance profile looks like.

Why do Columbia and State Farm offer me different rates?

Auto insurance companies take a look at lots of different variables when calculating the premiums they charge drivers. Things like gender, age, your driving record, where you park your car, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Columbia and State Farm calculate rates using different formulas, so each one will most likely offer different premiums. The only real way to see which company is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from many different carriers.

How do I know if Columbia or State Farm 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, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Just enter your information once and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best insurance carriers in your area. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the lowest premium. And who knows, the best company for you might not be Columbia or State Farm 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.