Country Financial vs. Nationwide: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for insurance, Country Financial offers less expensive premiums than Nationwide
• Country Financial offers more affordable rates for drivers who have an at-fault accident on their record
• Nationwide offers more discounts than COUNTRY Financial

Country Financial vs. Nationwide: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

Are you considering a new insurance policy? 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 it down to Country Financial or Nationwide as your top options, but between the two, which one will offer you cheaper prices?

Looking at the national average rates for both companies, Nationwide has average rates that are about 19% per month more expensive than those from Country Financial.

Even so, that doesn't necessarily mean Country Financial will be the more affordable option for every single driver. After all, auto insurance carriers can offer drastically different rates to each driver depending on rating factors like your driving record, your age, where you call home, or even your credit score (among other things), so premiums will change quite a bit from person to person.

Wanting to know if Country Financial or Nationwide 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.

Country Financial or Nationwide: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Country Financial and Nationwide compete against each other in six states, with Country Financial offering cheaper premiums to the average driver in all of them. If you live in Minnesota, Nationwide is the less expensive of the two companies when looking at the overall average rates. Country Financial is the more affordable option in Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Illinois, and Oregon.

There's a lot more that goes into your car insurance cost than just where you call home. Read on to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- generally pay a lot for insurance compared to older drivers. Normally, that's 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. As you can see above, teens who use Country Financial save more than $100 a month compared to those who use Nationwide.

However, both carriers will lower premiums by the time drivers turn 25. For example, average rates for Country Financial policyholders reduce over $100 and Nationwide's prices drop nearly $250 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

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

When looking at Country Financial and Nationwide specifically, which company is best for retired drivers? Country Financial gets the edge here, with average premiums coming in at around $105 per month compared to Nationwide's $125.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that auto insurance prices are typically more expensive for single policyholders than they are for married policyholders? That's generally because married drivers tend to own and insure more than one car, which can often earn you a discount.

When it comes to relationship status, Country Financial is the clear winner for those who are single, with rates about $41 per month cheaper than Nationwide, on average. The advantage is also clear for married couples - Country Financial offers the most affordable average prices.

Country Financial vs. Nationwide: Average Rates by Gender

Men normally pay more for car insurance than women. This is because men are statistically more likely than women to get pulled over for speeding or get into an accident, which leads to increased risk for insurers and, therefore, higher rates.

Men typically pay around $3 a month more than women with Country Financial, while with Nationwide, the difference is closer to $12 per month.

When it comes to the lowest premiums for each gender, Country Financial comes out on top for both men and women. On average, male drivers save about $36 a month and women save about $27 with Country Financial compared to the average Nationwide policyholder.

Country Financial or Nationwide: 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 auto insurance, but there are so many different terms and coverages that it can be hard to find the right policy.

But most policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability only (which covers the other party's property damage and injuries if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes comprehensive and collision coverages that protect your own vehicle, in addition to what you get with liability).

If you're looking for state minimum liability limits, Country Financial usually offers significantly more affordable prices of $82 compared to Nationwide's $112. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, Country Financial again has the edge, with policies around $35 per month less expensive than Nationwide, on average.

Is Country Financial or Nationwide Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from 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.

It's no secret secret that at-fault accidents and tickets lead to higher premiums, but which carrier -- Country Financial or Nationwide -- has the cheapest rates for drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Country Financial policyholders can expect their prices to go up an average of $31 a month if they get a ticket, while Nationwide typically raises premiums about $24 per month, on average.

That being said, Country Financial has more affordable rates for drivers in both categories, offering premiums that are 16% and 9% cheaper, respectively, compared to Nationwide.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both carriers will increase prices pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault collision with Nationwide climbing by just under $55. Country Financial has a less extreme climb, but you can still expect to pay over $40 more than you were prior to your first accident.

Overall, Country Financial offers the most affordable premiums for drivers with an at-fault collision on their records, with monthly rates averaging $147 compared to Nationwide's $178.

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 an accident. Nationwide drivers usually see a 46% increase in their auto insurance prices after a DUI charge, while Country Financial will generally climb rates by around 36%.

If you have a DUI on your record and are looking for more affordable prices, Country Financial tends to be the much less expensive option with average premiums of $165 monthly compared to $230 from Nationwide.

How does Credit Score Impact Country Financial and Nationwide Rates?

You may not have known, but your credit score can be used as one of the factors to calculate your monthly car insurance rates. This isn't always the case (Hawaii, for example, has banned the use of credit score as a rating factor) but it does affect several drivers out there.

The reasoning 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 prices.

So, which company offers the best premiums for drivers with good, average, or poor credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have great credit, you'll usually find a better deal with Country Financial. Policyholders with "excellent" credit can save just under 15% compared to Nationwide, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- about $32 or 21% less expensive every month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Country Financial typically offers lower prices than Nationwide when it comes to drivers with bad credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around $52 a month less with Country Financial compared to Nationwide, and those with "poor" scores normally save an average of about $27 a month.

Is Country Financial or Nationwide 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 large impact on your monthly premiums? Generally, those who drive less will end up with more affordable rates since there's less of a chance of getting into a collision and causing an insurance claim.

For both drivers who put 6,000 miles on their vehicles each year, as well as those who average twice that figure, Country Financial tends to be the cheaper option. Nationwide average prices for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in around $33 more expensive than Country Financial. Those who drive 12,000 miles annually can expect to pay about $32 more with Nationwide over Country Financial.

Country Financial vs. Nationwide: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you live can play a considerable role in how much you pay for auto insurance. Normally, if you live in an urban area with more cars on the road, you'll pay a little more for car insurance, while the opposite is true for people in rural areas.

Country Financial tends to offer the most affordable prices for drivers in all areas, regardless of if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

Drivers in rural ZIP codes see the lowest premiums from both carriers, but Country Financial comes out on top with average rates around $109 monthly. Country Financial also has less expensive average premiums for policyholders in urban and suburban ZIP codes -- a 12% and 18% per month respective difference when compared to Nationwide drivers in similar areas.

Country Financial vs. Nationwide 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 auto insurance discounts comes into play.

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

In the section below, we've taken a look at all of the different discounts Country Financial and Nationwide offer their customers so that you can find the carrier that has the most discounts and, therefore, the biggest savings.

Nationwide blows Country Financial away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 12 more discounts than Country Financial.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like discounts for getting driver training, discounts for being a good student, and passive restraint discounts. Nationwide also offers advance quote discounts, agency transfer discounts, distant student discounts, and more that Country Financial does not.

On the flip side, Country Financial has a couple unique discounts of its own -- occupation discounts and simply drive discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is Country Financial or Nationwide Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average prices for many of the variables car insurance companies look at, and we've shown you all the discounts each carrier offers. That's all well and good, but when it comes down to it, which company is the right fit for you?

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

• You want to save money on your auto insurance after an accident.
• You have below-average credit.
• Your neighborhood is in a rural area.

Nationwide might be best for you if...

• You value the experience that comes with a large national insurance carrier.
• You're looking for discounts -- Nationwide has the most.

We hope this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare Country Financial and Nationwide and that it aids in making a more informed decision about 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 carriers, not just Country Financial and Nationwide. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your ZIP code below and get multiple quotes from some of the best car insurance companies in your area, all for free.

Country Financial vs. Nationwide FAQs

Is Country Financial or Nationwide cheaper?

Looking just at the national average rates, Country Financial is the more affordable of the two carriers, offering average rates of $138 a month compared to $170 for Nationwide. Even so, Country Financial won't necessarily be the cheapest company for every policyholder, since there are a variety of different factors that are considered when it comes to your auto insurance payment.

Who is better, Country Financial or Nationwide?

Unfortunately, the real answer is "it depends.". One carrier is not "better" for each driver -- it all comes down to what your unique insurance profile looks like.

Why do Country Financial and Nationwide offer me different rates?

Car insurance companies take a look at quite a few different variables when calculating the prices they charge policyholders. Things like gender, your driving record, where your home is, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both Country Financial and Nationwide use different formulas, so each one will most likely offer different rates. The only real way to see which company is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a bunch of different carriers.

How do I know if Country Financial or Nationwide is right for me?

The only way to find the auto 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 car insurance carriers in your area. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the best rate. And who knows, the best company for you might not be Country Financial or Nationwide 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.