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

Quick Facts

• In general, Country Financial offers significantly cheaper premiums than The General
• Country Financial has less expensive rates for drivers with a DUI
• Country Financial tends to be a much more affordable option for single people who will be the only person on the auto insurance policy

Country Financial or The General: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

Are you in the market for a new insurance policy? With so many ads from all sorts of companies offering hefty savings, you're probably wondering exactly how much you might be able to save.

You might have narrowed your search down to Country Financial or The General as potential options, but which company will offer you cheaper premiums?

Looking at the national average rates for both carriers, The General is quite a bit more expensive than Country Financial, with prices averaging $241 a month compared to just $138 with Country Financial.

But that doesn't mean Country Financial will necessarily be less expensive than The General for every driver. After all, car insurance companies can offer drastically different rates to every driver depending on rating factors like your age, your driving record, your credit score, or even where you call home (among other things). So, at the end of the day, rates from each company will differ quite a bit from person to person.

Wanting to know if Country Financial or The General 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 vs. The General: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Country Financial and The General only compete against each other in one states, with Country Financial offering more affordable premiums to the average driver in all of them. Arizona has the most noticable difference, where Country Financial rates are $84 less expensive than insurance prices at The General.

That being said, there are plenty of other factors that go into your auto insurance bill than just where you call home. 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 car insurance premiums of any other group of drivers out there on the road. It's generally because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to cause collisions and other accidents that will result in an insurance claim.

But still, even with seemingly sky-high rates, teen drivers can still find ways to save money. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have Country Financial for their insurance pay almost 40% less than those who use The General.

That being said, both carriers will drop prices once you turn 25. The General offers the steepest drop, with 25-year-olds paying less than half what 18-year-old drivers are charged. That being said, Country Financial still has the most affordable premiums at $139 per month.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

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

So, which company offers the best premiums to retired drivers? Country Financial gets the edge here, with average prices coming in at around $105 a month compared to The General's $195.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but car insurance rates tend to be more expensive for single policyholders than they are for married drivers. This usually boils down to married policyholders having more than one vehicle on their policy -- something several auto insurance companies will reward with discounts.

For single drivers, the difference in average premiums between these two carriers is significant, with Country Financial prices coming in at about half of The General's. The advantage for married couples with Country Financial is also obvious, where drivers save around $80 per month.

Country Financial or The General: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get into collisions and get tickets, which means they'll usually end up paying more for insurance than women.

Generally, men see premiums about 2% a month higher with Country Financial, and over 10% with The General.

When it comes to the cheapest rates for each gender, Country Financial comes out as the most affordable option for both genders, with average prices $117 less for men and $88 cheaper for women.

Country Financial vs. The General: 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 car insurance can be pretty complicated. Everyone needs insurance, but there are so many different coverages and limits that it can be hard to find the right policy for you.

However, most policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (which provides property damage and bodily injury 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 liability).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability limits, Country Financial has the significant edge, with average monthly premiums coming in at $82. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Country Financial again has the edge, with policies averaging around $194 per month to The General's $329.

Is Country Financial or The General Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

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

You'll probably end up paying more with at-fault collisions and speeding tickets on your record, but which of these two companies offers the cheapest rates to drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Country Financial for their car insurance can normally expect their monthly bill to go up about 23% after getting a speeding ticket. The General policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of around 20%.

Even so, Country Financial has cheaper prices for drivers in both categories, offering rates that are 45% and 43% more affordable, respectively, compared to The General.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both carriers will raise premiums pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault collision with The General climbing by about 31%. Country Financial has a less extreme increase, but you can still expect to pay nearly 30% more than you were prior to your first accident.

At the end of the day, Country Financial offers the lowest rates for drivers with an at-fault collision on their records, with average premiums coming in at $147 compared to The General's $279.

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 an accident. The General drivers usually see a 24% climb in their auto insurance prices after a DUI charge, while Country Financial will typically raise rates by around 36%.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable prices, Country Financial tends to be less expensive for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at about $165 to The General's $254.

How does Credit Score Impact Country Financial and The General Rates?

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

Car insurance carriers argue that those with poor credit scores are less likely to pay their bills on time every month, which raises the risk involved on their end, while the opposite is true for those with good credit.

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

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have solid credit, Country Financial will normally reward you the most. For drivers with "excellent" credit scores, Country Financial comes in just under 34.09 more affordable. Drivers with "good" credit scores generally save around 44% with Country Financial compared to average premiums from The General.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Country Financial typically offers lower prices than The General when it comes to drivers with a below average credit score. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about 48% a month less with Country Financial compared to The General, and those with "poor" scores usually save an average of around 42% monthly.

Is Country Financial or The General 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 pretty big impact on your monthly insurance cost? Normally, 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 The General charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly rates for Country Financial, with drivers who put 6,000 miles on their vehicle yearly paying about $2 less each month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles annually. Still, for drivers in both categories, Country Financial is the cheaper company.

Country Financial or The General: 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 auto insurance, but the type of area you live in can have a substantial impact as well. Generally, if you live in a rural area with fewer cars on the road, you'll pay a little less for car insurance, while the opposite is true for people in urban areas.

When comparing these two companies side-by-side, Country Financial usually comes out as the lowest option for drivers in every type of area, no matter if it's urban, suburban, or rural.

For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, COUNTRY Financial's average rates are around 44% less than The General. People who live in suburban areas pay about 42% less with Country Financial compared to The General. Those in rural areas can expect to save around 42% with Country Financial compared to The General.

Country Financial vs. The General Discounts

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

But where do you even start? With what seems like a million different discounts out there, it may be challenging to find all the ones you're eligible for.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and compared all of the different discounts offered by Country Financial and The General so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

Overall, Country Financial comes out ahead with 10 discounts to The General's six.

There are a couple discounts both carriers offer, but Country Financial also offers discounts for anti-theft, driver training, good student, and more.

On the other hand, The General has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like homeowner discounts, liability only discounts, paid in full discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Country Financial or The General Best for You?

So, you've seen how different factors can affect your car insurance prices. We've shown you all the discounts each company offers, too. But, at the end of the day, which carrier is the best carrier for you, your vehicle, and your wallet?

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

• You have a clean record.
• You're looking for the best premiums on liability only coverage.
• You're married and plan to have both of your names on the vehicle's insurance policy.

The General might be best for you if...

• You have a more unique driver profile than those we mentioned above.

Hopefully, this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare Country Financial and The General. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision when it comes to your auto 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 car insurance -- comparing quotes from a handful of companies, not just Country Financial and The General. 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 insurance carriers in your area, all for free.

Country Financial vs. The General FAQs

Is Country Financial or The General cheaper?

Country Financial is the less expensive of the two companies when looking at national average rates, with policies averaging $138 per month with Country Financial and $241 for The General. However, that doesn't mean Country Financial will be the most affordable company for everyone, since there are multiple different variables that come into play when it comes to your auto insurance payment.

Who is better, Country Financial or The General?

Sadly, the answer truly is "it depends.". No single carrier is "better" for everyone -- it all depends on what your unique insurance profile looks like.

Why do Country Financial and The General offer me different rates?

Car insurance carriers use lots of different factors when calculating the prices they charge. Things like age, gender, where you live, your driving record, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Country Financial and The General calculate premiums using different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different rates. The best way to determine which company is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from many different companies.

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

The only way to find the auto insurance carrier 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 do all the hard work for you. Just enter your area information and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top insurance companies 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 Country Financial or The General 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.