CSE vs. GEICO: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for car insurance, CSE offers slightly less expensive premiums than GEICO
• CSE has cheaper rates for policyholders who are looking to purchase insurance with a spouse
• GEICO has more affordable premiums for policyholders who haven't received any speeding tickets or been in a collision in the last few years

CSE or GEICO: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

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

You might be considering CSE or GEICO for your next policy, but which company will save you the most?

As you can see, GEICO is around $10 more a month than CSE when looking at the national average rates for auto insurance.

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

So, if you want to find out which of CSE or GEICO is really the best for you, keep reading to see average prices for each carrier broken down by a range of different rate factors.

CSE vs. GEICO: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

CSE and GEICO only compete against each other in California, where GEICO offers the cheaper average rates. GEICO drivers tend to pay about $33 per month less on average compared to drivers who use CSE for their insurance.

But there's more to calculating car insurance prices than just your home state. Read on to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers normally pay a lot more for insurance than any other group of drivers out there on the road. It's typically because teen 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 premiums, teen drivers can still find ways to save money. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have CSE for their auto insurance pay 4% less than those who use GEICO.

However, both companies will offer you dramatically lower prices by the time you turn 25. GEICO offers the steepest drop, with 25-year-olds paying less than half what 18-year-old drivers are charged. CSE's average rates lower over 50% during that same period.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

When it comes to insurance, patience and experience pay off, with drivers around retirement age paying some of the cheapest premiums you can find.

So, which company offers the best prices to retired drivers? CSE gets the edge here, with average rates coming in at about $128 per month compared to GEICO's $148.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Those who are single tend to get offered slightly more expensive car insurance premiums than married policyholders. That's generally because married couples tend to own and insure more than one vehicle, which can often earn you a discount.

For single policyholders, the difference in average rates between these two carriers is not very significant, with CSE premiums coming in at around 2% less than GEICO's. But for married drivers, the advantage is clear - CSE has the edge when it comes to average prices.

CSE or GEICO: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get into collisions and file an insurance claim. That means when it comes to auto insurance men will usually end up paying a little more.

With CSE, everyone ends up paying the same monthly rates regardless of gender, and about 4% more with GEICO.

Looking at overall affordability, CSE comes out as the lowest option for both genders. On average, male drivers save about $14 a month and women save around $6 with CSE compared to the average GEICO policyholder.

CSE vs. GEICO: 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 insurance can be pretty complicated. There are a bunch of different coverages that account for multiple different things. Some protect you and your car, while others only provide coverage for other people's property and health if you cause an accident.

But most policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability coverage (which provides property damage and bodily injury coverage for other drivers and 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).

When it comes to state minimum liability insurance, CSE has the edge, while GEICO offers the most affordable average prices for full coverage policies with similar coverage limits. Policyholders looking for basic state minimum coverage can save around $20 with CSE Insurance Group, while full coverage comes out to be about $1 more affordable with GEICO.

Is CSE or GEICO Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

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

Accidents and speeding tickets will most likely raise your premiums, but is CSE or GEICO less expensive for drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Drivers who use CSE for their auto insurance can typically expect their monthly bill to go up around 24% after getting a speeding ticket. GEICO policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of about 23%.

That being said, GEICO is generally the cheaper option for drivers both with clean records and with a ticket, offering rates that are $8 and $11 less expensive, respectively, compared to CSE Insurance Group.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both companies will raise prices pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault collision with GEICO climbing by around 43%. CSE has a less extreme increase, but you can still expect to pay more than 30% more than you were prior to your first accident.

At the end of the day, drivers who use CSE end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with average premiums coming in at $176 compared to GEICO's $200.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

If you get a DUI charge, you can expect some pretty significant increases in your monthly car insurance bill -- usually a lot more than an accident or speeding ticket. GEICO drivers usually see a 58% climb in their auto insurance rates after a DUI charge, while CSE will normally increase premiums by about 49%.

How does Credit Score Impact CSE and GEICO Rates?

Often times, your credit score can be used as one of the variables to determine your monthly insurance prices. Certain states and carriers do not allow for credit score to be used as a car insurance factor, but it does affect several policyholders out there.

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 carrier offers the cheapest premiums for policyholders with poor, average, or good credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

You'll often be rewarded if you have stellar credit. Jumping from a "good" credit score to an "excellent" one will typically save GEICO customers around $35. CSE, on the other hand, doesn't have data available for credit scores, which means they most likely don't use credit to calculate your prices.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Having bad credit can cost you with GEICO. For drivers with less-than-stellar credit, at GEICO, you may pay about 20% per month more if you have "poor" credit compared to those with "fair" scores. It's an even larger difference when compared to drivers with "good" or "excellent" scores. CSE, on the other hand, doesn't have data available for credit scores, which means drivers with bad credit may find better rates with CSE over GEICO.

Is CSE or GEICO Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

The amount of time you spend behind the wheel of your car plays a big role in your monthly insurance bill. Normally, the more milage you put on your vehicle each year, the more you can expect to pay for auto insurance.

For both remote workers and those taking short commutes, CSE offers more affordable rates than GEICO. CSE's average prices for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in around 11% cheaper than GEICO. Those who drive 12,000 miles annually can expect to pay about 0% less with CSE over GEICO.

CSE or GEICO: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

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

CSE tends to offer the lowest option for drivers in urban and suburban areas, while GEICO wins in rural areas.

Those in rural areas can expect to save around $2 with GEICO compared to CSE. People who live in suburban areas pay about $7 less with CSE compared to GEICO. For drivers in urban ZIP codes, CSE Insurance Group's average premiums are around $25 less than GEICO.

CSE vs. GEICO 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.

But where do you even start? With so many discounts out there, it may seem hard to find all the of the ones you're eligible for.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and looked at all of the different discounts CSE and GEICO offer their customers so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and, therefore, the largest savings.

GEICO knocks CSE out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 28 different discounts to CSE's 28.

Both carriers offer several of the same discounts -- like employee discounts, mature driver discounts, and multi-policy discounts -- but GEICO also offers discounts for ABS, anti-theft, commercial drivers license, and more.

On the other hand, CSE has a proprietary discount of their own -- a goverment employee discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is CSE or GEICO Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average rates for many of the factors car insurance companies look at, and walked through the different discounts each company offers, too. But, when it comes down to it, which carrier is the right carrier for you, your vehicle, and your wallet?

CSE might be best for you if....

• Your driving record includes a DUI charge.
• You're of retirement age and want to take advantage of lower premiums.
• You have a short drive to work everyday.

GEICO might be best for you if...

• You have received a ticket within the last few years.
• You have below-average credit.
• You live in a rural area.

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

CSE vs. GEICO FAQs

Is CSE or GEICO cheaper?

CSE is the less expensive of the two carriers when looking at national average rates, with policies averaging $175 a month with CSE and $185 for GEICO. Even so, that doesn't mean CSE will be the cheapest company for everyone, since there are lots of different variables that are considered when it comes to your insurance cost.

Who is better, CSE or GEICO?

Sadly, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". No single carrier is "better" for each policyholder -- it all boils down to your unique car insurance profile. For example, GEICO is more affordable for drivers who have less-than-stellar credit scores, while CSE offers cheaper prices for policyholders with an at-fault collision on their record.

Why do CSE and GEICO offer me different rates?

Insurance companies use many different factors when determining the rates they charge. Things such as your driving record, age, gender, where you call home, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both CSE and GEICO use different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different prices. The best way to determine which company is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a variety of different carriers.

How do I know if CSE or GEICO 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 makes it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your area information and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top car 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 CSE or GEICO 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.