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

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for car insurance, State Farm offers slightly more affordable rates than CSE
• CSE offers more affordable prices for policyholders who have a clean driving record, free of accidents, tickets, or DUIs
• State Farm offers more affordable premiums for policyholders who have a short commute

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

Are you considering a new insurance policy? After all, you've seen ads from all sorts of companies offering sizable discounts. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You've maybe even narrowed your search down to CSE or State Farm for your next policy, but between the two, which one will offer you cheaper rates?

Looking at nationwide averages, State Farm is about $17 per month less expensive than CSE.

But that doesn't necessarily mean State Farm will be the more affordable option for each driver. After all, insurance companies can offer drastically different rates to each driver depending on rating factors like your age, where you call home, your credit score, or even your driving record (among other things), so prices could differ drastically from person to person.

Luckily, we've broken down average premiums from both CSE and State Farm by lots of different rate factors, so read on to find out which company is the best for you.

CSE or State Farm: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

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There's a lot more that goes into your car 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 insurance premiums of any other group of drivers out there on the road. That's typically because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to get into an accident that results in an insurance claim, making them much riskier to insure.

That being said, that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their auto insurance. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of $1 less a month by choosing State Farm over CSE.

Even so, with both carriers, you'll see your prices drop significantly by the time you turn 25. For example, average rates for CSE policyholders lower more than 50% and State Farm's premiums reduce nearly 60% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

When it comes to car insurance, patience and experience pay off, with drivers around retirement age paying some of the most affordable prices you'll ever find.

When looking at CSE and State Farm specifically, which carrier is best for retired drivers? State Farm gets the edge here, with average rates coming in at around $111 monthly compared to CSE's $128.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that insurance premiums are normally more expensive for those who are single than they are for married couples? That's because policies for married policyholders generally cover more than one car, which quite a few companies will offer you a discount for.

When it comes to relationship status, State Farm is the clear winner for single drivers, with prices about $21 per month cheaper than CSE, on average. But for married drivers, that advantage is much less clear - State Farm has the edge when it comes to average rates.

CSE vs. State Farm: Average Rates by Gender

Did you know women tend to pay less for car insurance than men? This is because men are statistically more likely than women to cause a collision and get into accidents, which leads to increased risk for insurers and, therefore, higher prices.

Men and women end up paying the same monthly premiums with CSE, while with State Farm, the difference is closer to $12 a month.

Looking at overall affordability, State Farm offers the cheapest average rates for both men and women, with average prices $11 less for men and $23 cheaper for women.

CSE 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.

Auto insurance isn't the easiest topic to understand. There are so many different terms and limits that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy.

However, the most common policies that many drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability only (that covers property damage and bodily injury for other drivers and passengers if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- comprehensive and collision -- in addition to what you get with liability).

In this case, CSE offers the most affordable average premiums for state minimum liability insurance, while State Farm has the edge for full coverage policies with similar coverage limits. Drivers looking for basic state minimum coverage can save around $20 with CSE Insurance Group, while full coverage comes out to be around $55 less expensive with State Farm.

Is CSE or State Farm Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from car insurance carriers 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 tickets and collisions lead to higher prices, but which company -- CSE or State Farm -- has the lowest rates for drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

CSE policyholders can expect their premiums to go up an average of $38 per month if they get a ticket, while State Farm usually raises rates about $21 a month, on average.

If you have a clean record, CSE tends to offer the best premiums at around 8% more affordable, while State Farm has the edge for drivers with a speeding ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

CSE policyholders who get in a collision can expect to see their prices rise by just under $55, while those who have insurance through State Farm will see about a $30 increase.

Overall, drivers who use State Farm end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with monthly premiums averaging $163 compared to CSE Insurance Group's $176.

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 auto insurance bill -- generally a lot more than an accident or ticket. For example, CSE increases average rates by over $100 per month -- that's just under a 50% increase.

How does Credit Score Impact CSE and State Farm Rates?

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

The reasoning auto insurance companies use is that policyholders with good credit will be more likely to pay their bills on time; so they'll reward them with cheaper premiums, while those with poor credit will typically be forced to pay more.

Looking at CSE and State Farm specifically, which carrier has the cheapest rates for drivers at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Generally, if you have stellar credit, you can expect to be rewarded. Jumping from a "good" credit score to an "excellent" one will normally save State Farm customers around 25%. Because CSE, doesn't have data available for credit scores, they most likely don't use credit to calculate your prices.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Having bad credit usually means you'll also see higher premiums with State Farm. If your credit score is in the "poor" range, at State Farm, you may pay about 50% more a month compared to those with "fair" scores (and even more compared to drivers with good or excellent scores). On the other hand, because CSE doesn't have data available for credit scores, they might have better rates for drivers with bad credit over State Farm.

Is CSE 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 considerable impact on your monthly prices? Generally, the more miles you put on your vehicle, the more you can expect to pay for coverage.

For both drivers who put 6,000 miles on their vehicles every year, as well as those who average twice that figure, State Farm tends to be the less expensive option. State Farm's average premiums for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in 6% cheaper than CSE. Those who drive 12,000 miles yearly can expect to pay nearly 15% less with State Farm over CSE.

CSE vs. State Farm: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you park your car can play a big role in how much you pay for car insurance. Typically, 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.

State Farm boasts the lowest average rates for drivers in all types of areas, no matter if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

Policyholders in rural ZIP codes see the cheapest premiums from both carriers, but State Farm comes out on top with average prices around $127 a month. State Farm also has more affordable average rates for drivers in urban and suburban ZIP codes -- a 1% and 10% per month respective difference when compared to CSE policyholders in similar areas.

CSE vs. State Farm Discounts

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

But with what seems like a million different discounts out there, it can be hard 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 table below, we've broken down all of the different discounts offered by both CSE and State Farm so that you can see which company offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

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

Both companies offer several of the same discounts -- like discounts for being a good driver, mature driver discounts, and multi-policy discounts -- but State Farm also offers ABS discounts, annual mileage discounts, anti-theft discounts, and more that CSE does not.

On the flip side, CSE has a unique discount of its own -- a employee discounts.

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

You've seen the effect certain variables have on your car insurance and the different discounts carriers offer. But, at the end of the day, which carrier is the right one for you and your specific driver profile?

State Farm might be best for you if....

• You have below-average credit.
• Your neighborhood is in the suburbs.
• You and your spouse are buying insurance together.

CSE might be best for you if...

• You have a clean record.
• You want basic auto insurance coverage at the state minimum limits.

We hope this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between CSE and State Farm. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best 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 a handful of companies, not just CSE and State Farm. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your ZIP code below and get free quotes from dozens of the top auto insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

CSE vs. State Farm FAQs

Is CSE or State Farm cheaper?

Looking just at the national average premiums, State Farm is the less expensive of the two companies, offering average rates of $158 a month compared to $175 for CSE. That being said, State Farm won't necessarily be the most affordable company for each driver, since there are a bunch of different factors (things like gender, age, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, CSE or State Farm?

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

Why do CSE and State Farm offer me different rates?

Car insurance carriers take a look at many different variables when calculating the prices they charge drivers. Things like your driving record, where you call home, gender, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both CSE and State Farm use different formulas, so each one will most likely offer different rates. The only real way to see which company is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a range of different companies.

How do I know if CSE or State Farm 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 make it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your ZIP code and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best insurance companies 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 CSE 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.