Cse vs. The Hartford: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Wondering if Cse or The Hartford is the best insurance carrier for you, your vehicle, and your wallet? We've broken down all the premiums and discounts for both companies to help you make a more informed decision. Read on to learn more.
Newly insured car driving down the road
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Quick Facts

  • Based on national averages for car insurance, Cse offers significantly less expensive prices than The Hartford
  • Cse tends to be a much more affordable option for policyholders who are looking to purchase insurance with a spouse
  • The Hartford may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than CSE Insurance Group


Cse or The Hartford: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

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

You might have narrowed it down to Cse or The Hartford as potential options, but between the two, which company has cheaper rates for insurance?

Cse The Hartford
$175$265

As you can see, The Hartford is quite a bit more expensive than Cse, with prices averaging $265 a month compared to just $175 with Cse when looking at the national average rates for auto insurance.

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

So, if you want to find out which of Cse or The Hartford is really the best for you, keep reading to see average rates for each company broken down by a range of different rate factors.

Cse vs. The Hartford: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

State Cse The Hartford
CA$175$265

Both Cse and The Hartford only offer insurance in California, so you'll see that the average figures here will mirror the ones we mentioned above. Cse drivers tend to pay about $90 per month less on average compared to drivers who use The Hartford for their car insurance.

Typically, the state you live in will play a large role in how much you pay for auto insurance, but since both companies only do business in California, a wide array of other variables will come into play when you compare Cse and The Hartford. Continue reading to learn more about how other factors will affect your rates.


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Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Cse The Hartford
18-year-old drivers$354$435
25-year-old drivers$173$294

You might already know that teen drivers typically pay a lot more for car insurance than any group on the road. The reason is that 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 prices, 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 insurance pay over 20% less than those who use The Hartford.

That being said, both companies will offer you dramatically lower rates once you turn 25. For example, average premiums for Cse policyholders decrease more than 50% and The Hartford's rates reduce over 30% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Cse The Hartford
65+-year-old drivers$128$192

When it comes to auto insurance, patience and experience pay off, with drivers around retirement age paying some of the cheapest prices out there.

But who has the best premiums for retired drivers between Cse and The Hartford? Cse gets the edge here, with average rates coming in at around $128 per month compared to The Hartford's $192.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Cse The Hartford
Single$204$293
Married$136$226

Did you know that car insurance prices are normally cheaper for married drivers than they are for single policyholders? That's because policies for married policyholders generally cover more than one vehicle, which quite a few carriers will give you a discount for.

For those who are single, the difference in average premiums between these two companies is significant, with Cse prices coming in at a third less than The Hartford's. The advantage for married couples with Cse is also obvious, where drivers save almost 40% a month.

Cse or The Hartford: Average Rates by Gender

Cse The Hartford
Male$175$265
Female$175$265

Did you know women usually pay less for insurance than men? This is because men are statistically more likely than women to get into a collision or get pulled over for speeding, which leads to increased risk for insurers and, therefore, higher rates.

Everyone gets the same monthly premiums regardless of gender with Cse; men and women end up paying the same monthly rates with The Hartford.

When it comes to the most affordable prices for each gender, Cse comes out on top for both men and women, with average premiums 34% less for men and 34% cheaper for women.


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Cse vs. The Hartford: Compare State Minimum vs. Full Coverage Rates

Cse The Hartford
State Minimum*$81$135
Full Coverage**$270$394

*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 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 for you.

The two most common policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (which provides property damage and bodily injury coverage for other drivers if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- collision and comprehensive -- alongside what you get with a liability policy).

Looking specifically at state minimum limits for liability insurance, Cse has the significant edge, with average monthly rates coming in at $81. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Cse again has the edge, with policies averaging about $270 per month to The Hartford's $394.

Is Cse or The Hartford 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.

Collisions and speeding tickets will most likely raise your prices, but is Cse or The Hartford more affordable for drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Cse The Hartford
Clean Record$123$126
1 Speeding Ticket$161$197

Policyholders who use Cse for their auto insurance can generally expect their monthly bill to go up around 24% after getting a speeding ticket. The Hartford policyholders can expect a bit more drastic of an increase of about 36%.

But Cse is usually the cheaper option for drivers both with clean records and with a ticket. With CSE Insurance Group, drivers with a clean record can save around $3 a month and drivers with a speeding ticket can save about $36 per month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Cse The Hartford
Clean Record$123$126
1 At-Fault Accident$176$262

Both carriers will raise premiums pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault collision with The Hartford climbing by around 52%. 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, the less expensive rates come from Cse, with average prices coming in at $176 compared to The Hartford's $262.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

Cse The Hartford
Clean Record$123$126
1 DUI$241$474

If you get a DUI charge, you can expect some pretty significant increases in your monthly car insurance bill -- typically a lot more than a collision or ticket. The Hartford drivers usually see a 73% increase in their insurance premiums after a DUI charge, while Cse will normally climb prices by about 49%.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable premiums, Cse tends to be more affordable for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at around $241 to The Hartford's $474.


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How does Credit Score Impact Cse and The Hartford Rates?

Did you know many auto insurance companies take into account your credit score when determining rates? Certain states and carriers do not allow for credit score to be used as an insurance factor, but it does affect a lot of drivers out there.

The reasoning car 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 generally be forced to pay more.

So, which carrier offers the best prices for drivers with good, average, or poor credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Cse The Hartford
Excellent Credit ScoreNo Data AvailableNo Data Available
Good Credit ScoreNo Data AvailableNo Data Available

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Cse The Hartford
Fair Credit ScoreNo Data AvailableNo Data Available
Poor Credit ScoreNo Data AvailableNo Data Available

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Is Cse or The Hartford Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

Cse The Hartford
6,000 Annual Miles$161$237
12,000 Annual Miles$189$292

The amount of time you spend behind the wheel of your car plays a big role in your monthly insurance cost. Usually, those who drive less will end up with cheaper rates since there's less of a chance of causing an accident and filing an insurance claim.

Cse tends to be the less expensive option for both remote workers and those taking short commutes. The Hartford's average premiums for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in more than $75 more expensive than Cse. Those who drive 12,000 miles each year can expect to pay over $100 more with The Hartford over Cse.

Cse or The Hartford: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you park your car can have a large impact on your monthly auto insurance bill. Typically, policyholders who live in heavily-populated urban areas will pay quite a bit more than rural drivers because of the number of vehicles that are on the roads where they live.

Cse The Hartford
Urban Areas$186$273
Suburban Areas$178$265
Rural Areas$161$255

When comparing these two carriers side-by-side, Cse normally comes out as the cheapest option for drivers in all areas, regardless of if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

Those in rural areas can expect to save about $94 with Cse compared to The Hartford. People who live in suburban areas pay around $87 less with Cse compared to The Hartford. For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, CSE Insurance Group's average prices are about $87 less than The Hartford.

Cse vs. The Hartford Discounts

No matter why you might be in the market for a new car insurance policy, you're always going to want to save as much money as you can. That's where insurance discounts comes into play.

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

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

Cse The Hartford
ABS Discount 
Anti-Theft Discount 
Defensive Driver Discount 
Distant Student Discount 
Employee Discount
Good Driving Discount
Good Student Discount 
Goverment Employee Discount 
Group Discount 
Lay-Up Credit Discount 
Mature Driver Discount 
Multi-Policy Discount
Passive Restraint Discount 
Renewal Discount 
Umbrella Policy Discount 

The Hartford knocks Cse out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 13 different discounts to Cse's 13.

Both companies offer lots of the same discounts -- like employee discounts, discounts for being a good driver, and multi-policy discounts -- but The Hartford also offers discounts for ABS, anti-theft, defensive driver, and more.

On the other hand, Cse has a few proprietary discounts of their own like goverment employee discounts and mature driver discounts.


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Final Thoughts: Is Cse or The Hartford Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average premiums for many of the variables auto insurance carriers look at, and walked through the different discounts each company offers, too. But, at the end of the day, is Cse or The Hartford the best carrier for you, your vehicle, and your wallet?

Cse might be best for you if....

  • You have an at-fault collision on your record.
  • You live in a rural area.
  • You want to save money while purchasing insurance for a teenager.


The Hartford might be best for you if...

  • You're looking for the carrier with the most discounts.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between Cse and The Hartford and that you can now make a more informed decision when it comes to your auto insurance.

At the end of the day, the sure-fire way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your car insurance policy is to compare quotes from several companies, not just Cse and The Hartford. 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 top auto insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.


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Cse vs. The Hartford FAQs

Is Cse or The Hartford cheaper?

Cse is the more affordable of the two companies when looking at national average rates, with policies averaging $175 a month with Cse and $265 for The Hartford. However, that doesn't mean Cse will be the most affordable company for every policyholder, since there are a bunch of different factors (things like age, gender, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Cse or The Hartford?

Unfortunately, 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 insurance profile.

Why do Cse and The Hartford offer me different rates?

Car insurance carriers use several different variables when calculating the prices they charge. Things like your driving record, age, gender, where your home is, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both Cse and The Hartford use different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different rates. The best way to determine which company is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from multiple different companies.

How do I know if Cse or The Hartford 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 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 area information and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top insurance companies for free. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the best rate. And maybe you'll find that the best company for you isn't Cse or The Hartford 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.

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