Dairyland vs. Hanover: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• In general, Dairyland offers significantly less expensive rates than Hanover
• Dairyland has more affordable premiums for policyholders who live in rural neighborhoods
• Hanover may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than Dairyland

Dairyland or Hanover: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

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

You've maybe even narrowed it down to Dairyland or Hanover as your top options, but which company will offer you cheaper rates?

Looking at the national average rates for both carriers, Dairyland has average rates that are around 70% a month more affordable than those from Hanover.

But that doesn't necessarily mean Dairyland will be the less expensive option for every driver. Car insurance companies vary their prices depending on things like where you live, how good your credit score is, how clean your driving record is, how old you are, and a variety of other factors, so premiums could differ drastically from person to person.

Wanting to know if Dairyland or Hanover 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.

Dairyland vs. Hanover: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Dairyland and Hanover only compete against each other in one states, with Dairyland offering more affordable rates to the average driver in all of them. Arkansas has the most noticable difference, where Dairyland premiums are $612 less expensive than auto insurance rates at Hanover.

That being said, there are plenty of other factors that go into your car insurance cost than just your home state. 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. That's normally because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

That being said, that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high auto insurance prices. As you can see above, teens who use Dairyland save over 75% per month compared to those who use Hanover.

Even so, both carriers will drop premiums by the time drivers turn 25. Hanover offers the steepest reduction, with 25-year-olds paying less than a third of what 18-year-old drivers are charged. That being said, Dairyland still has the lowest rates at $232 a month.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Once you approach retirement age, you'll usually enjoy the most affordable car insurance premiums you can find. You've been on the road for years, and all that experience pays off when it comes to your monthly prices for auto insurance.

But who has the best premiums for retired drivers between Dairyland and Hanover? Dairyland gets the edge, with prices for drivers 65 and older more than 65% cheaper than the national average for Hanover.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but insurance rates tend to be more expensive for single drivers than they are for married drivers. That's because policies for married couples typically cover several vehicles, which quite a few companies will give you a discount for.

For those who are single, the difference in average prices between these two carriers is significant, with Dairyland premiums coming in at about 70% less than Hanover's. The advantage is also clear for married policyholders - Dairyland offers the lowest average rates.

Dairyland or Hanover: Average Rates by Gender

You may not know, but auto insurance is normally more expensive for men than for women. This is because men are statistically more likely than women to get pulled over for speeding or get into a collision, which leads to increased risk for insurers and, therefore, higher prices.

Women typically pay around 4% a month less than men with Dairyland, but with Hanover, the difference is closer to 7% per month.

When it comes to the most affordable rates for each gender, Dairyland offers the cheapest average premiums for both men and women. On average, women save about $572 a month and men save about $622 with Dairyland compared to the average Hanover policyholder.

Dairyland vs. Hanover: 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.

Insurance can be a complicated subject for most people. There are multiple different coverages that account for a range of 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.

However, most policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (which covers the other party's injuries and property damage if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- collision and comprehensive -- alongside what you get with a liability policy).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability limits, Dairyland has the significant edge, with average monthly prices coming in at $142. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Dairyland again has the edge, with policies averaging around $370 per month to Hanover's 1196.

Is Dairyland or Hanover 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.

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

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Dairyland for their insurance can generally expect their monthly bill to go up about 15% after getting a speeding ticket. Hanover policyholders can expect a bit more drastic of an increase of around 26%.

Even so, Dairyland tends to offer the best prices for drivers both with clean records and with a ticket -- their rates are around 64% less expensive for drivers with clean records and 68% more affordable for those with a ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Dairyland drivers who get in an accident can expect to see their premiums climb by just under 25%, while those who have insurance through Hanover will see about a 35% increase.

At the end of the day, the cheaper prices come from Dairyland, with average rates coming in at $297 compared to Hanover Insurance's $943.

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 a collision. Hanover drivers usually see a 39% raise in their auto insurance premiums after a DUI charge, while Dairyland will usually climb prices by around 5%.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable rates, Dairyland tends to be less expensive for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at about $236 to Hanover's 1013.

How does Credit Score Impact Dairyland and Hanover Rates?

Did you know many car insurance carriers take into account your credit score when determining premiums? This isn't true for everyone (California, for example, has banned the use of credit score as an insurance factor) but it will come into play for several policyholders.

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 company offers the lowest rates for policyholders with poor, average, or good credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have a solid credit score, Hanover will normally reward you the most for an "excellent" credit score. For drivers with "excellent" credit scores, Hanover comes in 0% cheaper. Drivers with "good" credit scores generally save around 54% with Dairyland compared to average prices from Hanover.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Dairyland typically offers lower premiums than Hanover when it comes to drivers with less-than-perfect credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about 70% a month less with Dairyland compared to Hanover, and those with "poor" scores usually save an average of around 84% monthly.

Is Dairyland or Hanover 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 big impact on your monthly car insurance bill? Typically, the more milage you put on your car each year, the more you can expect to pay for auto insurance.

As you can see in the table above, annual mileage doesn't have much of an impact on how much Dairyland charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly prices for Hanover, with policyholders who drive the least paying about $1 less every month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles yearly. Still, for drivers in both categories, Dairyland is the more affordable carrier.

Dairyland or Hanover: 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 insurance, but the type of area you live in can have a considerable impact as well. Usually, those who live in urban areas will pay more than policyholders in rural areas since there are a lot more vehicles on the road where they live, which increases the chances of an accident.

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

Those in rural areas can expect to save around 73% with Dairyland compared to Hanover. People who live in suburban areas pay about 70% less with Dairyland compared to Hanover. For drivers in urban ZIP codes, Dairyland's average prices are around 67% less than Hanover Insurance.

Dairyland vs. Hanover 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 auto insurance discounts comes into play.

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 broke down all of the different discounts offered by both Dairyland and Hanover so that you can see which carrier offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

Hanover knocks Dairyland out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 10 more discounts than Dairyland.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like discounts for being a defensive driver, discounts for being a good student, and paid in full discounts. Hanover also offers discounts for ABS, annual mileage, distant student, and more.

On the other hand, Dairyland has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like agency transfer discounts, prior insurance discounts, and travelink discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is Dairyland or Hanover Best for You?

You've seen the role certain variables have on your insurance and the different discounts carriers offer. That's all well and good, but when it comes down to it, which insurance carrier is the right one for you and your specific driver profile?

Dairyland might be best for you if....

• You will be the only person on the car insurance policy.
• You live in an suburban area.
• You're of retirement age and want to take advantage of lower premiums.

Hanover might be best for you if...

• You want to save extra money with discounts.

Hopefully, this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare Dairyland and Hanover and that it aids in making a more informed decision about 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 insurance -- comparing quotes from a handful of companies, not just Dairyland and Hanover. Luckily, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code below and get multiple quotes from some of the best car insurance carriers in your area, all for free.

Dairyland vs. Hanover FAQs

Is Dairyland or Hanover cheaper?

Dairyland is the less expensive of the two companies when looking at national average rates, with policies averaging $256 per month with Dairyland and $853 for Hanover. That being said, that doesn't mean Dairyland will be the cheapest company for each policyholder, since there are several different factors (things like gender, age, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Dairyland or Hanover?

Sadly, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". One carrier is not necessarily "better" for everyone -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique auto insurance profile. For example, Hanover is cheaper for drivers with excellent credit, while Dairyland offers more affordable premiums for drivers with a recent DUI.

Why do Dairyland and Hanover offer me different rates?

Car insurance carriers use lots of different variables when calculating the prices they charge. Things such as your driving record, gender, age, where your home is, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both Dairyland and Hanover calculate premiums differently, 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 bunch of different companies.

How do I know if Dairyland or Hanover is right for me?

The only way to find the insurance carrier that's right for you is by getting quotes from several carriers 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 information once and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top auto 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 Dairyland or Hanover 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.