Dairyland vs. Southern County Mutual: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for car insurance, Southern County Mutual offers significantly cheaper premiums than Dairyland
• Dairyland may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than Southern County Mutual Insurance Company
• Southern County Mutual offers more affordable rates for residents of suburban areas

Dairyland or Southern County Mutual: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

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

You've maybe even narrowed it down to Dairyland or Southern County Mutual, but which one will offer you less expensive prices?

As you can see, Dairyland has average rates that are around 30% a month more expensive than those from Southern County Mutual when looking at the national average rates for auto insurance.

Even so, that doesn't mean Southern County Mutual will necessarily be more affordable than Dairyland for every single driver. After all, insurance carriers can offer drastically different rates to every driver depending on rating factors like your driving record, your age, where you call home, or even your credit score (among other things), so rates will differ quite a bit from person to person.

Wanting to know if Dairyland or Southern County Mutual is really the right carrier for you? Keep on reading to see how average premiums can change based on all of the factors we've mentioned above.

Dairyland vs. Southern County Mutual: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Dairyland and Southern County Mutual only compete against each other in Texas, where Southern County Mutual offers the cheaper average prices. Southern County Mutual drivers tend to pay about $19 per month less on average compared to drivers who use Dairyland for their auto insurance.

But there's more to calculating car insurance rates than just the state you live in. Read on to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive insurance premiums of any group out there on the road. The reason is that 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 car insurance rates. As you can see above, teens who use Southern County Mutual save over 30% a month compared to those who use Dairyland.

However, both companies will reduce prices by the time drivers turn 25. For example, average premiums for Dairyland policyholders drop about $300 and Southern County Mutual's rates lower almost $200 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Once you approach retirement age, you'll generally enjoy the cheapest auto insurance premiums you'll ever see. You've been on the road for years, and all that experience pays off when it comes to your monthly prices for insurance.

So, which company offers the best rates to retired drivers? Southern County Mutual gets the edge, with premiums for drivers 65 and older more than 35% cheaper than the national average for Dairyland.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that auto insurance prices are typically more expensive for those who are single than they are for married drivers? That's because policies for married couples normally cover multiple vehicles, which lots of carriers will give you a discount for.

For single policyholders, the difference in average premiums between these two companies is significant, with Southern County Mutual prices coming in at a third less than Dairyland's. The advantage for married policyholders with Southern County Mutual is also obvious, where drivers save around $55 per month.

Dairyland or Southern County Mutual: Average Rates by Gender

Because women are less likely to get into accidents and get speeding tickets, they are less likely to file a claim with insurance. So, women tend to pay less for car insurance than men.

Usually, men see rates about $10 a month higher with Dairyland, and around $20 with Southern County Mutual.

When it comes to the lowest prices for each gender, Southern County Mutual comes out as the most affordable option for both genders. On average, women save about $81 per month and men save about $73 with Southern County Mutual compared to the average Dairyland policyholder.

Dairyland vs. Southern County Mutual: 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.

For most people, insurance can be pretty complicated. Everyone needs car insurance, but there are so many different limits and terms that it can be hard to find the right policy for you.

But most policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (which covers the other party's property damage and injuries if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- collision and comprehensive -- in addition to liability coverage).

Looking specifically at state minimum limits for liability insurance, Southern County Mutual has the significant edge, with average monthly rates coming in at $105. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Southern County Mutual again has the edge, with policies averaging around $254 a month to Dairyland's $370.

Is Dairyland or Southern County Mutual 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.

It's no secret secret that speeding tickets and collisions lead to higher premiums, but which carrier -- Dairyland or Southern County Mutual -- has the cheapest prices for drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Dairyland for their insurance can usually expect their monthly bill to go up about 15% after getting a speeding ticket. Southern County Mutual policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of around 6%.

Even so, Southern County Mutual has more affordable rates for drivers in both categories -- their rates are around 26% less expensive for drivers with clean records and 34% cheaper 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 Southern County Mutual will see about a 2% increase.

At the end of the day, drivers who use Southern County Mutual end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with average prices coming in at $169 compared to Dairyland's $297.

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 a collision. Southern County Mutual drivers usually see a 20% climb in their car insurance premiums after a DUI charge, while Dairyland will normally increase rates by around 5%.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable prices, Southern County Mutual tends to be more affordable for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at about $207 to Dairyland's $236.

How does Credit Score Impact Dairyland and Southern County Mutual Rates?

You may not have known, but your credit score can be used as one of the variables to determine your monthly auto insurance rates. 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 several policyholders.

The reasoning car insurance carriers use is that drivers with bad credit will be less likely to pay their bills on time; so generally, they'll be asked to pay more, while those with good credit will be rewarded with less expensive premiums.

So, which company offers the best prices for policyholders with good, average, or poor credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have a solid credit score, Southern County Mutual will usually reward you the most. For drivers with "excellent" credit scores, Southern County Mutual comes in more than 32.13 more affordable. Drivers with "good" credit scores typically save around 33% with Southern County Mutual compared to average premiums from Dairyland.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Southern County Mutual typically offers lower rates than Dairyland when it comes to drivers with a below average credit score. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about 25% per month less with Southern County Mutual compared to Dairyland, and those with "poor" scores usually save an average of around 29% per month.

Is Dairyland or Southern County Mutual Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a substantial impact on your monthly insurance cost. That's because the fewer miles you put on your car, the less likely you are to be in an accident and file an insurance claim.

In this case, neither Dairyland or Southern County Mutual report increasing prices for drivers with higher annual mileage figures. Southern County Mutual comes out as the lowest for drivers at both intervals, whether they put 6,000 or 12,000 miles on their vehicle yearly, with average rates of $179 a month for both.

Dairyland or Southern County Mutual: 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 large impact as well. Normally, policyholders who live in less densely populated rural areas will pay quite a bit less than urban drivers since there are a lot fewer cars on the roads where they live.

Southern County Mutual tends to offer the lowest rates for drivers in all areas, regardless of if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

Those in rural areas can expect to save about 22% with Southern County Mutual compared to Dairyland. People who live in suburban areas pay around 29% less with Southern County Mutual compared to Dairyland. For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, Southern County Mutual Insurance Company's average premiums are about 36% less than Dairyland.

Dairyland vs. Southern County Mutual 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 car 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 can take advantage of.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and looked at all of the different discounts Dairyland and Southern County Mutual offer their customers so that you can see which company offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

Looking at the total number of discounts, Dairyland has a slight advantage when it comes to total number of discounts. Southern County Mutual offers a grand total of nine discounts, while Dairyland has 11.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like anti-theft discounts, discounts for insuring multiple cars with the same company, and passive restraint discounts. Dairyland also offers discounts for advance quote, agency transfer, defensive driver, and more.

On the other hand, Southern County Mutual has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like corporate discounts, distant student discounts, multi-policy discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Dairyland or Southern County Mutual Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average rates for many of the factors auto insurance companies look at, and we've shown you all the discounts each company offers. But, at the end of the day, which insurance carrier is the best carrier for you, your vehicle, and your wallet?

Southern County Mutual might be best for you if....

• Your driving record includes a DUI charge.
• You live in an suburban area.
• You drive fewer than 6,000 miles annually.

Dairyland might be best for you if...

• You want to save extra money with discounts.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between Dairyland and Southern County Mutual. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision about your insurance.

At the end of the day, the best way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your car insurance policy is to compare quotes from several carriers, not just Dairyland and Southern County Mutual. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Simply enter your ZIP code below and get free quotes from dozens of the top auto insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Dairyland vs. Southern County Mutual FAQs

Is Dairyland or Southern County Mutual cheaper?

Southern County Mutual is the less expensive of the two carriers when looking at national average prices, with policies averaging $179 per month with Southern County Mutual and $256 for Dairyland. But that doesn't mean Southern County Mutual will be the cheapest company for each policyholder, since there are many different variables (things like age, gender, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Dairyland or Southern County Mutual?

Sadly, the answer truly is "it depends.". One carrier is not necessarily "better" for everyone -- it all comes down to what your unique insurance profile looks like.

Why do Dairyland and Southern County Mutual offer me different rates?

Auto insurance companies use many different factors when determining the premiums they charge. Variables such as where your home is, where you park your vehicle, age, gender, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Dairyland and Southern County Mutual use different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different rates. The best way to determine which company is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a bunch of different carriers.

How do I know if Dairyland or Southern County Mutual is right for me?

The only way to find the insurance carrier that's right for you is by getting quotes from multiple companies and finding the one best suited for your individual budget. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Just enter your area information and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top car insurance carriers for free. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the cheapest price. And maybe you'll find that the best company for you isn't Dairyland or Southern County Mutual 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.