Direct Auto vs. Safe Auto: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• In general, Direct Auto offers significantly cheaper prices than Safe Auto
• Direct Auto offers more affordable premiums for policyholders who have a short commute
• Direct Auto has less expensive rates for policyholders who don't have any speeding tickets, DUIs, or at-fault accidents on their record

Direct Auto vs. Safe Auto: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

So, you're thinking about switching your auto insurance. You've probably seen commercials and billboards from companies offering large discounts, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You might have narrowed your search down to Direct Auto or Safe Auto, but between the two, which company has more affordable premiums for car insurance?

Looking at nationwide averages, Safe Auto is about $53 more per month than Direct Auto.

That being said, Direct Auto may not be the cheapest or best option for every driver out there. Insurance companies use a ton of complex algorithms to calculate prices, so depending on how old you are or where you live (among numerous other factors), you could see wildly different premiums from the ones above.

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

Direct Auto or Safe Auto: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Direct Auto and Safe Auto only compete against each other in one states, with Direct Auto offering cheaper rates to the average driver in all of them. Mississippi has the most noticable difference, where Direct Auto prices are over 70% less expensive than car insurance rates at Safe Auto.

There are plenty of other factors that go into your insurance payment 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 auto insurance premiums of any other group of drivers. It's typically because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to get into an accident that results in a car insurance claim, making them much riskier to insure.

But that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their car insurance. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have Direct Auto for their auto insurance pay $80 less than those who use Safe Auto.

Even so, both carriers will offer you dramatically lower rates once you turn 25. For example, average premiums for Direct Auto policyholders decrease more than $200 and Safe Auto's prices drop nearly $250 over that time.

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 lowest rates out there.

So, which company offers the best prices to retired drivers? Direct Auto gets the edge, with premiums for drivers 65 and older $55 more affordable than the national average for Safe Auto.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but auto insurance rates tend to be cheaper for married couples than they are for single drivers. This usually boils down to married policyholders having multiple cars on their policy -- something quite a few insurance companies will reward with discounts.

When it comes to relationship status, Direct Auto is the clear winner for those who are single, with prices around $61 a month more affordable than Safe Auto, on average. The advantage is also clear for married drivers - Direct Auto offers the most affordable average premiums.

Direct Auto vs. Safe Auto: Average Rates by Gender

Men tend to pay more for car insurance than women. This is because women are less likely to get tickets and get into collisions, which lowers the chances of an insurance claim.

With Direct Auto, women normally pay about $4 per month less than men, and around $17 less with Safe Auto.

When it comes to the lowest rates for each gender, Direct Auto offers the most affordable average premiums for both men and women, with average prices 26% less for men and 21% cheaper for women.

Direct Auto or Safe Auto: 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 isn't the easiest topic to understand. There are many different coverages that account for lots of different things. Some protect you and your vehicle, while others only provide coverage for other people's property and health if you cause an accident.

The two most common policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability only (which provides property damage and bodily injury coverage for other drivers and passengers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes comprehensive and collision coverages that protect your own vehicle, in addition to what you get with liability coverage).

If you're looking for state minimum liability limits, Direct Auto generally offers less expensive rates of $96 compared to Safe Auto's $126. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, Direct Auto again has the edge, with policies about $75 a month cheaper than Safe Auto, on average.

Is Direct Auto or Safe Auto Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from car insurance carriers offering great premiums for good drivers, but that doesn't mean people with less-than-perfect driving records can't save money, too.

You'll probably end up paying more with tickets and at-fault collisions on your record, but which of these two companies offers the cheapest prices to drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Direct Auto policyholders can expect their premiums to go up an average of $38 per month if they get a ticket, while Safe Auto usually raises prices around $40 a month, on average.

However, Direct Auto is normally the more affordable option for drivers both with a speeding ticket and with a clean record -- their rates are around 21% less expensive for drivers with clean records and 18% more affordable for those with a ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Direct Auto drivers who get in an accident can expect to see their rates increase by just under 25%, while those who have insurance through Safe Auto will see about a 25% increase.

Overall, drivers who use Direct Auto end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with monthly premiums averaging $190 compared to Safe Auto's $246.

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 -- typically a lot more than a collision or ticket. For example, Safe Auto increases average rates by $65 per month -- that's over a 25% increase.

How does Credit Score Impact Direct Auto and Safe Auto Rates?

Did you know that many car insurance carriers take into account your credit score when calculating prices? Certain states and companies do not allow for credit score to be used as a rating factor, but it does affect lots of policyholders out there.

Auto insurance carriers argue that those with good credit scores are more likely to pay their bills on time each month, which decreases the risk involved on their end, while the opposite is true for those with bad credit.

Looking at Direct Auto and Safe Auto specifically, which carrier has the best rates for drivers at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Is Direct Auto or Safe Auto 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 cost. Usually, the more miles you put on your car each year, the more you can expect to pay for coverage.

In this case, neither Direct Auto or Safe Auto report increasing prices for drivers with higher annual mileage figures. Direct Auto comes out as the lowest for drivers at both intervals, whether they put 6,000 or 12,000 miles on their vehicle annually, with average premiums of $170 a month for both.

Direct Auto vs. Safe Auto: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where your home is can have a substantial impact on your monthly car insurance bill. Generally, those who live in rural areas will pay less than policyholders in urban areas due to the small number of cars that are on the roads in those areas.

When comparing these two companies side-by-side, Direct Auto typically comes out as the cheapest option for drivers in every type of area, no matter if it's urban, suburban, or rural.

Drivers in rural ZIP codes see the most affordable rates from both carriers, but Direct Auto comes out on top with average premiums around $116 per month. Direct Auto also has less expensive average prices for policyholders in urban and suburban ZIP codes -- a $45 and $32 per month respective difference when compared to Safe Auto drivers in similar areas.

Direct Auto vs. Safe Auto Discounts

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

But where do you even start? With what seems like a million different discounts out there, it may be hard to find all the ones you're eligible for.

Below, we've taken a look at all of the different discounts Direct Auto and Safe Auto offer their customers so that you can find the one that has the most discounts and, therefore, the biggest savings.

Looking at the total number of discounts, Direct Auto comes out ahead with 19 discounts to Safe Auto's 14.

There are a couple discounts both companies offer, but Direct Auto also offers ABS discounts, advance quote discounts, bike policy discounts, and more that Safe Auto does not.

On the flip side, Safe Auto has a couple unique discounts of its own -- agency transfer discounts, claim free discounts, discounts for getting driver training, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Direct Auto or Safe Auto Best for You?

You've seen the effect certain factors have on your auto insurance and the different discounts carriers offer. But, when it comes down to it, which carrier is the right fit for you?

Direct Auto might be best for you if....

• Your driving record contains an at-fault accident.
• You're looking for more protection with "full coverage" car insurance.
• You are over 65 years old and want to save some money on your insurance.

Safe Auto might be best for you if...

• You're planning on moving to another state soon -- undefined is only available in.

We hope this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between Direct Auto and Safe Auto 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 car insurance -- comparing quotes from several companies, not just Direct Auto and Safe Auto. Luckily, sites like Compare.com make it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your ZIP code below and get multiple free quotes from some of the best auto insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Direct Auto vs. Safe Auto FAQs

Is Direct Auto or Safe Auto cheaper?

Looking just at the national average premiums, Direct Auto is the cheaper of the two companies, offering average rates of $170 a month compared to $223 for Safe Auto. But Direct Auto won't necessarily be the cheapest company for everyone, since there are a bunch of different variables that come into play when it comes to your insurance payment.

Who is better, Direct Auto or Safe Auto?

Sadly, the answer truly is "it depends.". One carrier is not necessarily "better" for every driver -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique car insurance profile.

Why do Direct Auto and Safe Auto offer me different rates?

Auto insurance carriers take a look at a lot of different factors when determining the prices they charge policyholders. Things such as where you live, gender, age, where you call home, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both Direct Auto and Safe Auto use different formulas, so each one will most likely offer different rates. The only real way to see which company is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from several different companies.

How do I know if Direct Auto or Safe Auto is right for me?

The only way to find the 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, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Just enter your area information and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best auto insurance companies in your area. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the best premium. And who knows, the best company for you might not be Direct Auto or Safe Auto 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.