Donegal Mutual vs. Motorists: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for car insurance, Motorists offers more affordable prices than Donegal Mutual
• Donegal Mutual tends to be a much cheaper option for policyholders who live in rural neighborhoods
• Motorists offers more affordable rates for policyholders who live in suburban areas

Donegal Mutual or Motorists: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

Are you in the market for a new insurance policy? After all, you've seen ads from all sorts of companies offering big savings. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You might have narrowed your search down to Donegal Mutual or Motorists for your next policy, but between the two, which carrier will offer you less expensive premiums?

As you can see, Motorists is around $39 a month cheaper than Donegal Mutual when looking at the national average rates for auto insurance.

However, Motorists may not be the cheapest or best option for each driver out there. Car insurance carriers use tons of complex algorithms to determine prices, so depending on how clean your driving record is or how old you are (among a range of other factors), you could see wildly different rates from the ones above.

So, if you want to find out which of Donegal Mutual or Motorists is really the best for you, keep reading to see average prices for each carrier broken down by a variety of different rate factors.

Donegal Mutual vs. Motorists: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Donegal Mutual and Motorists only compete against each other in one states, with Donegal Mutual offering more affordable rates to the average driver in all of them. Pennsylvania has the most noticable difference, where Donegal Mutual premiums are $169 less expensive than insurance prices at Motorists.

There's a lot more that goes into your car insurance bill than just your home state. Keep reading to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- usually pay a lot for auto insurance compared to older drivers. That's generally because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to cause collisions and other accidents that will result in an insurance claim.

But that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high insurance rates. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of almost 35% less per month by choosing Motorists over Donegal Mutual.

Even so, both companies will decrease premiums by the time drivers turn 25. Motorists offers the steepest decrease, with 25-year-olds paying less than half what 18-year-old drivers are charged. Donegal Mutual's average prices lower over 60% during that same period.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Once you approach retirement age, you'll typically enjoy the lowest car 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 rates for auto insurance.

So, which company offers the best premiums to retired drivers? In this case, Donegal Mutual has the slight edge, with prices about $7 a month less than Motorists. That being said, the difference is only around 5%, so other variables will likely come into play when determining which carrier has the most affordable rates for you.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Married policyholders tend to get slightly cheaper insurance prices than those who are single. That's because policies for married couples normally cover several vehicles, which quite a few carriers will give you a discount for.

For single policyholders, the difference in average premiums between these two companies is significant, with Motorists rates coming in at a quarter less than Donegal Mutual's. It's not quite so glaring for married drivers, where drivers who use Donegal Mutual save about 1% per month.

Donegal Mutual or Motorists: Average Rates by Gender

Because women are less likely to get tickets and get into accidents, they have a decreased chance of filing a claim with insurance. So, insurance carriers will tend to charge women less than men.

With Donegal Mutual, women typically pay around $20 a month less than men, but with Motorists, the difference is closer to $12 per month.

Looking at the data for each company specifically, Motorists comes out as the lowest option for both genders, with average premiums $42 less for men and $36 cheaper for women.

Donegal Mutual vs. Motorists: 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.

It's no secret that auto insurance can be a complicated subject for most people. There are a bunch of 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 a collision.

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

Looking specifically at state minimum liability limits, Motorists has the significant edge, with average monthly prices coming in at $123. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Motorists again has the edge, with policies averaging about $379 a month to Donegal Mutual's $409.

Is Donegal Mutual or Motorists Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from insurance companies 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 collisions and speeding tickets lead to higher premiums, but which carrier -- Donegal Mutual or Motorists -- has the cheapest prices for drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Donegal Mutual for their car insurance can normally expect their monthly bill to go up around 19% after getting a speeding ticket. Motorists policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of about 10%.

However, Motorists tends to offer the best prices for both drivers who have clean records and those with a recent ticket, offering rates that are 14% and 23% more affordable, respectively, compared to Donegal Mutual Insurance Company.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Donegal Mutual drivers who get in a collision can expect to see their premiums climb by just under $50, while those who have insurance through Motorists will see around a $35 increase.

At the end of the day, drivers who use Motorists end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with average rates coming in at $206 compared to Donegal Mutual Insurance Company's $245.

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 -- usually a lot more than an accident or speeding ticket. For example, Donegal Mutual increases average prices by nearly $300 per month -- that's nearly a 60% increase.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable rates, Motorists tends to be less expensive for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at about $442 to Donegal Mutual's $472.

How does Credit Score Impact Donegal Mutual and Motorists Rates?

Often times, your credit score can come into play when carriers calculate your monthly bill. This isn't true for everyone (Massachusetts, for example, has banned the use of credit score as an auto insurance factor) but it might 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 premiums for policyholders with poor, average, or good credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have a solid credit score, Motorists will generally reward you the most. For drivers with "excellent" credit scores, Motorists comes in 25 more affordable. Drivers with "good" credit scores normally save around 23% with Motorists compared to average prices from Donegal Mutual.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Motorists typically offers lower rates than Donegal Mutual when it comes to drivers with less-than-perfect credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about 17% a month less with Motorists compared to Donegal Mutual, and those with "poor" scores usually save an average of around 0% monthly.

Is Donegal Mutual or Motorists 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 payment? Typically, those who drive less will end up with less expensive premiums since there's less of a chance of causing a collision and filing an insurance claim.

Motorists tends to be the cheaper option for both remote workers and those taking short commutes. Motorists's average prices for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in about $26 more affordable than Donegal Mutual. Those who drive 12,000 miles every year can expect to pay around $52 less with Motorists over Donegal Mutual.

Donegal Mutual or Motorists: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you call home can play a sizable role in how much you pay for insurance. Normally, if you live in a rural area with fewer cars on the road, you'll pay a little less for car insurance, while the opposite is true for people in urban areas.

Motorists tends to offer the cheapest option for drivers in urban and suburban areas, while Donegal Mutual wins in rural areas.

For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, Motorists Insurance Group's average prices are about $159 less than Donegal Mutual Insurance Company. People who live in suburban areas pay around $25 less with Motorists compared to Donegal Mutual. Those in rural areas can expect to save about $68 with Donegal Mutual compared to Motorists.

Donegal Mutual vs. Motorists 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 auto insurance discounts as possible.

But with what seems like a million different discounts out there, it can be difficult to find all the ones you qualify for or to nail down the company that has the most discounts for your unique driver profile.

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

Donegal Mutual blows Motorists away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 20 different discounts to Motorists's 14.

There are a couple discounts both carriers offer, but Donegal Mutual also offers discounts for driver training, family discount, good driving, and more.

On the other hand, Motorists has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like empty nester discounts, homeowner discounts, life policy discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Donegal Mutual or Motorists Best for You?

You've seen the role certain factors have on your insurance and the different discounts companies offer. That's all well and good, but when it comes down to it, is Donegal Mutual or Motorists the best company for you and your specific driver profile?

Motorists might be best for you if....

• You've been pulled over for speeding recently.
• You want the most robust protection via a "full coverage" policy.
• Your neighborhood is in the suburbs.

Donegal Mutual might be best for you if...

• You live in a rural neighborhood.
• You're of retirement age and want to take advantage of lower rates.
• You and your spouse are buying car insurance together.

Hopefully, this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare Donegal Mutual and Motorists 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 several carriers, not just Donegal Mutual and Motorists. Luckily, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Just 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.

Donegal Mutual vs. Motorists FAQs

Is Donegal Mutual or Motorists cheaper?

Motorists is the less expensive of the two carriers when looking at national average premiums, with policies averaging $251 per month with Motorists and $290 for Donegal Mutual. That being said, that doesn't mean Motorists will be the most affordable carrier for each policyholder, since there are several different variables (things like age, driving record, gender, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Donegal Mutual or Motorists?

Unfortunately, the answer truly is "it depends.". No one company is necessarily "better" for every policyholder -- it all depends on what your unique car insurance profile looks like. For example, Donegal Mutual is cheaper for drivers who have already retired, while Motorists offers less expensive prices for single drivers.

Why do Donegal Mutual and Motorists offer me different rates?

Auto insurance companies use many different factors when determining the rates they charge. Things such as age, where your home is, your driving record, gender, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both Donegal Mutual and Motorists calculate prices differently, so it's likely they'll offer different rates. The best way to determine which carrier is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from multiple different carriers.

How do I know if Donegal Mutual or Motorists is right for me?

The only way to find the insurance company 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 ZIP code and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top car insurance carriers for free. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the best price. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't Donegal Mutual or Motorists 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.