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

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for insurance, Safe Auto offers significantly cheaper prices than Donegal Mutual
• Donegal Mutual offers more affordable average rates for policyholders whose driving record contains an at-fault collision
• Safe Auto has cheaper premiums for policyholders who live in urban areas

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

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

You might have narrowed your search down to Donegal Mutual or Safe Auto for your next policy, but between the two, which carrier will offer you more affordable prices?

Looking at the national average rates for both carriers, Safe Auto has average rates that are around 23% a month less expensive than those from Donegal Mutual.

That being said, Safe Auto may not be the most affordable or best option for each driver out there. Car insurance companies vary their rates depending on things like how clean your driving record is, how old you are, how good your credit score is, where you live, and all sorts of other factors, so prices will change quite a bit from person to person.

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

Donegal Mutual vs. Safe Auto: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Donegal Mutual and Safe Auto only compete against each other in one states, with Safe Auto offering cheaper premiums to the average driver in all of them. Pennsylvania has the most noticable difference, where Safe Auto rates are $20 less expensive than insurance premiums at Donegal Mutual.

There are plenty of other factors that go into your car insurance cost than just where you live. Continue reading to learn more about how other variables will affect your rates.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers typically pay a lot more for auto insurance than any other group of drivers out there on the road. Normally, that's because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to cause collisions and other accidents that will result in an insurance claim.

However, that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high car insurance prices. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of 30% less per month by choosing Safe Auto over Donegal Mutual.

Even so, with both carriers, you'll see your premiums lower significantly by the time you turn 25. For example, average rates for Donegal Mutual policyholders drop over 60% and Safe Auto's prices decrease more than 50% 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.

But who has the best rates for retired drivers between Donegal Mutual and Safe Auto? Safe Auto gets the edge, with prices for drivers 65 and older over 15% more affordable than the national average for Donegal Mutual.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that auto insurance rates are usually more expensive for those who are single than they are for married couples? That's generally because married drivers tend to own and insure more than one vehicle, which can often earn you a discount.

For single policyholders, the difference in average premiums between these two companies is significant, with Safe Auto rates coming in at a quarter less than Donegal Mutual's. For married policyholders, the advantage is clear again - Safe Auto has the edge when it comes to average premiums.

Donegal Mutual or Safe Auto: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get pulled over for speeding or get into a collision. That means when it comes to car insurance men will normally end up paying a little more.

With Donegal Mutual, women typically pay about 6% a month less than men, and around 7% less with Safe Auto.

When it comes to the most affordable prices for each gender, Safe Auto offers the cheapest average rates for both men and women. On average, male drivers save about $68 per month and women save about $67 with Safe Auto compared to the average Donegal Mutual policyholder.

Donegal Mutual vs. 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. Everyone needs auto insurance, but there are so many different terms and limits that it can be hard to find the right policy for you.

But 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 passengers if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which usually refers to having collision and comprehensive coverages alongside liability coverage).

Looking specifically at state minimum limits for liability insurance, Safe Auto has the significant edge, with average monthly prices coming in at $126. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Safe Auto again has the edge, with policies averaging around $320 a month to Donegal Mutual's $409.

Is Donegal Mutual or Safe Auto Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

It's no secret -- drivers with good records end up getting the best deals on their 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 speeding tickets and at-fault collisions on your record, but which of these two carriers offers the lowest premiums to drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Donegal Mutual for their car insurance can generally expect their monthly bill to go up about 19% after getting a speeding ticket. Safe Auto policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of around 18%.

Even so, Safe Auto tends to offer the best prices for both drivers who have clean records and those with a recent ticket, offering prices that are 9% and 10% less expensive, 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 rise by just under $50, while those who have insurance through Safe Auto will see about a $65 increase.

At the end of the day, Donegal Mutual offers the cheapest rates for drivers with an at-fault accident on their records, with average premiums coming in at $245 compared to Safe Auto's $246.

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 an accident. On average, Donegal Mutual will raise your rates around 58% after a DUI, while Safe Auto's average prices climb by more than 25%.

How does Credit Score Impact Donegal Mutual and Safe Auto Rates?

Did you know many insurance companies take into account your credit score when determining premiums? This isn't true for everyone (for example, are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it will come into play for lots of policyholders.

Car insurance carriers argue that someone with good credit is more likely to pay their bills on time, which makes them less risky to insure. Because of that, drivers with good credit will often be rewarded with more affordable prices.

Looking at Donegal Mutual and Safe Auto specifically, which company has the lowest rates for policyholders at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Is Donegal Mutual or Safe Auto 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 pretty big impact on your monthly auto insurance bill? Typically, those who drive less will end up with cheaper premiums since there's less of a chance of causing a collision and filing an insurance claim.

As you can see in the table above, annual mileage doesn't have much of an impact on how much Safe Auto charges. However, there's a pretty significant difference in monthly prices for Donegal Mutual, with drivers who put 6,000 miles on their car annually paying about $36 less every month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles yearly. Still, for drivers in both categories, Safe Auto is the more affordable company.

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

Where you live can play a sizable role in how much you pay for car insurance. Normally, those who live in rural areas will pay less than drivers in urban areas since there are a lot fewer vehicles on the road where they live, which lowers the chances of an accident.

Looking at these companies side-by-side, Safe Auto boasts the lowest average rates in urban and suburban areas, while Donegal Mutual wins in rural areas.

For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, Safe Auto's average premiums are around 39% less than Donegal Mutual Insurance Company. People who live in suburban areas pay about 17% less with Safe Auto compared to Donegal Mutual. Those in rural areas can expect to save around 7% with Donegal Mutual compared to Safe Auto.

Donegal Mutual vs. Safe Auto Discounts

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

The challenging part is finding all of the discounts you qualify for, since it can feel sometimes like every company has different discounts and each one is advertised differently.

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

Donegal Mutual knocks Safe Auto out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 20 different discounts to Safe Auto's 14.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like discounts for being a defensive driver, discounts for insuring multiple cars with the same company, and paid in full discounts. Donegal Mutual also offers discounts for ABS, advance quote, family discount, and more.

On the other hand, Safe Auto has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like agency transfer discounts, claim free discounts, homeowner discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Donegal Mutual or Safe Auto Best for You?

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

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

• You don't have any speeding tickets, DUIs, or at-fault accidents on your record.
• You already have a great credit score.
• You're of retirement age and want to take advantage of lower rates.

Donegal Mutual might be best for you if...

• Your driving record contains an at-fault collision.
• You're looking for discounts -- Donegal Mutual has the most.
• You live in a rural area.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between Donegal Mutual and Safe Auto. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision when it comes to your car 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 multiple companies, not just Donegal Mutual and Safe Auto. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get multiple free quotes from some of the best auto insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Donegal Mutual vs. Safe Auto FAQs

Is Donegal Mutual or Safe Auto cheaper?

Safe Auto is the cheaper of the two companies when looking at national average premiums, with policies averaging $223 per month with Safe Auto and $290 for Donegal Mutual. However, that doesn't mean Safe Auto will be the cheapest company for everyone, 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, Donegal Mutual or Safe Auto?

Sadly, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". Neither carrier is "better" for each policyholder -- it all comes down to what your unique insurance profile looks like. For example, Safe Auto is less expensive for drivers who have less-than-stellar credit scores, while Donegal Mutual offers more affordable prices for drivers with an at-fault accident on their record.

Why do Donegal Mutual and Safe Auto offer me different rates?

Auto insurance carriers use several different factors when calculating the premiums they charge. Things like gender, your driving record, where you call home, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both Donegal Mutual and Safe Auto calculate rates using different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different prices. The best way to determine which company is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a variety of different companies.

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

The only way to find the car 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 ZIP code and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top auto insurance companies for free. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the best premium. And maybe you'll find that the best company for you isn't Donegal Mutual or Safe Auto 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.