Farm Bureau Financial Services vs. North Star Mutual: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for auto insurance, Farm Bureau Financial Services offers slightly cheaper premiums than North Star Mutual
• Farm Bureau Financial Services may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than North Star Mutual
• North Star Mutual offers more affordable rates for policyholders who have a clean driving record, free of collisions, tickets, or DUIs

Farm Bureau Financial Services or North Star Mutual: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

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

You might have narrowed it down to Farm Bureau Financial Services or North Star Mutual, but which one has more affordable prices for insurance?

Looking at the national average rates for both carriers, North Star Mutual is around $10 more a month than Farm Bureau Financial Services.

That being said, that doesn't necessarily mean Farm Bureau Financial Services will be the less expensive option for every driver. Auto insurance companies vary their rates depending on things like how good your credit score is, how old you are, how clean your driving record is, where you live, and a ton of other factors. So, at the end of the day, premiums from every company will differ quite a bit from person to person.

Luckily, we've broken down average prices from both Farm Bureau Financial Services and North Star Mutual by a bunch of different rate factors, so read on to find out which carrier is the best for you.

Farm Bureau Financial Services vs. North Star Mutual: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Farm Bureau Financial Services and North Star Mutual only compete against each other in three states, with Farm Bureau Financial Services offering cheaper premiums to the average driver in all of them. If you live in South Dakota, North Star Mutual is the less expensive of the two carriers when looking at the overall average rates. Farm Bureau Financial Services is the more affordable option in Minnesota and Nebraska.

That being said, there are plenty of other factors that go into your car insurance cost than just where you live. Keep reading to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive insurance prices of any group on the road. It's usually 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 car insurance rates. As you can see above, teens who use Farm Bureau Financial Services save 0% per month compared to those who use North Star Mutual.

Even so, both companies will drop premiums by the time drivers turn 25. For example, average prices for Farm Bureau Financial Services policyholders reduce about $200 and North Star Mutual's premiums lower around $150 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Once you approach retirement age, you'll generally enjoy the cheapest auto insurance rates you'll ever find. 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 Farm Bureau Financial Services and North Star Mutual? Farm Bureau Financial Services gets the edge here, with average premiums coming in at about $127 monthly compared to North Star Mutual's $144.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Single policyholders tend to get offered slightly more expensive auto insurance rates than married drivers. That's because policies for married policyholders typically cover more than one vehicle, which quite a few carriers will give you a discount for.

If you're in the market for car insurance, Farm Bureau Financial Services tends to have the most affordable average premiums regardless of relationship status, with prices almost 10% cheaper for married couples and around 3% less expensive for single drivers.

Farm Bureau Financial Services or North Star Mutual: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get tickets and get into collisions. That means when it comes to insurance men will normally end up paying a little more.

Surprisingly, with Farm Bureau Financial Services, women typicallypay about 3% more a month than men, and around 2% less with North Star Mutual when compared to their male counterparts.

When it comes to the lowest prices for each gender, Farm Bureau Financial Services comes out on top for both men and women, with average rates $14 less for men and $5 cheaper for women.

Farm Bureau Financial Services vs. North Star 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, car insurance can be pretty complicated. 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.

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 -- in addition to what you get with liability).

When it comes to state minimum liability limits, North Star Mutual has the edge, while Farm Bureau Financial Services offers the cheapest average prices for full coverage policies with similar coverage limits. Policyholders looking for basic state minimum coverage can save around $20 with North Star Mutual, while full coverage comes out to be about $40 more affordable with Farm Bureau Financial Services.

Is Farm Bureau Financial Services or North Star Mutual 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.

Speeding tickets and at-fault accidents will most likely raise your premiums, but is Farm Bureau Financial Services or North Star Mutual cheaper for drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Drivers who use Farm Bureau Financial Services for their auto insurance can usually expect their monthly bill to go up around 17% after getting a speeding ticket. North Star Mutual policyholders can expect a bit more drastic of an increase of about 30%.

That being said, North Star Mutual is generally the more affordable option for both drivers who have a recent ticket and those with clean records. With North Star Mutual, drivers with a clean record can save around $20 per month and drivers with a speeding ticket can save about $1 a month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

After an accident, drivers who have their car insurance through Farm Bureau Financial Services can expect to see around an $66 -- or about 35% -- rise in their insurance rates. Drivers who use North Star Mutual for their car insurance will see a monthly bill around $73 (or 42%) more expensive after reporting an accident to their auto insurance company.

At the end of the day, the less expensive prices come from North Star Mutual, with average premiums coming in at $174 compared to Farm Bureau Financial Services's $187.

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. North Star Mutual drivers usually see a 66% climb in their car insurance rates after a DUI charge, while Farm Bureau Financial Services will normally raise premiums by about 46%.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable prices, Farm Bureau Financial Services tends to be more affordable for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at around $226 to North Star Mutual's $299.

How does Credit Score Impact Farm Bureau Financial Services and North Star Mutual Rates?

In many cases, your credit score can come into play when companies determine your monthly bill. This isn't true for everyone (Michigan, for example, has banned the use of credit score as an insurance factor) but it will come into play for several policyholders.

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

So, which carrier offers the most affordable prices for policyholders with poor, average, or good credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have a solid credit score, Farm Bureau Financial Services will usually reward you the most. For drivers with "excellent" credit scores, Farm Bureau Financial Services comes in NaN cheaper. Drivers with "good" credit scores generally save about 8% with Farm Bureau Financial Services compared to average rates from North Star Mutual.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

If you have less-than-perfect credit, it can be somewhat of a toss-up as far as which company offers you the best prices. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around 11% less with Farm Bureau Financial Services than North Star Mutual, but those whose credit is considered "poor" have it flipped -- saving about 1% per month with North Star Mutual.

Is Farm Bureau Financial Services or North Star Mutual 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 payment. Normally, the more milage you drive, the more you can expect to pay for coverage.

As you can see in the table above, annual mileage doesn't have much of an impact on how much North Star Mutual charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly rates for Farm Bureau Financial Services, with policyholders who drive the least paying around $11 less each month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles annually. Still, for drivers in both categories, Farm Bureau Financial Services is the less expensive company.

Farm Bureau Financial Services or North Star 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 car insurance, but the type of area you live in can have a substantial impact as well. Usually, if you live in an urban area with more cars on the road, you'll pay a little more for insurance, while the opposite is true for people in rural areas.

Farm Bureau Financial Services boasts the cheapest average prices for drivers in all areas, regardless of if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

In urban areas, Farm Bureau Financial Services's average premiums are about $196 a month compared to North Star Mutual's $208. Drivers in suburban ZIP codes pay around $159 with Farm Bureau Financial Services compared to North Star Mutual's $165 per month. If you live in a rural area, you can expect to pay about $155 a month with Farm Bureau Financial Services compared to North Star Mutual's $166.

Farm Bureau Financial Services vs. North Star Mutual Discounts

No matter why you might be in the market for a new auto insurance policy, you're always going to want to save as much money as you can, and the best way to do that is by utilizing as many car insurance discounts as possible.

But where do you even start? With so many discounts out there, it may seem difficult to find all the of the ones you qualify for.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and compared all of the different discounts offered by Farm Bureau Financial Services and North Star Mutual so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and, therefore, the largest savings.

Looking at the total number of discounts, Farm Bureau Financial Services has advantage when it comes to total number of discounts. North Star Mutual offers a grand total of six discounts, while Farm Bureau Financial Services has nine.

There are a couple discounts both companies offer, but Farm Bureau Financial Services also offers discounts for good driving, good student, life policy, and more.

On the other hand, North Star Mutual has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like family discounts, multi-policy discounts, and passive restraint discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is Farm Bureau Financial Services or North Star Mutual 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, is Farm Bureau Financial Services or North Star Mutual the best carrier for you and your specific profile and needs?

Farm Bureau Financial Services might be best for you if....

• You will be the only person on the auto insurance policy.
• You drive fewer than 6,000 miles every year.

North Star Mutual might be best for you if...

• You've been pulled over for speeding recently.
• You want to save money on your car insurance after an accident.
• You're looking for the best rates on liability only coverage.

Hopefully, this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare Farm Bureau Financial Services and North Star Mutual. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best 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 companies, not just Farm Bureau Financial Services and North Star Mutual. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get free quotes from dozens of top auto insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Farm Bureau Financial Services vs. North Star Mutual FAQs

Is Farm Bureau Financial Services or North Star Mutual cheaper?

Farm Bureau Financial Services is the cheaper of the two companies when looking at national average prices, with policies averaging $170 per month with Farm Bureau Financial Services and $180 for North Star Mutual. But that doesn't mean Farm Bureau Financial Services will be the lowest company for everyone, since there are many different factors that are considered when it comes to your insurance bill.

Who is better, Farm Bureau Financial Services or North Star Mutual?

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

Why do Farm Bureau Financial Services and North Star Mutual offer me different rates?

Insurance carriers use a lot of different variables when determining the rates they charge. Things like gender, age, where your home is, your driving record, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Farm Bureau Financial Services and North Star Mutual use different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different premiums. The best way to determine which company is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a range of different companies.

How do I know if Farm Bureau Financial Services or North Star Mutual is right for me?

The only way to find the car insurance carrier that's right for you is by getting quotes from a handful of carriers and finding the one best suited for your individual budget. Luckily, sites like Compare.com make it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your area information 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 price. And maybe you'll find that the best company for you isn't Farm Bureau Financial Services or North Star 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.