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

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for auto insurance, Root offers significantly more affordable prices than Farm Bureau Financial Services
• Farm Bureau Financial Services offers more discounts than Root Insurance
• Root tends to be a much less expensive option for people who are single and purchasing insurance by yourself

Farm Bureau Financial Services vs. Root: 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 discounts. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You've maybe even narrowed your search down to Farm Bureau Financial Services or Root, but between the two, which company will offer you cheaper premiums?

As you can see, Root is quite a bit cheaper than Farm Bureau Financial Services, with rates averaging $65 per month compared to $170 with Farm Bureau Financial Services when looking at the national average rates for car insurance.

However, that doesn't necessarily mean Root will be the less expensive option for every driver. After all, auto insurance companies can offer drastically different rates to each driver depending on rating factors like where you call home, your age, your credit score, or even your driving record (among other things), so premiums will change quite a bit from person to person.

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

Farm Bureau Financial Services or Root: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Farm Bureau Financial Services and Root only compete against each other in Arizona, where Root offers the cheaper average rates. For Arizona residents, Root offers insurance for $65 monthly on average. Farm Bureau Financial Services's average prices come out to be over 70% more expensive, at $191 a month.

There's a lot more that goes into your auto insurance payment than just your home state. Keep reading to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers normally pay a lot more for insurance than any other group of drivers out there on the road. That's generally because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to get into an accident that results in an auto insurance claim, making them much riskier to insure.

Even so, 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 Root for their insurance pay nearly $200 less than those who use Farm Bureau Financial Services.

That being said, with both carriers, you'll see your premiums lower significantly by the time drivers turn 25. For example, average prices for Farm Bureau Financial Services policyholders drop almost 55% and Root's premiums decrease more than 60% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Drivers around retirement age typically enjoy some of the lowest car insurance rates you can find. After all, they've likely been driving for quite some time, which usually decreases their chances of accidents and other infractions that can increase premiums.

So, which company offers the best rates to retired drivers? Root gets the edge, with prices for drivers 65 and older $70 cheaper than the national average for Farm Bureau Financial Services.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that auto insurance premiums are normally more expensive for those who are single than they are for married policyholders? This usually boils down to married drivers having more than one car on their policy -- something several insurance companies will reward with discounts.

When it comes to relationship status, Root is the clear winner for single drivers, with rates about $118 a month more affordable than Farm Bureau Financial Services, on average. The advantage for married couples with Root is also obvious, where drivers save nearly $90 per month.

Farm Bureau Financial Services vs. Root: Average Rates by Gender

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

Surprisingly, men usually pay around $5 a month less than women with Farm Bureau Financial Services, and about $2 with Root.

Looking at the data for each carrier specifically, Root comes out on top for both men and women, with average prices $102 less for men and $109 cheaper for women.

Farm Bureau Financial Services or Root: 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 pretty complicated. 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 a collision.

The two most common policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability only (which covers the other party's property damage and injuries if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- comprehensive and collision -- in addition to liability).

If you're looking for state minimum liability insurance, Root typically offers significantly less expensive premiums of $46 compared to Farm Bureau Financial Services's $87. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, Root again has the edge, with policies around $150 per month cheaper than Farm Bureau Financial Services, on average.

Is Farm Bureau Financial Services or Root Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from car insurance carriers 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 tickets and collisions lead to higher prices, but which company -- Farm Bureau Financial Services or Root -- has the cheapest premiums for drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Farm Bureau Financial Services policyholders can expect their rates to go up an average of $25 a month if they get a ticket, while Root generally raises prices about $10 per month, on average.

But Root tends to offer the best prices for drivers both with a speeding ticket and with a clean record, offering rates that are 53% and 54% more affordable, respectively, compared to Farm Bureau Financial Services.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

After an accident, drivers who have their insurance through Farm Bureau Financial Services can expect to see around an $66 -- or about 35% -- increase in their auto insurance premiums. Drivers who use Root for their car insurance will see a monthly bill around $22 (or 28%) more expensive after reporting a collision to their auto insurance carrier.

Overall, drivers who use Root end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with monthly prices averaging $79 compared to Farm Bureau Financial Services's $187.

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 insurance bill -- usually a lot more than an accident or ticket. Farm Bureau Financial Services drivers usually see a 46% increase in their car insurance rates after a DUI charge, while Root will typically raise premiums by about 0%.

If you have a DUI on your record and are looking for more affordable prices, Root tends to be the much cheaper option with average premiums of $57 per month compared to $226 from Farm Bureau Financial Services.

How does Credit Score Impact Farm Bureau Financial Services and Root Rates?

You may not realized it, but your credit score can come into play when companies calculate your monthly bill. Certain states and carriers do not allow for credit score to be used as a rating factor, but it will come into play for lots of drivers.

Insurance companies 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, policyholders with good credit will often be rewarded with less expensive prices.

Looking specifically at Root and Farm Bureau Financial Services, which carrier has the best rates for drivers at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have solid credit, you'll usually find a better deal with Root. Policyholders with "excellent" credit can save over 55% compared to Farm Bureau Financial Services, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- around $80 or 57% more affordable every month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Root typically offers lower prices than Farm Bureau Financial Services when it comes to drivers with less-than-stellar credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about $94 a month less with Root compared to Farm Bureau Financial Services, and those with "poor" scores normally save an average of around $175 a month.

Is Farm Bureau Financial Services or Root 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 auto insurance bill? Generally, those who drive fewer miles will end up with cheaper rates since there's less of a chance of getting into a collision and causing an insurance claim.

As you can see in the table above, annual mileage doesn't have much of an impact on how much Root charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly premiums for Farm Bureau Financial Services, with policyholders who drive 6,000 miles each year paying about $11 less every month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles annually. Still, Root is the more affordable option for drivers in both categories.

Farm Bureau Financial Services vs. Root: 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 insurance, but the type of area you live in can have a large impact as well. Typically, those who live in rural areas will pay less than drivers in urban areas because of the small number of vehicles that are on the roads in those areas.

When comparing these two carriers side-by-side, Root normally comes out as the lowest option for drivers in all types of areas, no matter if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

Policyholders in rural ZIP codes see the cheapest premiums from both companies, but Root comes out on top with average rates around $58 per month. Root also has less expensive average prices for drivers in urban and suburban ZIP codes -- a $119 and $99 per month respective difference when compared to Farm Bureau Financial Services policyholders in similar areas.

Farm Bureau Financial Services vs. Root Discounts

Regardless of 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 possible, and the best way to do that is by taking advantage of as many car 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 qualify for.

In the section below, we've taken a look at all of the different discounts Farm Bureau Financial Services and Root offer their customers so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

Overall, Farm Bureau Financial Services has the advantage when it comes to total number of discounts. Root offers a grand total of five discounts, while Farm Bureau Financial Services has nine.

There are a couple discounts both carriers offer, but Farm Bureau Financial Services also offers anti-theft discounts, defensive driver discounts, good student discounts, and more that Root does not.

On the flip side, Root has a couple unique discounts of its own -- auto-steer discounts, discounts for being a homeowner, and paperless discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is Farm Bureau Financial Services or Root Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average premiums for many of the factors auto insurance companies look at, and we've shown you all the discounts each carrier offers. That's all well and good, but when it comes down to it, is Farm Bureau Financial Services or Root the best company for you, your vehicle, and your wallet?

Root might be best for you if....

• You have below-average credit.
• You want basic car insurance coverage at the state minimum limits.
• You are over 65 years old and want to save some money on your insurance.

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

• You're looking for discounts -- Farm Bureau Financial Services has the most.

We hope this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between Farm Bureau Financial Services and Root and that it aids in making a more informed decision about your auto 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 Farm Bureau Financial Services and Root. Luckily, sites like Compare.com make it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your ZIP code below and get multiple quotes from some of the best insurance companies in your area, all for free.

Farm Bureau Financial Services vs. Root FAQs

Is Farm Bureau Financial Services or Root cheaper?

Looking just at the national average rates, Root is the cheaper of the two carriers, offering average rates of $65 a month compared to $170 for Farm Bureau Financial Services. However, Root won't necessarily be the most affordable company for everyone, since there are a bunch of different variables (things like gender, age, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Farm Bureau Financial Services or Root?

Unfortunately, the answer truly is "it depends.". One carrier is not "better" for each driver -- it all depends on what your unique auto insurance profile looks like.

Why do Farm Bureau Financial Services and Root offer me different rates?

Car insurance companies take a look at many different factors when calculating the premiums they charge drivers. Variables like gender, age, your driving record, where your home is, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both Farm Bureau Financial Services and Root calculate prices using different factors, so each one will most likely offer different rates. The only real way to see which company is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a range of different carriers.

How do I know if Farm Bureau Financial Services or Root 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 ZIP code and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best auto insurance carriers in your area. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the cheapest premium. And who knows, the best company for you might not be Farm Bureau Financial Services or Root 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.