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

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for insurance, Farm Bureau Financial Services offers significantly cheaper premiums than Safe Auto
• Farm Bureau Financial Services offers more affordable prices for drivers who have an at-fault accident on their record
• Safe Auto offers more discounts than Farm Bureau Financial Services

Farm Bureau Financial Services vs. Safe Auto: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

So, you're considering switching your auto insurance. With so many ads from all sorts of companies offering huge discounts, you're probably wondering exactly how much you might be able to save.

You might have narrowed it down to Farm Bureau Financial Services or Safe Auto, but between the two, which one will offer you more affordable rates?

Looking at nationwide averages, Farm Bureau Financial Services has average rates that are about 24% per month less expensive than those from Safe Auto.

But that doesn't mean Farm Bureau Financial Services will necessarily be cheaper than Safe Auto for each driver. After all, auto insurance companies can offer drastically different rates to each driver depending on rating factors like your driving record, your credit score, where you call home, or even your age (among other things), so prices will change quite a bit from person to person.

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

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

Farm Bureau Financial Services and Safe Auto only compete against each other in two states, with Safe Auto offering less expensive prices to the average driver in all of them. If you live in Kansas, Farm Bureau Financial Services is the more affordable of the two carriers when looking at the overall average premiums. Safe Auto is the less expensive option in Arizona.

But there's more to car insurance than just where you live. As we mentioned above, there's a lot of things that go into how insurance companies calculate your rates. Read on to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

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

Even so, 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 more than $100 less a month by choosing Farm Bureau Financial Services over Safe Auto.

That being said, with both carriers, you'll see your premiums drop significantly by the time drivers turn 25. For example, average rates for Farm Bureau Financial Services policyholders lower nearly 55% and Safe Auto's prices reduce over 50% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Once you approach retirement age, you'll usually enjoy the cheapest insurance rates you'll ever see. You've been on the road for years, and all that experience pays off when it comes to your monthly premiums for car insurance.

When looking at Farm Bureau Financial Services and Safe Auto specifically, which carrier is best for retired drivers? Farm Bureau Financial Services gets the edge, with prices for drivers 65 and older almost 30% more affordable than the national average for Safe Auto.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Married drivers tend to get slightly cheaper auto insurance premiums than single policyholders. That's because policies for married couples typically cover multiple cars, which many companies will offer you a discount for.

When it comes to relationship status, Farm Bureau Financial Services is the clear winner for those who are single, with rates around $65 per month less expensive than Safe Auto, on average. The advantage is also clear for married policyholders - Farm Bureau Financial Services offers the most affordable average premiums.

Farm Bureau Financial Services vs. Safe Auto: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to cause a collision and get into accidents, which means they'll generally end up paying more for insurance than women.

Surprisingly, women typically pay about 3% more a month than men with Farm Bureau Financial Services, and around 7% less with Safe Auto.

Looking at overall affordability, Farm Bureau Financial Services comes out on top for both men and women. On average, male drivers save about $63 per month and women save about $41 with Farm Bureau Financial Services compared to the average Safe Auto policyholder.

Farm Bureau Financial Services 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.

It's no secret that car insurance can be a complicated subject for most people. There are so many different coverages and limits that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy.

The two most common policies that many drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability only (which covers the other party's injuries and property damage if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which usually refers to having comprehensive and collision coverages in addition to liability).

If you're looking for state minimum liability insurance, Farm Bureau Financial Services normally offers significantly more affordable rates of $87 compared to Safe Auto's $126. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, Farm Bureau Financial Services again has the edge, with policies around $65 a month cheaper than Safe Auto, on average.

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

It's no big secret that drivers who are accident-free get better deals on their insurance. But even if you have a spotty record, you can still find plenty of ways to save some cash on your monthly bill.

You'll probably end up paying more with tickets and accidents on your record, but which of these two carriers offers the lowest prices to drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Farm Bureau Financial Services policyholders can expect their premiums to go up an average of $25 per month if they get a ticket, while Safe Auto generally raises rates about $40 a month, on average.

However, Farm Bureau Financial Services has less expensive prices for drivers in both categories. Drivers with a clean record can save around $59 per month and drivers with a speeding ticket can save about $74 a month with Farm Bureau Financial Services.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

After an accident, drivers who have their auto insurance through Farm Bureau Financial Services can expect to see around an $66 -- or about 35% -- increase in their insurance premiums. Drivers who use Safe Auto for their auto insurance will see a monthly bill around $66 (or 27%) more expensive after reporting a collision to their car insurance company.

Overall, drivers who use Farm Bureau Financial Services end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with monthly rates averaging $187 compared to Safe Auto's $246.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

On average, a DUI offense is going to cost you much more than a single collision or ticket when it comes to your insurance bill. For example, Farm Bureau Financial Services increases average prices by over $100 per month -- that's over a 45% increase.

If you have a DUI on your record and are looking for more affordable premiums, Farm Bureau Financial Services tends to be the much cheaper option with average rates of $226 a month compared to $245 from Safe Auto.

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

You may not have known, but your credit score can come into play when companies determine your monthly bill. This isn't always the case (for example, Hawaii and Massachusetts are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it might come into play for quite a few drivers.

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

Looking specifically at Farm Bureau Financial Services and Safe Auto, which carrier has the cheapest prices for policyholders 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 Farm Bureau Financial Services. Drivers with "excellent" credit can save more than 30% compared to Safe Auto, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- about $82 or 37% more affordable each month.

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 rates. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around $70 less with Farm Bureau Financial Services than Safe Auto, but those whose credit is considered "poor" have it flipped -- saving about $2 a month with Safe Auto.

Is Farm Bureau Financial Services 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 large impact on your monthly premiums? Typically, those who drive fewer miles will end up with less expensive prices since there's less of a chance of getting into an accident 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 Safe Auto charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly rates for Farm Bureau Financial Services, with policyholders who drive 6,000 miles yearly paying around $11 less every month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles each year. Still, Farm Bureau Financial Services is the more affordable option for drivers in both categories.

Farm Bureau Financial Services vs. Safe Auto: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you park your vehicle can have a considerable impact on your monthly car insurance payment. Usually, those who live in rural areas will pay less than policyholders in urban areas because there are a lot fewer cars on the road in those areas, which lowers the chances of an accident.

Farm Bureau Financial Services tends to offer the lowest premiums for drivers in all areas, regardless of if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

Drivers in rural ZIP codes see the cheapest prices from both companies, but Farm Bureau Financial Services comes out on top with average premiums about $155 per month. Farm Bureau Financial Services also has cheaper average rates for policyholders in urban and suburban ZIP codes -- a $75 and $41 per month respective difference when compared to Safe Auto drivers in similar areas.

Farm Bureau Financial Services vs. Safe Auto Discounts

Regardless of why you might be in the market for a new 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 with what seems like a million different discounts out there, it can be difficult to nail down the company that has the most discounts for your unique driver profile and to find all the discounts you're eligible for.

In the table below, we've broken down all of the different discounts offered by both Farm Bureau Financial Services and Safe Auto so that you can see which company can save you the most money each month.

Overall, Safe Auto has the advantage when it comes to total number of discounts. Farm Bureau Financial Services offers a grand total of nine discounts, while Safe Auto has 14.

Both carriers offer a lot of the same discounts -- like anti-theft discounts, discounts for being a defensive driver, and paid in full discounts -- but Safe Auto also offers agency transfer discounts, claim free discounts, driver training discounts, and more that Farm Bureau Financial Services does not.

On the flip side, Farm Bureau Financial Services has a couple unique discounts of its own -- discounts for being a good driver, discounts for being a good student, life policy discounts, and more.

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

So, we've broken down the average prices 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, which company is the best one for you and your specific profile and needs?

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

• You've received a ticket for speeding recently and don't want to see your premiums increase.
• You have above-average credit.
• You live in a rural area.

Safe Auto might be best for you if...

• You're thinking about moving to another state -- Farm Bureau Financial Services only offers policies in eight states.
• You want to save extra money with discounts.

We hope this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between Farm Bureau Financial Services and Safe Auto and that you can now make a more informed decision when it comes to your insurance.

At the end of the day, the sure-fire way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your auto insurance policy is to compare quotes from multiple carriers, not just Farm Bureau Financial Services and Safe Auto. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Simply enter your ZIP code below and get free quotes from dozens of the top car insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Farm Bureau Financial Services vs. Safe Auto FAQs

Is Farm Bureau Financial Services or Safe Auto cheaper?

Looking just at the national average rates, Farm Bureau Financial Services is the more affordable of the two carriers, offering average rates of $170 a month compared to $223 for Safe Auto. But Farm Bureau Financial Services won't necessarily be the most affordable carrier for every driver, since there are a bunch of different variables (things like age, gender, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Farm Bureau Financial Services or Safe Auto?

Unfortunately, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". No single company is necessarily "better" for everyone -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique auto insurance profile. For example, Farm Bureau Financial Services offers cheaper prices for policyholders with an at-fault accident on their record, while Safe Auto is less expensive for drivers who have less-than-stellar credit scores.

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

Car insurance companies take a look at several different factors when calculating the rates they charge drivers. Things such as where you live, gender, where your home is, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Farm Bureau Financial Services and Safe Auto calculate premiums using different variables, so each one will most likely offer different prices. The only real way to see which carrier is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from multiple different carriers.

How do I know if Farm Bureau Financial Services or Safe Auto is right for me?

The only way to find the insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from several companies and finding the one best suited for your individual budget. Luckily, sites like Compare.com do 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. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the best premium. And who knows, the best carrier for you might not be Farm Bureau Financial Services 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.