Farm Bureau Financial Services vs. State 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 prices than State Auto
• Farm Bureau Financial Services has less expensive rates for single people who will be the only person on the car insurance policy
• State Auto may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than Farm Bureau Financial Services

Farm Bureau Financial Services or State Auto: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

So, you're thinking about switching to a new insurance policy. With so many ads from all sorts of companies offering hefty savings, you're probably wondering exactly how much you might be able to save.

You might have narrowed your search down to Farm Bureau Financial Services or State Auto as your top options, but which company will save you the most?

As you can see, Farm Bureau Financial Services has average rates that are around 35% a month more affordable than those from State Auto when looking at the national average rates for auto insurance.

Even so, Farm Bureau Financial Services may not be the lowest or best option for every single driver out there. Insurance carriers vary their premiums depending on things like how old you are, where you live, how clean your driving record is, how good your credit score is, and all sorts of other factors, so prices could vary drastically from person to person.

Luckily, we've broken down average rates from both Farm Bureau Financial Services and State Auto 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. State Auto: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Farm Bureau Financial Services and State Auto only compete against each other in one states, with Farm Bureau Financial Services offering cheaper prices to the average driver in all of them. Utah has the most noticable difference, where Farm Bureau Financial Services rates are $108 more affordable than car insurance premiums at State Auto.

There are plenty of other factors that go into your insurance payment than just where you live. Read on to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive car insurance prices of any group on the road. Normally, that's because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into an accident that results in an insurance claim, making them much riskier to insure.

But that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their auto insurance. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of 55% less per month by choosing Farm Bureau Financial Services over State Auto.

That being said, both companies will drop premiums by the time you turn 25. For example, average rates for Farm Bureau Financial Services policyholders reduce almost 55% and State Auto's premiums lower nearly 75% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

When it comes to insurance, patience and experience pay off, with drivers around retirement age paying some of the most affordable rates you'll ever find.

So, which company offers the best prices to retired drivers? Farm Bureau Financial Services gets the edge, with premiums for drivers 65 and older $40 less expensive than the national average for State Auto.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Those who are single tend to get offered slightly more expensive auto insurance prices than married couples. That's typically because married policyholders tend to own and insure more than one vehicle, which can often earn you a discount.

For single policyholders, the difference in average rates between these two carriers is significant, with Farm Bureau Financial Services premiums coming in at about 40% less than State Auto's. The advantage for married drivers with Farm Bureau Financial Services is also obvious, where drivers save almost 20% a month.

Farm Bureau Financial Services or State Auto: 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, women tend to get cheaper rates than men.

Surprisingly, with Farm Bureau Financial Services, men generallypay around 3% less per month than women, but with State Auto, the difference is closer to 9% a month.

When it comes to the lowest prices for each gender, Farm Bureau Financial Services offers the cheapest average rates for both men and women, with average prices 38% less for men and 30% cheaper for women.

Farm Bureau Financial Services vs. State 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.

For most people, car insurance isn't the easiest topic to understand. There are multiple different coverages that account for lots 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.

However, most policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (which provides property damage and bodily injury coverage for other drivers if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which includes collision and comprehensive coverages that protect your own car, alongside what you get with a liability policy).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability insurance, Farm Bureau Financial Services has the significant edge, with average monthly rates coming in at $87. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Farm Bureau Financial Services again has the edge, with policies averaging about $253 per month to State Auto's $369.

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

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from auto insurance companies offering great premiums for good drivers, but that doesn't mean people with less-than-perfect driving records can't save money, too.

You'll probably end up paying more with collisions and speeding tickets on your record, but which of these two carriers offers the most affordable rates to drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Farm Bureau Financial Services for their car insurance can usually expect their monthly bill to go up around 17% after getting a speeding ticket. State Auto policyholders can expect a bit more drastic of an increase of about 22%.

That being said, Farm Bureau Financial Services has more affordable prices for drivers in both categories -- their rates are around 29% cheaper for drivers with clean records and 33% less expensive for those with a ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Farm Bureau Financial Services drivers who get in a collision can expect to see their premiums climb by over 35%, while those who have insurance through State Auto will see around a 35% increase.

At the end of the day, drivers who use Farm Bureau Financial Services end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with average rates coming in at $187 compared to State Auto Insurance's $269.

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 -- generally a lot more than an accident or ticket. State Auto drivers usually see a 55% raise in their auto insurance prices after a DUI charge, while Farm Bureau Financial Services will usually climb premiums by about 46%.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable rates, Farm Bureau Financial Services tends to be more affordable for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at around $226 to State Auto's $380.

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

In many cases, your credit score can come into play when companies determine your monthly bill. This isn't true for everyone (for example, Hawaii and California are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it does affect quite a few policyholders out there.

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 less expensive premiums.

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

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have great credit, Farm Bureau Financial Services will typically reward you the most. For drivers with "excellent" credit scores, Farm Bureau Financial Services comes in nearly 34.54 cheaper. Drivers with "good" credit scores normally save about 39% with Farm Bureau Financial Services compared to average premiums from State Auto.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Farm Bureau Financial Services typically offers lower rates than State Auto when it comes to drivers with less-than-perfect credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around 39% a month less with Farm Bureau Financial Services compared to State Auto, and those with "poor" scores typically save an average of about 28% monthly.

Is Farm Bureau Financial Services or State Auto Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a substantial impact on your monthly prices. Usually, those who drive less will end up with more affordable 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 State Auto charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly prices for Farm Bureau Financial Services, with policyholders who drive 6,000 miles every year paying around $11 less each month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles yearly. Still, for drivers in both categories, Farm Bureau Financial Services is the less expensive company.

Farm Bureau Financial Services or State Auto: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you live can play a considerable role in how much you pay for car insurance. Normally, policyholders who live in less densely populated rural areas will pay quite a bit less than urban drivers due to the small number of vehicles that are on the roads where they live.

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

For drivers in urban ZIP codes, Farm Bureau Financial Services's average prices are about $196 per month compared to State Auto's $317. Drivers in suburban ZIP codes pay around $159 with Farm Bureau Financial Services compared to State Auto's $236 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 State Auto's $225.

Farm Bureau Financial Services vs. State 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.

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 broke down all of the different discounts offered by both Farm Bureau Financial Services and State Auto so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and, therefore, the largest savings.

State Auto knocks Farm Bureau Financial Services out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 18 different discounts to Farm Bureau Financial Services's 18.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like anti-theft discounts, discounts for being a good driver, and paid in full discounts. State Auto also offers discounts for ABS, advance quote, advantage program , and more.

On the other hand, Farm Bureau Financial Services has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like life policy discounts, safe young driver discounts, seasoned account discounts, and more.

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

So, we've broken down the average rates for many of the variables insurance companies look at, and walked through the different discounts each company offers, too. But, at the end of the day, is Farm Bureau Financial Services or State Auto the right one for you and your specific needs?

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

• You've been pulled over for speeding recently.
• Your neighborhood is in a city.
• Your neighborhood is in a rural area.

State Auto might be best for you if...

• You care about discounts (State Auto offers the most).

Hopefully, this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare Farm Bureau Financial Services and State Auto. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision when it comes to your car insurance.

At the end of the day, the sure-fire way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your insurance policy is to compare quotes from several carriers, not just Farm Bureau Financial Services and State Auto. Luckily, sites like Compare.com make it easy for you to do just that. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get multiple quotes from some of the best car insurance companies in your area, all for free.

Farm Bureau Financial Services vs. State Auto FAQs

Is Farm Bureau Financial Services or State Auto cheaper?

Farm Bureau Financial Services is the cheaper of the two carriers when looking at national average prices, with policies averaging $170 a month with Farm Bureau Financial Services and $259 for State Auto. But that doesn't mean Farm Bureau Financial Services will be the lowest carrier for every policyholder, since there are many different factors that are considered when it comes to your auto insurance cost.

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

Sadly, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". No one company is necessarily "better" for everyone -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique car insurance profile.

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

Insurance companies use lots of different variables when determining the rates they charge. Things such as gender, your driving record, age, where you park your car, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both Farm Bureau Financial Services and State Auto use different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different premiums. The best way to determine which carrier is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a range of different carriers.

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

The only way to find the auto insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from a handful of companies 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 car insurance carriers for free. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the best premium. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't Farm Bureau Financial Services or State 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.