Farmers Automobile vs. Progressive: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for car insurance, Farmers Automobile offers significantly more affordable premiums than Progressive
• Farmers Automobile offers cheaper average prices for policyholders who live in rural neighborhoods
• Progressive may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than Farmers Automobile Insurance Association

Farmers Automobile or Progressive: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

Are you considering a new insurance policy? With so many ads from all sorts of companies offering considerable savings, you're probably wondering exactly how much you might be able to save.

You might have narrowed it down to Farmers Automobile or Progressive for your next policy, but which company will offer you less expensive rates?

Looking at the national average rates for both carriers, Progressive has average rates that are around 30% a month more expensive than those from Farmers Automobile.

Even so, that doesn't mean Farmers Automobile will necessarily be more affordable than Progressive for each driver. After all, insurance companies can offer drastically different rates to every driver depending on rating factors like where you call home, your credit score, your driving record, or even your age (among other things), so premiums will differ quite a bit from person to person.

Wanting to know if Farmers Automobile or Progressive is really the right company for you? Keep on reading to see how average rates can change based on all of the factors we've mentioned above.

Farmers Automobile vs. Progressive: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Farmers Automobile and Progressive only compete against each other in three states, with Farmers Automobile offering less expensive prices to the average driver in all of them. Wisconsin has the most noticable difference, where Progressive premiums are $38 cheaper than car insurance prices at Farmers Automobile.

There's a lot more that goes into your auto insurance payment than just the state you live in. Keep reading to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- usually pay a lot for car insurance compared to older drivers. That's because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

However, that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their auto insurance. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have Farmers Automobile for their insurance pay almost 40% less than those who use Progressive.

That being said, both carriers will offer you dramatically lower premiums by the time drivers turn 25. Progressive offers the steepest drop, with 25-year-olds paying less than a third of what 18-year-old drivers are charged. That being said, Farmers Automobile still has the most affordable rates at $103 a month.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Once you approach retirement age, you'll normally enjoy the cheapest car insurance prices out there. You've been on the road for years, and all that experience pays off when it comes to your monthly rates for auto insurance.

So, which carrier offers the best premiums to retired drivers? Farmers Automobile gets the edge here, with average rates coming in at about $96 monthly compared to Progressive's $131.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but insurance premiums tend to be more expensive for those who are single than they are for married couples. This usually boils down to married policyholders having several vehicles on their policy -- something several auto insurance companies will reward with discounts.

For single policyholders, the difference in average prices between these two carriers is significant, with Farmers Automobile rates coming in at a third less than Progressive's. For married drivers, the advantage is clear again - Farmers Automobile has the edge when it comes to average premiums.

Farmers Automobile or Progressive: Average Rates by Gender

You may not know, but men typically pay more for car insurance than women do. This is because men are statistically more likely than women to get into collisions and file an insurance claim, which leads to increased risk for insurers and, therefore, higher prices.

Women generally pay around $1 per month less than men with Farmers Automobile, and about $5 cheaper with Progressive when compared to their male counterparts.

Looking at the data for each company specifically, Farmers Automobile comes out on top for both men and women, with average premiums 33% less for men and 31% cheaper for women.

Farmers Automobile vs. Progressive: 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 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 for you.

The two most common policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability coverage (that covers bodily injury and property damage for other drivers and passengers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- collision and comprehensive -- alongside liability coverage).

Looking specifically at state minimum limits for liability insurance, Farmers Automobile has the significant edge, with average monthly rates coming in at $75. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Farmers Automobile again has the edge, with policies averaging around $170 a month to Progressive's $250.

Is Farmers Automobile or Progressive Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

It's no secret -- drivers with good records end up getting the best deals on their auto 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 accidents and speeding tickets on your record, but which of these two companies offers the lowest prices to drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Farmers Automobile for their insurance can usually expect their monthly bill to go up about 20% after getting a speeding ticket. Progressive policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of around 17%.

But Farmers Automobile tends to offer the best prices for drivers both with clean records and with a ticket -- their rates are around 42% less expensive for drivers with clean records and 39% cheaper for those with a ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

After an accident, drivers who have their car insurance through Farmers Automobile can expect to see about an $30 -- or around 26% -- rise in their insurance premiums. Drivers who use Progressive for their car insurance will see a monthly bill about $65 (or 30%) more expensive after reporting an accident to their auto insurance carrier.

At the end of the day, the more affordable prices come from Farmers Automobile, with average rates coming in at $117 compared to Progressive's $214.

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 -- normally a lot more than a collision or speeding ticket. On average, Farmers Automobile will climb your prices around 51% after a DUI, while Progressive's average rates climb by more than 15%.

How does Credit Score Impact Farmers Automobile and Progressive Rates?

In many cases, your credit score can be used as one of the variables to determine your monthly car insurance premiums. This isn't true for everyone (Hawaii, for example, has banned the use of credit score as an insurance factor) but it will come into play for quite a few drivers.

The reasoning auto insurance carriers use is that policyholders with good credit will be more likely to pay their bills on time; so they'll reward them with cheaper prices, while those with poor credit will generally be forced to pay more.

Looking at Farmers Automobile and Progressive specifically, which one has the best rates for drivers at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Is Farmers Automobile or Progressive Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a sizable impact on your monthly premiums. Typically, the more milage you put on your car, 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 Progressive charges. However, there's a significant difference in monthly rates for Farmers Automobile, with drivers who put 6,000 miles on their vehicle yearly paying about $21 less each month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles annually. Still, for drivers in both categories, Farmers Automobile is the less expensive company.

Farmers Automobile or Progressive: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you park your car can play a large role in how much you pay for car insurance. Generally, if you live in a rural area with fewer cars on the road, you'll pay a little less for insurance, while the opposite is true for people in urban areas.

Farmers Automobile tends to offer the lowest premiums for drivers in all types of areas, no matter if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

Those in rural areas can expect to save around 45% with Farmers Automobile compared to Progressive. People who live in suburban areas pay about 49% less with Farmers Automobile compared to Progressive. For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, Farmers Automobile Insurance Association's average prices are around 7% less than Progressive.

Farmers Automobile vs. Progressive 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 insurance discounts as possible.

But with what seems like a million different discounts out there, it can be hard to nail down the company that has the most discounts for your unique driver profile and to find all the discounts you can take advantage of.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and compared all of the different discounts offered by Farmers Automobile and Progressive so that you can see which carrier offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

Progressive blows Farmers Automobile away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 23 more discounts than Farmers Automobile.

There are a couple discounts both companies offer, but Progressive also offers discounts for ABS, advanced safety feature, agency transfer, and more.

On the other hand, Farmers Automobile has a few proprietary discounts of their own like hybrid vehicle discounts and seat belt discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is Farmers Automobile or Progressive Best for You?

You've seen the effect certain factors have on your car insurance and the different discounts carriers offer. But, when it comes down to it, which insurance carrier is the right one for you, your vehicle, and your wallet?

Farmers Automobile might be best for you if....

• You've been pulled over for speeding recently.
• You live in an suburban area.
• You want to save money while purchasing auto insurance for a teenager.

Progressive might be best for you if...

• You value the experience that comes with a large national car insurance company.
• Your driving record includes a DUI charge.
• You care about discounts (Progressive offers the most).

Hopefully, this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare Farmers Automobile and Progressive and that you can now make a more informed decision when it comes to your 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 auto insurance -- comparing quotes from several companies, not just Farmers Automobile and Progressive. Luckily, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code below and get free quotes from dozens of the top insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Farmers Automobile vs. Progressive FAQs

Is Farmers Automobile or Progressive cheaper?

Farmers Automobile is the cheaper of the two companies when looking at national average rates, with policies averaging $123 per month with Farmers Automobile and $180 for Progressive. That being said, that doesn't mean Farmers Automobile will be the most affordable carrier for every policyholder, since there are a variety of different variables (things like age, gender, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Farmers Automobile or Progressive?

Sadly, the real answer is "it depends.". No single company is "better" for each policyholder -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique auto insurance profile. For example, Farmers Automobile is more affordable for drivers with excellent credit, while Progressive offers cheaper premiums for drivers with a recent DUI.

Why do Farmers Automobile and Progressive offer me different rates?

Car insurance carriers use lots of different factors when determining the rates they charge. Variables such as where your home is, where you live, age, gender, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Farmers Automobile and Progressive calculate prices differently, so it's likely they'll offer different premiums. The best way to determine which carrier is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from several different companies.

How do I know if Farmers Automobile or Progressive is right for me?

The only way to find the insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from multiple carriers 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 quotes from dozens of your local top car insurance companies for free. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the best rate. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't Farmers Automobile or Progressive 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.