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

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for insurance, Farmers Automobile offers significantly more affordable prices than Sentry
• Farmers Automobile has less expensive premiums for single people who will be the only person on the car insurance policy
• Farmers Automobile offers cheaper average prices for policyholders who are looking to purchase insurance with a spouse

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

So, you're considering 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 be considering Farmers Automobile or Sentry as your top options, but which one will offer you less expensive rates?

Looking at nationwide averages, Farmers Automobile has average rates that are around 35% a month cheaper than those from Sentry.

Even so, that doesn't mean Farmers Automobile will necessarily be more affordable than Sentry for every single driver. Insurance carriers use a variety of complex algorithms to determine premiums, so depending on how good your credit score is or how old you are (among many other factors), you could see wildly different rates from the ones above.

Luckily, we've broken down average prices from both Farmers Automobile and Sentry by a range of different rate factors, so read on to find out which company is the best for you.

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

Farmers Automobile and Sentry only compete against each other in one states, with Farmers Automobile offering cheaper premiums to the average driver in all of them. Wisconsin has the most noticable difference, where Farmers Automobile prices are $39 more affordable than auto insurance premiums at Sentry.

There are plenty of other factors that go into your insurance bill than just your home state. Continue reading to see how other variables will affect your rates.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers normally pay a lot more for car insurance than any group on the road. That's because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

But that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high auto insurance rates. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have Farmers Automobile for their car insurance pay over 30% less than those who use Sentry.

However, both companies will decrease prices by the time you turn 25. For example, average premiums for Farmers Automobile policyholders reduce about $150 and Sentry's rates drop more than $200 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Drivers around retirement age usually enjoy some of the lowest insurance premiums you can find. After all, they've likely been driving for quite some time, which generally reduces their chances of collisions and other infractions that can raise prices.

But who has the best rates for retired drivers between Farmers Automobile and Sentry? Farmers Automobile gets the edge, with premiums for drivers 65 and older $52 less expensive than the national average for Sentry.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that auto insurance prices are typically cheaper for married policyholders than they are for single policyholders? That's normally because married couples tend to own and insure multiple vehicles, which can often earn you a discount.

For those who are single, the difference in average rates between these two carriers is significant, with Farmers Automobile premiums coming in at a third less than Sentry's. The advantage for married drivers with Farmers Automobile is also obvious, where drivers save around $60 per month.

Farmers Automobile or Sentry: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get pulled over for speeding or get into a collision, which means they'll generally end up paying more for insurance than women.

Normally, women see prices about 1% a month less with Farmers Automobile, and around 10% less with Sentry.

Looking at overall affordability, Farmers Automobile comes out as the most affordable option for both genders. On average, male drivers save about $82 per month and women save about $63 with Farmers Automobile compared to the average Sentry policyholder.

Farmers Automobile vs. Sentry: 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.

Auto insurance can be a complicated subject for most people. There are so many different limits and coverages that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy for you.

That being said, 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 typically refers to having collision and comprehensive coverages alongside what you get with a liability policy).

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 Sentry's $286.

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

It's no secret -- drivers with good records end up getting the best deals on their car 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 at-fault accidents and speeding tickets on your record, but which of these two companies offers the cheapest prices to drivers with less-than-ideal driving 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. Sentry policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of around 12%.

However, Farmers Automobile tends to offer the best prices for both drivers who have a recent ticket and those with clean records, offering rates that are 51% and 46% less expensive, respectively, compared to Sentry Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both carriers will increase premiums pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault collision with Sentry raising by about 19%. Farmers Automobile has a less extreme climb, but you can still expect to pay more than 25% more than you were prior to your first accident.

At the end of the day, the more affordable rates come from Farmers Automobile, with average premiums coming in at $117 compared to Sentry Insurance's $221.

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 speeding ticket or even a collision. Farmers Automobile drivers usually see a 51% raise in their auto insurance prices after a DUI charge, while Sentry will generally climb rates by around 0%.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable prices, Farmers Automobile tends to be less expensive for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at about $178 to Sentry's $178.

How does Credit Score Impact Farmers Automobile and Sentry Rates?

Often times, your credit score can come into play when companies calculate your monthly bill. This isn't true for everyone (for example, Hawaii and Michigan are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it might come into play for lots of drivers.

The reasoning car 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 premiums, while those with poor credit will usually be forced to pay more.

Looking specifically at Sentry and Farmers Automobile, which company has the best prices for drivers at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have a solid credit score, Farmers Automobile will typically reward you the most. For policyholders with "excellent" credit scores, Farmers Automobile comes in nearly 53.49 cheaper. Drivers with "good" credit scores normally save around 46% with Farmers Automobile compared to average rates from Sentry.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Farmers Automobile typically offers lower premiums than Sentry when it comes to drivers with less-than-stellar credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about 38% per month less with Farmers Automobile compared to Sentry, and those with "poor" scores usually save an average of around 16% a month.

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

How much you drive can have a pretty big impact on how much auto insurance companies will charge for coverage. Normally, those who drive less will end up with more affordable rates since there's less of a chance of causing an accident 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 Sentry charges. However, there's a significant difference in monthly prices for Farmers Automobile, with policyholders who drive the least paying about $21 less every month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles each year. Still, for drivers in both categories, Farmers Automobile is the cheaper carrier.

Farmers Automobile or Sentry: 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 considerable impact as well. Typically, drivers who live in heavily-populated urban areas will pay quite a bit more than rural policyholders because of the number of cars that are on the roads where they live.

Farmers Automobile tends to offer the most affordable premiums for drivers in every type of area, no matter if it's urban, suburban, or rural.

If you live in a rural area, you can expect to pay around $84 monthly with Farmers Automobile compared to Sentry's $143. Drivers in suburban ZIP codes pay a monthly price of about $92 with Farmers Automobile compared to $218 with Sentry. In urban areas, Farmers Automobile's average rates are around $192 a month compared to Sentry's $224.

Farmers Automobile vs. Sentry Discounts

You want to save as much money as you can, right? The best way to do that is by taking advantage of as many car insurance discounts as possible.

But with what seems like a million different discounts out there, it can be challenging to find all the ones you qualify for or to nail down the carrier that has the most discounts for your unique driver profile.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and broke down all of the different discounts offered by both Farmers Automobile and Sentry so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

Farmers Automobile knocks Sentry out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering six more discounts than Sentry.

Both carriers offer many of the same discounts -- like advance quote discounts, discounts for insuring multiple cars with the same company, and paid in full discounts -- but Farmers Automobile also offers discounts for anti-theft, EFT, good student, and more.

On the other hand, Sentry has a proprietary discount of their own -- a homeowner discounts.

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

So, you've seen how different factors can affect your auto insurance prices. We've broken down the different discounts each company offers, too. That's all well and good, but at the end of the day, which carrier is the best carrier for you and your specific driver profile?

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

• You haven't received any speeding tickets or been in a collision in the last few years.
• You're looking for the best premiums on liability only coverage.
• Your neighborhood is in a rural area.

Sentry might be best for you if...

• You have a more unique driver profile than those we mentioned above.

Hopefully, this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare Farmers Automobile and Sentry. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision when it comes to your 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 companies, not just Farmers Automobile and Sentry. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your ZIP code below and get multiple quotes from some of the best auto insurance carriers in your area, all for free.

Farmers Automobile vs. Sentry FAQs

Is Farmers Automobile or Sentry cheaper?

Farmers Automobile is the less expensive of the two companies when looking at national average rates, with policies averaging $123 per month with Farmers Automobile and $195 for Sentry. But that doesn't mean Farmers Automobile will be the cheapest company for everyone, since there are a bunch of different variables that are considered when it comes to your insurance cost.

Who is better, Farmers Automobile or Sentry?

Unfortunately, the real answer is "it depends.". Neither carrier is "better" for everyone -- it all depends on what your unique car insurance profile looks like.

Why do Farmers Automobile and Sentry offer me different rates?

Insurance carriers use many different factors when determining the premiums they charge. Things like your driving record, gender, where you live, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both Farmers Automobile and Sentry calculate prices using different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different rates. The best way to determine which company is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from multiple different companies.

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

The only way to find the car insurance carrier that's right for you is by getting quotes from multiple 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 cheapest rate. And maybe you'll find that the best company for you isn't Farmers Automobile or Sentry 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.