Farmers vs. General Casualty: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for insurance, General Casualty offers significantly less expensive premiums than Farmers
• Farmers offers more discounts than General Casualty
• General Casualty offers more affordable rates for residents in Arizona, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Montana, Ohio, Oregon, and Utah

Farmers vs. General Casualty: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

So, you're considering switching your auto insurance. After all, you've seen ads from all sorts of companies offering huge discounts. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You've maybe even narrowed it down to Farmers or General Casualty for your next policy, but which one has more affordable premiums for auto insurance?

Looking at nationwide averages, Farmers has average rates that are about 30% per month more expensive than those from General Casualty.

But that doesn't necessarily mean General Casualty will be the cheaper option for every single driver. Car insurance companies use a variety of complex algorithms to calculate prices, so depending on how clean your driving record is or where you live (among numerous other factors), you could see wildly different rates from the ones above.

Luckily, we've broken down average premiums from both Farmers and General Casualty by multiple different rate factors, so read on to find out which carrier is the best for you.

Farmers or General Casualty: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Farmers and General Casualty compete against each other in seven states, with General Casualty offering less expensive rates to the average driver in all of them. Utah has the most noticable difference, where General Casualty prices are over 60% more affordable than insurance premiums at Farmers.

But there's more to calculating car insurance rates 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 auto insurance than any group on the road. That's because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to get into an accident that results in an insurance claim, making them much riskier to insure.

Even so, that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their insurance. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have General Casualty for their auto insurance pay more than $250 less than those who use Farmers.

However, both carriers will offer you dramatically lower prices by the time you turn 25. For example, average premiums for Farmers policyholders lower over 70% and General Casualty's rates reduce more than 55% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Drivers around retirement age typically enjoy some of the most affordable insurance prices you'll ever 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.

When looking at Farmers and General Casualty specifically, which company is best for retired drivers? General Casualty gets the edge, with rates for drivers 65 and older $19 cheaper than the national average for Farmers.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that car insurance prices are generally more expensive for those who are single than they are for married couples? That's because policies for married drivers usually cover multiple cars, which many companies will offer you a discount for.

When it comes to relationship status, General Casualty is the clear winner for single drivers, with rates around $84 a month more affordable than Farmers, on average. The advantage is also clear for married policyholders - General Casualty offers the lowest average premiums.

Farmers vs. General Casualty: Average Rates by Gender

Men normally pay more for auto insurance than women. This is because men are statistically more likely than women to get into an accident or get pulled over for speeding, which leads to increased risk for insurers and, therefore, higher prices.

Typically, women see premiums about 3% per month less with Farmers, and around 10% less with General Casualty.

When it comes to the cheapest prices for each gender, General Casualty comes out on top for both men and women, with average rates $61 less for men and $68 cheaper for women.

Farmers or General Casualty: 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, insurance can be pretty complicated. Everyone needs car insurance, but there are so many different terms and limits that it can be hard to find the right policy.

The two most common policies that many drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability only (that covers bodily injury and property damage for other drivers and passengers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which typically refers to having comprehensive and collision coverages in addition to liability coverage).

If you're looking for state minimum liability limits, General Casualty generally offers significantly less expensive premiums of $82 compared to Farmers's $126. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, General Casualty again has the edge, with policies about $85 a month cheaper than Farmers, on average.

Is Farmers or General Casualty Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from insurance carriers offering great prices 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 at-fault collisions lead to higher rates, but which carrier -- Farmers or General Casualty -- has the lowest prices for drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Farmers policyholders can expect their premiums to go up an average of $44 per month if they get a ticket, while General Casualty usually raises rates around $43 a month, on average.

That being said, General Casualty has more affordable prices for drivers in both categories -- their rates are around 44% cheaper for drivers with clean records and 35% less expensive for those with a ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

After an accident, drivers who have their auto insurance through Farmers can expect to see about an $62 -- or around 28% -- increase in their car insurance premiums. Drivers who use General Casualty for their insurance will see a monthly bill about $56 (or 38%) more expensive after reporting an accident to their auto insurance company.

Overall, drivers who use General Casualty end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with monthly rates averaging $146 compared to Farmers Insurance's $224.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

On average, a DUI offense is going to cost you much more than a single accident or speeding ticket when it comes to your car insurance bill. For example, General Casualty increases average prices by over $95 per month -- that's over a 50% increase.

If you have a DUI on your record and are looking for more affordable premiums, General Casualty tends to be the much more affordable option with average rates of $186 a month compared to $221 from Farmers.

How does Credit Score Impact Farmers and General Casualty 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, Michigan and California are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it does affect quite a few drivers out there.

The reasoning insurance carriers use is that policyholders with bad credit will be less likely to pay their bills on time; so normally, they'll be asked to pay more, while those with good credit will be rewarded with cheaper premiums.

Looking specifically at General Casualty and Farmers, which carrier has the most affordable prices 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 General Casualty. Policyholders with "excellent" credit can save more than 35% compared to Farmers, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- around $67 or 36% less expensive each month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

General Casualty typically offers lower rates than Farmers when it comes to drivers with a below average credit score. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about $70 a month less with General Casualty compared to Farmers, and those with "poor" scores generally save an average of around $61 per month.

Is Farmers or General Casualty Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

The amount of time you spend behind the wheel of your car plays a big role in how much auto insurance companies will charge for coverage. Typically, the more miles you put on your vehicle each year, the more you can expect to pay for coverage.

In this case, neither Farmers or General Casualty report increasing premiums for drivers with higher annual mileage figures. That being said, General Casualty comes out as the cheapest for drivers at both intervals, whether they put 6,000 or 12,000 miles on their car every year, with average rates of $139 per month for both.

Farmers vs. General Casualty: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you call home can play a considerable role in how much you pay for car insurance. Usually, those who live in rural areas will pay less than drivers in urban areas because there are a lot fewer vehicles on the roads in those areas.

General Casualty boasts the cheapest average rates for drivers in all types of areas, no matter if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

Policyholders in rural ZIP codes see the most affordable prices from both carriers, but General Casualty comes out on top with average premiums about $131 monthly. General Casualty also has more affordable average rates for drivers in urban and suburban ZIP codes -- a 40% and 29% a month respective difference when compared to Farmers policyholders in similar areas.

Farmers vs. General Casualty Discounts

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

The difficult part is finding all of the discounts you're eligible for, since it can feel sometimes like every company has different discounts and each one is advertised differently.

In the table below, we've broken down all of the different discounts offered by both Farmers and General Casualty so that you can find the company that has the most discounts and, therefore, the biggest savings.

Farmers blows General Casualty away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 16 more discounts than General Casualty.

Both companies offer lots of the same discounts -- like advance quote discounts, discounts for being a defensive driver, discounts for being a good driver, and paid in full discounts -- but Farmers also offers ABS discounts, alternative fuel discounts, driver training discounts, and more that General Casualty does not.

On the flip side, General Casualty has a couple unique discounts of its own -- employee discounts, new vehicle discounts, and occupation discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is Farmers or General Casualty Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average prices for many of the factors insurance carriers look at, and walked through the different discounts each carrier offers, too. That's all well and good, but when it comes down to it, is Farmers or General Casualty the best one for you and your specific needs?

General Casualty might be best for you if....

• You've received a ticket for speeding recently and don't want to see your premiums rise.
• Your neighborhood is in a city.
• You are over 65 years old and want to save some money on your car insurance.

Farmers might be best for you if...

• You already have plans to move to another state -- General Casualty is only available in eight states.
• You're looking for the company with the most discounts.

We hope this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare Farmers and General Casualty. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision when it comes to your auto insurance.

At the end of the day, the sure-fire way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your car insurance policy is to compare quotes from a handful of companies, not just Farmers and General Casualty. Luckily, sites like Compare.com make it easy for you to do just that. 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 vs. General Casualty FAQs

Is Farmers or General Casualty cheaper?

Looking just at the national average rates, General Casualty is the cheaper of the two companies, offering average rates of $139 per month compared to $203 for Farmers. However, General Casualty won't necessarily be the lowest carrier for each policyholder, since there are a variety of different variables that are considered when it comes to your auto insurance payment.

Who is better, Farmers or General Casualty?

Unfortunately, the answer truly is "it depends.". No single company is "better" for everyone -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique car insurance profile.

Why do Farmers and General Casualty offer me different rates?

Insurance carriers take a look at several different factors when calculating the prices they charge drivers. Variables such as gender, age, your driving record, where you park your car, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both Farmers and General Casualty calculate rates differently, so each one will most likely offer different premiums. The only real way to see which carrier is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a range of different companies.

How do I know if Farmers or General Casualty is right for me?

The only way to find the auto 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, 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 car insurance companies in your area. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the best price. And who knows, the best carrier for you might not be Farmers or General Casualty 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.