Farmers vs. Idaho Farm Bureau: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for car insurance, Idaho Farm Bureau offers significantly less expensive rates than Farmers
• Farmers may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than Idaho Farm Bureau Insurance
• Idaho Farm Bureau tends to be a much more affordable option for drivers who have below-average credit

Farmers or Idaho Farm Bureau: 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 big savings, you're probably wondering exactly how much you might be able to save.

You might have narrowed your search down to Farmers or Idaho Farm Bureau, but which one will save you the most?

Looking at the national average rates for both carriers, Idaho Farm Bureau is quite a bit cheaper than Farmers, with prices averaging $127 a month compared to $203 with Farmers.

But that doesn't necessarily mean Idaho Farm Bureau will be the cheaper option for every single driver. Auto insurance companies vary their premiums depending on things like how good your credit score is, how old you are, how clean your driving record is, where you live, and a variety of other factors, so rates will differ quite a bit from person to person.

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

Farmers vs. Idaho Farm Bureau: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Farmers and Idaho Farm Bureau only compete against each other in Idaho, where Idaho Farm Bureau offers the cheaper average rates. Idaho Farm Bureau drivers tend to pay about $26 per month less on average compared to drivers who use Farmers for their car insurance.

But there's more to calculating insurance premiums than just your home state. Continue reading to see how other variables will affect your rates.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- normally pay a lot for car insurance compared to older drivers. The reason is that teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

That being said, that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high insurance prices. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have Idaho Farm Bureau for their auto insurance pay almost 55% less than those who use Farmers. It's worth noting that Farmers offers insurance in 25 different states compared to Idaho Farm Bureau's one, which can skew the average rates a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

Even so, with both carriers, you'll see your premiums lower significantly by the time drivers turn 25. For example, average prices for Farmers policyholders drop over 70% and Idaho Farm Bureau's premiums reduce more than 50% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

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

But who has the best premiums for retired drivers between Farmers and Idaho Farm Bureau? Idaho Farm Bureau gets the edge, with rates for drivers 65 and older $49 more affordable than the national average for Farmers.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Married couples tend to get slightly less expensive insurance premiums than single policyholders. That's because policies for married policyholders usually cover more than one vehicle, which several companies will give you a discount for.

For single drivers, the difference in average prices between these two carriers is significant, with Idaho Farm Bureau rates coming in at around 40% less than Farmers's. The advantage is also clear for married drivers - Idaho Farm Bureau offers the cheapest average premiums.

Farmers or Idaho Farm Bureau: Average Rates by Gender

Did you know men typically pay more for auto insurance than women? That's because men are more likely to get tickets and get into collisions, which raises the chances of filing a claim with insurance.

With Farmers, men usually pay about 3% more a month than women., and around 7% more with Idaho Farm Bureau.

Looking at overall affordability, Idaho Farm Bureau offers the most affordable average prices for both men and women. On average, women save about $77 per month and men save about $75 with Idaho Farm Bureau compared to the average Farmers policyholder.

Farmers vs. Idaho Farm Bureau: 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 limits and coverages that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy for you.

However, most policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (which covers the other party's injuries and property damage if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes collision and comprehensive coverages that protect your own car, in addition to what you get with a liability policy).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability insurance, Idaho Farm Bureau has the significant edge, with average monthly rates coming in at $66. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Idaho Farm Bureau again has the edge, with policies averaging around $188 a month to Farmers's $281.

Is Farmers or Idaho Farm Bureau Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

It's no secret -- drivers with good records end up getting the best deals on their insurance. But that's not to say you can't save money if you don't have the best driving record, either.

At-fault collisions and speeding tickets will most likely raise your premiums, but is Farmers or Idaho Farm Bureau cheaper for drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders with Idaho Farm Bureau car insurance policies don't report seeing their prices increase after getting a ticket, but Farmers policyholders can expect to see their monthly bill increase by about a quarter.

But Idaho Farm Bureau tends to offer the best prices for both drivers who have clean records and those with a recent speeding ticket, offering rates that are 44% and 56% more affordable, respectively, compared to Farmers Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Farmers drivers who get in an accident can expect to see their premiums increase by over $60, while those who have insurance through Idaho Farm Bureau will see around a $30 increase.

At the end of the day, Idaho Farm Bureau offers the cheapest rates for drivers with an at-fault collision on their records, with average prices coming in at $120 compared to Farmers Insurance's $224.

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 ticket or even a collision. For example, Idaho Farm Bureau increases average rates by more than $100 per month -- that's more than a 55% increase.

Idaho Farm Bureau has the overall most affordable prices for drivers with a DUI on their records at $206 a month, but it's worth noting that Farmers's average rates come from 25 states compared to just one for Idaho Farm Bureau, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact Farmers and Idaho Farm Bureau Rates?

You may not have known, but your credit score can come into play when companies determine your monthly bill. Certain states and carriers do not allow for credit score to be used as an auto insurance factor, but it will come into play for quite a few policyholders.

Auto insurance companies 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.

So, which carrier offers the best premiums for drivers with good, average, or poor credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have a great credit score, Idaho Farm Bureau will typically reward you the most. For policyholders with "excellent" credit scores, Idaho Farm Bureau comes in over 42.07 less expensive. Drivers with "good" credit scores normally save about 39% with Idaho Farm Bureau compared to average prices from Farmers.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Idaho Farm Bureau typically offers lower premiums than Farmers when it comes to drivers with less-than-stellar credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around 37% a month less with Idaho Farm Bureau compared to Farmers, and those with "poor" scores generally save an average of about 34% monthly.

Is Farmers or Idaho Farm Bureau 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 substantial impact on your monthly rates? Usually, those who drive less will end up with cheaper prices 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 Farmers charges. However, there's a pretty significant difference in monthly premiums for Idaho Farm Bureau, with policyholders who drive the least paying around $16 less each month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles every year. Still, for drivers in both categories, Idaho Farm Bureau is the more affordable company.

Farmers or Idaho Farm Bureau: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you live can play a considerable role in how much you pay for insurance. Typically, those who live in urban areas will pay more than drivers in rural areas since there are a lot more vehicles on the road where they live, which increases the chances of an accident.

Idaho Farm Bureau boasts the most affordable average rates for drivers in all types of areas, no matter if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

Those in rural areas can expect to pay about $139 per month with Idaho Farm Bureau compared to Farmers's $170. People in suburban areas pay around $125 with Idaho Farm Bureau compared to Farmers's $189 a month. For drivers in urban ZIP codes, Idaho Farm Bureau's average premiums are about $118 per month compared to Farmers's $251.

Farmers vs. Idaho Farm Bureau Discounts

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

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

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and compared all of the different discounts offered by Farmers and Idaho Farm Bureau 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 blows Idaho Farm Bureau away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 26 more discounts than Idaho Farm Bureau.

Both carriers offer many of the same discounts -- like discounts for being a defensive driver and discounts for being a good student -- but Farmers also offers discounts for ABS, advance quote, alternative fuel, and more.

Idaho Farm Bureau's discounts come through just two categories -- Defensive Driver and Good Student.

Final Thoughts: Is Farmers or Idaho Farm Bureau Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average prices for many of the factors auto insurance companies look at, and walked through the different discounts each carrier offers, too. But, when it comes down to it, which insurance company is the right carrier for you, your vehicle, and your wallet?

Idaho Farm Bureau might be best for you if....

• You've been pulled over for speeding recently.
• You're looking for the best rates on liability only coverage.
• You live in a rural neighborhood.

Farmers might be best for you if...

• You're planning on moving to another state soon -- Idaho Farm Bureau Insurance only offers policies in Idaho.
• You care about discounts (Farmers offers the most).

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between Farmers and Idaho Farm Bureau and that it aids in making a more informed decision about 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 multiple carriers, not just Farmers and Idaho Farm Bureau. 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 car insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Farmers vs. Idaho Farm Bureau FAQs

Is Farmers or Idaho Farm Bureau cheaper?

Idaho Farm Bureau is the less expensive of the two carriers when looking at national average premiums, with policies averaging $127 a month with Idaho Farm Bureau and $203 for Farmers. That being said, that doesn't mean Idaho Farm Bureau will be the lowest carrier for each 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 or Idaho Farm Bureau?

Unfortunately, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". One company is not "better" for everyone -- it all depends on what your unique insurance profile looks like.

Why do Farmers and Idaho Farm Bureau offer me different rates?

Auto insurance companies use a lot of different factors when determining the prices they charge. Variables such as where your home is, age, where you call home, gender, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Farmers and Idaho Farm Bureau calculate premiums using different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different rates. The best way to determine which carrier is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a range of different carriers.

How do I know if Farmers or Idaho Farm Bureau is right for me?

The only way to find the car 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, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top auto insurance carriers for free. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the most affordable price. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't Farmers or Idaho Farm Bureau 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.