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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for car insurance, Farmers offers more affordable rates than Mendakota
• Farmers has less expensive prices for drivers who have an at-fault accident on their record
• Mendakota offers more affordable rates for residents in Nevada

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

So, you're thinking about switching your auto insurance. You've probably seen commercials and billboards from companies offering big discounts, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You've maybe even narrowed it down to Farmers or Mendakota, but between the two, which company will offer you cheaper prices?

Looking at the national average rates for both companies, Farmers has average rates that are about 17% per month more affordable than those from Mendakota.

That being said, Farmers may not be the cheapest or best option for every driver out there. After all, auto insurance carriers can offer drastically different rates to each driver depending on rating factors like your age, where you call home, your driving record, or even your credit score (among other things), so premiums could change drastically from person to person.

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

Farmers or Mendakota: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Farmers and Mendakota only compete against each other in Nevada, where Mendakota offers the cheaper average prices. For Nevada residents, Mendakota offers car insurance for $244 a month on average. Farmers's average premiums come out to be more expensive, at $247 monthly.

That being said, there's a lot more that goes into your insurance bill than just where you live. Read on to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers usually pay a lot more for car insurance than any group out there on the road. It's generally because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

However, that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high insurance prices. As you can see above, teens who use Mendakota save more than $80 a month compared to those who use Farmers. It's worth noting that Farmers offers auto insurance in 25 different states compared to Mendakota's one, which can skew the average premiums a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

Even so, both companies will offer you dramatically lower rates once you turn 25. For example, average prices for Farmers policyholders drop over 70% and Mendakota's premiums decrease more than 45% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

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

But who has the best premiums for retired drivers between Farmers and Mendakota? Farmers gets the edge here, with average rates coming in at around $143 per month compared to Mendakota's $187.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but auto insurance premiums tend to be less expensive for married drivers than they are for those who are single. That's because policies for married policyholders typically cover several cars, which lots of carriers will offer you a discount for.

When it comes to relationship status, the two companies are comparable for single drivers, with prices only differing about $26 per month, on average. But for married couples, the advantage is clear - Farmers has the edge when it comes to average rates.

Farmers vs. Mendakota: Average Rates by Gender

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

Men usually pay around 3% more a month than women with Farmers, and about 7% more with Mendakota.

Looking at overall affordability, Farmers comes out as the lowest option for both genders, with average premiums $46 less for men and $35 cheaper for women.

Farmers or Mendakota: 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, auto insurance can be pretty complicated. There are so many different coverages and limits that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy.

The two most common policies that many drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability only (which provides property damage and bodily injury coverage for other drivers and their 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, Farmers normally offers significantly cheaper prices of $126 compared to Mendakota's $172. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, Farmers again has the edge, with policies around $35 per month less expensive than Mendakota, on average.

Is Farmers or Mendakota Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from car insurance carriers offering great rates 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 accidents and tickets on your record, but which of these two companies offers the most affordable prices to 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 a month if they get a ticket, while Mendakota typically raises rates about $19 per month, on average.

But Farmers has more affordable premiums for drivers in both categories, offering rates that are 27% and 14% cheaper, respectively, compared to Mendakota Insurance Company.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Farmers drivers who get in an accident can expect to see their prices rise by just under 30%, while those who have insurance through Mendakota will see around a 20% increase.

Overall, the more affordable rates come from Farmers, with monthly prices averaging $224 compared to Mendakota Insurance Company's $273.

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 drivers usually see a 27% raise in their insurance premiums after a DUI charge, while Mendakota will normally climb rates by about 8%.

Farmers has the overall lowest prices for drivers with a DUI on their records at $221 a month, but it's worth noting that Farmers's average rates come from 25 states compared to just one for Mendakota, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact Farmers and Mendakota Rates?

You may not have known, but your credit score can be used as one of the factors to calculate your monthly auto insurance premiums. This isn't always the case (for example, Massachusetts and California are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it does affect quite a few policyholders out there.

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

So, which company offers the cheapest premiums for policyholders with poor, average, or good credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have a solid credit score, you'll usually find a better deal with Farmers. Drivers with "excellent" credit can save just under 35% compared to Mendakota, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- around $59 or 24% less expensive every month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

If you have a below average credit score, it can be somewhat of a toss-up as far as which company offers you the best rates. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about $35 less with Farmers than Mendakota, but those whose credit is considered "poor" have it flipped -- saving around $12 a month with Mendakota.

Is Farmers or Mendakota 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 prices? Usually, those who drive less will end up with cheaper premiums since there's less of a chance of getting into an accident and causing an insurance claim.

In this case, neither Farmers or Mendakota report increasing rates for drivers with higher annual mileage figures. Farmers comes out as the most affordable for drivers at both intervals, whether they put 6,000 or 12,000 miles on their vehicle annually, with average prices of $203 per month for both.

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

Where you park your car can play a big role in how much you pay for insurance. Generally, those who live in rural areas will pay less than policyholders in urban areas due to the small number of vehicles that are on the roads in those areas.

Looking at these companies side-by-side, Mendakota tends to offer the lowest option for drivers in rural and suburban areas, while Farmers wins in urban areas.

If you live in a rural area, you can expect to save about $32 with Mendakota compared to Farmers. Drivers in suburban ZIP codes pay around $13 less with Mendakota compared to Farmers. In urban areas, Farmers Insurance's average premiums are about $167 less than Mendakota Insurance Company.

Farmers vs. Mendakota Discounts

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

But where do you even start? With so many discounts out there, it may seem hard to find all the of the ones you can take advantage of.

In the section below, we've broken down all of the different discounts offered by both Farmers and Mendakota so that you can see which one offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

Farmers blows Mendakota away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 28 different discounts to Mendakota's five.

There are a couple discounts both carriers offer, but Farmers also offers ABS discounts, advance quote discounts, alternative fuel discounts, and more that Mendakota does not.

Mendakota's discounts come through just a few categories, including Defensive Driver, Homeowner, Multi-Car, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Farmers or Mendakota Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average rates for many of the variables car insurance companies look at, and walked through the different discounts each carrier offers, too. But, at the end of the day, which company is the best carrier for you and your specific needs?

Farmers might be best for you if....

• You have a clean record.
• You want basic auto insurance coverage at the state minimum limits.
• Your neighborhood is in a city.

Mendakota might be best for you if...

• Your neighborhood is in the suburbs.
• Your neighborhood is in a rural area.
• You're buying insurance for a teen and looking for a wallet-friendly option.

We hope this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between Farmers and Mendakota and that you can now make a more informed 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 auto insurance policy is to compare quotes from a handful of carriers, not just Farmers and Mendakota. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get multiple free quotes from some of the best insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Farmers vs. Mendakota FAQs

Is Farmers or Mendakota cheaper?

Looking just at the national average premiums, Farmers is the less expensive of the two carriers, offering average rates of $203 a month compared to $244 for Mendakota. Even so, Farmers won't necessarily be the cheapest carrier for each policyholder, since there are many different factors (things like age, gender, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Farmers or Mendakota?

Sadly, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". No single company is necessarily "better" for everyone -- it all comes down to what your unique car insurance profile looks like. For example, Farmers offers more affordable prices for drivers with an at-fault collision on their record, while Mendakota is cheaper for drivers who have less-than-stellar credit scores.

Why do Farmers and Mendakota offer me different rates?

Insurance companies take a look at several different variables when calculating the rates they charge policyholders. Things like your driving record, age, where your home is, gender, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both Farmers and Mendakota calculate premiums differently, so each one will most likely offer different prices. The only real way to see which carrier is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from multiple different carriers.

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

The only way to find the auto insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from multiple companies 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 information once and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best car insurance carriers in your area. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the best rate. And who knows, the best carrier for you might not be Farmers or Mendakota 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.