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

Quick Facts

• In general, National Mutual offers slightly less expensive rates than Farmers
• Farmers has cheaper prices for couples purchasing car insurance together
• National Mutual offers more affordable premiums for residents of urban areas

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

Are you in the market for a new insurance policy? After all, you've seen ads from all sorts of companies offering big discounts. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You've maybe even narrowed it down to Farmers or National Mutual as your top options, but which one will offer you more affordable prices?

As you can see, National Mutual is about $2 per month less expensive than Farmers when looking at the national average rates for insurance.

That being said, that doesn't mean National Mutual will necessarily be more affordable than Farmers for every single driver. Auto insurance companies vary their rates depending on things like how old you are, where you live, how good your credit score is, how clean your driving record is, and tons of other factors, so prices will vary quite a bit from person to person.

So, if you want to find out which of Farmers or National Mutual is really the best for you, keep reading to see average rates for each company broken down by multiple different rate factors.

Farmers or National Mutual: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Farmers and National Mutual only compete against each other in three states, with Farmers offering cheaper premiums to the average driver in all of them. Iowa has the most noticable difference, where Farmers prices are over 60% more affordable than insurance premiums at National Mutual.

That being said, there's a lot more that goes into your car insurance bill than just your home state. Continue reading to see how other factors 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 insurance than any group on the road. That's because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to cause collisions and other accidents that will result in an insurance claim.

But still, even with seemingly sky-high rates, teen drivers can still find ways to save money. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of more than $55 less a month by choosing National Mutual over Farmers. It's worth noting that Farmers offers car insurance in 25 different states compared to National Mutual's three, which can skew the average premiums a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

However, both carriers will offer you dramatically lower rates once you turn 25. National Mutual 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 still has the most affordable prices at $155 a month.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

When it comes to auto insurance, patience and experience pay off, with drivers around retirement age paying some of the cheapest rates out there.

But who has the best premiums for retired drivers between Farmers and National Mutual? National Mutual gets the slight edge, with prices for drivers 65 and older around 6% cheaper than the national average for Farmers.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that insurance rates are usually more expensive for single policyholders than they are for married couples? That's typically because married policyholders tend to own and insure several cars, which can often earn you a discount.

When it comes to relationship status, National Mutual is the winner for single drivers, with prices about $5 per month less expensive than Farmers, on average.

Farmers vs. National Mutual: Average Rates by Gender

Because men are more likely to get into collisions and get tickets, they raise the chances of filing a claim with insurance. Therefore, men generally pay more for auto insurance than women.

On average, women see premiums around $7 a month cheaper with Farmers, and over $20 with National Mutual.

When it comes to the most affordable rates for each gender, Farmers is the cheapest carrier for men. Rates with Farmers are $5 less for men, while women can save about $9 with National Mutual.

Farmers or National Mutual: 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 coverages and limits that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy.

But most policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability only (that covers bodily injury and property damage for other drivers if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which includes comprehensive and collision coverages that protect your own vehicle, in addition to liability).

In this case, National Mutual offers the lowest average premiums for state minimum liability insurance, while Farmers has the edge for full coverage policies with similar coverage limits. Drivers looking for basic state minimum coverage can save around $30 with National Mutual Insurance, while full coverage comes out to be around $25 more affordable with Farmers Insurance.

Is Farmers or National Mutual Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from auto insurance companies 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 at-fault accidents and tickets lead to higher rates, but which company -- Farmers or National Mutual -- has the most affordable premiums for drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Farmers policyholders can expect their prices to go up an average of $44 per month if they get a ticket, while National Mutual typically raises rates about $11 a month, on average.

Even so, National Mutual is usually the less expensive option for drivers both with clean records and with a speeding ticket, offering prices that are 19% and 31% cheaper, respectively, compared to Farmers Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Farmers policyholders who get in a collision can expect to see their premiums rise by over $60, while those who have insurance through National Mutual will see around a $75 increase.

Overall, the less expensive rates come from National Mutual, with monthly prices averaging $207 compared to Farmers Insurance's $224.

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 car insurance bill -- normally a lot more than an accident or ticket. National Mutual drivers usually see a 60% raise in their insurance premiums after a DUI charge, while Farmers will generally climb rates by about 27%.

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

How does Credit Score Impact Farmers and National Mutual Rates?

Did you know that many car insurance carriers take your credit score into account when calculating prices? Certain states and companies do not allow for credit score to be used as a rating factor, but it might come into play for several drivers.

Auto insurance carriers argue that those with poor credit scores are less likely to pay their bills on time each month, which increases the risk involved on their end, while the opposite is true for those with good credit.

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

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have a great credit score, you'll usually find a better deal with National Mutual. Drivers with "excellent" credit can save just under 25% compared to Farmers, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- around $24 or 13% more affordable every month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Farmers typically offers lower rates than National Mutual when it comes to drivers with less-than-stellar credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about $12 per month less with Farmers compared to National Mutual, and those with "poor" scores normally save an average of around $41 monthly.

Is Farmers or National Mutual Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a pretty big impact on how much insurance companies will charge for coverage. Usually, the more miles you drive, the more you can expect to pay for car insurance.

In this case, neither Farmers or National Mutual report increasing prices for drivers with higher annual mileage figures. That being said, National Mutual comes out as the lowest for drivers at both intervals, whether they put 6,000 or 12,000 miles on their car yearly, with average premiums of $201 a month for both.

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

Where you park your vehicle can have a considerable impact on your monthly insurance cost. Typically, those who live in rural areas will pay less than policyholders in urban areas because there are a lot fewer cars on the roads in those areas.

Looking at these carriers side-by-side, Farmers tends to offer the cheapest option for drivers in rural and suburban areas, while National Mutual wins in urban areas.

In urban areas, National Mutual's average prices are about $214 while Farmers offers rates around $251. People in suburban areas pay about $189 with Farmers compared to National Mutual's $201 a month. If you live in a rural area, you can expect to pay around $170 monthly with Farmers and $189 with National Mutual.

Farmers vs. National Mutual Discounts

Regardless of 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 possible. That's where car insurance discounts comes into play.

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're eligible for.

Below, we've taken a look at all of the different discounts Farmers and National Mutual offer their customers 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 knocks National Mutual out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering nine more discounts than National Mutual.

There are a couple discounts both companies offer, but Farmers also offers ABS discounts, alternative fuel discounts, distant student discounts, and more that National Mutual does not.

On the flip side, National Mutual has a couple unique discounts of its own -- claim free discounts, continuous insurance discounts, education discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Farmers or National Mutual Best for You?

So, you've seen how different variables can affect your auto insurance prices. We've broken down the different discounts each carrier offers, too. That's all well and good, but when it comes down to it, is Farmers or National Mutual the best carrier for you and your specific driver profile?

National Mutual might be best for you if....

• You like the personalized touch of a small, regional company.
• You have above-average credit.
• You're buying insurance for a teen and looking for a wallet-friendly option.

Farmers might be best for you if...

• You have a DUI charge on your record.
• You want to save extra money with discounts.
• Your neighborhood is in a rural area.

We hope this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between Farmers and National Mutual. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision about your car 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 National Mutual. 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. National Mutual FAQs

Is Farmers or National Mutual cheaper?

Looking just at the national average rates, National Mutual is the cheaper of the two carriers, offering average rates of $201 per month compared to $203 for Farmers. However, National Mutual won't necessarily be the most affordable carrier for each driver, since there are many different factors that are considered when it comes to your car insurance payment.

Who is better, Farmers or National Mutual?

Sadly, the real answer is "it depends.". No one company is necessarily "better" for every driver -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique insurance profile. For example, Farmers offers more affordable premiums for drivers with a recent DUI, while National Mutual is less expensive for drivers with excellent credit.

Why do Farmers and National Mutual offer me different rates?

Auto insurance companies take a look at a lot of different variables when determining the prices they charge drivers. Things such as age, gender, where you live, your driving record, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Farmers and National Mutual calculate premiums differently, so each one will most likely offer different rates. The only real way to see which carrier is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from lots of different carriers.

How do I know if Farmers or National Mutual 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, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best insurance carriers in your area. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the best price. And who knows, the best carrier for you might not be Farmers or National Mutual 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.