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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for car insurance, Partners Mutual offers significantly less expensive prices than Farmers
• Farmers may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than Partners Mutual Insurance
• Partners Mutual has cheaper rates for policyholders who live in rural neighborhoods

Farmers or Partners Mutual: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

Are you considering a new insurance policy? You've probably seen commercials and billboards from companies offering huge savings, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You've maybe even narrowed it down to Farmers or Partners Mutual for your next policy, but between the two, which one will offer you more affordable prices?

Looking at nationwide averages, Farmers has average rates that are around 40% a month more expensive than those from Partners Mutual.

That being said, that doesn't necessarily mean Partners Mutual will be the less expensive option for every single driver. Insurance carriers vary their premiums depending on things like how good your credit score is, how clean your driving record is, how old you are, where you live, and tons of other factors. So, at the end of the day, rates from every carrier will differ quite a bit from person to person.

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

Farmers vs. Partners Mutual: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Farmers and Partners Mutual only compete against each other in Iowa, where Partners Mutual offers the cheaper average rates. Partners Mutual drivers tend to pay about $10 per month less on average compared to drivers who use Farmers for their car insurance.

There's a lot more that goes into your auto insurance cost than just your home state. Keep reading to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers generally 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.

However, that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high insurance prices. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of almost 55% less a month by choosing Partners Mutual over Farmers. It's worth noting that Farmers offers auto insurance in 25 different states compared to Partners Mutual's one, which can skew the average rates a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

But both companies will offer you dramatically lower prices by the time drivers turn 25. Partners Mutual offers the steepest reduction, with 25-year-olds paying less than half what 18-year-old drivers are charged. Farmers's average premiums reduce over 70% during that same period.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

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

But who has the best rates for retired drivers between Farmers and Partners Mutual? Partners Mutual gets the edge here, with average prices coming in at about $99 monthly compared to Farmers's $143.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Single drivers tend to get offered slightly more expensive auto insurance premiums than married policyholders. That's typically because married couples tend to own and insure multiple vehicles, which can often earn you a discount.

For single policyholders, the difference in average rates between these two carriers is significant, with Partners Mutual prices coming in at around half of Farmers's. The advantage is also clear for married drivers - Partners Mutual offers the cheapest average rates.

Farmers or Partners Mutual: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get into collisions and file an insurance claim. That means when it comes to insurance men will normally end up paying a little more.

On average, men see premiums about $7 per month higher with Farmers, and around $10 with Partners Mutual.

Looking at overall affordability, Partners Mutual comes out as the lowest option for both genders. On average, male drivers save about $80 a month and women save about $81 with Partners Mutual compared to the average Farmers policyholder.

Farmers vs. Partners 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.

For most people, auto insurance isn't the easiest topic to understand. There are so many different terms and coverages that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy for you.

The two most common policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (which provides property damage and bodily injury coverage for other drivers and their passengers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- collision and comprehensive -- alongside liability coverage).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability limits, Partners Mutual has the significant edge, with average monthly rates coming in at $52. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Partners Mutual again has the edge, with policies averaging around $194 per month to Farmers's $281.

Is Farmers or Partners Mutual 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.

Accidents and speeding tickets will most likely raise your prices, but is Farmers or Partners Mutual more affordable for drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Farmers for their auto insurance can usually expect their monthly bill to go up about 21% after getting a speeding ticket. Partners Mutual policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of around 17%.

Even so, Partners Mutual has cheaper premiums for drivers in both categories, offering prices that are $83 and $111 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 rates climb by over $60, while those who have insurance through Partners Mutual will see about a $35 increase.

At the end of the day, Partners Mutual offers the most affordable premiums for drivers with an at-fault collision on their records, with average prices coming in at $115 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 insurance bill -- typically a lot more than a collision or ticket. On average, Partners Mutual will climb your premiums around 61% after a DUI, while Farmers's average rates increase by more than 25%.

Partners Mutual has the overall cheapest premiums for drivers with a DUI on their records at $203 a month, but it's worth noting that Farmers's average rates come from 25 states compared to just one for Partners Mutual, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact Farmers and Partners Mutual Rates?

Often times, your credit score can come into play when companies determine your monthly bill. This isn't true for everyone (Michigan, for example, has banned the use of credit score as a car insurance factor) but it will come into play for many policyholders.

Car insurance carriers argue that someone with good credit is more likely to pay their bills on time, which makes them less risky to insure. Because of that, drivers with good credit will often be rewarded with less expensive prices.

So, which carrier offers the most affordable rates for policyholders with poor, average, or good credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have great credit, Partners Mutual will generally reward you the most. For drivers with "excellent" credit scores, Partners Mutual comes in nearly 43.9 cheaper. Drivers with "good" credit scores normally save about 42% with Partners Mutual compared to average prices from Farmers.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Partners Mutual typically offers lower premiums than Farmers when it comes to drivers with less-than-perfect credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around 40% a month less with Partners Mutual compared to Farmers, and those with "poor" scores usually save an average of about 35% per month.

Is Farmers or Partners Mutual 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 sizable impact on your monthly rates? Typically, the more milage you put on your car, the more you can expect to pay for insurance.

In this case, neither Farmers or Partners Mutual report increasing premiums for drivers with higher annual mileage figures. Even so, Partners Mutual comes out as the lowest for drivers at both intervals, whether they put 6,000 or 12,000 miles on their vehicle yearly, with average rates of $123 per month for both.

Farmers or Partners Mutual: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you call home can have a large impact on your monthly auto insurance payment. Generally, if you live in an urban area with more cars on the road, you'll pay a little more for car insurance, while the opposite is true for people in rural areas.

Partners Mutual tends to offer the lowest prices for drivers in all types of areas, no matter if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, Partners Mutual Insurance's average premiums are around 43% less than Farmers Insurance. People who live in suburban areas pay about 43% less with Partners Mutual compared to Farmers. Those in rural areas can expect to save around 31% with Partners Mutual compared to Farmers.

Farmers vs. Partners Mutual Discounts

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

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

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and looked at all of the different discounts Farmers and Partners Mutual offer their customers so that you can find the company that has the most discounts and, therefore, the largest savings.

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

Both companies offer lots of the same discounts -- like anti-theft discounts, ESC discounts, and paid in full discounts -- but Farmers also offers discounts for alternative fuel, defensive driver, distant student, and more.

Partners Mutual's discounts come through just a few categories, including ABS, Advance Quote, Anti-Theft, and more.

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

You've seen the effect certain variables have on your car insurance and the different discounts carriers offer. That's all well and good, but when it comes down to it, which insurance company is the right carrier for you and your specific profile and needs?

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

• Your driving record includes a DUI charge.
• You're looking for the best prices on liability only coverage.
• You drive fewer than 6,000 miles annually.

Farmers might be best for you if...

• You value the experience that comes with a large national insurance carrier.
• You're looking for discounts -- Farmers has the most.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between Farmers and Partners Mutual and that it aids in making a more informed 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 insurance -- comparing quotes from a handful of companies, not just Farmers and Partners Mutual. Luckily, sites like Compare.com make it easy for you to do just that. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get free quotes from dozens of top auto insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Farmers vs. Partners Mutual FAQs

Is Farmers or Partners Mutual cheaper?

Partners Mutual is the less expensive of the two companies when looking at national average premiums, with policies averaging $123 a month with Partners Mutual and $203 for Farmers. But that doesn't mean Partners Mutual will be the cheapest company for each policyholder, since there are many different factors that are considered when it comes to your insurance bill.

Who is better, Farmers or Partners Mutual?

Sadly, the answer truly is "it depends.". No one carrier is necessarily "better" for every policyholder -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique auto insurance profile.

Why do Farmers and Partners Mutual offer me different rates?

Car insurance carriers use several different variables when determining the rates they charge. Things such as your driving record, where you live, gender, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both Farmers and Partners Mutual use different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different prices. The best way to determine which company is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a bunch of different companies.

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

The only way to find the 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 do all the hard work for you. Just enter your area information and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top auto insurance companies for free. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the best price. And maybe you'll find that the best company for you isn't Farmers or Partners Mutual 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.