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

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for insurance, Rockford Mutual offers less expensive premiums than Farmers
• Farmers may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than Rockford Mutual Insurance Company
• Rockford Mutual has cheaper prices for policyholders who drive fewer than 12,000 miles every year

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

So, you're thinking about switching to a new insurance policy. With so many ads from all sorts of companies offering pretty big savings, you're probably wondering exactly how much you might be able to save.

You've maybe even narrowed your search down to Farmers or Rockford Mutual as your top options, but between the two, which carrier will save you the most?

Looking at the national average rates for both carriers, Farmers has average rates that are around 17% a month more expensive than those from Rockford Mutual.

However, that doesn't necessarily mean Rockford Mutual will be the more affordable option for each driver. Car insurance companies use a variety of complex algorithms to determine rates, so depending on how old you are or how clean your driving record is (among numerous other factors), you could see wildly different premiums from the ones above.

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

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

Farmers and Rockford Mutual only compete against each other in two states, with Rockford Mutual offering less expensive premiums to the average driver in all of them. Illinois has the most noticable difference, where Rockford Mutual prices are $43 more affordable than auto insurance rates at Farmers.

That being said, there's a lot more that goes into your insurance bill than just your home state. Continue reading to see how other variables will affect your rates.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive car insurance premiums of any group on the road. That's generally because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

But still, even with seemingly sky-high prices, teen drivers can still find ways to save money. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have Rockford Mutual for their auto insurance pay over 20% less than those who use Farmers. It's worth noting that Farmers offers insurance in 25 different states compared to Rockford Mutual's two, which can skew the average rates a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

That being said, both carriers will offer you dramatically lower premiums by the time you turn 25. For example, average rates for Farmers policyholders lower about $400 and Rockford Mutual's prices drop almost $300 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Once you approach retirement age, you'll usually enjoy the cheapest auto 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.

So, which company offers the best premiums to retired drivers? Rockford Mutual gets the edge, with prices for drivers 65 and older more than 15% cheaper than the national average for Farmers.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that car insurance premiums are typically less expensive for married couples than they are for single drivers? That's normally because married policyholders tend to own and insure several vehicles, which can often earn you a discount.

For those who are single, the difference in average rates between these two companies is significant, with Rockford Mutual premiums coming in at around 15% less than Farmers's. The advantage for married drivers with Rockford Mutual is also obvious, where drivers save nearly 20% per month.

Farmers or Rockford Mutual: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to cause a collision and get into accidents. That means when it comes to auto insurance men will typically end up paying a little more.

On average, men see prices about $7 a month higher with Farmers, and around $16 more with Rockford Mutual.

Looking at overall affordability, Rockford Mutual comes out as the most affordable option for both genders, with average rates 14% less for men and 20% cheaper for women.

Farmers vs. Rockford 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 insurance can be a complicated subject for most people. Everyone needs car insurance, but there are so many different terms and coverages that it can be hard to find the right policy for you.

But most policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability coverage (which covers the other party's property damage and injuries 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, Rockford Mutual has the significant edge, with average monthly prices coming in at $88. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Rockford Mutual again has the edge, with policies averaging about $251 per month to Farmers's $281.

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

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

It's no secret secret that collisions and speeding tickets lead to higher rates, but which carrier -- Farmers or Rockford Mutual -- has the cheapest premiums for drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Farmers for their car insurance can usually expect their monthly bill to go up around 21% after getting a speeding ticket. Rockford Mutual policyholders can expect a bit more drastic of an increase of about 29%.

Even so, Rockford Mutual has more affordable prices for drivers in both categories, offering premiums that are $42 and $36 cheaper, respectively, compared to Farmers Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both carriers will raise rates pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault collision with Farmers raising by around 28%. Rockford Mutual has a less extreme raise, but you can still expect to pay nearly 25% more than you were prior to your first accident.

At the end of the day, Rockford Mutual offers the lowest prices for drivers with an at-fault collision on their records, with average premiums coming in at $158 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 -- normally a lot more than an accident or ticket. For example, Rockford Mutual increases average rates by more than $100 a month -- that's just under a 50% increase.

Farmers has the overall most affordable 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 two for Rockford Mutual, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact Farmers and Rockford Mutual Rates?

Did you know many car insurance companies take into account your credit score when determining rates? This isn't true for everyone (for example, Michigan and Hawaii are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it does affect lots of drivers out there.

Insurance carriers argue that someone with bad credit is less likely to pay their bills on time, which makes them riskier to insure. Because of that, policyholders with bad credit will often be forced to pay more.

So, which company offers the cheapest prices for drivers with good, average, or poor credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have a solid credit score, Rockford Mutual will generally reward you the most. For policyholders with "excellent" credit scores, Rockford Mutual comes in nearly 17.68 more affordable. Drivers with "good" credit scores typically save about 24% with Rockford Mutual compared to average rates from Farmers.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Rockford Mutual typically offers lower premiums than Farmers when it comes to drivers with less-than-perfect credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around 18% per month less with Rockford Mutual compared to Farmers, and those with "poor" scores generally save an average of about 11% a month.

Is Farmers or Rockford Mutual 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. Normally, those who drive less will end up with cheaper prices since there's less of a chance of causing a collision and filing an insurance claim.

In this case, neither Farmers or Rockford Mutual report increasing rates for drivers with higher annual mileage figures. Still, Rockford 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 $169 a month for both.

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

Where you live can play a big role in how much you pay for insurance. Usually, 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.

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

In urban areas, Rockford Mutual's average prices are around $233 while Farmers offers rates about $251. Drivers in suburban ZIP codes pay around $131 with Rockford Mutual compared to Farmers's $189 monthly. Those in rural areas can expect to pay about $144 per month with Rockford Mutual compared to Farmers's $170.

Farmers vs. Rockford Mutual Discounts

No matter 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 you can, and the best way to do that is by taking advantage of as many car insurance discounts as possible.

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.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and looked at all of the different discounts Farmers and Rockford Mutual offer their customers so that you can see which one offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

Farmers knocks Rockford Mutual out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 20 more discounts than Rockford Mutual.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like discounts for being a defensive driver, discounts for being a good student, and discounts for being a homeowner. Farmers also offers discounts for ABS, advance quote, alternative fuel, and more.

On the other hand, Rockford Mutual has a proprietary discount of their own -- a renewal discounts.

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

So, you've seen how different factors can affect your auto insurance premiums. We've broken down the different discounts each company offers, too. But, when it comes down to it, which carrier is the right company for you and your specific driver profile?

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

• You don't have any speeding tickets, DUIs, or at-fault accidents on your record.
• You already have a great credit score.
• You're of retirement age and want to take advantage of lower prices.

Farmers might be best for you if...

• You are considering moving to another state -- Rockford Mutual Insurance Company is only available to Illinois and Wisconsin residents.
• Your driving record includes a DUI charge.
• You're looking for the company with the most discounts.

Hopefully, this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare Farmers and Rockford Mutual and that it aids in making a more informed decision about your 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 carriers, not just Farmers and Rockford Mutual. Luckily, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code below and get free quotes from dozens of the top insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Farmers vs. Rockford Mutual FAQs

Is Farmers or Rockford Mutual cheaper?

Rockford Mutual is the less expensive of the two carriers when looking at national average rates, with policies averaging $169 per month with Rockford Mutual and $203 for Farmers. However, that doesn't mean Rockford Mutual will be the most affordable carrier for each policyholder, since there are a bunch of different variables (things like driving record, age, gender, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Farmers or Rockford Mutual?

Unfortunately, the answer truly is "it depends.". No one company is necessarily "better" for every policyholder -- it all depends on what your unique car insurance profile looks like. For example, Rockford Mutual is cheaper for drivers with excellent credit, while Farmers offers more affordable premiums for drivers with a recent DUI.

Why do Farmers and Rockford Mutual offer me different rates?

Auto insurance companies use a lot of different factors when calculating the rates they charge. Things such as gender, your driving record, age, where you park your car, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Farmers and Rockford Mutual calculate prices differently, 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 lots of different carriers.

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

The only way to find the 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, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Just enter your area information and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top auto insurance carriers for free. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the best premium. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't Farmers or Rockford 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.