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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for insurance, Farmers offers slightly more affordable premiums than Safe Auto
• Farmers offers more affordable rates for couples purchasing auto insurance together
• Farmers tends to be a much cheaper option for policyholders who may not have much of a commute

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

Are you considering a new insurance policy? With so many ads from all sorts of companies offering big discounts, you're probably wondering exactly how much you might be able to save.

You've maybe even narrowed it down to Farmers or Safe Auto as your top options, but which one has less expensive premiums for insurance?

As you can see, Farmers is about $20 per month more affordable than Safe Auto when looking at the national average rates for auto insurance.

That being said, that doesn't necessarily mean Farmers will be the cheaper option for each driver. After all, car insurance companies can offer drastically different rates to each driver depending on rating factors like where you call home, your age, your credit score, or even your driving record (among other things), so rates will differ quite a bit from person to person.

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

Farmers or Safe Auto: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Farmers and Safe Auto compete against each other in six states, with Safe Auto offering more affordable rates to the average driver in all of them. If you live in Kansas or Oklahoma, Farmers is the cheaper of the two carriers when looking at the overall average prices. Safe Auto is the less expensive option in Arizona, Illinois, Indiana, and Tennessee.

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

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- usually pay a lot for insurance compared to older drivers. That's because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to get into an accident that results in an auto insurance claim, making them much riskier to insure.

But that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their car insurance. As you can see above, teens who use Safe Auto save $90 a month compared to those who use Farmers.

Even so, with both companies, you'll see your premiums reduce significantly once you turn 25. Safe Auto offers the steepest reduction, with 25-year-olds paying less than half what 18-year-old drivers are charged. That being said, Farmers still has the most affordable prices at $155 monthly.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

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

But who has the best rates for retired drivers between Farmers and Safe Auto? Farmers gets the edge, with premiums for drivers 65 and older more than 20% cheaper than the national average for Safe Auto.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Married drivers tend to get slightly less expensive car insurance prices than single policyholders. That's because policies for married policyholders generally cover more than one car, which many carriers will offer you a discount for.

When it comes to relationship status, the two companies are comparable for those who are single, with rates only differing around $14 per month, on average. The advantage for married couples is more obvious, where drivers who use Farmers save over 15% a month.

Farmers vs. Safe Auto: Average Rates by Gender

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

With Farmers, women normally pay about $7 per month less than men, and more than $15 cheaper with Safe Auto when compared to their male counterparts.

Looking at overall affordability, Farmers offers the cheapest average prices for both men and women, with average rates 10% less for men and 7% cheaper for women.

Farmers or Safe Auto: 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 pretty complicated. There are a range of different coverages that account for multiple different things. Some protect you and your vehicle, while others only provide coverage for other people's property and health if you cause an accident.

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 passengers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which usually refers to having comprehensive and collision coverages in addition to what you get with liability coverage).

If you're looking for state minimum liability limits, Farmers typically offers slightly more affordable premiums of $126 compared to Safe Auto's $126. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, Farmers again has the edge, with policies around $40 a month less expensive than Safe Auto, on average.

Is Farmers or Safe Auto Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

It's no big secret that drivers who are accident-free get better deals on their car insurance. But even if you have a spotty record, you can still find plenty of ways to save some cash on your monthly bill.

Tickets and collisions will most likely raise your prices, but is Farmers or Safe Auto more affordable for drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Farmers policyholders can expect their rates to go up an average of $44 per month if they get a ticket, while Safe Auto normally raises premiums about $40 a month, on average.

However, Farmers has cheaper prices for drivers in both categories -- their rates are around 10% more affordable for drivers with clean records and 6% less expensive for those with a ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Farmers drivers who get in an accident can expect to see their premiums increase by just under 30%, while those who have insurance through Safe Auto will see around a 25% increase.

Overall, Farmers offers the most affordable rates for drivers with an at-fault accident on their records, with monthly premiums averaging $224 compared to Safe Auto's $246.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

On average, a DUI offense is going to cost you much more than a single collision or speeding ticket when it comes to your auto insurance bill. For example, Safe Auto increases average prices by $65 per month -- that's over a 25% increase.

If you have a DUI on your record and are looking for more affordable rates, Farmers tends to be the much cheaper option with average prices of $221 per month compared to $245 from Safe Auto.

How does Credit Score Impact Farmers and Safe Auto Rates?

You may not have known, but your credit score can come into play when carriers calculate your monthly bill. This isn't always the case (Michigan, for example, has banned the use of credit score as a rating factor) but it does affect a lot of policyholders out there.

The reasoning insurance companies use is that drivers with good credit will be more likely to pay their bills on time; so they'll reward them with cheaper rates, while those with poor credit will generally be forced to pay more.

So, which company offers the best premiums for policyholders with good, average, or poor 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 more than 10% compared to Safe Auto, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- about $37 or 17% less expensive every month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

If you have less-than-perfect credit, it can be somewhat of a toss-up as far as which company offers you the best rates. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around $21 less with Farmers than Safe Auto, but those whose credit is considered "poor" have it flipped -- saving about $4 a month with Safe Auto.

Is Farmers or Safe Auto 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 considerable 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 a collision and causing an insurance claim.

In this case, neither Farmers or Safe Auto report increasing prices for drivers with higher annual mileage figures. Even so, Farmers 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 $203 per month for both.

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

We've already mentioned how your home state can play a role in how much you pay for auto insurance, but the type of area you live in can have a substantial impact as well. Typically, 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.

Farmers boasts the lowest average premiums for drivers in all types of areas, no matter if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, Farmers offers rates around $251 a month compared to Safe Auto's $271. People who live in suburban ZIP codes can expect to pay about $189 a month for Farmers and $200 for Safe Auto. Lastly, those in rural areas tend to get the cheapest prices from both carriers, with average monthly premiums coming in at $170 and $197 for Farmers and Safe Auto respectively.

Farmers vs. Safe Auto 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 insurance discounts comes into play.

But where do you even start? With what seems like a million different discounts out there, it may be challenging to find all the ones you qualify for.

In the table below, we've compared all of the different discounts offered by Farmers and Safe Auto 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 Safe Auto out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 28 different discounts to Safe Auto's 14.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like discounts for being a defensive driver, discounts for being a homeowner, and discounts for insuring multiple cars with the same company. Farmers also offers ABS discounts, advance quote discounts, alternative fuel discounts, and more that Safe Auto does not.

On the flip side, Safe Auto has a couple unique discounts of its own -- agency transfer discounts, claim free discounts, military discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Farmers or Safe Auto Best for You?

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

Farmers might be best for you if....

• You don't have any speeding tickets, DUIs, or at-fault accidents on your record.
• Your credit score is high.
• You live in a rural neighborhood.

Safe Auto might be best for you if...

• You're buying insurance for a teen and looking for a wallet-friendly option.

We hope this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare Farmers and Safe Auto. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision about 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 companies, not just Farmers and Safe Auto. 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 top car insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Farmers vs. Safe Auto FAQs

Is Farmers or Safe Auto cheaper?

Looking just at the national average premiums, Farmers is the more affordable of the two companies, offering average rates of $203 per month compared to $223 for Safe Auto. But Farmers won't necessarily be the most affordable company for each policyholder, since there are many different variables that are considered when it comes to your insurance cost.

Who is better, Farmers or Safe Auto?

Unfortunately, the real answer is "it depends.". No one carrier is necessarily "better" for every driver -- it all boils down to your unique auto insurance profile. For example, Farmers offers less expensive rates for drivers with an at-fault accident on their record, while Safe Auto is cheaper for drivers who have less-than-stellar credit scores.

Why do Farmers and Safe Auto offer me different rates?

Insurance carriers take a look at lots of different factors when calculating the prices they charge policyholders. Things such as gender, age, your driving record, where your home is, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Farmers and Safe Auto calculate rates using different variables, so each one will most likely offer different prices. The only real way to see which company is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a variety of different companies.

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

The only way to find the car 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, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Just enter your area information and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best auto insurance companies in your area. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the most affordable premium. And who knows, the best company for you might not be Farmers or Safe Auto 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.