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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for auto insurance, Safeway offers slightly less expensive prices than Farmers
• Farmers has more affordable rates for policyholders who don't have any speeding tickets, DUIs, or at-fault collisions on their record
• Safeway has less expensive premiums for policyholders who have a short commute

Farmers or Safeway: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

So, you're thinking about switching to a new insurance policy. You've probably seen commercials and billboards from companies offering large savings, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You've maybe even narrowed your search down to Farmers or Safeway for your next policy, but which carrier will offer you cheaper prices?

As you can see, Farmers is around $9 more a month than Safeway when looking at the national average rates for insurance.

But that doesn't mean Safeway will necessarily be more affordable than Farmers for every driver. After all, car insurance carriers can offer drastically different rates to every driver depending on rating factors like your driving record, your credit score, your age, or even where you call home (among other things), so premiums could differ drastically from person to person.

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

Farmers vs. Safeway: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Farmers and Safeway only compete against each other in two states, with Safeway offering cheaper prices to the average driver in all of them. Alabama has the most noticable difference, where Safeway rates are $86 more affordable than insurance premiums at Farmers.

That being said, there are plenty of other factors that go into your auto insurance bill than just the state you live in. Read on to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers generally pay a lot more for insurance than any group on the road. It's normally because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into an accident that results in an insurance claim, making them much riskier to insure.

But still, even with seemingly sky-high prices, teen drivers can still find ways to save money. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of almost 15% less per month by choosing Safeway over Farmers.

However, both companies will offer you dramatically lower rates once you turn 25. For example, average prices for Farmers policyholders lower about $400 and Safeway's premiums reduce nearly $300 over that time.

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 most affordable prices you'll ever find.

But who has the best premiums for retired drivers between Farmers and Safeway? In this case, Safeway has the slight edge, with rates around $7 a month less than Farmers. That being said, that difference is less than 5%, which means it ultimately will come down to other variables, like your credit score or where you live.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that car insurance premiums are usually more expensive for single drivers than they are for married couples? This usually boils down to married drivers having more than one vehicle on their policy -- something several auto insurance carriers will reward with discounts.

If you're in the market for car insurance, Safeway tends to have the lowest average rates regardless of relationship status, with prices about 4% less expensive for single policyholders and around 6% cheaper for married policyholders.

Farmers or Safeway: 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 insurance men will typically end up paying a little more.

Normally, women see prices about $7 per month more affordable with Farmers, but with Safeway, the difference is closer to $18 a month.

Looking at the data for each carrier specifically, Safeway offers the cheapest average premiums for both men and women, with average rates $4 less for men and $15 cheaper for women.

Farmers vs. Safeway: 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 limits and terms that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy for you.

Even so, most policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (which covers the other party's injuries and property damage if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- collision and comprehensive -- in addition to liability).

When it comes to state minimum liability limits, Farmers has the edge, while Safeway offers the lowest average prices for full coverage policies with similar coverage limits. Policyholders looking for basic state minimum coverage can save around $4 with Farmers Insurance, while full coverage comes out to be around $25 less expensive with Safeway Insurance.

Is Farmers or Safeway 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.

You'll probably end up paying more with at-fault collisions and speeding tickets on your record, but which of these two companies offers the cheapest rates to drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Drivers who use Farmers for their insurance can usually expect their monthly bill to go up about 21% after getting a speeding ticket. Safeway policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of around 4%.

If you have gotten a ticket, Safeway tends to offer the best prices at about 17% more affordable, while Farmers has the edge for drivers with a clean record.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

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

At the end of the day, drivers who use Safeway end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with average prices coming in at $223 compared to Farmers Insurance's $224.

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 car insurance bill. Farmers drivers usually see a 27% increase in their insurance rates after a DUI charge, while Safeway will normally climb premiums by about 26%.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable rates, Safeway tends to be cheaper for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at around $220 to Farmers's $221.

How does Credit Score Impact Farmers and Safeway Rates?

You may not realized it, but your credit score can come into play when carriers determine your monthly bill. Certain states and companies do not allow for credit score to be used as an auto insurance factor, but it might come into play for lots of drivers.

The reasoning auto insurance carriers use is that policyholders with bad credit will be less likely to pay their bills on time; so typically, they'll be asked to pay more, while those with good credit will be rewarded with less expensive premiums.

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

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have great credit, Farmers will generally reward you the most. For policyholders with "excellent" credit scores, Farmers comes in more than 15.46 cheaper. Drivers with "good" credit scores usually save about 5% with Farmers compared to average rates from Safeway.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Safeway typically offers lower premiums than Farmers when it comes to drivers with a below average credit score. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around 7% per month less with Safeway compared to Farmers, and those with "poor" scores generally save an average of about 24% per month.

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

How much you drive can have a considerable impact on how much insurance companies will charge for coverage. That's because the fewer miles you drive, the less likely you are to be in a collision and file an insurance claim.

In this case, neither Farmers or Safeway report increasing prices for drivers with higher annual mileage figures. Even so, Safeway comes out as the most affordable for drivers at both intervals, whether they put 6,000 or 12,000 miles on their car each year, with average premiums of $194 a month for both.

Farmers or Safeway: 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 car insurance, but the type of area you live in can have a large impact as well. Normally, if you live in an urban area with more cars on the road, you'll pay a little more for auto insurance, while the opposite is true for people in rural areas.

Safeway tends to offer the cheapest option for drivers in rural and urban areas, while Farmers wins in suburban areas.

Those in rural areas can expect to save around 14% with Safeway compared to Farmers. People who live in suburban areas pay about 6% less with Farmers compared to Safeway. For drivers in urban ZIP codes, Safeway Insurance's average rates are around 7% less than Farmers Insurance.

Farmers vs. Safeway Discounts

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

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

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and looked at all of the different discounts Farmers and Safeway 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 blows Safeway away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 17 more discounts than Safeway.

Both carriers offer quite a few of the same discounts -- like discounts for being a defensive driver, discounts for being a homeowner, and paid in full discounts -- but Farmers also offers discounts for ABS, advance quote, alternative fuel, and more.

On the other hand, Safeway has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like agency transfer discounts, full coverage discounts, military discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Farmers or Safeway Best for You?

So, you've seen how different factors can affect your auto insurance premiums. We've shown you all the discounts each company offers, too. That's all well and good, but when it comes down to it, is Farmers or Safeway the best company for you and your specific driver profile?

Safeway might be best for you if....

• Your driving record includes a DUI charge.
• You want to save money while purchasing insurance for a teenager.

Farmers might be best for you if...

• You value the experience that comes with a large national car insurance carrier.
• You're looking for the company with the most discounts.
• You live in an suburban area.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between Farmers and Safeway and that you can now make a more informed decision when it comes to your auto insurance.

At the end of the day, the best way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your insurance policy is to compare quotes from several companies, not just Farmers and Safeway. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get multiple quotes from some of the best auto insurance carriers in your area, all for free.

Farmers vs. Safeway FAQs

Is Farmers or Safeway cheaper?

Safeway is the more affordable of the two companies when looking at national average prices, with policies averaging $194 per month with Safeway and $203 for Farmers. But that doesn't mean Safeway will be the most affordable carrier for everyone, since there are a variety of different variables that are considered when it comes to your car insurance payment.

Who is better, Farmers or Safeway?

Sadly, the answer truly is "it depends.". One company is not "better" for everyone -- it all depends on what your unique insurance profile looks like. For example, Farmers is less expensive for drivers with excellent credit, while Safeway offers cheaper rates for drivers with a recent DUI.

Why do Farmers and Safeway offer me different rates?

Car insurance carriers use a lot of different factors when determining the prices they charge. Variables such as your driving record, age, gender, where your home is, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both Farmers and Safeway calculate premiums using different factors, so it's likely they'll offer different prices. The best way to determine which carrier is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a range of different companies.

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

The only way to find the auto insurance company 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 information once and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top insurance companies for free. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the most affordable premium. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't Farmers or Safeway 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.