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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for insurance, Farmers offers slightly less expensive prices than Shelter
• Farmers offers cheaper average rates for policyholders whose driving record contains an at-fault collision
• Shelter offers more affordable premiums for policyholders who have a clean driving record, free of collisions, tickets, or DUIs

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

So, you're considering switching to a new insurance policy. After all, you've seen ads from all sorts of companies offering pretty big savings. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You might be considering Farmers or Shelter as potential options, but which company has more affordable rates for auto insurance?

As you can see, Shelter is around $5 more a month than Farmers when looking at the national average rates for car insurance.

But Farmers may not be the cheapest or best option for each driver out there. Insurance carriers vary their prices depending on things like how clean your driving record is, where you live, how old you are, how good your credit score is, and a ton of other factors, so premiums could vary drastically from person to person.

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

Farmers vs. Shelter: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Farmers and Shelter compete against each other in four states, with Farmers offering cheaper prices to the average driver in all of them. If you live in Arkansas or Kansas, Farmers is the more affordable of the two companies when looking at the overall average premiums. Shelter is the less expensive option in Nebraska and Oklahoma.

There's a lot more that goes into your auto insurance payment than just where you call home. 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 rates of any other group of drivers. That's because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into an accident that results in a car insurance claim, making them much riskier to insure.

However, that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their insurance. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have Shelter for their auto insurance pay almost 15% less than those who use Farmers.

Even so, with both carriers, you'll see your prices reduce significantly by the time you turn 25. For example, average premiums for Farmers policyholders drop about $400 and Shelter's rates lower nearly $250 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Drivers around retirement age usually enjoy some of the lowest car insurance prices you'll ever find. After all, they've likely been driving for quite some time, which generally decreases their chances of accidents and other infractions that can raise rates.

But who has the best prices for retired drivers between Farmers and Shelter? In this case, Shelter has the slight edge, with premiums around $2 per month less than Farmers. That being said, the difference is only about 5%, so other factors (like your driving record is or your credit score) will likely come into play when determining which carrier has the most affordable prices for you.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that insurance rates are normally cheaper for married couples than they are for those who are single? That's because policies for married drivers typically cover multiple vehicles, which quite a few companies will give you a discount for.

When it comes to relationship status, Shelter is the winner for single drivers, with premiums around 0% a month more affordable than Farmers, on average.

Farmers or Shelter: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get pulled over for speeding or get into a collision. That means when it comes to car insurance men will usually end up paying a little more.

On average, women see rates about 3% per month less with Farmers, and over 10% less with Shelter when compared to their male counterparts.

Looking at the data for each company specifically, Shelter is the cheapest carrier for women. Rates with Shelter are $4 cheaper for women, while with Farmers, men can save around $4.

Farmers vs. Shelter: 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. There are so many different terms and limits that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy for you.

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

Looking specifically at state minimum liability limits, Farmers has the slight edge, with average monthly premiums coming in at $126. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Farmers again has the edge, with policies averaging about $281 a month to Shelter's $288.

Is Farmers or Shelter Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from auto insurance carriers 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 collisions and speeding tickets lead to higher rates, but which company -- Farmers or Shelter -- has the lowest premiums for drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Farmers for their insurance can normally expect their monthly bill to go up around 21% after getting a speeding ticket. Shelter policyholders can expect a bit more drastic of an increase of about 22%.

That being said, Shelter tends to offer the best prices for both drivers who have clean records and those with a recent ticket -- their rates are around 12% less expensive for drivers with clean records and 12% cheaper for those with a ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Farmers drivers who get in a collision can expect to see their prices increase by over $60, while those who have insurance through Shelter will see around a $90 increase.

At the end of the day, drivers who use Farmers end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with average rates coming in at $224 compared to Shelter Insurance's $234.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

On average, a DUI offense is going to cost you much more than a single accident or speeding ticket when it comes to your car insurance bill. Shelter drivers usually see a 49% increase in their auto insurance premiums after a DUI charge, while Farmers will generally raise prices by about 27%.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable premiums, Farmers tends to be more affordable for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at around $221 to Shelter's $277.

How does Credit Score Impact Farmers and Shelter Rates?

You may not have known, but your credit score can be used as one of the variables to determine your monthly car insurance prices. Certain states and companies do not allow for credit score to be used as an auto insurance factor, but it does affect lots of policyholders out there.

The reasoning auto insurance carriers use is that drivers 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 rates.

So, which carrier offers the most affordable 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, Farmers will normally reward you the most. For drivers with "excellent" credit scores, Farmers comes in NaN more affordable. Drivers with "good" credit scores usually save about 1% with Farmers compared to average prices from Shelter.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Farmers typically offers lower rates than Shelter when it comes to drivers with bad credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around 5% per month less with Farmers compared to Shelter, and those with "poor" scores generally save an average of about 2% a month.

Is Farmers or Shelter 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 insurance companies will charge for coverage. That's because the fewer miles you put on your vehicle, the less likely you are to be in an accident and file an insurance claim.

As you can see in the table above, annual mileage doesn't have much of an impact on how much Farmers charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly premiums for Shelter, with drivers who put 6,000 miles on their car annually paying around $11 less every month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles each year.

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

Where your home is can have a big impact on your monthly car insurance bill. Typically, those who live in rural areas will pay less than policyholders in urban areas since there are a lot fewer vehicles on the roads where they live.

Shelter generally comes out as the less expensive option for drivers in urban and suburban areas, while Farmers wins in rural areas.

Those in rural areas can expect to save about $33 with Farmers compared to Shelter. People who live in suburban areas pay around $2 less with Shelter compared to Farmers. For drivers in urban ZIP codes, Shelter Insurance's average rates are about $16 less than Farmers Insurance.

Farmers vs. Shelter 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. That's where insurance discounts comes into play.

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

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and broke down all of the different discounts offered by both Farmers and Shelter so that you can see which carrier offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

Farmers blows Shelter away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 18 more discounts than Shelter.

There are a couple discounts both carriers offer, but Farmers also offers discounts for ABS, alternative fuel, distant student, and more.

Shelter's discounts come through just a few categories, including Advance Quote, Anti-Theft, Defensive Driver, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Farmers or Shelter Best for You?

You've seen the effect certain factors have on your car insurance and the different discounts companies offer. But, at the end of the day, is Farmers or Shelter the best one for you and your specific driver profile?

Farmers might be best for you if....

• Your credit is less-than-stellar.
• You already have a great credit score.
• You and your spouse are buying auto insurance together.

Shelter might be best for you if...

• You have a clean record.
• You have received a ticket within the last few years.
• You want to save money while purchasing insurance for a teenager.

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

At the end of the day, the sure-fire way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your insurance policy is to compare quotes from multiple carriers, not just Farmers and Shelter. 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 car insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Farmers vs. Shelter FAQs

Is Farmers or Shelter cheaper?

Farmers is the cheaper of the two carriers when looking at national average prices, with policies averaging $203 a month with Farmers and $208 for Shelter. However, that doesn't mean Farmers will be the lowest carrier for every driver, since there are a bunch of different variables (things like gender, age, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Farmers or Shelter?

Sadly, the answer truly is "it depends.". One company is not necessarily "better" for everyone -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique auto insurance profile.

Why do Farmers and Shelter offer me different rates?

Insurance companies use many different factors when determining the premiums they charge. Variables such as age, gender, where you live, your driving record, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both Farmers and Shelter calculate rates using different factors, so it's likely they'll offer different prices. The best way to determine which carrier is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from many different carriers.

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

The only way to find the car insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from several companies 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 auto insurance carriers for free. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the cheapest premium. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't Farmers or Shelter 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.