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

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for insurance, Wawanesa offers significantly cheaper rates than Farmers
• Farmers may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than Wawanesa Insurance
• Wawanesa offers more affordable premiums for drivers with a DUI

Farmers or Wawanesa: 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 hefty 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 Wawanesa for your next policy, but which one has more affordable prices for car insurance?

Looking at the national average rates for both carriers, Wawanesa has average rates that are around 50% a month less expensive than those from Farmers.

However, that doesn't mean Wawanesa will necessarily be more affordable than Farmers for every single driver. Auto insurance companies vary their premiums depending on things like where you live, how good your credit score is, how clean your driving record is, how old you are, and all sorts of other factors, so rates will change quite a bit from person to person.

Luckily, we've broken down average premiums from both Farmers and Wawanesa by a range of different rate factors, so read on to find out which carrier is the best for you.

Farmers vs. Wawanesa: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Farmers and Wawanesa only compete against each other in California, where Wawanesa offers the cheaper average rates. Wawanesa drivers tend to pay about $64 per month less on average compared to drivers who use Farmers for their insurance.

That being said, there's a lot more that goes into your auto insurance payment than just where you live. Continue reading to see how other variables will affect your rates.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers normally pay a lot more for car insurance than any other group of drivers. It's typically because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

That being said, that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high insurance prices. As you can see above, teens who use Wawanesa save over 70% a month compared to those who use Farmers. It's worth noting that Farmers offers car insurance in 25 different states compared to Wawanesa's one, which can skew the average rates a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

Even so, both carriers will drop premiums once you turn 25. Wawanesa offers the steepest reduction, with 25-year-olds paying a third less what 18-year-old drivers are charged. Farmers's average prices lower more than 70% during that same period.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Drivers around retirement age usually enjoy some of the lowest insurance premiums out there. After all, they've likely been driving for quite some time, which generally decreases their chances of collisions and other infractions that can raise rates.

But who has the best prices for retired drivers between Farmers and Wawanesa? Wawanesa gets the edge here, with average rates coming in at about $87 monthly compared to Farmers's $143.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

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

For single drivers, the difference in average premiums between these two companies is significant, with Wawanesa prices coming in at around half of Farmers's. The advantage for married couples with Wawanesa is also obvious, where drivers save about $65 per month.

Farmers or Wawanesa: 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 insurance men will generally end up paying a little more.

Women normally pay around 3% a month less than men with Farmers; everyone gets the same monthly premiums regardless of gender with Wawanesa.

Looking at the data for each company specifically, Wawanesa comes out as the cheapest option for both genders, with average rates $103 less for men and $96 cheaper for women.

Farmers vs. Wawanesa: 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 a bunch of different coverages that account for multiple different things. Some protect you and your car, while others only provide coverage for other people's property and health if you cause a collision.

The two most common policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (which covers the other party's property damage and injuries if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- collision and comprehensive -- in addition to what you get with a liability policy).

Looking specifically at state minimum limits for liability insurance, Wawanesa has the significant edge, with average monthly premiums coming in at $64. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Wawanesa again has the edge, with policies averaging about $144 per month to Farmers's $281.

Is Farmers or Wawanesa 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.

Speeding tickets and accidents will most likely raise your prices, but is Farmers or Wawanesa cheaper for drivers with less-than-perfect 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 around 21% after getting a speeding ticket. Wawanesa policyholders can expect a bit more drastic of an increase of about 30%.

But Wawanesa is generally the less expensive option for drivers both with clean records and with a ticket. With Wawanesa Insurance, drivers with a clean record can save around $88 a month and drivers with a speeding ticket can save about $101 per month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Farmers drivers who get in a collision can expect to see their rates increase by over $60, while those who have insurance through Wawanesa will see around a $40 increase.

At the end of the day, Wawanesa offers the lowest prices for drivers with an at-fault collision on their records, with average premiums coming in at $113 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. On average, Farmers will climb your rates about 27% after a DUI, while Wawanesa's average prices rise by more than 40%.

Wawanesa has the overall cheapest rates for drivers with a DUI on their records at $125 a month, but it's worth noting that Farmers's average rates come from 25 states compared to just one for Wawanesa, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact Farmers and Wawanesa Rates?

In many cases, your credit score can be used as one of the factors to determine your monthly car insurance premiums. Certain states and carriers do not allow for credit score to be used as an insurance factor, but it will come into play for lots of policyholders.

Insurance companies argue that those with poor credit scores are less likely to pay their bills on time every month, which raises the risk involved on their end, while the opposite is true for those with good credit.

Looking at Farmers and Wawanesa specifically, which company has the most affordable prices for drivers at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have great credit, Farmers Insurance will typically reward you. Improving your "good" credit score to an "excellent" one will usually save Farmers Insurance customers around 10%. undefined, on the other hand, doesn't have data available for credit scores, which means they most likely don't use credit to calculate your rates.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Having bad credit generally means you'll also see higher premiums with Farmers Insurance. If your credit score is in the "poor" range, at Farmers Insurance, you may pay about 20% more a month compared to those with "fair" scores (and even more compared to drivers with good or excellent scores). undefined, on the other hand, doesn't have data available for credit scores, which means drivers with bad credit could find better rates with undefined over Farmers Insurance.

Is Farmers or Wawanesa 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 pretty big impact on your monthly prices? Typically, those who drive less will end up with cheaper premiums since there's less of a chance of causing a collision and filing 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 pretty significant difference in monthly rates for Wawanesa, with drivers who put 6,000 miles on their car yearly paying around $13 less each month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles annually. Still, for drivers in both categories, Wawanesa is the less expensive carrier.

Farmers or Wawanesa: 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 big impact as well. Usually, those who live in urban areas will pay more than policyholders in rural areas because of the number of vehicles that are on the roads where they live.

Wawanesa tends to offer the lowest prices for drivers in all areas, regardless of if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

For drivers in urban ZIP codes, Wawanesa Insurance's average rates are about 55% less than Farmers Insurance. People who live in suburban areas pay around 44% less with Wawanesa compared to Farmers. Those in rural areas can expect to save about 44% with Wawanesa compared to Farmers.

Farmers vs. Wawanesa Discounts

No matter why you might be in the market for a new car insurance policy, you're always going to want to save as much money as you can. 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.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and compared all of the different discounts offered by Farmers and Wawanesa so that you can see which carrier can save you the most money each month.

Farmers knocks Wawanesa out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 28 different discounts to Wawanesa's two.

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

Wawanesa's discounts come through just two categories -- Good Driving and Mature Driver.

Final Thoughts: Is Farmers or Wawanesa Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average premiums for many of the variables car insurance carriers look at, and walked through the different discounts each carrier offers, too. But, when it comes down to it, which insurance company is the right one for you and your specific needs?

Wawanesa might be best for you if....

• You will be the only person on the auto insurance policy.
• You're looking for the best prices on liability only coverage.
• You live in a rural neighborhood.

Farmers might be best for you if...

• You have below-average credit.
• Your credit score is high.
• You're looking for the carrier with the most discounts.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between Farmers and Wawanesa and that you can now make a more informed decision when it comes to your 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 car insurance -- comparing quotes from a handful of companies, not just Farmers and Wawanesa. Luckily, sites like Compare.com make it easy for you to do just that. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get multiple free quotes from some of the best auto insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Farmers vs. Wawanesa FAQs

Is Farmers or Wawanesa cheaper?

Wawanesa is the more affordable of the two companies when looking at national average premiums, with policies averaging $104 per month with Wawanesa and $203 for Farmers. However, that doesn't mean Wawanesa will be the most affordable company for everyone, since there are a variety of different factors that come into play when it comes to your insurance cost.

Who is better, Farmers or Wawanesa?

Sadly, the answer truly is "it depends.". No single carrier is "better" for every policyholder -- it all comes down to what your unique auto insurance profile looks like. For example, Farmers is less expensive for drivers who have less-than-stellar credit scores, while Wawanesa offers more affordable rates for policyholders with an at-fault accident on their record.

Why do Farmers and Wawanesa offer me different rates?

Car insurance carriers use many different variables when determining the prices they charge. Things like gender, age, where you live, your driving record, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Farmers and Wawanesa calculate rates using different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different prices. The best way to determine which company is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from several different companies.

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

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