Farmers Mutual of Tennessee vs. Southern: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for car insurance, Farmers Mutual of Tennessee offers significantly less expensive rates than Southern
• Farmers Mutual of Tennessee offers more affordable premiums for people who are single and purchasing auto insurance by yourself
• Southern offers more discounts than Farmers Mutual of Tennessee

Farmers Mutual of Tennessee vs. Southern: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

So, you're considering switching your auto insurance. With so many ads from all sorts of companies offering large discounts, you're probably wondering exactly how much you might be able to save.

You might have narrowed your search down to Farmers Mutual of Tennessee or Southern, but which carrier will save you the most?

As you can see, Southern is quite a bit more expensive than Farmers Mutual of Tennessee, with prices averaging $322 per month compared to just $100 with Farmers Mutual of Tennessee when looking at the national average rates for insurance.

But that doesn't necessarily mean Farmers Mutual of Tennessee will be the more affordable option for every single driver. After all, car insurance companies can offer drastically different rates to each driver depending on rating factors like your credit score, your age, where you call home, or even your driving record (among other things), so premiums will vary quite a bit from person to person.

Luckily, we've broken down average rates from both Farmers Mutual of Tennessee and Southern by several different rate factors, so read on to find out which carrier is the best for you.

Farmers Mutual of Tennessee or Southern: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

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There are plenty of other factors that go into your car insurance cost than just the state you live in. Continue reading to see how other factors will affect your rates.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive insurance premiums of any group out there on the road. The reason is that young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to cause collisions and other accidents that will result in an insurance claim.

Even so, that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high car insurance prices. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of nearly $500 less a month by choosing Farmers Mutual of Tennessee over Southern.

However, both carriers will reduce premiums by the time drivers turn 25. Southern offers the steepest reduction, with 25-year-olds paying less than a third of what 18-year-old drivers are charged. That being said, Farmers Mutual of Tennessee still has the most affordable rates at $96 per month.

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 cheapest premiums you can find.

When looking at Farmers Mutual of Tennessee and Southern specifically, which company is best for retired drivers? Farmers Mutual of Tennessee gets the edge, with prices for drivers 65 and older $187 cheaper than the national average for Southern.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but insurance rates tend to be more expensive for single policyholders than they are for married policyholders. That's because policies for married couples usually cover more than one car, which a lot of companies will offer you a discount for.

When it comes to relationship status, Farmers Mutual of Tennessee is the clear winner for those who are single, with premiums about $263 per month less expensive than Southern, on average. The advantage is also clear for married drivers - Farmers Mutual of Tennessee offers the lowest average rates.

Farmers Mutual of Tennessee vs. Southern: Average Rates by Gender

Did you know men tend to pay more for auto insurance than women? This is because women are less likely to get into accidents and get tickets, which lowers the chances of an insurance claim.

Women typically pay more than 15% a month less than men with Farmers Mutual of Tennessee, and over 10% less with Southern when compared to their male counterparts.

Looking at overall affordability, Farmers Mutual of Tennessee comes out on top for both men and women, with average prices $232 less for men and $213 cheaper for women.

Farmers Mutual of Tennessee or Southern: 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.

Insurance isn't the easiest topic to understand. Everyone needs car insurance, but there are so many different coverages and terms that it can be hard to find the right policy.

The two most common policies that many drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability only (which provides bodily injury and property damage coverage for other drivers and their passengers if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which includes comprehensive and collision coverages that protect your own vehicle, in addition to what you get with liability coverage).

If you're looking for state minimum liability insurance, Farmers Mutual of Tennessee normally offers significantly cheaper rates of $44 compared to Southern's $192. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, Farmers Mutual of Tennessee again has the edge, with policies around $300 per month more affordable than Southern, on average.

Is Farmers Mutual of Tennessee or Southern Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

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

At-fault accidents and tickets will most likely raise your premiums, but is Farmers Mutual of Tennessee or Southern less expensive for drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Drivers with Farmers Mutual of Tennessee car insurance policies don't report seeing their prices increase after getting a ticket, but Southern policyholders can expect to see their monthly bill increase by about 7%.

That being said, Farmers Mutual of Tennessee has more affordable premiums for drivers in both categories. Drivers with a clean record can save around $130 a month with Farmers Mutual of Tennessee, and the same can be said for those with a ticket, too.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

After an accident, drivers who have their auto insurance through Farmers Mutual of Tennessee can expect to see about an $3 -- or around 3% -- increase in their car insurance prices. Drivers who use Southern for their insurance will see a monthly bill about $77 (or 26%) more expensive after reporting a collision to their auto insurance carrier.

Overall, the cheaper rates come from Farmers Mutual of Tennessee, with monthly prices averaging $89 compared to Southern Insurance Company of Virginia's $293.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

If you get a DUI charge on your record, it's probably going to cost you more than a simple speeding ticket or even an accident. On average, Southern will climb your rates around 61% after a DUI, while Farmers Mutual of Tennessee's average premiums climb by over 35%.

If you have a DUI on your record and are looking for more affordable rates, Farmers Mutual of Tennessee tends to be the much more affordable option with average prices of $137 a month compared to $548 from Southern.

How does Credit Score Impact Farmers Mutual of Tennessee and Southern Rates?

Did you know that many insurance carriers take your credit score into account when calculating premiums? This isn't always the case (for example, Hawaii and California are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it does affect quite a few policyholders out there.

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

So, which company offers the most affordable prices for policyholders with poor, average, or good credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Is Farmers Mutual of Tennessee or Southern Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a considerable impact on how much auto insurance carriers will charge for coverage. That's because the more miles you drive, the more likely you are to get into a collision and cause an insurance claim.

As you can see in the table above, annual mileage doesn't have much of an impact on how much Farmers Mutual of Tennessee charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly rates for Southern, with policyholders who drive the least paying about $30 less every month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles yearly. Still, Farmers Mutual of Tennessee is the less expensive option for drivers in both categories.

Farmers Mutual of Tennessee vs. Southern: 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 insurance, but the type of area you live in can have a sizable impact as well. Generally, 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 Mutual of Tennessee boasts the lowest average rates for drivers in all types of areas, no matter if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

In urban areas, Farmers Mutual of Tennessee's average premiums are around $276 less than Southern Insurance Company of Virginia. Drivers in suburban ZIP codes pay about $184 less with Farmers Mutual of Tennessee compared to Southern. If you live in a rural area, you can expect to save around $209 with Farmers Mutual of Tennessee compared to Southern.

Farmers Mutual of Tennessee vs. Southern 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, and the best way to do that is by utilizing as many insurance discounts as you can.

But with what seems like a million different discounts out there, it can be difficult to nail down the company that has the most discounts for your unique driver profile and to find all the discounts you qualify for.

In the section below, we've broken down all of the different discounts offered by both Farmers Mutual of Tennessee and Southern so that you can see which company offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

Southern knocks Farmers Mutual of Tennessee out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 20 different discounts to Farmers Mutual of Tennessee's 20.

Both companies offer quite a few of the same discounts -- like discounts for being a defensive driver, discounts for insuring multiple cars with the same company, and multi-policy discounts -- but Southern also offers ABS discounts, advance quote discounts, anti-theft discounts, and more that Farmers Mutual of Tennessee does not.

On the flip side, Farmers Mutual of Tennessee has a unique discount of its own -- a forgiveness discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is Farmers Mutual of Tennessee or Southern Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average prices for many of the variables car insurance carriers look at, and walked through the different discounts each carrier offers, too. That's all well and good, but at the end of the day, which insurance company is the best one for you and your specific needs?

Farmers Mutual of Tennessee might be best for you if....

• Your credit is less-than-stellar.
• You're married and plan to have both of your names on the vehicle's auto insurance policy.

Southern might be best for you if...

• You want to save extra money with discounts.

We hope this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare Farmers Mutual of Tennessee and Southern. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision about 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 auto insurance -- comparing quotes from a handful of companies, not just Farmers Mutual of Tennessee and Southern. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get free quotes from dozens of top car insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Farmers Mutual of Tennessee vs. Southern FAQs

Is Farmers Mutual of Tennessee or Southern cheaper?

Looking just at the national average rates, Farmers Mutual of Tennessee is the cheaper of the two companies, offering average rates of $100 per month compared to $322 for Southern. Even so, Farmers Mutual of Tennessee won't necessarily be the most affordable carrier for each driver, since there are a bunch of different factors that are considered when it comes to your insurance payment.

Who is better, Farmers Mutual of Tennessee or Southern?

Sadly, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". Neither company is "better" for every driver -- it all depends on what your unique car insurance profile looks like.

Why do Farmers Mutual of Tennessee and Southern offer me different rates?

Auto insurance carriers take a look at several different variables when determining the premiums they charge drivers. Factors like age, gender, your driving record, where your home is, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both Farmers Mutual of Tennessee and Southern calculate prices using different variables, so each one will most likely offer different premiums. The only real way to see which carrier is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from multiple different companies.

How do I know if Farmers Mutual of Tennessee or Southern is right for me?

The only way to find the insurance company 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 make it easy for you to do just that. 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 lowest price. And who knows, the best carrier for you might not be Farmers Mutual of Tennessee or Southern 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.