Farmers Mutual vs. North Star Mutual: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• In general, Farmers Mutual offers significantly more affordable prices than North Star Mutual
• Farmers Mutual offers more affordable premiums for policyholders who have a short commute
• Farmers Mutual offers cheaper average rates for policyholders who live in rural neighborhoods

Farmers Mutual or North Star Mutual: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

Are you considering a new insurance policy? You've probably seen commercials and billboards from companies offering considerable savings, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You might have narrowed your search down to Farmers Mutual or North Star Mutual, but which company will offer you less expensive prices?

Looking at the national average rates for both carriers, North Star Mutual is quite a bit more expensive than Farmers Mutual, with premiums averaging $180 a month compared to just $90 with Farmers Mutual.

But that doesn't necessarily mean Farmers Mutual will be the cheaper option for every single driver. Insurance companies vary their rates depending on things like how good your credit score is, where you live, how clean your driving record is, how old you are, and all sorts of other factors. So, at the end of the day, premiums from every carrier will differ quite a bit from person to person.

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

Farmers Mutual vs. North Star Mutual: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Farmers Mutual and North Star Mutual only compete against each other in two states, with Farmers Mutual offering less expensive rates to the average driver in all of them. South Dakota has the most noticable difference, where Farmers Mutual prices are $107 more affordable than car insurance premiums at North Star Mutual.

There's a lot more that goes into your insurance bill than just where you live. Continue reading to learn more about how other variables will affect your rates.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

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

Even so, that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high insurance prices. As you can see above, teens who use Farmers Mutual save almost 45% per month compared to those who use North Star Mutual.

However, both carriers will drop rates by the time drivers turn 25. For example, average premiums for Farmers Mutual policyholders lower around $95 and North Star Mutual's prices reduce over $150 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

When it comes to car insurance, patience and experience pay off, with drivers around retirement age paying some of the lowest premiums you'll ever find.

But who has the best rates for retired drivers between Farmers Mutual and North Star Mutual? Farmers Mutual gets the edge, with prices for drivers 65 and older nearly 60% cheaper than the national average for North Star Mutual.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that auto insurance rates are generally more expensive for single drivers than they are for married drivers? This usually boils down to married policyholders having more than one vehicle on their policy -- something a lot of insurance companies will reward with discounts.

For single policyholders, the difference in average premiums between these two carriers is significant, with Farmers Mutual rates coming in at about half of North Star Mutual's. The advantage is also clear for married couples - Farmers Mutual offers the cheapest average prices.

Farmers Mutual or North Star Mutual: Average Rates by Gender

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

Men typically pay around $10 a month more than women with Farmers Mutual, and about $4 more with North Star Mutual.

Looking at the data for each carrier specifically, Farmers Mutual comes out as the lowest option for both genders, with average premiums $88 less for men and $92 cheaper for women.

Farmers Mutual vs. North Star Mutual: 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, car insurance isn't the easiest topic to understand. There are many different coverages that account for a bunch of 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 provides property damage and bodily injury coverage for other drivers if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- collision and comprehensive -- alongside liability).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability limits, Farmers Mutual has the significant edge, with average monthly prices coming in at $32. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Farmers Mutual again has the edge, with policies averaging around $147 per month to North Star Mutual's $295.

Is Farmers Mutual or North Star Mutual Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

It's no secret -- drivers with good records end up getting the best deals on their 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 speeding tickets and accidents on your record, but which of these two companies offers the cheapest premiums to drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Farmers Mutual for their car insurance can generally expect their monthly bill to go up about 8% after getting a speeding ticket. North Star Mutual policyholders can expect a bit more drastic of an increase of around 30%.

That being said, Farmers Mutual has less expensive rates for drivers in both categories, offering prices that are 31% and 48% more affordable, respectively, compared to North Star Mutual.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both carriers will raise premiums pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault collision with North Star Mutual increasing by about 42%. Farmers Mutual has a less extreme increase, but you can still expect to pay nearly 20% more than you were prior to your first accident.

At the end of the day, the cheaper rates come from Farmers Mutual, with average premiums coming in at $86 compared to North Star Mutual's $174.

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 ticket or even a collision. North Star Mutual drivers usually see a 66% climb in their auto insurance rates after a DUI charge, while Farmers Mutual will normally increase prices by around 45%.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable rates, Farmers Mutual tends to be more affordable for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at about $128 to North Star Mutual's $299.

How does Credit Score Impact Farmers Mutual and North Star Mutual Rates?

In many cases, your credit score can come into play when companies determine your monthly bill. Certain states and carriers do not allow for credit score to be used as a car insurance factor, but it does affect many drivers out there.

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

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

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Is Farmers Mutual or North Star Mutual Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a pretty big impact on your monthly insurance payment. Typically, those who drive fewer miles will end up with less expensive rates since there's less of a chance of causing an accident and filing an insurance claim.

In this case, neither Farmers Mutual or North Star Mutual report increasing prices for drivers with higher annual mileage figures. That being said, Farmers Mutual comes out as the cheapest for drivers at both intervals, whether they put 6,000 or 12,000 miles on their car annually, with average premiums of $90 a month for both.

Farmers Mutual or North Star Mutual: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you park your vehicle can play a large role in how much you pay for auto insurance. Generally, if you live in an urban area with more cars on the road, you'll pay a little more for insurance, while the opposite is true for people in rural areas.

When comparing these two carriers side-by-side, Farmers Mutual normally comes out as the most affordable option for drivers in every type of area, no matter if it's urban, suburban, or rural.

For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, Farmers Mutual's average rates are around 55% less than North Star Mutual. People who live in suburban areas pay about 47% less with Farmers Mutual compared to North Star Mutual. Those in rural areas can expect to save around 46% with Farmers Mutual compared to North Star Mutual.

Farmers Mutual vs. North Star Mutual Discounts

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

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

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and broke down all of the different discounts offered by both Farmers Mutual and North Star Mutual so that you can find the one that has the most discounts and, therefore, the largest savings.

Overall, Farmers Mutual comes out ahead with seven discounts to North Star Mutual's six.

There are a couple discounts both companies offer, but Farmers Mutual also offers discounts for driver training, good student, multi-car, and more.

On the other hand, North Star Mutual has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like anti-theft discounts, defensive driver discounts, and family discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is Farmers Mutual or North Star Mutual Best for You?

You've seen the effect certain factors have on your car insurance and the different discounts carriers offer. But, at the end of the day, which carrier is the best carrier for you and your specific needs?

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

• You will be the only person on the insurance policy.
• You live in an suburban area.
• You are purchasing your auto insurance with a spouse.

North Star Mutual might be best for you if...

• You have a more unique driver profile than those we mentioned above.

Hopefully, this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare Farmers Mutual and North Star Mutual and that you can now make a more informed decision when it comes to your car insurance.

At the end of the day, the best way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your auto insurance policy is to compare quotes from several companies, not just Farmers Mutual and North Star Mutual. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. 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 Mutual vs. North Star Mutual FAQs

Is Farmers Mutual or North Star Mutual cheaper?

Farmers Mutual is the cheaper of the two companies when looking at national average premiums, with policies averaging $90 per month with Farmers Mutual and $180 for North Star Mutual. Even so, that doesn't mean Farmers Mutual will be the lowest company for each policyholder, since there are several different variables (things like age, driving record, gender, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Farmers Mutual or North Star Mutual?

Sadly, the answer truly is "it depends.". No single carrier is "better" for every policyholder -- it all comes down to what your unique insurance profile looks like.

Why do Farmers Mutual and North Star Mutual offer me different rates?

Car insurance carriers use lots of different factors when determining the prices they charge. Things like your driving record, age, where your home is, gender, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both Farmers Mutual and North Star Mutual use different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different rates. The best way to determine which company is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a range of different companies.

How do I know if Farmers Mutual or North Star Mutual is right for me?

The only way to find the 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, sites like Compare.com make it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your area information and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top auto insurance companies for free. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the best price. And maybe you'll find that the best company for you isn't Farmers Mutual or North Star Mutual 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.