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

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for car insurance, Farmers Union offers significantly less expensive prices than Memberselect
• Farmers Union offers more affordable premiums for single people who will be the only person on the auto insurance policy
• Memberselect may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than Farmers Union Insurance

Farmers Union or Memberselect: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

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

You might have narrowed your search down to Farmers Union or Memberselect as your top options, but which company will offer you more affordable prices?

Looking at the national average rates for both carriers, Farmers Union is quite a bit cheaper than Memberselect, with rates averaging $189 a month compared to $274 with Memberselect.

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

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

Farmers Union vs. Memberselect: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Farmers Union and Memberselect only compete against each other in Minnesota, where Farmers Union offers the cheaper average prices. Farmers Union drivers tend to pay about $34 per month less on average compared to drivers who use Memberselect for their insurance.

That being said, there's a lot more that goes into your auto insurance cost than just your home state. Keep reading to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- normally pay a lot for insurance compared to older drivers. Usually, that's because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

However, that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high auto insurance premiums. As you can see above, teens who use Farmers Union save 15% a month compared to those who use Memberselect.

That being said, both carriers will decrease rates by the time drivers turn 25. For example, average prices for Farmers Union policyholders reduce almost 55% and Memberselect's premiums drop nearly 40% 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 cheapest prices you'll ever find.

But who has the best premiums for retired drivers between Farmers Union and Memberselect? Farmers Union gets the edge here, with average rates coming in at around $148 per month compared to Memberselect's $238.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that auto insurance premiums are generally more affordable for married policyholders than they are for those who are single? This usually boils down to married drivers having more than one vehicle on their policy -- something lots of car insurance companies will reward with discounts.

For single drivers, the difference in average prices between these two carriers is significant, with Farmers Union rates coming in at about 30% less than Memberselect's. For married couples, the advantage is clear again - Farmers Union has the edge when it comes to average prices.

Farmers Union or Memberselect: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get into accidents and get tickets. That means when it comes to insurance men will typically end up paying a little more.

Women generally pay around $10 per month less than men with Farmers Union, and over $10 with Memberselect.

Looking at the data for each carrier specifically, Farmers Union comes out on top for both men and women. On average, male drivers save about $85 a month and women save about $85 with Farmers Union compared to the average Memberselect policyholder.

Farmers Union vs. Memberselect: 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 car insurance can be a complicated subject for most people. There are so many different limits and coverages 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 property damage and bodily injury for other drivers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- collision and comprehensive -- in addition to what you get with liability).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability limits, Farmers Union has the significant edge, with average monthly rates coming in at $107. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Farmers Union again has the edge, with policies averaging around $271 per month to Memberselect's $366.

Is Farmers Union or Memberselect 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.

It's no secret secret that speeding tickets and collisions lead to higher premiums, but which company -- Farmers Union or Memberselect -- has the most affordable prices for drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Farmers Union for their auto insurance can typically expect their monthly bill to go up about 27% after getting a speeding ticket. Memberselect policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of around 24%.

That being said, Farmers Union has cheaper rates for drivers in both categories, offering premiums that are 23% and 21% more affordable, respectively, compared to MemberSelect Insurance Company.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Farmers Union drivers who get in an accident can expect to see their prices climb by just under 35%, while those who have insurance through Memberselect will see about a 15% increase.

At the end of the day, the less expensive rates come from Farmers Union, with average premiums coming in at $207 compared to MemberSelect Insurance Company's $216.

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 ticket when it comes to your insurance bill. Memberselect drivers usually see a 62% increase in their car insurance rates after a DUI charge, while Farmers Union will usually climb prices by around 39%.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable premiums, Farmers Union tends to be cheaper for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at about $225 to Memberselect's $466.

How does Credit Score Impact Farmers Union and Memberselect Rates?

You may not realized it, but your credit score can be used as one of the variables to determine your monthly auto insurance prices. This isn't true for everyone (Massachusetts, for example, has banned the use of credit score as an insurance factor) but it does affect many 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 carrier offers the best premiums for policyholders with poor, average, or good credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have solid credit, Farmers Union will normally reward you the most. For drivers with "excellent" credit scores, Farmers Union comes in nearly 24.19 less expensive. Drivers with "good" credit scores typically save around 24% with Farmers Union compared to average rates from Memberselect.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Farmers Union typically offers lower premiums than Memberselect when it comes to drivers with bad credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about 28% a month less with Farmers Union compared to Memberselect, and those with "poor" scores generally save an average of around 39% monthly.

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

How much you drive can have a big impact on your monthly rates. Normally, the more milage you put on your car, the more you can expect to pay for coverage.

As you can see in the table above, annual mileage doesn't have much of an impact on how much Farmers Union charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly prices for Memberselect, with policyholders who drive the least paying about $12 less each month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles annually. Still, for drivers in both categories, Farmers Union is the cheaper company.

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

Where you call home can have a substantial impact on your monthly insurance bill. Usually, those who live in rural areas will pay less than policyholders in urban areas due to the small number of vehicles that are on the roads where they live.

Farmers Union tends to offer the most affordable premiums for drivers in every type of area, no matter if it's urban, suburban, or rural.

Those in rural areas can expect to save around 25% with Farmers Union compared to Memberselect. People who live in suburban areas pay about 43% less with Farmers Union compared to Memberselect. For drivers in urban ZIP codes, Farmers Union Insurance's average prices are around 23% less than MemberSelect Insurance Company.

Farmers Union vs. Memberselect Discounts

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

But with what seems like a million different discounts out there, it can be challenging to find all the ones you're eligible for or to nail down the company that has the most discounts for your unique driver profile.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and compared all of the different discounts offered by Farmers Union and Memberselect so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and, therefore, the largest savings.

Overall, Memberselect comes out ahead with 13 discounts to Farmers Union's 11.

There are a couple discounts both carriers offer, but Memberselect also offers discounts for AAA, advance quote, anti-theft, and more.

On the other hand, Farmers Union has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like farm discounts, homeowner discounts, minor child discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Farmers Union or Memberselect Best for You?

You've seen the effect certain factors have on your car insurance and the different discounts companies offer. But, when it comes down to it, which insurance carrier is the best carrier for you and your specific driver profile?

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

• Your driving record includes a DUI charge.
• You're looking for the best rates on liability only coverage.
• You drive fewer than 6,000 miles yearly.

Memberselect might be best for you if...

• You're looking for the company with the most discounts.

Hopefully, this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare Farmers Union and Memberselect. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best 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 auto insurance -- comparing quotes from multiple carriers, not just Farmers Union and Memberselect. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your ZIP code below and get multiple quotes from some of the best insurance companies in your area, all for free.

Farmers Union vs. Memberselect FAQs

Is Farmers Union or Memberselect cheaper?

Farmers Union is the more affordable of the two carriers when looking at national average premiums, with policies averaging $189 per month with Farmers Union and $274 for Memberselect. But that doesn't mean Farmers Union will be the lowest carrier for everyone, 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 Union or Memberselect?

Sadly, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". No one company is "better" for everyone -- it all boils down to your unique auto insurance profile.

Why do Farmers Union and Memberselect offer me different rates?

Car insurance companies use a lot of different factors when determining the rates they charge. Things such as age, your driving record, gender, where you park your car, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Farmers Union and Memberselect calculate prices using different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different premiums. The best way to determine which carrier is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a bunch of different carriers.

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

The only way to find the auto 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 area information and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top insurance carriers for free. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the best rate. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't Farmers Union or Memberselect 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.