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

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for insurance, Farmers Union offers significantly more affordable rates than Metlife
• Farmers Union offers less expensive average prices for drivers with a DUI
• Metlife may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than Farmers Union Insurance

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

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

You might be considering Farmers Union or Metlife for your next policy, but which company will save you the most?

Looking at nationwide averages, Metlife is quite a bit more expensive than Farmers Union, with rates averaging $340 a month compared to just $189 with Farmers Union.

But that doesn't mean Farmers Union will necessarily be cheaper than Metlife for each driver. Car insurance carriers vary their prices depending on things like how good your credit score is, how clean your driving record is, how old you are, where you live, and all sorts of other factors, so premiums could vary drastically from person to person.

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

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

Farmers Union and Metlife compete against each other in four states, with Farmers Union offering more affordable prices to the average driver in all of them. Colorado has the most noticable difference, where Farmers Union premiums are $165 less expensive than insurance prices at Metlife.

There are plenty of other factors that go into your auto insurance payment than just your home state. Keep reading to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers generally pay a lot more for car insurance than any group out there on the road. Usually, 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.

That being said, that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high insurance premiums. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have Farmers Union for their auto insurance pay over 60% less than those who use Metlife.

However, with both companies, you'll see your rates drop significantly once you turn 25. For example, average premiums for Farmers Union policyholders reduce almost 55% and Metlife's rates lower more than 70% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

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

So, which carrier offers the best prices to retired drivers? Farmers Union gets the edge, with premiums for drivers 65 and older $57 cheaper than the national average for Metlife.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that auto insurance rates are usually more expensive for those who are single than they are for married couples? This usually boils down to married drivers having more than one vehicle on their policy -- something lots of insurance carriers will reward with discounts.

For single policyholders, the difference in average prices between these two companies is significant, with Farmers Union premiums coming in at around half of Metlife's. The advantage is also clear for married policyholders - Farmers Union offers the most affordable average rates.

Farmers Union or Metlife: 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 auto insurance men will typically end up paying a little more.

On average, women see premiums about 6% per month less with Farmers Union, and around 8% less with Metlife.

When it comes to the lowest prices for each gender, Farmers Union offers the most affordable average premiums for both men and women, with average prices $159 less for men and $142 cheaper for women.

Farmers Union vs. Metlife: 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, insurance isn't the easiest topic to understand. There are several 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 provides bodily injury and property damage coverage for other drivers and passengers if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which normally refers to having collision and comprehensive coverages in addition to what you get with liability).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability insurance, 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 about $271 a month to Metlife's $466.

Is Farmers Union or Metlife 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.

You'll probably end up paying more with speeding tickets and accidents on your record, but which of these two carriers offers the lowest premiums to drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Farmers Union for their auto insurance can generally expect their monthly bill to go up around 27% after getting a speeding ticket. Metlife policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of about 21%.

Even so, Farmers Union tends to offer the best prices for drivers both with clean records and with a ticket. With Farmers Union Insurance, drivers with a clean record can save around $82 per month and drivers with a speeding ticket can save about $91 a month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

After an accident, drivers who have their insurance through Farmers Union can expect to see around an $69 -- or about 33% -- rise in their car insurance prices. Drivers who use Metlife for their auto insurance will see a monthly bill around $148 (or 40%) more expensive after reporting a collision to their insurance company.

At the end of the day, the more affordable rates come from Farmers Union, with average premiums coming in at $207 compared to MetLife's $368.

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 car insurance bill. For example, Metlife increases average prices by more than $250 per month -- that's more than a 55% increase.

How does Credit Score Impact Farmers Union and Metlife Rates?

In many cases, your credit score can be used as one of the variables to determine your monthly auto insurance rates. Certain states and companies do not allow for credit score to be used as an insurance factor, but it might come into play for many drivers.

Car insurance carriers argue that someone with good credit is more likely to pay their bills on time, which makes them less risky to insure. Because of that, policyholders with good credit will often be rewarded with cheaper premiums.

Looking at Farmers Union and Metlife specifically, which one has the cheapest rates for drivers at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

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

How much you drive can have a big impact on your monthly prices. Typically, those who drive fewer miles will end up with less expensive premiums since there's less of a chance of causing an accident 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 Union charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly rates for Metlife, with policyholders who drive 6,000 miles yearly paying about $3 less every month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles each year. Still, for drivers in both categories, Farmers Union is the more affordable carrier.

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

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

When comparing these two companies side-by-side, Farmers Union usually comes out as the lowest option for drivers in all types of areas, no matter if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, Farmers Union Insurance's average prices are around $163 less than MetLife. People who live in suburban areas pay about $161 less with Farmers Union compared to Metlife. Those in rural areas can expect to save around $129 with Farmers Union compared to Metlife.

Farmers Union vs. Metlife 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, and the best way to do that is by taking advantage of as many insurance discounts as possible.

But where do you even start? With so many discounts out there, it may seem hard to find all the of the ones you qualify for.

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

Metlife knocks Farmers Union out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 36 different discounts to Farmers Union's 36.

Both carriers offer lots of the same discounts -- like discounts for being a defensive driver, farm discounts, discounts for being a good student, and discounts for insuring multiple cars with the same company -- but Metlife also offers discounts for AAA, ABS, academic, and more.

On the other hand, Farmers Union has a few proprietary discounts of their own like minor child discounts and paid in full discounts.

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

You've seen the effect certain factors have on your car insurance and the different discounts companies offer. That's all well and good, but when it comes down to it, is Farmers Union or Metlife the best carrier for you and your specific profile and needs?

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

• You have below-average credit.
• You want the most robust protection via a "full coverage" policy.
• You and your spouse are buying insurance together.

Metlife might be best for you if...

• You're planning on moving to another state soon -- undefined is only available in.
• You want to save extra money with discounts.

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

Farmers Union vs. Metlife FAQs

Is Farmers Union or Metlife cheaper?

Farmers Union is the cheaper of the two carriers when looking at national average rates, with policies averaging $189 a month with Farmers Union and $340 for Metlife. That being said, that doesn't mean Farmers Union will be the cheapest company for every driver, since there are a range of different variables (things like age, gender, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Farmers Union or Metlife?

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

Why do Farmers Union and Metlife offer me different rates?

Insurance companies use several different factors when determining the prices they charge. Things like your driving record, where you park your car, gender, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both Farmers Union and Metlife calculate premiums using different variables, so it's likely they'll offer different rates. The best way to determine which company is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from lots of different carriers.

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

The only way to find the auto insurance carrier that's right for you is by getting quotes from a handful of companies 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 information once and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top car insurance carriers for free. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the cheapest price. And maybe you'll find that the best company for you isn't Farmers Union or Metlife 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.