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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for insurance, North Star Mutual offers slightly cheaper premiums than Farmers Union
• Farmers Union tends to be a much less expensive option for couples purchasing auto insurance together
• North Star Mutual has more affordable rates for residents of rural areas

Farmers Union vs. North Star Mutual: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

Are you in the market for a new insurance policy? 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 it down to Farmers Union or North Star Mutual as your top options, but between the two, which company has cheaper prices for car insurance?

As you can see, North Star Mutual is about $9 per month less expensive than Farmers Union when looking at the national average rates for insurance.

However, North Star Mutual may not be the lowest or best option for every driver out there. Auto insurance companies vary their premiums depending on things like how clean your driving record is, how old you are, where you live, how good your credit score is, and a variety of other factors. So, at the end of the day, rates from each carrier will differ quite a bit from person to person.

Wanting to know if Farmers Union or North Star Mutual is really the right company for you? Keep on reading to see how average prices can change based on all of the factors we've mentioned above.

Farmers Union or North Star Mutual: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Farmers Union and North Star Mutual only compete against each other in one states, with North Star Mutual offering more affordable premiums to the average driver in all of them. Minnesota has the most noticable difference, where North Star Mutual prices are over 20% less expensive than insurance premiums at Farmers Union.

But there's more to calculating auto insurance rates than just where you call home. Read on to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- normally pay a lot for car insurance compared to older drivers. It's because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to cause collisions and other accidents that will result in an insurance claim.

But still, even with seemingly sky-high premiums, teen drivers can still find ways to save money. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have North Star Mutual for their auto insurance pay more than $40 less than those who use Farmers Union.

Even so, both carriers will offer you dramatically lower prices by the time you turn 25. North Star Mutual offers the steepest drop, with 25-year-olds paying less than half what 18-year-old drivers are charged. Farmers Union's average rates lower nearly 55% during that same period.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

When it comes to insurance, patience and experience pay off, with drivers around retirement age paying some of the most affordable prices you can find.

But who has the best premiums for retired drivers between Farmers Union and North Star Mutual? North Star Mutual gets the slight edge here, with average rates coming in at around $144 monthly compared to Farmers Union's $148. That being said, the difference is only about 5%, so other factors will likely come into play when determining which carrier has the cheapest prices for you.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

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

When it comes to relationship status, North Star Mutual is the winner for single policyholders, with premiums around $17 a month more affordable than Farmers Union, on average.

Farmers Union vs. North Star Mutual: Average Rates by Gender

Did you know women typically pay less for auto insurance than men? This is because men are statistically more likely than women to get into collisions and get speeding tickets, which leads to increased risk for insurers and, therefore, higher rates.

Typically, men see prices about 6% per month higher with Farmers Union, while with North Star Mutual, the difference is closer to 2% a month.

Looking at overall affordability, North Star Mutual comes out as the most affordable option for both genders, with average premiums $13 less for men and $6 cheaper for women.

Farmers Union or 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.

It's no secret that car insurance can be a complicated subject for most people. Everyone needs insurance, but there are so many different coverages and terms that it can be hard to find the right policy.

But the most common policies that many drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability only (which provides property damage and bodily injury coverage for other drivers and their passengers if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- comprehensive and collision -- alongside what you get with a liability policy).

In this case, North Star Mutual offers the lowest average prices for state minimum liability limits, while Farmers Union has the edge for full coverage policies with similar coverage limits. Drivers looking for basic state minimum coverage can save around $40 with North Star Mutual, while full coverage comes out to be around $25 cheaper with Farmers Union Insurance.

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

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

It's no secret secret that tickets and accidents lead to higher rates, but which company -- Farmers Union or North Star Mutual -- has the cheapest premiums for drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Farmers Union policyholders can expect their prices to go up an average of $50 per month if they get a ticket, while North Star Mutual usually raises rates about $44 a month, on average.

That being said, North Star Mutual is typically the more affordable option for both drivers who have clean records and those with a recent speeding ticket, offering premiums that are 27% and 23% less expensive, respectively, compared to Farmers Union Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Farmers Union policyholders who get in a collision can expect to see their rates increase by just under 35%, while those who have insurance through North Star Mutual will see around a 40% increase.

Overall, North Star Mutual offers the most affordable prices for drivers with an at-fault accident on their records, with monthly premiums averaging $174 compared to Farmers Union Insurance's $207.

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 an accident. On average, North Star Mutual will increase your rates about 66% after a DUI, while Farmers Union's average prices climb by just under 40%.

If you have a DUI on your record and are looking for more affordable premiums, Farmers Union tends to be the much cheaper option with average rates of $225 per month compared to $299 from North Star Mutual.

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

Often times, your credit score can come into play when carriers calculate your monthly bill. This isn't always the case (California, for example, has banned the use of credit score as a rating factor) but it will come into play for lots of drivers.

Auto 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, policyholders with bad credit will often be forced to pay more.

Looking at Farmers Union and North Star Mutual specifically, which carrier has the cheapest prices for drivers at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have a great credit score, you'll usually find a better deal with North Star Mutual. Policyholders with "excellent" credit can save 4% compared to Farmers Union, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- around $12 or 7% less expensive every month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

North Star Mutual typically offers lower premiums than Farmers Union when it comes to drivers with less-than-perfect credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about $11 per month less with North Star Mutual compared to Farmers Union, and those with "poor" scores normally save an average of around $9 a month.

Is Farmers Union or North Star Mutual 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 sizable impact on your monthly prices? Generally, those who drive fewer miles will end up with more affordable premiums since there's less of a chance of getting into a collision and causing an insurance claim.

In this case, neither Farmers Union or North Star Mutual report increasing rates for drivers with higher annual mileage figures. Even so, North Star Mutual comes out as the lowest for drivers at both intervals, whether they put 6,000 or 12,000 miles on their vehicle yearly, with average premiums of $180 a month for both.

Farmers Union vs. North Star Mutual: 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 car insurance, but the type of area you live in can have a pretty big impact as well. Usually, those who live in rural areas will pay less than drivers in urban areas because there are a lot fewer cars on the road in those areas, which lowers the chances of an accident.

North Star Mutual tends to offer the most affordable prices for drivers in all areas, regardless of if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

In urban areas, North Star Mutual's average premiums are about 8% less than Farmers Union Insurance. Drivers in suburban ZIP codes pay around 4% less with North Star Mutual compared to Farmers Union. If you live in a rural area, you can expect to save about 2% with North Star Mutual compared to Farmers Union.

Farmers Union vs. North Star Mutual Discounts

Regardless of why you might be in the market for a new insurance policy, you're always going to want to save as much money as possible, and the best way to do that is by taking advantage of as many auto insurance discounts as you can.

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 can take advantage of.

Below, we've taken a look at all of the different discounts Farmers Union and North Star Mutual offer their customers so that you can find the company that has the most discounts and, therefore, the biggest savings.

Overall, Farmers Union comes out ahead with 11 discounts to North Star Mutual's six.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like discounts for being a defensive driver, multi-policy discounts, and paid in full discounts. Farmers Union also offers distant student discounts, farm discounts, good driving discounts, and more that North Star Mutual does not.

On the flip side, North Star Mutual has a couple unique discounts of its own -- anti-theft discounts, family discounts, and passive restraint discounts.

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

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

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

• You've been pulled over for speeding recently.
• You want basic car insurance coverage at the state minimum limits.
• You have a short drive to work everyday.

Farmers Union might be best for you if...

• You want to save extra money with discounts.
• You're looking for more protection with "full coverage" auto insurance.
• You're married and plan to have both of your names on the vehicle's insurance policy.

We hope this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between Farmers Union and North Star Mutual. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision about your car insurance.

At the end of the day, the sure-fire 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 Union and North Star Mutual. Luckily, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code below and get free quotes from dozens of the top car insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Farmers Union vs. North Star Mutual FAQs

Is Farmers Union or North Star Mutual cheaper?

Looking just at the national average prices, North Star Mutual is the cheaper of the two companies, offering average rates of $180 per month compared to $189 for Farmers Union. Even so, North Star Mutual won't necessarily be the lowest company for each policyholder, since there are a variety of different factors that come into play when it comes to your insurance bill.

Who is better, Farmers Union or North Star Mutual?

Sadly, the answer truly is "it depends.". One carrier is not "better" for every driver -- it all depends on what your unique auto insurance profile looks like. For example, Farmers Union offers less expensive rates for drivers with a recent DUI, while North Star Mutual is cheaper for drivers with excellent credit.

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

Car insurance carriers take a look at quite a few different variables when calculating the premiums they charge policyholders. Factors like your driving record, where you live, age, gender, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Farmers Union and North Star Mutual calculate rates using different formulas, so each one will most likely offer different prices. The only real way to see which company is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a range of different companies.

How do I know if Farmers Union 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 a handful of 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 information once 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 cheapest price. And who knows, the best company for you might not be Farmers Union or North Star Mutual 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.