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

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for insurance, Progressive offers slightly cheaper premiums than Farmers Union
• Farmers Union offers more affordable prices for single people who will be the only person on the auto insurance policy
• Progressive has more affordable premiums for policyholders who live in urban areas

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

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

You might have narrowed your search down to Farmers Union or Progressive, but between the two, which carrier will save you the most?

As you can see, Farmers Union is around $9 more a month than Progressive when looking at the national average rates for car insurance.

But that doesn't necessarily mean Progressive will be the less expensive option for each driver. After all, insurance carriers can offer drastically different rates to every driver depending on rating factors like where you call home, your driving record, your age, or even your credit score (among other things). So, at the end of the day, prices from each carrier will differ quite a bit from person to person.

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

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

Farmers Union and Progressive only compete against each other in three states, with Progressive offering more affordable prices to the average driver in all of them. Kansas has the most noticable difference, where Progressive rates are $18 less expensive than auto insurance premiums at Farmers Union.

There are plenty of other factors that go into your car insurance bill than just the state you live in. Read on to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive insurance prices of any group out there on the road. It's because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into an accident that results in an insurance claim, making them much riskier to insure.

That being said, that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their car insurance. As you can see above, teens who use Farmers Union save over 15% per month compared to those who use Progressive.

However, both companies will offer you dramatically lower premiums by the time drivers turn 25. For example, average rates for Farmers Union policyholders drop almost 55% and Progressive's prices lower nearly 70% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Once you approach retirement age, you'll usually enjoy the lowest insurance premiums you'll ever see. You've been on the road for years, and all that experience pays off when it comes to your monthly rates for auto insurance.

But who has the best premiums for retired drivers between Farmers Union and Progressive? Progressive gets the edge, with rates for drivers 65 and older more than 10% cheaper than the national average for Farmers Union.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Married policyholders tend to get slightly less expensive car insurance prices than single policyholders. That's typically because married couples tend to own and insure more than one vehicle, which can often earn you a discount.

For those who are single, the difference in average premiums between these two carriers is not very significant, with Farmers Union rates coming in at about 2% less than Progressive's. But for married drivers, the advantage is clear - Progressive offers the most affordable average prices.

Farmers Union or Progressive: Average Rates by Gender

Because women are less likely to get speeding tickets and get into collisions, they have a lower chance of filing a claim with insurance. So, insurance companies will often charge women less than men.

Women normally pay around $10 a month less than men with Farmers Union, and about $5 cheaper with Progressive when compared to their male counterparts.

Looking at the data for each carrier specifically, Progressive comes out on top for both men and women. On average, women save about $6 per month and men save around $12 with Progressive compared to the average Farmers Union policyholder.

Farmers Union vs. Progressive: 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.

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

Even so, most policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (that covers bodily injury and property damage for other drivers and their passengers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which generally refers to having collision and comprehensive coverages alongside what you get with a liability policy).

When it comes to state minimum liability limits, Farmers Union has the edge, while Progressive offers the cheapest average premiums for full coverage policies with similar coverage limits. Policyholders looking for basic state minimum coverage can save around $4 with Farmers Union Insurance, while full coverage comes out to be about $20 cheaper with Progressive.

Is Farmers Union or Progressive 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 collisions and speeding tickets on your record, but which of these two carriers offers the lowest rates to drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Drivers who use Farmers Union for their auto insurance can typically expect their monthly bill to go up around 27% after getting a speeding ticket. Progressive policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of about 17%.

If you have gotten a ticket, Progressive tends to offer the best prices at around 4% more affordable, while Farmers Union has the edge for drivers with a clean record.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Farmers Union policyholders who get in an accident can expect to see their rates increase by just under $70, while those who have insurance through Progressive will see about a $65 increase.

At the end of the day, Farmers Union offers the most affordable prices for drivers with an at-fault collision on their records, with average premiums coming in at $207 compared to Progressive's $214.

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 a collision. Farmers Union drivers usually see a 39% raise in their insurance rates after a DUI charge, while Progressive will normally climb premiums by around 16%.

How does Credit Score Impact Farmers Union and Progressive Rates?

You may not have known, but your credit score can come into play when companies determine your monthly bill. This isn't true for everyone (for example, Hawaii and California are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it might come into play for many drivers.

Auto insurance carriers 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 Progressive specifically, which company has the best prices 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 Progressive Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

The amount of time you spend behind the wheel of your car plays a big role in your monthly insurance payment. Usually, the more milage you put on your car each year, the more you can expect to pay for coverage.

In this case, neither Farmers Union or Progressive report increasing rates for drivers with higher annual mileage figures. Still, Progressive 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 or Progressive: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

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

Looking at these companies side-by-side, Progressive typically comes out as the less expensive option for drivers in rural and urban areas, while Farmers Union wins in suburban areas.

If you live in a rural area, you can expect to pay about $154 per month with Progressive and $170 with Farmers Union. People in suburban areas pay a monthly premium of around $172 with Farmers Union compared to $179 with Progressive. For drivers in urban ZIP codes, Progressive's average premiums are about $207 while Farmers Union offers prices around $226.

Farmers Union vs. Progressive 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 car insurance discounts as possible.

But with what seems like a million different discounts out there, it can be hard to find all the ones you can take advantage of or to nail down the carrier that has the most discounts for your unique driver profile.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and broke down all of the different discounts offered by both Farmers Union and Progressive so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

Progressive blows Farmers Union away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 34 different discounts to Farmers Union's 11.

Both carriers offer several of the same discounts -- like distant student discounts, discounts for being a good student, group discounts, and discounts for insuring multiple cars with the same company -- but Progressive also offers discounts for ABS, advance quote, advanced safety feature, and more.

On the other hand, Farmers Union has a proprietary discount of their own -- a farm discounts.

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

So, you've seen how different variables can affect your auto insurance rates. We've shown you all the discounts each company offers, too. But, when it comes down to it, is Farmers Union or Progressive the right one for you and your specific profile and needs?

Progressive might be best for you if....

• You're worried about the impact your credit score will have on your prices.
• You want to save extra money with discounts.
• Your neighborhood is in a rural area.

Farmers Union might be best for you if...

• You will be the only person on the insurance policy.
• You're looking for the best rates on liability only coverage.
• You want to save money while purchasing auto insurance for a teenager.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between Farmers Union and Progressive. 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 best way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your insurance policy is to compare quotes from several companies, not just Farmers Union and Progressive. 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 auto insurance carriers in your area, all for free.

Farmers Union vs. Progressive FAQs

Is Farmers Union or Progressive cheaper?

Progressive is the more affordable of the two companies when looking at national average premiums, with policies averaging $180 per month with Progressive and $189 for Farmers Union. That being said, that doesn't mean Progressive will be the cheapest carrier for every driver, since there are a range of different factors (things like age, driving record, gender, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Farmers Union or Progressive?

Unfortunately, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". No one company is necessarily "better" for everyone -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique car insurance profile. For example, Progressive is cheaper for drivers who have already retired, while Farmers Union offers less expensive prices for single policyholders.

Why do Farmers Union and Progressive offer me different rates?

Auto insurance carriers use quite a few different variables when determining the premiums they charge. Things such as age, where you call home, your driving record, gender, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both Farmers Union and Progressive calculate rates differently, so it's likely they'll offer different prices. The best way to determine which carrier is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a variety of different companies.

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

The only way to find the car insurance company 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 do all the hard work for you. Just enter your area information and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top insurance companies for free. With those, 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 Progressive 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.