First American Property & Casualty vs. The Hartford: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for car insurance, First American Property & Casualty offers significantly less expensive rates than The Hartford
• First American Property & Casualty has more affordable prices for drivers who have received a ticket within the last few years
• The Hartford offers more discounts than First American Property & Casualty

First American Property & Casualty vs. The Hartford: 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 big discounts, you're probably wondering exactly how much you might be able to save.

You've maybe even narrowed your search down to First American Property & Casualty or The Hartford for your next policy, but which company will save you the most?

Looking at the national average rates for both companies, The Hartford is quite a bit more expensive than First American Property & Casualty, with premiums averaging $265 per month compared to just $167 with First American Property & Casualty.

That being said, that doesn't necessarily mean First American Property & Casualty will be the cheaper option for each driver. Insurance carriers use a ton of complex algorithms to calculate prices, so depending on where you live or how good your credit score is (among numerous other factors), you could see wildly different rates from the ones above.

Luckily, we've broken down average prices from both First American Property & Casualty and The Hartford by many different rate factors, so read on to find out which company is the best for you.

First American Property & Casualty or The Hartford: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Both First American Property & Casualty and The Hartford only offer auto insurance in California, so you'll see that the average figures here will mirror the ones we mentioned above. For California residents, First American Property & Casualty offers car insurance for $167 a month on average. The Hartford's average rates come out to be over 50% more expensive, at $265 monthly.

Typically, where you live will play a big role in how much you pay for auto insurance, but since both companies only do business in California, an array of other factors will come into play when you compare First American Property & Casualty and The Hartford. Read on to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers usually pay a lot more for car insurance than any group out there on the road. That's because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to get into an accident that results in an insurance claim, making them much riskier to insure.

But that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their insurance. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of more than $75 less a month by choosing First American Property & Casualty over The Hartford.

However, both companies will decrease premiums by the time you turn 25. The Hartford offers the steepest decrease, with 25-year-olds paying a third less what 18-year-old drivers are charged. That being said, First American Property & Casualty still has the cheapest prices at $155 per month.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Drivers around retirement age normally enjoy some of the lowest auto insurance premiums out there. After all, they've likely been driving for quite some time, which generally lowers their chances of accidents and other infractions that can increase rates.

So, which carrier offers the best prices to retired drivers? First American Property & Casualty gets the edge, with rates for drivers 65 and older over 35% more affordable than the national average for The Hartford.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but car insurance premiums tend to be cheaper for married couples than they are for single policyholders. That's because policies for married policyholders typically cover multiple cars, which several carriers will offer you a discount for.

When it comes to relationship status, First American Property & Casualty is the clear winner for those who are single, with rates about $100 per month less expensive than The Hartford, on average. For married drivers, the advantage is clear again - First American Property & Casualty has the edge when it comes to average premiums.

First American Property & Casualty vs. The Hartford: Average Rates by Gender

Men usually pay more for insurance than women. This is because men are statistically more likely than women to get pulled over for speeding or get into an accident, which leads to increased risk for insurers and, therefore, higher prices.

Men and women get the same monthly premiums with First American Property & Casualty; women and men end up paying same monthly prices with The Hartford.

Looking at the data for each company specifically, First American Property & Casualty offers the cheapest average rates for both men and women, with average premiums $98 less for men and $98 cheaper for women.

First American Property & Casualty or The Hartford: 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 auto insurance can be a complicated subject for most people. There are lots of different coverages that account for a variety of different things. Some protect you and your vehicle, while others only provide coverage for other people's property and health if you cause a collision.

The two most common policies that many drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability only (which covers the other party's property damage and injuries if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which generally refers to having comprehensive and collision coverages alongside liability).

If you're looking for state minimum liability limits, First American Property & Casualty typically offers significantly more affordable rates of $70 compared to The Hartford's $135. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, First American Property & Casualty again has the edge, with policies around $150 a month cheaper than The Hartford, on average.

Is First American Property & Casualty or The Hartford Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

It's no big secret that drivers who are accident-free get better deals on their 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 at-fault collisions lead to higher prices, but which carrier -- First American Property & Casualty or The Hartford -- has the lowest premiums for drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

First American Property & Casualty policyholders can expect their prices to go up an average of $26 per month if they get a ticket, while The Hartford normally raises rates about $71 a month, on average.

Even so, First American Property & Casualty tends to offer the best prices for drivers both with clean records and with a speeding ticket. Drivers with a clean record can save around $7 per month and drivers with a ticket can save about $52 a month with First American Property & Casualty.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

First American Property & Casualty drivers who get in a collision can expect to see their prices rise by just under 20%, while those who have insurance through The Hartford will see around a 50% increase.

Overall, the less expensive premiums come from First American Property & Casualty, with monthly rates averaging $145 compared to The Hartford's $262.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

On average, a DUI offense is going to cost you much more than a single accident or speeding ticket when it comes to your car insurance bill. For example, The Hartford increases average premiums by just under $350 per month -- that's just under a 75% increase.

If you have a DUI on your record and are looking for more affordable rates, First American Property & Casualty tends to be the much more affordable option with average prices of $256 monthly compared to $474 from The Hartford.

How does Credit Score Impact First American Property & Casualty and The Hartford Rates?

In many cases, your credit score can be used as one of the variables to determine your monthly insurance premiums. This isn't always the case (for example, California and Massachusetts are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it does affect lots of policyholders out there.

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

So, which company offers the most affordable prices for policyholders 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 First American Property & Casualty or The Hartford 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 how much auto insurance carriers will charge for coverage. That's because the fewer miles you put on your vehicle, the less likely you are to get into an accident and cause an insurance claim.

For both drivers who put 6,000 miles on their vehicles each year, as well as those who average twice that figure, First American Property & Casualty tends to be the less expensive option. The Hartford's average premiums for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in about 41% more expensive than First American Property & Casualty. Those who drive 12,000 miles yearly can expect to pay around 34% more with The Hartford over First American Property & Casualty.

First American Property & Casualty vs. The Hartford: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where your home is can play a pretty big role in how much you pay for insurance. Typically, drivers who live in less densely populated rural areas will pay quite a bit less than urban policyholders due to the small number of cars that are on the roads in those areas.

First American Property & Casualty tends to offer the most affordable rates for drivers in every type of area, no matter if it's urban, suburban, or rural.

Drivers in rural ZIP codes see the cheapest prices from both companies, but First American Property & Casualty comes out on top with average rates about $140 per month. First American Property & Casualty also has cheaper average premiums for policyholders in urban and suburban ZIP codes -- a 37% and 29% a month respective difference when compared to The Hartford drivers in similar areas.

First American Property & Casualty vs. The Hartford Discounts

Regardless of why you might be in the market for a new auto insurance policy, you're always going to want to save as much money as possible. That's where car insurance discounts comes into play.

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

In the section below, we've broken down all of the different discounts offered by both First American Property & Casualty and The Hartford so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

Overall, The Hartford comes out ahead with 13 discounts to First American Property & Casualty's 10.

Both carriers offer several of the same discounts -- like discounts for being a good driver, discounts for being a good student, and passive restraint discounts -- but The Hartford also offers ABS discounts, defensive driver discounts, employee discounts, and more that First American Property & Casualty does not.

On the flip side, First American Property & Casualty has a couple unique discounts of its own -- mature driver discounts and discounts for insuring multiple cars with the same company.

Final Thoughts: Is First American Property & Casualty or The Hartford Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average prices for many of the factors insurance companies look at, and walked through the different discounts each carrier offers, too. But, at the end of the day, is First American Property & Casualty or The Hartford the right carrier for you and your specific driver profile?

First American Property & Casualty might be best for you if....

• You have a DUI charge on your record.
• You're looking for more protection with "full coverage" car insurance.
• You are over 65 years old and want to save some money on your auto insurance.

The Hartford might be best for you if...

• You're looking for discounts -- The Hartford has the most.

We hope this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between First American Property & Casualty and The Hartford and that you can now make a more informed decision when it comes to your car 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 First American Property & Casualty and The Hartford. Luckily, sites like Compare.com make it easy for you to do just that. Simply enter your ZIP code below and get free quotes from dozens of the top insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

First American Property & Casualty vs. The Hartford FAQs

Is First American Property & Casualty or The Hartford cheaper?

Looking just at the national average premiums, First American Property & Casualty is the less expensive of the two carriers, offering average rates of $167 per month compared to $265 for The Hartford. But First American Property & Casualty won't necessarily be the lowest company for every driver, since there are a range of different variables (things like gender, age, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, First American Property & Casualty or The Hartford?

Sadly, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". No one carrier is necessarily "better" for each driver -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique auto insurance profile.

Why do First American Property & Casualty and The Hartford offer me different rates?

Insurance companies take a look at many different factors when calculating the rates they charge policyholders. Things like your driving record, gender, age, where you park your vehicle, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both First American Property & Casualty and The Hartford calculate prices using different variables, so each one will most likely offer different rates. The only real way to see which company is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from multiple different carriers.

How do I know if First American Property & Casualty or The Hartford is right for me?

The only way to find the car 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, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Just enter your area information and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best auto insurance carriers in your area. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the best premium. And who knows, the best company for you might not be First American Property & Casualty or The Hartford 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.