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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for auto insurance, Progressive offers significantly less expensive rates than Fremont
• Progressive has cheaper premiums for policyholders who haven't received any speeding tickets or been in a collision in the last few years
• Progressive offers more affordable average rates for policyholders whose driving record contains an at-fault collision

Fremont or Progressive: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

So, you're considering switching to a new insurance policy. With so many ads from all sorts of companies offering huge savings, you're probably wondering exactly how much you might be able to save.

You might have narrowed it down to Fremont or Progressive for your next policy, but between the two, which carrier will offer you cheaper premiums?

Looking at the national average rates for both carriers, Fremont is quite a bit more expensive than Progressive, with prices averaging $562 a month compared to just $180 with Progressive.

But that doesn't mean Progressive will necessarily be less expensive than Fremont for every driver. Car insurance companies vary their premiums depending on things like how old you are, how clean your driving record is, where you live, how good your credit score is, and all sorts of other factors, so prices will vary quite a bit from person to person.

Wanting to know if Fremont or Progressive is really the right company for you? Keep on reading to see how average rates can change based on all of the factors we've mentioned above.

Fremont vs. Progressive: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Fremont and Progressive only compete against each other in Michigan, where Progressive offers the cheaper average prices. Progressive drivers tend to pay about $345 per month less on average compared to drivers who use Fremont for their insurance.

But there's more to calculating auto insurance rates than just where you live. 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 other group of drivers out there on the road. It's typically because teen 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 Progressive for their insurance pay over 70% less than those who use Fremont.

That being said, both carriers will offer you dramatically lower rates once you turn 25. Progressive offers the steepest drop, with 25-year-olds paying less than a third of what 18-year-old drivers are charged. Fremont's average prices lower more than 70% during that same period.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Drivers around retirement age generally enjoy some of the cheapest auto insurance premiums you'll ever see. After all, they've likely been driving for quite some time, which normally lowers their chances of collisions and other infractions that can raise rates.

But who has the best prices for retired drivers between Fremont and Progressive? Progressive gets the edge, with premiums for drivers 65 and older almost 60% more affordable than the national average for Fremont.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Married drivers tend to get slightly cheaper car insurance rates than single drivers. That's because policies for married couples typically cover more than one vehicle, which several companies will give you a discount for.

For single policyholders, the difference in average premiums between these two carriers is significant, with Progressive prices coming in at around a third of Fremont's. For married policyholders, the advantage is clear again - Progressive has the edge when it comes to average rates.

Fremont or Progressive: Average Rates by Gender

Because women are less likely to get into collisions and get speeding tickets, they have a lower chance of filing a claim with insurance. So, insurance companies will tend to offer women more affordable prices.

Women and men end up paying same monthly premiums with Fremont, and about $5 more with Progressive.

Looking at overall affordability, Progressive comes out as the lowest option for both genders. On average, women save about $384 a month and men save around $379 with Progressive compared to the average Fremont policyholder.

Fremont 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.

It's no secret that auto insurance can be a complicated subject for most people. There are multiple different coverages that account for a range of different things. Some protect you and your car, while others only provide coverage for other people's property and health if you cause an accident.

The two most common policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability coverage (that covers bodily injury and property damage for other drivers and their passengers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes collision and comprehensive coverages that protect your own car, alongside what you get with a liability policy).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability limits, Progressive has the significant edge, with average monthly prices coming in at $111. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Progressive again has the edge, with policies averaging about $250 per month to Fremont's $790.

Is Fremont or Progressive 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.

You'll probably end up paying more with speeding tickets and accidents on your record, but which of these two carriers offers the most affordable premiums to drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Fremont for their car insurance can generally expect their monthly bill to go up around 38% after getting a speeding ticket. Progressive policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of about 17%.

Even so, Progressive has less expensive rates for drivers in both categories -- their rates are around 34% more affordable for drivers with clean records and 50% cheaper for those with a ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

After an accident, drivers who have their insurance through Fremont can expect to see around an $82 -- or about 27% -- rise in their auto insurance prices. Drivers who use Progressive for their insurance will see a monthly bill around $65 (or 30%) more expensive after reporting an accident to their auto insurance carrier.

At the end of the day, the more affordable rates come from Progressive, with average premiums coming in at $214 compared to Fremont Insurance's $307.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

If you get a DUI charge, you can expect some pretty significant increases in your monthly car insurance bill -- usually a lot more than a collision or ticket. On average, Fremont will increase your prices about 83% after a DUI, while Progressive's average premiums increase by more than 15%.

How does Credit Score Impact Fremont and Progressive Rates?

Often times, your credit score can come into play when companies determine your monthly bill. Certain states and carriers do not allow for credit score to be used as an insurance factor, but it might come into play for quite a few drivers.

Insurance companies argue that those with poor credit scores are less likely to pay their bills on time every month, which raises the risk involved on their end, while the opposite is true for those with good credit.

Looking at Fremont and Progressive specifically, which one has the cheapest rates for policyholders at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Is Fremont 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 car insurance payment. Normally, the more milage you drive, the more you can expect to pay for auto insurance.

In this case, neither Fremont or Progressive report increasing prices for drivers with higher annual mileage figures. Progressive comes out as the most affordable for drivers at both intervals, whether they put 6,000 or 12,000 miles on their vehicle annually, with average rates of $180 a month for both.

Fremont or Progressive: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you live can have a sizable impact on your monthly insurance cost. 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.

Progressive tends to offer the lowest premiums for drivers in all areas, regardless of if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

Those in rural areas can expect to save around 67% with Progressive compared to Fremont. People who live in suburban areas pay about 67% less with Progressive compared to Fremont. For drivers in urban ZIP codes, Progressive's average prices are around 70% less than Fremont Insurance.

Fremont vs. Progressive 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 utilizing as many insurance discounts as possible.

But where do you even start? With so many discounts out there, it may seem challenging to find all the of the ones you can take advantage of.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and compared all of the different discounts offered by Fremont 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 Fremont away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 20 more discounts than Fremont.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like anti-theft discounts, discounts for being a defensive driver, discounts for being a good driver, and discounts for insuring multiple cars with the same company. Progressive also offers discounts for advance quote, advanced safety feature, agency transfer, and more.

On the other hand, Fremont has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like garage discounts, premier risk discounts, and umbrella policy discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is Fremont or Progressive Best for You?

You've seen the role certain variables have on your car insurance and the different discounts carriers offer. That's all well and good, but at the end of the day, is Fremont or Progressive the right fit for you?

Progressive 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're of retirement age and want to take advantage of lower premiums.

Fremont might be best for you if...

• You have a more unique driver profile than those we mentioned above.

Hopefully, this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare Fremont and Progressive. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best 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 insurance -- comparing quotes from a handful of companies, not just Fremont and Progressive. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Simply 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.

Fremont vs. Progressive FAQs

Is Fremont or Progressive cheaper?

Progressive is the less expensive of the two companies when looking at national average rates, with policies averaging $180 per month with Progressive and $562 for Fremont. However, that doesn't mean Progressive will be the most affordable company for everyone, since there are a bunch of different factors (things like gender, age, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Fremont or Progressive?

Sadly, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". One carrier is not necessarily "better" for everyone -- it all boils down to your unique auto insurance profile.

Why do Fremont and Progressive offer me different rates?

Car insurance carriers use lots of different variables when determining the premiums they charge. Things such as gender, your driving record, age, where your home is, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both Fremont and Progressive calculate prices using different factors, so it's likely they'll offer different premiums. The best way to determine which company is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a variety of different companies.

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

The only way to find the auto insurance carrier 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 information once and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top insurance companies for free. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the best rate. And maybe you'll find that the best company for you isn't Fremont 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.