Gainsco vs. General Casualty: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• In general, General Casualty offers significantly cheaper prices than Gainsco
• General Casualty tends to be a much less expensive option for single people who will be the only person on the auto insurance policy
• General Casualty has more affordable premiums for policyholders who don't have any speeding tickets, DUIs, or at-fault collisions on their record

Gainsco or General Casualty: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

So, you're thinking about switching to a new insurance policy. After all, you've seen ads from all sorts of companies offering huge savings. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You've maybe even narrowed it down to Gainsco or General Casualty as potential options, but which company will save you the most?

As you can see, Gainsco has average rates that are around 30% a month more expensive than those from General Casualty when looking at the national average rates for insurance.

Even so, General Casualty may not be the most affordable or best option for every driver out there. Auto insurance carriers vary their rates depending on things like how good your credit score is, where you live, how old you are, how clean your driving record is, and all sorts of other factors, so premiums will change quite a bit from person to person.

So, if you want to find out which of Gainsco or General Casualty is really the best for you, keep reading to see average prices for each carrier broken down by a variety of different rate factors.

Gainsco vs. General Casualty: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Gainsco and General Casualty only compete against each other in Arizona, where General Casualty offers the cheaper average premiums. General Casualty drivers tend to pay about $53 per month less on average compared to drivers who use Gainsco for their insurance.

That being said, there are plenty of other factors that go into your car insurance payment than just the state you live in. Read on to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive insurance rates of any group out there on the road. The reason is that teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into an accident that results in an auto 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 General Casualty save almost 40% a month compared to those who use Gainsco.

However, both companies will offer you dramatically lower prices once you turn 25. For example, average premiums for Gainsco policyholders reduce about $300 and General Casualty's rates lower around $150 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

When it comes to auto insurance, patience and experience pay off, with drivers around retirement age paying some of the lowest prices out there.

When looking at Gainsco and General Casualty specifically, which company is best for retired drivers? General Casualty gets the edge here, with average rates coming in at about $124 a month compared to Gainsco's $158.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Married policyholders tend to get slightly cheaper car insurance prices than those who are single. This usually boils down to married drivers having more than one vehicle on their policy -- something several insurance carriers will reward with discounts.

For single drivers, the difference in average premiums between these two companies is significant, with General Casualty rates coming in at a third less than Gainsco's. The advantage for married couples with General Casualty is also obvious, where drivers save nearly 30% per month.

Gainsco or General Casualty: Average Rates by Gender

You may not know, but auto insurance is typically cheaper for women than it is for men. This is because men are statistically more likely than women to get into a collision or get pulled over for speeding, which leads to increased risk for insurers and, therefore, higher premiums.

With Gainsco, men normally pay around 7% more a month than women., but with General Casualty, the difference is closer to 10% per month.

Looking at the data for each carrier specifically, General Casualty comes out on top for both men and women. On average, women save about $66 a month and men save about $66 with General Casualty compared to the average Gainsco policyholder.

Gainsco vs. General Casualty: 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, car insurance isn't the easiest topic to understand. There are several 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.

But most policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (that covers bodily injury and property damage for other drivers and 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, General Casualty has the significant edge, with average monthly prices coming in at $82. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, General Casualty again has the edge, with policies averaging around $195 per month to Gainsco's $285.

Is Gainsco or General Casualty Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from insurance carriers offering great rates for good drivers, but that doesn't mean people with less-than-perfect driving records can't save money, too.

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

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Gainsco for their auto insurance can generally expect their monthly bill to go up about 9% after getting a speeding ticket. General Casualty policyholders can expect a bit more drastic of an increase of around 32%.

However, General Casualty tends to offer the best prices for drivers both with a ticket and with a clean record. With General Casualty, drivers with a clean record can save about $95 a month and drivers with a speeding ticket can save around $70 per month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Gainsco drivers who get in an accident can expect to see their prices increase by just under 20%, while those who have insurance through General Casualty will see about a 40% increase.

At the end of the day, drivers who use General Casualty end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with average premiums coming in at $146 compared to GAINSCO's $227.

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. General Casualty drivers usually see a 52% increase in their auto insurance prices after a DUI charge, while Gainsco will generally climb rates by around 9%.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable prices, General Casualty tends to be more affordable for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at about $186 to Gainsco's $203.

How does Credit Score Impact Gainsco and General Casualty Rates?

Often times, your credit score can be used as one of the variables to determine your monthly insurance rates. Certain states and carriers do not allow for credit score to be used as an insurance factor, but it does affect many policyholders out there.

Auto insurance companies 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, drivers with good credit will often be rewarded with less expensive premiums.

So, which company offers the lowest rates for policyholders with poor, average, or good credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have a solid credit score, General Casualty will typically reward you the most. For drivers with "excellent" credit scores, General Casualty comes in nearly 49.76 cheaper. Drivers with "good" credit scores normally save around 42% with General Casualty compared to average prices from Gainsco.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

General Casualty typically offers lower premiums than Gainsco when it comes to drivers with less-than-stellar credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about 32% a month less with General Casualty compared to Gainsco, and those with "poor" scores usually save an average of around 5% per month.

Is Gainsco or General Casualty 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 substantial impact on your monthly car insurance cost? Normally, the more milage you drive, the more you can expect to pay for coverage.

In this case, neither Gainsco or General Casualty report increasing rates for drivers with higher annual mileage figures. Even so, General Casualty comes out as the most affordable for drivers at both intervals, whether they put 6,000 or 12,000 miles on their vehicle yearly, with average prices of $139 per month for both.

Gainsco or General Casualty: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you park your car can have a sizable impact on your monthly insurance bill. Usually, those who live in urban areas will pay more than policyholders in rural areas due to the number of vehicles that are on the roads where they live.

General Casualty boasts the cheapest average premiums for drivers in every type of area, no matter if it's urban, suburban, or rural.

For drivers in urban ZIP codes, General Casualty's average rates are about 49% less than GAINSCO. People who live in suburban areas pay around 26% less with General Casualty compared to Gainsco. Those in rural areas can expect to save about 4% with General Casualty compared to Gainsco.

Gainsco vs. General Casualty Discounts

You want to save as much money as you can, right? The best way to do that is by utilizing as many auto 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 looked at all of the different discounts Gainsco and General Casualty offer their customers so that you can see which carrier offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

General Casualty knocks Gainsco out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 12 different discounts to Gainsco's 12.

Both carriers offer several of the same discounts -- like advance quote discounts and paid in full discounts -- but General Casualty also offers discounts for anti-theft, defensive driver, distant student, and more.

On the other hand, Gainsco has a few proprietary discounts of their own like homeowner discounts and renewal discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is Gainsco or General Casualty 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 at the end of the day, which company is the right one for you, your vehicle, and your wallet?

General Casualty might be best for you if....

• You've been pulled over for speeding recently.
• You're looking for the best premiums on liability only coverage.
• You want to save money while purchasing insurance for a teenager.

Gainsco might be best for you if...

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

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between Gainsco and General Casualty. 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 multiple carriers, not just Gainsco and General Casualty. 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 auto insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Gainsco vs. General Casualty FAQs

Is Gainsco or General Casualty cheaper?

General Casualty is the more affordable of the two carriers when looking at national average prices, with policies averaging $139 a month with General Casualty and $205 for Gainsco. But that doesn't mean General Casualty will be the lowest carrier for every policyholder, since there are many different variables that come into play when it comes to your car insurance cost.

Who is better, Gainsco or General Casualty?

Unfortunately, the real answer is "it depends.". No single company is necessarily "better" for each policyholder -- it all depends on what your unique auto insurance profile looks like.

Why do Gainsco and General Casualty offer me different rates?

Insurance companies use a lot of different factors when determining the premiums they charge. Variables such as where you call home, age, gender, where you live, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both Gainsco and General Casualty 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 lots of different carriers.

How do I know if Gainsco or General Casualty is right for me?

The only way to find the car insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from several companies and finding the one best suited for your individual budget. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your area information and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top auto insurance carriers for free. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the best premium. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't Gainsco or General Casualty 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.