GEICO vs. Great Northern: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• In general, GEICO offers significantly more affordable prices than Great Northern
• GEICO tends to be a much less expensive option for policyholders whose driving record contains an at-fault collision
• Great Northern has cheaper premiums in MI

GEICO or Great Northern: 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 savings, you're probably wondering exactly how much you might be able to save.

You might be considering GEICO or Great Northern as potential options, but which one has less expensive rates for car insurance?

As you can see, GEICO has average rates that are around 65% a month more affordable than those from Great Northern when looking at the national average rates for insurance.

That being said, that doesn't mean GEICO will necessarily be cheaper than Great Northern for every driver. Car insurance carriers vary their premiums depending on things like how good your credit score is, how old you are, how clean your driving record is, where you live, and a ton of other factors, so prices will change quite a bit from person to person.

So, if you want to find out which of GEICO or Great Northern is really the best for you, keep reading to see average rates for each company broken down by a variety of different rate factors.

GEICO vs. Great Northern: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

GEICO and Great Northern only compete against each other in Michigan, where GEICO offers the cheaper average premiums. GEICO drivers tend to pay about $119 per month less on average compared to drivers who use Great Northern for their auto insurance.

There are plenty of other factors that go into your car insurance bill than just where you call home. Keep reading to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive insurance prices of any group on the road. That's 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 GEICO for their auto insurance pay over 60% less than those who use Great Northern. It's worth noting that GEICO offers car insurance in 50 different states compared to Great Northern's one, which can skew the average prices a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

Even so, both companies will offer you dramatically lower rates once you turn 25. For example, average premiums for GEICO policyholders lower about $200 and Great Northern's prices drop more than $450 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

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

So, which carrier offers the best premiums to retired drivers? GEICO gets the edge here, with average rates coming in at around $148 per month compared to Great Northern's $346.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that car insurance prices are generally less expensive for married couples than they are for single drivers? That's typically because married policyholders tend to own and insure more than one vehicle, which can often earn you a discount.

For single policyholders, the difference in average rates between these two carriers is significant, with GEICO premiums coming in at about a third of Great Northern's. The advantage for married drivers with GEICO is also obvious, where drivers save around $250 a month.

GEICO or Great Northern: Average Rates by Gender

You may not know, but men usually pay more for insurance than women do. That's because women are less likely to get into accidents and get tickets, which decreases the chances of filing a claim with insurance.

On average, men see rates about 4% per month higher with GEICO; men and women get the same monthly prices with Great Northern.

When it comes to the most affordable premiums for each gender, GEICO offers the lowest average rates for both men and women, with average prices 62% less for men and 64% cheaper for women.

GEICO vs. Great Northern: 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 so many different limits and coverages that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy for you.

The two most common policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability coverage (which covers the other party's injuries and property damage if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes collision and comprehensive coverages that protect your own car, in addition to what you get with liability).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability limits, GEICO has the significant edge, with average monthly premiums coming in at $101. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, GEICO again has the edge, with policies averaging around $269 a month to Great Northern's $737.

Is GEICO or Great Northern Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from car insurance companies 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 speeding tickets and at-fault collisions on your record, but which of these two carriers offers the cheapest prices to drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders with Great Northern auto insurance policies don't report seeing their premiums increase after getting a ticket, but GEICO policyholders can expect to see their monthly bill increase by about 25%.

However, GEICO is normally the cheaper option for both drivers who have a recent speeding ticket and those with clean records, offering rates that are 77% and 70% more affordable, respectively, compared to Great Northern Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

GEICO drivers who get in an accident can expect to see their premiums increase by $85, while those who have insurance through Great Northern will see around a $0 increase.

At the end of the day, the cheaper prices come from GEICO, with average rates coming in at $200 compared to Great Northern Insurance's $496.

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 insurance bill -- generally a lot more than a collision or ticket. GEICO drivers usually see a 58% increase in their car insurance prices after a DUI charge, while Great Northern will usually raise premiums by about 0%.

GEICO has the overall most affordable rates for drivers with a DUI on their records at $275 monthly, but it's worth noting that GEICO's average rates come from 50 states compared to just one for Great Northern, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact GEICO and Great Northern Rates?

Did you know many insurance companies take your credit score into account when determining prices? Certain states and carriers do not allow for credit score to be used as a car insurance factor, but it might come into play for many policyholders.

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

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

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Michigan is one of a just a few states that bans car insurance carriers from using credit scores to determine rates. And since Great Northern is only available in Michigan, there is no data available on how credit score impacts premiums because it's not a factor at all. This may be a good thing, since GEICO and other companies tend to raise prices quite a bit in other states if you don't have excellent credit.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

If you have less-than-stellar credit and live in Michigan, the good news is it won't cost you extra when it comes to insurance. As you can see, poor credit can really cost GEICO drivers in other states, but no need to worry if you live in Michigan.

Is GEICO or Great Northern Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a sizable impact on your monthly auto insurance payment. That's because the fewer miles you put on your vehicle, the less likely you are to be in an accident and file an insurance claim.

As you can see in the table above, annual mileage doesn't have much of an impact on how much Great Northern charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly rates for GEICO, with drivers who put 6,000 miles on their car annually paying around $8 less every month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles yearly. Still, for drivers in both categories, GEICO is the less expensive carrier.

GEICO or Great Northern: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you live can have a pretty big impact on your monthly car insurance cost. Typically, drivers who live in less densely populated rural areas will pay quite a bit less than urban policyholders since there are a lot fewer vehicles on the road where they live, which lowers the chances of an accident.

GEICO tends to offer the cheapest premiums for drivers in every type of area, no matter if it's urban, suburban, or rural.

Those in rural areas can expect to save about $273 with GEICO compared to Great Northern. People who live in suburban areas pay around $301 less with GEICO compared to Great Northern. For drivers in urban ZIP codes, GEICO's average prices are about $359 less than Great Northern Insurance.

GEICO vs. Great Northern Discounts

No matter 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 you can, and the best way to do that is by taking advantage of as many insurance discounts as possible.

The difficult part is finding all of the discounts you're eligible for, since it can feel sometimes like every company has different discounts and each one is advertised differently.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and looked at all of the different discounts GEICO and Great Northern offer their customers so that you can find the company that has the most discounts and, therefore, the largest savings.

GEICO knocks Great Northern out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 18 more discounts than Great Northern.

There are a couple discounts both carriers offer, but GEICO also offers discounts for commercial drivers license, COVID-19 relief, deployed driver, and more.

On the other hand, Great Northern has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like occasional operator discounts, renewal discounts, and vehicle ownership discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is GEICO or Great Northern Best for You?

You've seen the role certain variables 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 insurance carrier is the best carrier for you and your specific driver profile?

GEICO might be best for you if....

• You have received a ticket within the last few years.
• You want the most robust protection via a "full coverage" policy.
• You're of retirement age and want to take advantage of lower premiums.

Great Northern might be best for you if...

• You live in one of the following states: Michigan.
• You already have a great credit score.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between GEICO and Great Northern. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision when it comes to your auto 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 GEICO and Great Northern. Luckily, sites like Compare.com make it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your ZIP code below and get multiple free quotes from some of the best auto insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

GEICO vs. Great Northern FAQs

Is GEICO or Great Northern cheaper?

GEICO is the more affordable of the two carriers when looking at national average prices, with policies averaging $185 per month with GEICO and $496 for Great Northern. But that doesn't mean GEICO will be the most affordable company for everyone, since there are a range of different factors (things like gender, age, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, GEICO or Great Northern?

Unfortunately, the real answer is "it depends.". No one carrier is "better" for everyone -- it all depends on what your unique insurance profile looks like. For example, Great Northern is cheaper for drivers with excellent credit, while GEICO offers less expensive rates for drivers with a recent DUI.

Why do GEICO and Great Northern offer me different rates?

Car insurance companies use several different variables when calculating the premiums they charge. Things like your driving record, where you park your car, age, gender, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both GEICO and Great Northern calculate prices using different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different rates. The best way to determine which company is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from multiple different carriers.

How do I know if GEICO or Great Northern is right for me?

The only way to find the auto 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 ZIP code and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top insurance carriers 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 GEICO or Great Northern 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.