GEICO vs. National General: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for auto insurance, GEICO offers significantly cheaper prices than National General
• GEICO offers more affordable rates for policyholders who are looking to purchase insurance with a spouse
• National General has less expensive prices for drivers with a DUI

GEICO or National General: 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've maybe even narrowed it down to GEICO or National General, but between the two, which one has more affordable rates for car insurance?

Looking at the national average rates for both carriers, National General is quite a bit more expensive than GEICO, with premiums averaging $249 a month compared to just $185 with GEICO.

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

Wanting to know if GEICO or National General is really the right carrier for you? Keep on reading to see how average prices can change based on all of the factors we've mentioned above.

GEICO vs. National General: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

GEICO and National General only compete against each other in Texas, where GEICO offers the cheaper average premiums. GEICO drivers tend to pay about $78 per month less on average compared to drivers who use National General for their auto insurance.

But there's more to insurance than just where you live. As we mentioned above, there's a lot of things that go into how auto insurance carriers determine your rates. Read on to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- typically pay a lot for car insurance compared to older drivers. That's generally because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to cause collisions and other accidents that will result in an insurance claim.

Even so, that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high insurance prices. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have GEICO for their auto insurance pay almost 40% less than those who use National General. It's worth noting that GEICO offers car insurance in 50 different states compared to National General's one, which can skew the average premiums a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

However, both companies will offer you dramatically lower rates by the time drivers turn 25. National General offers the steepest reduction, with 25-year-olds paying less than a third of what 18-year-old drivers are charged. That being said, GEICO still has the most affordable prices at $163 monthly.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Once you approach retirement age, you'll normally enjoy the cheapest 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 prices for car insurance.

But who has the best premiums for retired drivers between GEICO and National General? GEICO gets the edge, with rates for drivers 65 and older over 15% less expensive than the national average for National General.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that auto insurance prices are usually more expensive for single policyholders than they are for married couples? That's because policies for married policyholders typically cover several vehicles, which several carriers will give you a discount for.

For those who are single, the difference in average premiums between these two companies is significant, with GEICO rates coming in at a third less than National General's. The advantage for married drivers with GEICO is also obvious, where drivers save more than 15% a month.

GEICO or National General: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get tickets and get into collisions, which means they'll generally end up paying more for insurance than women.

On average, men see prices around 4% per month higher with GEICO, and about 6% with National General.

Looking at the data for each company specifically, GEICO comes out on top for both men and women. On average, women save about $60 a month and men save around $68 with GEICO compared to the average National General policyholder.

GEICO vs. National General: 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. There are so many different terms and limits that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy for you.

But most policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (that covers property damage and bodily injury for other drivers 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 a liability policy).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability limits, GEICO has the significant edge, with average monthly rates 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 about $269 per month to National General's $348.

Is GEICO or National General 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.

It's no secret secret that speeding tickets and collisions lead to higher premiums, but which carrier -- GEICO or National General -- has the lowest prices for drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use GEICO for their auto insurance can usually expect their monthly bill to go up around 23% after getting a speeding ticket. National General policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of about 11%.

That being said, GEICO has more affordable premiums for drivers in both categories. With GEICO, drivers with a clean record can save around $46 a month and drivers with a ticket can save about $31 per month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both carriers will raise rates pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault collision with National General climbing by around 66%. GEICO has a less extreme increase, but you can still expect to pay nearly 45% more than you were prior to your first accident.

At the end of the day, the less expensive premiums come from GEICO, with average prices coming in at $200 compared to National General Insurance's $472.

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 an accident. On average, GEICO will increase your rates about 58% after a DUI, while National General's average prices climb by more than 10%.

National General has the overall cheapest rates for drivers with a DUI on their records at $183 per month, but it's worth noting that GEICO's average rates come from 50 states compared to just one for National General, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact GEICO and National General Rates?

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

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, policyholders with good credit will often be rewarded with more affordable premiums.

Looking at GEICO and National General specifically, which carrier has the most affordable rates for drivers at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have a solid credit score, GEICO will normally reward you the most. For policyholders with "excellent" credit scores, GEICO comes in over 35.15 cheaper. Drivers with "good" credit scores usually save around 26% with GEICO compared to average prices from National General.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

GEICO typically offers lower premiums than National General when it comes to drivers with bad credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about 25% a month less with GEICO compared to National General, and those with "poor" scores generally save an average of around 18% a month.

Is GEICO or National General 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 sizable impact on your monthly rates? Typically, the more milage you put on your vehicle, the more you can expect to pay for car insurance.

As you can see in the table above, annual mileage doesn't have much of an impact on how much National General charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly prices for GEICO, with policyholders who drive the least paying about $8 less every month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles yearly. Still, for drivers in both categories, GEICO is the less expensive company.

GEICO or National General: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

We've already mentioned how your home state can play a role in how much you pay for insurance, but the type of area you live in can have a substantial impact as well. Normally, drivers who live in heavily-populated urban areas will pay quite a bit more than rural policyholders due to the number of cars that are on the roads where they live.

When comparing these two carriers side-by-side, GEICO generally comes out as the cheapest option for drivers in all types of areas, no matter if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

In urban areas, GEICO's average prices are around $211 while National General offers premiums about $262. People in suburban areas pay around $185 with GEICO compared to National General's $241 per month. If you live in a rural area, you can expect to pay about $159 monthly with GEICO and $244 with National General.

GEICO vs. National General 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 challenging 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.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and compared all of the different discounts offered by GEICO and National General so that you can see which company offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

GEICO knocks National General out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 20 more discounts than National General.

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

On the other hand, National General has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like advance quote discounts, low mileage discounts, and vehicle brand discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is GEICO or National General Best for You?

You've seen the effect certain variables have on your auto insurance and the different discounts carriers offer. But, at the end of the day, is GEICO or National General the best one for you, your vehicle, and your wallet?

GEICO might be best for you if....

• You're worried about the impact your credit score will have on your prices.
• Your home is located in the suburbs.
• You want to save money while purchasing car insurance for a teenager.

National General might be best for you if...

• You live in one of the following states: Texas.
• Your driving record includes a DUI charge.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between GEICO and National General. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision when it comes to your insurance.

At the end of the day, the best way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your auto insurance policy is to compare quotes from a handful of companies, not just GEICO and National General. Luckily, sites like Compare.com do 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.

GEICO vs. National General FAQs

Is GEICO or National General cheaper?

GEICO is the more affordable of the two companies when looking at national average premiums, with policies averaging $185 per month with GEICO and $249 for National General. Even so, that doesn't mean GEICO will be the most affordable carrier for everyone, since there are a range of different factors (things like driving record, age, gender, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, GEICO or National General?

Unfortunately, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". No single company is "better" for each policyholder -- it all boils down to your unique insurance profile. For example, GEICO is cheaper for drivers with excellent credit, while National General offers less expensive rates for drivers with a recent DUI.

Why do GEICO and National General offer me different rates?

Auto insurance carriers use lots of different variables when determining the prices they charge. Things like your driving record, age, gender, where you park your vehicle, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both GEICO and National General calculate premiums using different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different rates. The best way to determine which carrier is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a bunch of different companies.

How do I know if GEICO or National General 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, Compare.com does 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. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the cheapest rate. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't GEICO or National General 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.