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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for auto insurance, GEICO offers more affordable rates than Safety
• GEICO tends to be a much less expensive option for policyholders who live in suburban areas
• Safety offers more affordable prices for residents in Massachusetts and New Hampshire

GEICO vs. Safety: 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 large discounts, you're probably wondering exactly how much you might be able to save.

You might have narrowed it down to GEICO or Safety, but between the two, which company will offer you more affordable premiums?

Looking at the national average rates for both companies, GEICO has average rates that are about 15% per month less expensive than those from Safety.

However, that doesn't mean GEICO will necessarily be cheaper than Safety for every driver. Car insurance carriers vary their rates depending on things like how old you are, how good your credit score is, how clean your driving record is, where you live, and a ton of other factors. So, at the end of the day, prices from each carrier will differ quite a bit from person to person.

Luckily, we've broken down average premiums from both GEICO and Safety by several different rate factors, so read on to find out which company is the best for you.

GEICO or Safety: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

GEICO and Safety only compete against each other in two states, with GEICO offering more affordable rates to the average driver in all of them. Massachusetts has the most noticable difference, where GEICO prices are over 70% less expensive than insurance rates at Safety.

That being said, there's a lot more that goes into your car insurance payment than just the state you live in. Keep reading to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- usually pay a lot for auto insurance compared to older drivers. That's because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

That being said, that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high car insurance premiums. As you can see above, teens who use GEICO save more than $50 a month compared to those who use Safety. It's worth noting that GEICO offers auto insurance in 50 different states compared to Safety's two, which can skew the average rates a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

Even so, both companies will offer you dramatically lower premiums by the time you turn 25. For example, average prices for GEICO policyholders reduce over 55% and Safety's rates decrease more than 50% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Once you approach retirement age, you'll normally enjoy the most affordable insurance premiums 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 car insurance.

But who has the best premiums for retired drivers between GEICO and Safety? GEICO gets the slight edge, with prices for drivers 65 and older $16 cheaper than the national average for Safety.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but auto insurance rates tend to be less expensive for married drivers than they are for those who are single. That's because policies for married couples typically cover multiple cars, which quite a few carriers will offer you a discount for.

When it comes to relationship status, GEICO is the clear winner for single drivers, with premiums around $33 per month more affordable than Safety, on average. The advantage for married policyholders with GEICO is also obvious, where drivers save over 15% a month.

GEICO vs. Safety: 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.

Normally, women see rates nearly $10 per month cheaper with GEICO, and more than $10 with Safety.

Looking at the data for each carrier specifically, GEICO comes out as the lowest option for both genders, with average prices $34 less for men and $31 cheaper for women.

GEICO or Safety: 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.

The two most common policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability only (which covers the other party's injuries and property damage if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which normally refers to having comprehensive and collision coverages alongside liability coverage).

If you're looking for state minimum liability insurance, GEICO typically offers less expensive rates of $101 compared to Safety's $122. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, GEICO again has the edge, with policies about $45 a month more affordable than Safety, on average.

Is GEICO or Safety 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.

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

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

GEICO policyholders can expect their prices to go up an average of $35 per month if they get a ticket, while Safety generally raises premiums around $61 a month, on average.

But GEICO has cheaper prices for drivers in both categories, offering rates that are 11% and 21% less expensive, respectively, compared to Safety Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

After an accident, drivers who have their car insurance through GEICO can expect to see about an $85 -- or around 43% -- increase in their auto insurance premiums. Drivers who use Safety for their car insurance will see a monthly bill about $97 (or 43%) more expensive after reporting a collision to their insurance company.

Overall, the cheaper prices come from GEICO, with monthly rates averaging $200 compared to Safety Insurance's $226.

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, Safety increases average prices by just under $200 per month -- that's over a 60% increase.

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

How does Credit Score Impact GEICO and Safety Rates?

You may not have known, but your credit score can come into play when carriers calculate your monthly bill. This isn't always the case (for example, California and Massachusetts are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it will come into play for a lot of drivers.

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

Looking at GEICO and Safety specifically, which carrier has the best rates for policyholders at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have solid credit, you'll usually find a better deal with GEICO for an "excellent" credit score. Drivers with "excellent" credit can save just under 10% compared to Safety, while those with "good" scores can expect to see better savings from Safety -- around $13 or 8% more affordable than GEICO each month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

If you have a below average credit score, it can be somewhat of a toss-up as far as which company offers you the best prices. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about $9 less with Safety than GEICO, but those whose credit is considered "poor" have it flipped -- saving around $8 a month with GEICO.

Is GEICO or Safety 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 pretty big impact on how much insurance carriers will charge for coverage? Usually, those who drive fewer miles will end up with cheaper premiums since there's less of a chance of getting into an accident and causing an insurance claim.

For both drivers who put 6,000 miles on their vehicles every year, as well as those who average twice that figure, GEICO offers more affordable rates than Safety. Safety's average prices for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in $35 more expensive than GEICO. Those who drive 12,000 miles yearly can expect to pay $30 more with Safety over GEICO.

GEICO vs. Safety: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where your home is can play a substantial role in how much you pay for auto insurance. Typically, those who live in rural areas will pay less than policyholders in urban areas because there are a lot fewer vehicles on the roads in those areas.

GEICO tends to offer the cheapest option for drivers in urban and suburban areas, while Safety wins in rural areas.

In urban areas, GEICO's average rates are about $71 less than Safety Insurance. Drivers in suburban ZIP codes pay around $36 less with GEICO compared to Safety. If you live in a rural area, you can expect to save about $11 with Safety compared to GEICO.

GEICO vs. Safety Discounts

You want to save as much money as possible, right? The best way to do that is by utilizing as many insurance discounts as you can.

But with what seems like a million different discounts out there, it can be challenging to nail down the company that has the most discounts for your unique driver profile and to find all the discounts you're eligible for.

In the section below, we've broken down all of the different discounts offered by both GEICO and Safety 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 Safety out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 28 different discounts to Safety's 18.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like distant student discounts, employee discounts, discounts for being a good driver, and mature driver discounts. GEICO also offers ABS discounts, commercial drivers license discounts, COVID-19 relief discount, and more that Safety does not.

On the flip side, Safety has a couple unique discounts of its own -- advance quote discounts, annual mileage discounts, book transfer policy discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is GEICO or Safety Best for You?

So, you've seen how different factors can affect your car insurance premiums. We've shown you all the discounts each carrier offers, too. But, when it comes down to it, which company is the right carrier for you, your vehicle, and your wallet?

GEICO might be best for you if....

• You have a speeding ticket on your driving record.
• You have an at-fault collision on your record.
• You're married and plan to have both of your names on the vehicle's auto insurance policy.

Safety might be best for you if...

• You're looking for the best rates in MA and NH.
• You live in a rural neighborhood.

We hope this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare GEICO and Safety. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision when it comes to your 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 car insurance -- comparing quotes from a handful of companies, not just GEICO and Safety. Luckily, sites like Compare.com make it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your ZIP code below and get free quotes from dozens of top insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

GEICO vs. Safety FAQs

Is GEICO or Safety cheaper?

Looking just at the national average prices, GEICO is the less expensive of the two companies, offering average rates of $185 per month compared to $217 for Safety. That being said, GEICO won't necessarily be the most affordable carrier for everyone, since there are a range of different variables that are considered when it comes to your auto insurance bill.

Who is better, GEICO or Safety?

Unfortunately, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". One company is not necessarily "better" for everyone -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique car insurance profile.

Why do GEICO and Safety offer me different rates?

Insurance carriers take a look at many different factors when calculating the rates they charge drivers. Variables like where you call home, gender, age, where you live, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both GEICO and Safety calculate premiums using different formulas, so each one will most likely offer different prices. The only real way to see which carrier is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from lots of different companies.

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

The only way to find the auto insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from several carriers 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 car insurance companies in your area. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the lowest premium. And who knows, the best carrier for you might not be GEICO or Safety 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.