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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for car insurance, GEICO offers slightly less expensive premiums than Safeway
• GEICO has more affordable rates for people who are single and purchasing insurance by yourself
• Safeway tends to be a much cheaper option for couples purchasing car insurance together

GEICO vs. Safeway: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

So, you're considering switching your auto insurance. You've probably seen commercials and billboards from companies offering hefty discounts, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You might have narrowed your search down to GEICO or Safeway as potential options, but between the two, which one will save you the most?

As you can see, GEICO is about $9 per month more affordable than Safeway when looking at the national average rates for auto insurance.

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

Wanting to know if GEICO or Safeway 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.

GEICO or Safeway: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

GEICO and Safeway compete against each other in five states, with Safeway offering less expensive prices to the average driver in all of them. If you live in Arizona, GEICO is the cheaper of the two carriers when looking at the overall average rates. Safeway is the less expensive option in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Mississippi.

There are plenty of other factors that go into your auto insurance bill than just the state you live in. Read on to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive car insurance premiums of any other group of drivers out there on the road. That's normally because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to cause collisions and other accidents that will result in an insurance claim.

That being said, that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their insurance. As you can see above, teens who use GEICO save more than $85 a month compared to those who use Safeway.

Even so, both companies will decrease prices by the time drivers turn 25. Safeway offers the steepest decrease, 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 rates at $163 per month.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Drivers around retirement age typically enjoy some of the lowest auto insurance prices you can find. After all, they've likely been driving for quite some time, which generally lowers their chances of accidents and other infractions that can increase premiums.

But who has the best prices for retired drivers between GEICO and Safeway? Safeway gets the slight edge here, with average premiums coming in at around $136 monthly compared to GEICO's $148.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but car insurance rates tend to be more expensive for single drivers than they are for married policyholders. That's because policies for married couples usually cover several cars, which several carriers will offer you a discount for.

When it comes to relationship status, GEICO is the clear winner for single policyholders, with premiums about $27 per month more affordable than Safeway, on average. But for married drivers, that advantage is much less clear - Safeway has the edge when it comes to average rates.

GEICO vs. Safeway: 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 pulled over for speeding or get into an accident, which leads to increased risk for insurers and, therefore, higher prices.

With GEICO, men normally pay around 4% more a month than women., and nearly 10% with Safeway.

Looking at overall affordability, GEICO comes out on top for both men and women, with average rates 7% less for men and 2% cheaper for women.

GEICO or Safeway: 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. Everyone needs insurance, but there are so many different coverages and terms that it can be hard to find the right policy.

But the most common policies that many drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability only (which provides bodily injury and property damage coverage for other drivers and passengers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- comprehensive and collision -- alongside liability coverage).

In this case, GEICO offers the cheapest average prices for state minimum liability limits, while Safeway has the edge for full coverage policies with similar coverage limits. Drivers looking for basic state minimum coverage can save around $30 with GEICO, while full coverage comes out to be about $10 less expensive with Safeway Insurance.

Is GEICO or Safeway Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

It's no big secret that drivers who are accident-free get better deals on their car insurance. But even if you have a spotty record, you can still find plenty of ways to save some cash on your monthly bill.

Collisions and tickets will most likely raise your premiums, but is GEICO or Safeway more affordable for drivers with less-than-perfect 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 Safeway generally raises premiums around $7 a month, on average.

That being said, GEICO tends to offer the best prices for both drivers who have a recent speeding ticket and those with clean records, offering rates that are $48 and $20 cheaper, respectively, compared to Safeway Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

GEICO policyholders who get in an accident can expect to see their prices climb by $85, while those who have insurance through Safeway will see about a $60 increase.

Overall, the less expensive rates come from GEICO, with monthly premiums averaging $200 compared to Safeway Insurance's $223.

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 ticket or even a collision. GEICO drivers usually see a 58% climb in their auto insurance prices after a DUI charge, while Safeway will usually raise premiums by around 26%.

If you have a DUI on your record and are looking for more affordable rates, Safeway tends to be the much cheaper option with average prices of $220 a month compared to $275 from GEICO.

How does Credit Score Impact GEICO and Safeway Rates?

Did you know that many insurance companies take into account your credit score when calculating rates? This isn't always the case (Michigan, for example, has banned the use of credit score as a rating factor) but it will come into play for a lot of drivers.

Car insurance carriers argue that someone with bad credit is less likely to pay their bills on time, which makes them riskier to insure. Because of that, policyholders with bad credit will often be forced to pay more.

Looking specifically at GEICO and Safeway, which company has the lowest premiums for drivers 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. Policyholders with "excellent" credit can save over 30% compared to Safeway, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- about $30 or 15% more affordable each month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Safeway typically offers lower prices than GEICO when it comes to drivers with less-than-stellar credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around $3 per month less with Safeway compared to GEICO, and those with "poor" scores typically save an average of about $59 monthly.

Is GEICO or Safeway 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 premiums? Normally, the more miles you put on your vehicle, the more you can expect to pay for coverage.

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

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

Where your home is can have a considerable impact on your monthly insurance cost. Usually, 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.

When comparing these two companies side-by-side, GEICO tends to offer the most affordable option for drivers in urban and suburban areas, while Safeway wins in rural areas.

If you live in a rural area, you can expect to save about 8% with Safeway compared to GEICO. Drivers in suburban ZIP codes pay around 8% less with GEICO compared to Safeway. In urban areas, GEICO's average rates are about 10% less than Safeway Insurance.

GEICO vs. Safeway Discounts

Regardless of why you might be in the market for a new insurance policy, you're always going to want to save as much money as possible. That's where auto insurance discounts comes into play.

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

In the section below, we've taken a look at all of the different discounts GEICO and Safeway offer their customers so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

GEICO blows Safeway away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 28 different discounts to Safeway's 11.

There are a couple discounts both carriers offer, but GEICO also offers ABS discounts, anti-theft discounts, commercial drivers license discounts, and more that Safeway does not.

On the flip side, Safeway has a couple unique discounts of its own -- agency transfer discounts, discounts for being a homeowner, punitive damage exclusion discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is GEICO or Safeway Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average premiums for many of the factors car insurance companies look at, and walked through the different discounts each carrier offers, too. That's all well and good, but when it comes down to it, which insurance company is the right carrier for you and your specific profile and needs?

GEICO might be best for you if....

• You value the experience that comes with a large national auto insurance carrier.
• You want basic car insurance coverage at the state minimum limits.
• Your home is located in the suburbs.

Safeway might be best for you if...

• You like the personalized touch of a small, local company.
• You're looking for more protection with "full coverage" insurance.
• You are over 65 years old and want to save some money on your car insurance.

We hope this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between GEICO and Safeway and that it aids in making a more informed decision about 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 auto insurance -- comparing quotes from a handful of carriers, not just GEICO and Safeway. Luckily, sites like Compare.com make it easy for you to do just that. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get multiple free quotes from some of the best insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

GEICO vs. Safeway FAQs

Is GEICO or Safeway cheaper?

Looking just at the national average rates, GEICO is the more affordable of the two carriers, offering average rates of $185 a month compared to $194 for Safeway. However, GEICO won't necessarily be the cheapest carrier for each policyholder, since there are lots of different variables (things like driving record, age, gender, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, GEICO or Safeway?

Unfortunately, the answer truly is "it depends.". No one company is "better" for everyone -- it all comes down to what your unique auto insurance profile looks like. For example, GEICO offers cheaper prices for single drivers, while Safeway is less expensive for drivers who have already retired.

Why do GEICO and Safeway offer me different rates?

Car insurance companies take a look at lots of different factors when determining the rates they charge policyholders. Things like gender, your driving record, age, where you park your vehicle, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both GEICO and Safeway calculate premiums using different formulas, so each one will most likely offer different prices. The only real way to see which carrier is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from many different carriers.

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

The only way to find the insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from multiple 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 information once and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best car insurance carriers in your area. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the best rate. And who knows, the best carrier for you might not be GEICO or Safeway 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.