GEICO vs. Sentry: Which Company is Best for You?

Quick Facts

• In general, GEICO offers slightly cheaper premiums than Sentry
• GEICO has less expensive rates for policyholders who don't have any speeding tickets, DUIs, or at-fault accidents on their record
• Sentry has more affordable premiums for residents of rural areas

GEICO vs. Sentry: 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've maybe even narrowed it down to GEICO or Sentry for your next policy, but which company has cheaper prices for car insurance?

As you can see, GEICO is about $10 per month less expensive than Sentry when looking at the national average rates for insurance.

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

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

GEICO or Sentry: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

GEICO and Sentry only compete against each other in two states, with GEICO offering less expensive premiums to the average driver in all of them. Wisconsin has the most noticable difference, where GEICO rates are over 50% more affordable than car insurance prices at Sentry.

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

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers typically pay a lot more for auto insurance than any group on the road. Usually, that's because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

Even so, 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 nearly $30 a month compared to those who use Sentry. It's worth noting that GEICO offers insurance in 50 different states compared to Sentry's two, which can skew the average rates a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

However, both carriers will lower prices by the time you turn 25. Sentry offers the steepest drop, with 25-year-olds paying less than half what 18-year-old drivers are charged. That being said, GEICO still has the lowest premiums at $163 monthly.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Once you approach retirement age, you'll normally enjoy the most affordable auto insurance rates out there. 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 Sentry? GEICO gets the slight edge here, with average rates coming in at around $148 a month compared to Sentry's $148. But the difference is only about 5%, so other factors will likely come into play when determining which carrier has the cheapest premiums for you.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

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

If you're in the market for insurance, GEICO tends to have the most affordable average rates regardless of if you're married or single, with prices around $1 cheaper for married drivers and more than $15 more affordable for those who are single.

GEICO vs. Sentry: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get pulled over for speeding or get into an accident, which means they'll normally end up paying more for car insurance than women.

With GEICO, men generally pay almost $10 per month more than women, and about $20 with Sentry.

Looking at the data for each company specifically, GEICO comes out on top for both men and women, with average prices 8% less for men and 2% cheaper for women.

GEICO or Sentry: 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.

Insurance isn't the easiest topic to understand. There are so many different coverages and terms that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy.

That being said, the most common policies that many drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability only (that covers property damage and bodily injury for other drivers and their passengers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- comprehensive and collision -- alongside what you get with a liability policy).

If you're looking for state minimum limits for liability insurance, GEICO usually offers slightly less expensive premiums of $101 compared to Sentry's $104. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, GEICO again has the edge, with policies around $15 a month cheaper than Sentry, on average.

Is GEICO or Sentry Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

It's no big secret that drivers who are accident-free get better deals on their auto 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 collisions and tickets on your record, but which of these two companies offers the lowest rates to drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

GEICO policyholders can expect their premiums to go up an average of $35 per month if they get a ticket, while Sentry typically raises rates about $25 a month, on average.

But GEICO tends to offer the best prices for drivers both with a speeding ticket and with a clean record, offering prices that are $63 and $53 less expensive, respectively, compared to Sentry Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

GEICO drivers who get in an accident can expect to see their rates climb by just under 45%, while those who have insurance through Sentry will see around a 20% increase.

Overall, GEICO offers the cheapest prices for drivers with an at-fault accident on their records, with monthly premiums averaging $200 compared to Sentry Insurance's $221.

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. For example, GEICO increases average rates by over $150 per month -- that's just under a 60% increase.

Sentry has the overall most affordable prices for drivers with a DUI on their records at $178 per month, but it's worth noting that GEICO's average rates come from 50 states compared to just two for Sentry, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact GEICO and Sentry Rates?

Often times, your credit score can be used as one of the variables to calculate your monthly car insurance premiums. This isn't always the case (Hawaii, for example, has banned the use of credit score as a rating factor) but it will come into play for a lot of policyholders.

The reasoning auto insurance carriers use is that drivers with good credit will be more likely to pay their bills on time; so they'll reward them with cheaper prices, while those with poor credit will usually be forced to pay more.

Looking at GEICO and Sentry specifically, which one has the best premiums for policyholders at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have a great credit score, you'll usually find a better deal with GEICO. Drivers with "excellent" credit can save nearly 25% compared to Sentry, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- about $21 or 11% more affordable each month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

If you have bad credit, it can be somewhat of a toss-up as far as which company offers you the best rates. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around $1 less with GEICO than Sentry, but those whose credit is considered "poor" have it flipped -- saving about $28 a month with Sentry.

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

How much you drive can have a substantial impact on your monthly premiums. Generally, those who drive less will end up with cheaper prices since there's less of a chance of getting into an accident and causing an insurance claim.

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

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

Where you call home can play a big role in how much you pay for car insurance. Normally, those who live in urban areas will pay more than policyholders in rural areas because there are a lot more vehicles on the roads in those areas.

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

If you live in a rural area, you can expect to save about $16 with Sentry compared to GEICO. Drivers in suburban ZIP codes pay around $33 less with GEICO compared to Sentry. In urban areas, GEICO's average premiums are about $13 less than Sentry Insurance.

GEICO vs. Sentry 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, and the best way to do that is by taking advantage of as many car insurance discounts as you can.

But where do you even start? With what seems like a million different discounts out there, it may be challenging to find all the ones you can take advantage of.

In the table below, we've compared all of the different discounts offered by GEICO and Sentry so that you can see which carrier can save you the most money each month.

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

Both companies offer a lot of the same discounts -- like discounts for being a defensive driver, discounts for insuring multiple cars with the same company, and paid in full discounts -- but GEICO also offers ABS discounts, anti-theft discounts, commercial drivers license discounts, and more that Sentry does not.

On the flip side, Sentry has a couple unique discounts of its own -- advance quote discounts and discounts for being a homeowner.

Final Thoughts: Is GEICO or Sentry Best for You?

You've seen the effect certain factors have on your insurance and the different discounts carriers offer. But, at the end of the day, which insurance company is the right company for you, your vehicle, and your wallet?

GEICO might be best for you if....

• You've been pulled over for speeding recently.
• You're looking for more protection with "full coverage" auto insurance.
• Your home is located in the suburbs.

Sentry might be best for you if...

• You like the personalized touch of a small, regional carrier.
• You have a DUI charge on your record.
• You live in a rural neighborhood.

We hope this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between GEICO and Sentry and that you can now make a more informed decision when it comes to your car 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 insurance -- comparing quotes from a handful of companies, not just GEICO and Sentry. Luckily, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get multiple quotes from some of the best auto insurance carriers in your area, all for free.

GEICO vs. Sentry FAQs

Is GEICO or Sentry cheaper?

Looking just at the national average rates, GEICO is the more affordable of the two companies, offering average rates of $185 per month compared to $195 for Sentry. However, GEICO won't necessarily be the most affordable company for each policyholder, since there are multiple different variables (things like gender, age, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, GEICO or Sentry?

Sadly, the answer truly is "it depends.". No one carrier is "better" for every driver -- it all boils down to your unique insurance profile. For example, GEICO offers cheaper prices for drivers with an at-fault collision on their record, while Sentry is less expensive for drivers who have less-than-stellar credit scores.

Why do GEICO and Sentry offer me different rates?

Auto insurance carriers take a look at quite a few different factors when calculating the premiums they charge policyholders. Things such as age, gender, where you live, your driving record, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both GEICO and Sentry calculate rates differently, so each one will most likely offer different prices. The only real way to see which company is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a range of different companies.

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

The only way to find the car insurance carrier 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 makes it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your area information and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best auto insurance companies in your area. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the best rate. And who knows, the best company for you might not be GEICO or Sentry 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.