GEICO vs. West Bend Mutual: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for car insurance, West Bend Mutual offers significantly less expensive prices than GEICO
• GEICO may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than West Bend Mutual Insurance
• West Bend Mutual tends to be a much cheaper option for single people who will be the only person on the insurance policy

GEICO or West Bend Mutual: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

Are you in the market for a new insurance policy? After all, you've seen ads from all sorts of companies offering large savings. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You might have narrowed it down to GEICO or West Bend Mutual as potential options, but between the two, which company has more affordable premiums for auto insurance?

As you can see, West Bend Mutual has average rates that are around 30% a month cheaper than those from GEICO when looking at the national average rates for insurance.

Even so, that doesn't necessarily mean West Bend Mutual will be the less expensive option for every single driver. Car insurance carriers vary their rates depending on things like how old you are, how clean your driving record is, where you live, how good your credit score is, and a ton of other factors. So, at the end of the day, prices from every company will differ quite a bit from person to person.

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

GEICO vs. West Bend Mutual: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

GEICO and West Bend Mutual only compete against each other in three states, with West Bend Mutual offering cheaper prices to the average driver in all of them. If you live in Wisconsin, GEICO is the less expensive of the two companies when looking at the overall average rates. West Bend Mutual is the more affordable option in Iowa and Minnesota.

That being said, there are plenty of other factors that go into your auto insurance bill than just where you live. Keep reading to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers normally pay a lot more for car insurance than any other group of drivers. That's usually because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

However, that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high insurance premiums. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of over 10% less per month by choosing West Bend Mutual over GEICO. It's worth noting that GEICO offers car insurance in 50 different states compared to West Bend Mutual's three, which can skew the average prices a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

But both carriers will lower rates by the time drivers turn 25. West Bend Mutual offers the steepest reduction, with 25-year-olds paying less than a third of what 18-year-old drivers are charged. GEICO's average premiums drop more than 55% during that same period.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

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

But who has the best prices for retired drivers between GEICO and West Bend Mutual? West Bend Mutual gets the edge, with rates for drivers 65 and older almost 40% cheaper than the national average for GEICO.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that car insurance prices are generally more expensive for those who are single than they are for married policyholders? That's because policies for married couples typically cover multiple vehicles, which many companies will give you a discount for.

For single drivers, the difference in average premiums between these two carriers is significant, with West Bend Mutual prices coming in at a quarter less than GEICO's. The advantage for married drivers with West Bend Mutual is also obvious, where drivers save over 40% a month.

GEICO or West Bend Mutual: Average Rates by Gender

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

Men generally pay about 4% more per month than women with GEICO, but with West Bend Mutual, the difference is closer to 12% a month.

Looking at overall affordability, West Bend Mutual comes out on top for both men and women. On average, male drivers save about $50 per month and women save around $58 with West Bend Mutual compared to the average GEICO policyholder.

GEICO vs. West Bend Mutual: 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, auto insurance can be pretty complicated. Everyone needs car insurance, but there are so many different terms and limits that it can be hard to find the right policy for you.

That being said, most policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (that covers property damage and bodily injury for other drivers and their passengers if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which usually refers to having collision and comprehensive coverages alongside what you get with a liability policy).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability limits, West Bend Mutual has the edge, with average monthly rates coming in at $77. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, West Bend Mutual again has the edge, with policies averaging about $186 a month to GEICO's $269.

Is GEICO or West Bend Mutual Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

It's no secret -- drivers with good records end up getting the best deals on their insurance. But that's not to say you can't save money if you don't have the best driving record, either.

Speeding tickets and collisions will most likely raise your premiums, but is GEICO or West Bend Mutual less expensive 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 generally expect their monthly bill to go up around 23% after getting a speeding ticket. West Bend Mutual policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of about 23%.

But West Bend Mutual tends to offer the best prices for drivers both with clean records and with a ticket, offering prices that are 27% and 27% more affordable, respectively, compared to GEICO.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

GEICO drivers who get in a collision can expect to see their premiums rise by $85, while those who have insurance through West Bend Mutual will see around a $80 increase.

At the end of the day, drivers who use West Bend Mutual end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with average rates coming in at $163 compared to GEICO's $200.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

On average, a DUI offense is going to cost you much more than a single collision or speeding ticket when it comes to your insurance bill. GEICO drivers usually see a 58% climb in their car insurance premiums after a DUI charge, while West Bend Mutual will normally increase rates by about 50%.

West Bend Mutual has the overall most affordable prices for drivers with a DUI on their records at $169 monthly, but it's worth noting that GEICO's average rates come from 50 states compared to just three for West Bend Mutual, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact GEICO and West Bend Mutual Rates?

Did you know many auto insurance companies take your credit score into account when determining premiums? This isn't true for everyone (California, for example, has banned the use of credit score as an insurance factor) but it will come into play for lots of policyholders.

The reasoning insurance carriers use is that drivers with bad credit will be less likely to pay their bills on time; so typically, they'll be asked to pay more, while those with good credit will be rewarded with cheaper prices.

Looking specifically at West Bend Mutual and GEICO, which carrier has the lowest rates for policyholders at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have a solid credit score, West Bend Mutual will usually reward you the most. For drivers with "excellent" credit scores, West Bend Mutual comes in more than 25.95 less expensive. Drivers with "good" credit scores generally save around 30% with West Bend Mutual compared to average premiums from GEICO.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

West Bend Mutual typically offers lower rates than GEICO when it comes to drivers with a below average credit score. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about 32% per month less with West Bend Mutual compared to GEICO, and those with "poor" scores normally save an average of around 29% per month.

Is GEICO or West Bend Mutual Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a sizable impact on your monthly car insurance payment. Usually, those who drive less will end up with more affordable prices since there's less of a chance of causing an accident and filing an insurance claim.

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

GEICO or West Bend Mutual: 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, if you live in a rural area with fewer cars on the road, you'll pay a little less for car insurance, while the opposite is true for people in urban areas.

When comparing these two companies side-by-side, West Bend Mutual usually comes out as the most affordable option for drivers in all areas, regardless of if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

If you live in a rural area, you can expect to pay around $113 a month with West Bend Mutual compared to GEICO's $159. People in suburban areas pay about $122 with West Bend Mutual compared to GEICO's $185 monthly. In urban areas, West Bend Mutual's average premiums are around $158 while GEICO offers rates about $211.

GEICO vs. West Bend Mutual Discounts

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

The hard part is finding all of the discounts you can take advantage of, 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 West Bend Mutual offer their customers so that you can find the company that has the most discounts and, therefore, the largest savings.

GEICO blows West Bend Mutual away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 12 more discounts than West Bend Mutual.

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, West Bend Mutual has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like advanced safety feature discounts, excess vehicle discounts, marital status discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is GEICO or West Bend Mutual Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average prices for many of the variables insurance companies look at, and walked through the different discounts each carrier offers, too. That's all well and good, but at the end of the day, is GEICO or West Bend Mutual the right carrier for you and your specific needs?

West Bend Mutual might be best for you if....

• Your driving record includes a DUI charge.
• You have below-average credit.
• You and your spouse are buying car insurance together.

GEICO might be best for you if...

• You already have plans to move to another state -- West Bend Mutual Insurance only offers policies in three states.
• You're looking for the company with the most discounts.

Hopefully, this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare GEICO and West Bend Mutual. 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 sure-fire way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your auto insurance policy is to compare quotes from a handful of carriers, not just GEICO and West Bend Mutual. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your ZIP code below and get free quotes from dozens of the top insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

GEICO vs. West Bend Mutual FAQs

Is GEICO or West Bend Mutual cheaper?

West Bend Mutual is the cheaper of the two carriers when looking at national average premiums, with policies averaging $131 a month with West Bend Mutual and $185 for GEICO. However, that doesn't mean West Bend Mutual will be the lowest carrier for every driver, since there are multiple different factors that come into play when it comes to your car insurance cost.

Who is better, GEICO or West Bend Mutual?

Unfortunately, the real answer is "it depends.". No one company is necessarily "better" for each policyholder -- it all depends on what your unique auto insurance profile looks like.

Why do GEICO and West Bend Mutual offer me different rates?

Insurance companies use quite a few different variables when calculating the rates they charge. Things like age, gender, your driving record, where you live, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both GEICO and West Bend Mutual calculate prices using different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different premiums. The best way to determine which carrier is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a bunch of different carriers.

How do I know if GEICO or West Bend Mutual is right for me?

The only way to find the auto 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 does all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top car insurance carriers for free. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the most affordable rate. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't GEICO or West Bend Mutual 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.