GEICO vs. Western Reserve Group: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for insurance, Western Reserve Group offers significantly more affordable prices than GEICO
• GEICO offers more discounts than Western Reserve Group
• Western Reserve Group tends to be a much cheaper option for policyholders who may not have much of a commute

GEICO vs. Western Reserve Group: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

Are you considering a new insurance policy? After all, you've seen ads from all sorts of companies offering huge discounts. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You might have narrowed it down to GEICO or Western Reserve Group for your next policy, but which carrier will offer you less expensive rates?

Looking at nationwide averages, Western Reserve Group is quite a bit cheaper than GEICO, with premiums averaging $137 per month compared to $185 with GEICO.

That being said, Western Reserve Group may not be the lowest or best option for every driver out there. Auto insurance companies use tons of complex algorithms to calculate rates, so depending on where you live or how old you are (among multiple other factors), you could see wildly different prices from the ones above.

Luckily, we've broken down average rates from both GEICO and Western Reserve Group by multiple different rate factors, so read on to find out which carrier is the best for you.

GEICO or Western Reserve Group: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

GEICO and Western Reserve Group only compete against each other in two states, with GEICO offering cheaper premiums to the average driver in all of them. Indiana has the most noticable difference, where GEICO prices are over 40% more affordable than car insurance premiums at Western Reserve Group.

That being said, there are plenty of other factors that go into your insurance payment than just where you live. Continue reading to see how other factors will affect your rates.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers generally pay a lot more for car insurance than any other group of drivers out there on the road. The reason is that young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to get into an accident that results in an auto insurance claim, making them much riskier to insure.

Even so, that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their auto insurance. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have Western Reserve Group for their insurance pay more than $100 less than those who use GEICO. It's worth noting that GEICO offers auto insurance in 50 different states compared to Western Reserve Group's two, which can skew the average rates a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

However, with both carriers, you'll see your prices drop significantly by the time you turn 25. For example, average premiums for GEICO policyholders decrease over 55% and Western Reserve Group's rates lower nearly 50% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

When it comes to car insurance, patience and experience pay off, with drivers around retirement age paying some of the most affordable prices you can find.

So, which company offers the best rates to retired drivers? Western Reserve Group gets the edge, with premiums for drivers 65 and older $41 less expensive than the national average for GEICO.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Married drivers tend to get slightly more affordable insurance prices than single drivers. This usually boils down to married couples having several cars on their policy -- something quite a few auto insurance companies will reward with discounts.

When it comes to relationship status, Western Reserve Group is the clear winner for those who are single, with premiums about $51 a month less expensive than GEICO, on average. For married policyholders, the advantage is clear again - Western Reserve Group has the edge when it comes to average rates.

GEICO vs. Western Reserve Group: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get pulled over for speeding or get into an accident. That means when it comes to insurance men will usually end up paying a little more.

Usually, women see prices almost $10 per month cheaper with GEICO, but surprisingly, with Western Reserve Group, women usually pay around $2 a month more than men.

Looking at the data for each carrier specifically, Western Reserve Group comes out on top for both men and women, with average premiums 28% less for men and 24% cheaper for women.

GEICO or Western Reserve Group: 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.

It's no secret that car insurance can be a complicated subject for most people. There are so many different coverages and terms that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy.

The two 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 typically refers to having comprehensive and collision coverages in addition to liability coverage).

If you're looking for state minimum liability limits, Western Reserve Group normally offers slightly more affordable prices of $94 compared to GEICO's $101. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, Western Reserve Group again has the edge, with policies about $90 per month cheaper than GEICO, on average.

Is GEICO or Western Reserve Group Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from auto insurance carriers offering great rates for good drivers, but that doesn't mean people with less-than-perfect driving records can't save money, too.

It's no secret secret that accidents and tickets lead to higher premiums, but which company -- GEICO or Western Reserve Group -- has the cheapest prices for drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

GEICO policyholders can expect their rates to go up an average of $35 a month if they get a ticket, while Western Reserve Group generally raises premiums around $34 per month, on average.

But Western Reserve Group is typically the less expensive option for drivers both with clean records and with a speeding ticket. Drivers with a clean record can save about $27 a month and drivers with a ticket can save around $28 per month with Western Reserve Group.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both companies will increase rates pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault accident with GEICO raising by $85. Western Reserve Group has a less extreme raise, but you can still expect to pay over $30 more than you were prior to your first collision.

Overall, the cheaper prices come from Western Reserve Group, with monthly rates averaging $120 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 accident or speeding ticket when it comes to your insurance bill. For example, GEICO increases average premiums by more than $150 a month -- that's just under a 60% increase.

Western Reserve Group has the overall lowest prices for drivers with a DUI on their records at $218 a month, but it's worth noting that GEICO's average rates come from 50 states compared to just two for Western Reserve Group, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact GEICO and Western Reserve Group Rates?

You may not have known, but your credit score can be used as one of the variables to determine your monthly car insurance premiums. Certain states and carriers do not allow for credit score to be used as a rating factor, but it might come into play for a lot of drivers.

Auto insurance companies argue that those with good credit scores are more likely to pay their bills on time each month, which lowers the risk involved on their end, while the opposite is true for those with bad credit.

So, which carrier offers the cheapest prices for policyholders with poor, average, or good credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have a great credit score, you'll usually find a better deal with Western Reserve Group. Drivers with "excellent" credit can save over 20% compared to GEICO, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- about $47 or 29% more affordable every month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Western Reserve Group typically offers lower rates than GEICO when it comes to drivers with bad credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around $58 per month less with Western Reserve Group compared to GEICO, and those with "poor" scores normally save an average of about $64 per month.

Is GEICO or Western Reserve Group Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

The amount of time you spend behind the wheel of your car plays a big role in how much car insurance carriers will charge for coverage. That's because the more miles you put on your vehicle each year, the more likely you are to get into an accident and cause an insurance claim.

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

GEICO vs. Western Reserve Group: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

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

Western Reserve Group boasts the most affordable average rates for drivers in every type of area, no matter if it's urban, suburban, or rural.

Drivers in rural ZIP codes see the cheapest prices from both companies, but Western Reserve Group comes out on top with average rates about $125 monthly. Western Reserve Group also has more affordable average premiums for policyholders in urban and suburban ZIP codes -- a 30% and 25% a month respective difference when compared to GEICO drivers in similar areas.

GEICO vs. Western Reserve Group Discounts

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

The difficult part is finding all of the discounts you're eligible for, since it can feel sometimes like every company has different discounts and each one is advertised differently.

Below, we've taken a look at all of the different discounts GEICO and Western Reserve Group offer their customers 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 Western Reserve Group out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 28 different discounts to Western Reserve Group's 11.

Both carriers offer quite a few of the same discounts -- like anti-theft discounts, discounts for being a defensive driver, and discounts for being a good student -- but GEICO also offers ABS discounts, commercial drivers license discounts, COVID-19 relief discount, and more that Western Reserve Group does not.

On the flip side, Western Reserve Group has a couple unique discounts of its own -- advance quote discounts, agency transfer discounts, company car discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is GEICO or Western Reserve Group Best for You?

So, you've seen how different factors can affect your auto insurance prices. We've broken down the different discounts each carrier offers, too. That's all well and good, but at the end of the day, is GEICO or Western Reserve Group the right one for you and your specific needs?

Western Reserve Group might be best for you if....

• You have a DUI charge on your record.
• You have above-average credit.
• You are over 65 years old and want to save some money on your insurance.

GEICO might be best for you if...

• You already have plans to move to another state -- Western Reserve Group is only available in Indiana and Ohio.
• You're looking for the company with the most discounts.

We hope this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between GEICO and Western Reserve Group. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision when it comes to your auto insurance.

At the end of the day, the sure-fire way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your insurance policy is to compare quotes from multiple companies, not just GEICO and Western Reserve Group. Luckily, sites like Compare.com make it easy for you to do just that. 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. Western Reserve Group FAQs

Is GEICO or Western Reserve Group cheaper?

Looking just at the national average premiums, Western Reserve Group is the cheaper of the two companies, offering average rates of $137 per month compared to $185 for GEICO. Even so, Western Reserve Group won't necessarily be the lowest carrier for each driver, since there are lots of different variables (things like age, driving record, gender, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, GEICO or Western Reserve Group?

Sadly, the real answer is "it depends.". No one company is necessarily "better" for everyone -- it all comes down to what your unique auto insurance profile looks like.

Why do GEICO and Western Reserve Group offer me different rates?

Car insurance carriers take a look at lots of different factors when calculating the rates they charge policyholders. Things such as gender, where your home is, age, your driving record, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both GEICO and Western Reserve Group calculate prices differently, so each one will most likely offer different premiums. The only real way to see which carrier is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a bunch of different companies.

How do I know if GEICO or Western Reserve Group is right for me?

The only way to find the 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 information once and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best car insurance companies 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 Western Reserve Group 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.