General Casualty vs. Oregon Mutual: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for auto insurance, Oregon Mutual offers slightly less expensive prices than General Casualty
• General Casualty has cheaper rates for residents of urban areas
• Oregon Mutual offers less expensive average prices for residents of rural areas

General Casualty vs. Oregon Mutual: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

Are you in the market for a new insurance policy? You've probably seen commercials and billboards from companies offering big discounts, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You might have narrowed it down to General Casualty or Oregon Mutual for your next policy, but between the two, which company has cheaper premiums for car insurance?

Looking at nationwide averages, Oregon Mutual is about $4 per month more affordable than General Casualty.

That being said, that doesn't necessarily mean Oregon Mutual will be the cheaper option for every single driver. After all, auto insurance companies can offer drastically different rates to each driver depending on rating factors like your age, your driving record, where you call home, or even your credit score (among other things), so rates could differ drastically from person to person.

Luckily, we've broken down average prices from both General Casualty and Oregon Mutual by lots of different rate factors, so read on to find out which carrier is the best for you.

General Casualty or Oregon Mutual: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

General Casualty and Oregon Mutual only compete against each other in one states, with General Casualty offering less expensive premiums to the average driver in all of them. Oregon has the most noticable difference, where General Casualty rates are more affordable than car insurance premiums at Oregon Mutual.

That being said, there are plenty of other factors that go into your insurance payment than just your home state. Read on to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers typically pay a lot more for car insurance than any other group of drivers. It'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 auto insurance prices. As you can see above, teens who use General Casualty save more than $75 a month compared to those who use Oregon Mutual.

But with both carriers, you'll see your rates lower significantly once you turn 25. Oregon Mutual offers the steepest reduction, with 25-year-olds paying less than a third of what 18-year-old drivers are charged. General Casualty's average prices decrease over 55% during that same period.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Drivers around retirement age normally enjoy some of the most affordable insurance rates out there. After all, they've likely been driving for quite some time, which usually decreases their chances of accidents and other infractions that can increase premiums.

So, which company offers the best rates to retired drivers? Oregon Mutual gets the edge, with prices for drivers 65 and older nearly 20% cheaper than the national average for General Casualty.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but auto insurance premiums tend to be more affordable for married policyholders than they are for single drivers. This usually boils down to married couples having several cars on their policy -- something lots of insurance companies will reward with discounts.

When it comes to relationship status, the two carriers are comparable for single policyholders, with rates only differing around $2 per month, on average. The advantage for married drivers is more obvious, where drivers who use Oregon Mutual save more than 10% a month.

General Casualty vs. Oregon Mutual: Average Rates by Gender

Did you know men generally pay more for car insurance than women? This is because men are statistically more likely than women to get into accidents and get speeding tickets, which leads to increased risk for insurers and, therefore, higher premiums.

With General Casualty, women normally pay almost $15 per month less than men, and over $10 with Oregon Mutual.

Looking at overall affordability, Oregon Mutual offers the cheapest average prices for both men and women, with average rates $5 less for men and $3 cheaper for women.

General Casualty or Oregon 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, insurance can be pretty complicated. There are so many different limits 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 property damage and bodily injury coverage for other drivers and passengers if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which includes comprehensive and collision coverages that protect your own vehicle, alongside liability).

In this case, General Casualty offers the lowest average prices for state minimum limits for liability insurance, while Oregon Mutual has the edge for full coverage policies with similar coverage limits. Drivers looking for basic state minimum coverage can save around $15 with General Casualty, while full coverage comes out to be about $25 less expensive with Oregon Mutual.

Is General Casualty or Oregon Mutual 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.

Collisions and tickets will most likely raise your premiums, but is General Casualty or Oregon Mutual cheaper for drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

General Casualty policyholders can expect their prices to go up an average of $43 a month if they get a ticket, while Oregon Mutual typically raises premiums around $11 per month, on average.

If you have a clean record, General Casualty tends to offer the best rates at about 19% less expensive, while Oregon Mutual has the edge for drivers with a speeding ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both companies will raise premiums pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault accident with General Casualty climbing by over $55. Oregon Mutual has a less extreme raise, but you can still expect to pay more than $20 more than you were prior to your first collision.

Overall, Oregon Mutual offers the cheapest rates for drivers with an at-fault accident on their records, with monthly prices averaging $133 compared to General Casualty's $146.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

If you get a DUI charge, you can expect some pretty significant increases in your monthly car insurance bill -- usually a lot more than a collision or ticket. On average, General Casualty will climb your rates around 52% after a DUI, while Oregon Mutual's average premiums increase by over 35%.

If you have a DUI on your record and are looking for more affordable prices, Oregon Mutual tends to be the much more affordable option with average premiums of $171 monthly compared to $186 from General Casualty.

How does Credit Score Impact General Casualty and Oregon Mutual Rates?

Did you know that many insurance carriers take your credit score into account when calculating prices? 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 quite a few policyholders.

The reasoning auto insurance companies use is that drivers with bad credit will be less likely to pay their bills on time; so generally, they'll be asked to pay more, while those with good credit will be rewarded with less expensive rates.

Looking specifically at Oregon Mutual and General Casualty, which carrier has the most affordable prices for policyholders at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have a solid credit score, you'll usually find a better deal with General Casualty. Drivers with "excellent" credit can save more than 10% compared to Oregon Mutual, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- about $3 or 2% more affordable every month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Oregon Mutual typically offers lower premiums than General Casualty when it comes to drivers with less-than-perfect credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around $9 a month less with Oregon Mutual compared to General Casualty, and those with "poor" scores typically save an average of about $24 a month.

Is General Casualty or Oregon Mutual 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 large impact on how much car insurance carriers will charge for coverage? That's because the fewer miles you put on your car each year, the less 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 General Casualty charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly rates for Oregon Mutual, with policyholders who drive the least paying around $5 less each month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles every year. Still, Oregon Mutual is the cheaper option for drivers in both categories.

General Casualty vs. Oregon Mutual: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you live can have a considerable impact on your monthly auto insurance cost. Usually, policyholders who live in heavily-populated urban areas will pay quite a bit more than rural drivers due to the number of vehicles that are on the roads in those areas.

General Casualty vs. Oregon Mutual 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 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 can take advantage of.

Below, we've taken a look at all of the different discounts General Casualty and Oregon Mutual 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.

Looking at the total number of discounts, Oregon Mutual comes out ahead with 15 discounts to General Casualty's 12.

Both companies offer quite a few of the same discounts -- like anti-theft discounts, distant student discounts, and employee discounts -- but Oregon Mutual also offers csl discounts, driver training discounts, group discounts, and more that General Casualty does not.

On the flip side, General Casualty has a couple unique discounts of its own -- discounts for being a good driver, new vehicle discounts, occupation discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is General Casualty or Oregon Mutual Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average premiums for many of the factors insurance carriers look at, and walked through the different discounts each carrier offers, too. But, when it comes down to it, is General Casualty or Oregon Mutual the best one for you and your specific driver profile?

Oregon Mutual might be best for you if....

• Your driving record contains an at-fault collision.
• You care about discounts (Oregon Mutual offers the most).
• You drive often but have a short commute.

General Casualty might be best for you if...

• You haven't received any speeding tickets or been in a collision in the last few years.
• Your neighborhood is in a city.
• Your home is located in the suburbs.

We hope this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare General Casualty and Oregon Mutual. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best 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 auto insurance -- comparing quotes from several companies, not just General Casualty and Oregon Mutual. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get multiple free quotes from some of the best car insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

General Casualty vs. Oregon Mutual FAQs

Is General Casualty or Oregon Mutual cheaper?

Looking just at the national average rates, Oregon Mutual is the more affordable of the two companies, offering average rates of $135 per month compared to $139 for General Casualty. However, Oregon Mutual won't necessarily be the cheapest company for everyone, since there are several different variables that come into play when it comes to your insurance bill.

Who is better, General Casualty or Oregon Mutual?

Unfortunately, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". No single carrier is "better" for everyone -- it all comes down to what your unique auto insurance profile looks like. For example, Oregon Mutual offers cheaper premiums for drivers with a recent DUI, while General Casualty is less expensive for drivers with excellent credit.

Why do General Casualty and Oregon Mutual offer me different rates?

Car insurance carriers take a look at many different factors when determining the prices they charge policyholders. Things like where you call home, where your home is, gender, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both General Casualty and Oregon Mutual calculate rates using different formulas, 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 bunch of different companies.

How do I know if General Casualty or Oregon Mutual is right for me?

The only way to find the auto insurance carrier that's right for you is by getting quotes from a handful of 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 insurance companies in your area. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the most affordable premium. And who knows, the best company for you might not be General Casualty or Oregon Mutual 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.