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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for insurance, Pekin offers significantly more affordable prices than General Casualty
• General Casualty offers more discounts than Pekin Insurance
• Pekin tends to be a much cheaper option for drivers with a DUI charge on their record

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

So, you're thinking about switching your auto insurance. After all, you've seen ads from all sorts of companies offering large discounts. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You might have narrowed your search down to General Casualty or Pekin as potential options, but between the two, which company will offer you less expensive premiums?

As you can see, Pekin is quite a bit cheaper than General Casualty, with rates averaging $74 per month compared to $139 with General Casualty when looking at the national average rates for car insurance.

That being said, that doesn't mean Pekin will necessarily be more affordable than General Casualty for each driver. Insurance companies vary their prices depending on things like how good your credit score is, where you live, how old you are, how clean your driving record is, and tons of other factors, so rates could change drastically from person to person.

Wanting to know if General Casualty or Pekin 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.

General Casualty or Pekin: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

General Casualty and Pekin only compete against each other in Indiana, where Pekin offers the cheaper average prices. For Indiana residents, Pekin offers auto insurance for $74 per month on average. General Casualty's average rates come out to be over 50% more expensive, at $118 a month.

That being said, there's a lot more that goes into your insurance payment than just where you call home. Keep reading 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. It's because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to cause collisions and other accidents that will result in an insurance claim.

Even so, that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high auto insurance prices. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have Pekin for their car insurance pay $95 less than those who use General Casualty.

However, both carriers will offer you dramatically lower rates once you turn 25. For example, average premiums for General Casualty policyholders lower more than 55% and Pekin's prices reduce nearly 65% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

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

So, which company offers the best premiums to retired drivers? Pekin gets the edge here, with average prices coming in at about $58 monthly compared to General Casualty's $124.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but auto insurance rates tend to be cheaper for married drivers than they are for single policyholders. This usually boils down to married couples having more than one car on their policy -- something a lot of insurance companies will reward with discounts.

When it comes to relationship status, Pekin is the clear winner for single drivers, with premiums around $73 a month less expensive than General Casualty, on average. The advantage for married policyholders with Pekin is also obvious, where drivers save almost 50% per month.

General Casualty vs. Pekin: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get into collisions and file an insurance claim. That means when it comes to auto insurance men will usually end up paying a little more.

On average, women see rates nearly $15 a month cheaper with General Casualty, and about $1 with Pekin.

Looking at the data for each carrier specifically, Pekin comes out on top for both men and women. On average, male drivers save about $71 per month and women save around $58 with Pekin compared to the average General Casualty policyholder.

General Casualty or Pekin: 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 pretty complicated. Everyone needs insurance, but there are so many different limits and terms that it can be hard to find the right policy.

The two most common policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability only (which covers the other party's property damage and injuries if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which generally refers to having comprehensive and collision coverages alongside what you get with a liability policy).

If you're looking for state minimum liability limits, Pekin normally offers significantly more affordable prices of $46 compared to General Casualty's $82. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, Pekin again has the edge, with policies about $90 a month less expensive than General Casualty, on average.

Is General Casualty or Pekin 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.

It's no secret secret that accidents and tickets lead to higher premiums, but which company -- General Casualty or Pekin -- has the lowest prices for drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

General Casualty policyholders can expect their premiums to go up an average of $43 per month if they get a ticket, while Pekin typically raises rates around $13 a month, on average.

But Pekin is generally the cheaper option for both drivers who have clean records and those with a recent speeding ticket, offering prices that are 40% and 50% more affordable, respectively, compared to General Casualty.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

General Casualty drivers who get in a collision can expect to see their rates increase by over $55, while those who have insurance through Pekin will see about a $20 increase.

Overall, the less expensive premiums come from Pekin, with monthly rates averaging $73 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 auto insurance bill -- usually a lot more than an accident or ticket. General Casualty drivers usually see a 52% increase in their car insurance premiums after a DUI charge, while Pekin will typically raise prices by around 48%.

If you have a DUI on your record and are looking for more affordable premiums, Pekin tends to be the much cheaper option with average rates of $104 per month compared to $186 from General Casualty.

How does Credit Score Impact General Casualty and Pekin Rates?

Did you know that many auto insurance carriers take into account your credit score when calculating prices? Certain states and companies do not allow for credit score to be used as a rating factor, but it might come into play for several policyholders.

Insurance carriers argue that someone with good credit is more likely to pay their bills on time, which makes them less risky to insure. Because of that, drivers with good credit will often be rewarded with more affordable premiums.

So, which carrier offers the most affordable rates for policyholders with good, average, or poor credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have great credit, you'll usually find a better deal with Pekin. Drivers with "excellent" credit can save just under 55% compared to General Casualty, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- about $58 or 49% less expensive each month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Pekin typically offers lower prices than General Casualty when it comes to drivers with less-than-perfect credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around $63 per month less with Pekin compared to General Casualty, and those with "poor" scores generally save an average of about $81 a month.

Is General Casualty or Pekin 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 rates? 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 General Casualty charges. However, there's a significant difference in monthly premiums for Pekin, with policyholders who drive the least paying around $13 less every month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles yearly. Still, Pekin is the cheaper option for drivers in both categories.

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

Where you call home can have a big impact on your monthly auto insurance bill. Usually, 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.

Pekin boasts the lowest average prices for drivers in every type of area, no matter if it's urban, suburban, or rural.

In urban areas, Pekin Insurance's average rates are about $66 less than General Casualty. Drivers in suburban ZIP codes pay around $66 less with Pekin compared to General Casualty. If you live in a rural area, you can expect to save about $61 with Pekin compared to General Casualty.

General Casualty vs. Pekin 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 auto 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're eligible for.

Below, we've taken a look at all of the different discounts General Casualty and Pekin offer their customers so that you can see which carrier can save you the most money each month.

Looking at the total number of discounts, General Casualty comes out ahead with 12 discounts to Pekin's 10.

Both companies offer a lot of the same discounts -- like advance quote discounts, anti-theft discounts, and discounts for being a good student -- but General Casualty also offers distant student discounts, employee discounts, good driving discounts, and more that Pekin does not.

On the flip side, Pekin has a couple unique discounts of its own -- EFT discounts, group discounts, hybrid vehicle discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is General Casualty or Pekin Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average premiums for many of the factors car insurance carriers look at, and we've shown you all the discounts each company offers. But, when it comes down to it, which insurance carrier is the best one for you and your specific profile and needs?

Pekin might be best for you if....

• You don't have any speeding tickets, DUIs, or at-fault collisions on your record.
• Your credit score is high.
• Your neighborhood is in a rural area.

General Casualty might be best for you if...

• You're looking for the company with the most discounts.

We hope this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare General Casualty and Pekin and that it aids in making a more informed decision about your insurance.

At the end of the day, the best way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your car insurance policy is to compare quotes from a handful of companies, not just General Casualty and Pekin. Luckily, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Simply enter your ZIP code below and get free quotes from dozens of the top auto insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

General Casualty vs. Pekin FAQs

Is General Casualty or Pekin cheaper?

Looking just at the national average prices, Pekin is the less expensive of the two companies, offering average rates of $74 a month compared to $139 for General Casualty. Even so, Pekin won't necessarily be the cheapest carrier for each policyholder, since there are many different variables that are considered when it comes to your insurance cost.

Who is better, General Casualty or Pekin?

Sadly, the answer truly is "it depends.". No one company is necessarily "better" for every driver -- it all boils down to your unique car insurance profile.

Why do General Casualty and Pekin offer me different rates?

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

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

The only way to find the insurance company 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 ZIP code 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 price. And who knows, the best carrier for you might not be General Casualty or Pekin 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.