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

Quick Facts

• In general, General Casualty offers significantly cheaper premiums than Progressive
• General Casualty tends to be a much more affordable option for drivers who have an at-fault accident on their record
• Progressive offers more affordable prices for drivers with a DUI charge on their record

General Casualty vs. Progressive: 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 be considering General Casualty or Progressive as potential options, but between the two, which one has less expensive rates for insurance?

As you can see, General Casualty is about $41 per month cheaper than Progressive when looking at the national average rates for car insurance.

Even so, that doesn't necessarily mean General Casualty will be the more affordable option for every single driver. Auto insurance companies vary their premiums depending on things like how good your credit score is, where you live, how old you are, how clean your driving record is, and all sorts of other factors, so prices will vary quite a bit from person to person.

So, if you want to find out which of General Casualty or Progressive is really the best for you, keep reading to see average rates for each company broken down by lots of different rate factors.

General Casualty or Progressive: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

General Casualty and Progressive compete against each other in seven 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 prices are over 40% cheaper than insurance rates at Progressive.

But there's more to calculating car insurance premiums than just your home state. Keep reading to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive auto insurance prices of any other group of drivers out there on the road. That's typically because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to get into an accident that results in a car insurance claim, making them much riskier to insure.

However, that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their insurance. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have General Casualty for their car insurance pay nearly $200 less than those who use Progressive.

That being said, both carriers will offer you dramatically lower rates once you turn 25. For example, average prices for General Casualty policyholders reduce more than $150 and Progressive's premiums lower around $300 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

When it comes to auto insurance, patience and experience pay off, with drivers around retirement age paying some of the lowest prices you'll ever see.

When looking at General Casualty and Progressive specifically, which carrier is best for retired drivers? General Casualty gets the slight edge here, with average rates coming in at about $124 per month compared to Progressive's $131.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Married drivers tend to get slightly less expensive insurance premiums than single drivers. That's usually because married policyholders tend to own and insure multiple cars, which can often earn you a discount.

When it comes to relationship status, General Casualty is the clear winner for those who are single, with prices around $60 a month more affordable than Progressive, on average. For married couples, the advantage is clear again - General Casualty has the edge when it comes to average rates.

General Casualty vs. Progressive: Average Rates by Gender

Women generally to pay less for car insurance than men. This is because men are more likely to get into accidents and get tickets, which raises the chances of an insurance claim.

Men normally pay almost 10% more per month than women with General Casualty, while with Progressive, the difference is closer to 3% a month.

When it comes to the most affordable premiums for each gender, General Casualty comes out on top for both men and women. On average, women save about $46 per month and men save about $37 with General Casualty compared to the average Progressive policyholder.

General Casualty or Progressive: 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 isn't the easiest topic to understand. There are multiple different coverages that account for a range of different things. Some protect you and your vehicle, while others only provide coverage for other people's property and health if you cause an accident.

But the 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 their passengers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes comprehensive and collision coverages that protect your own vehicle, in addition to liability coverage).

If you're looking for state minimum liability limits, General Casualty generally offers significantly less expensive rates of $82 compared to Progressive's $111. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, General Casualty again has the edge, with policies around $55 a month cheaper than Progressive, on average.

Is General Casualty or Progressive 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.

At-fault accidents and tickets will most likely raise your premiums, but is General Casualty or Progressive more affordable for drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

General Casualty policyholders can expect their prices to go up an average of $43 per month if they get a ticket, while Progressive usually raises premiums about $31 a month, on average.

However, General Casualty is normally the less expensive option for both drivers who have a recent speeding ticket and those with clean records. Drivers with a clean record can save around $59 per month and drivers with a ticket can save about $47 a month with General Casualty.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

After an accident, drivers who have their insurance through General Casualty can expect to see around an $56 -- or about 38% -- increase in their car insurance prices. Drivers who use Progressive for their auto insurance will see a monthly bill around $65 (or 30%) more expensive after reporting an accident to their insurance company.

Overall, General Casualty offers the cheapest rates for drivers with an at-fault collision on their records, with monthly premiums averaging $146 compared to Progressive's $214.

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 speeding ticket or even a collision. General Casualty drivers usually see a 52% increase in their car insurance rates after a DUI charge, while Progressive will typically raise prices by about 16%.

How does Credit Score Impact General Casualty and Progressive Rates?

Did you know that many auto insurance companies take your credit score into account when calculating rates? This isn't always the case (for example, California and Michigan are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it might come into play for quite a few drivers.

Car insurance carriers argue that someone with bad credit is less likely to pay their bills on time, which makes them riskier to insure. Because of that, policyholders with bad credit will often be forced to pay more.

So, which carrier offers the lowest premiums for drivers with poor, average, or good credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Is General Casualty or Progressive 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 your monthly auto insurance bill. Usually, 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.

In this case, neither General Casualty or Progressive report increasing rates for drivers with higher annual mileage figures. Still, General Casualty comes out as the most affordable for drivers at both intervals, whether they put 6,000 or 12,000 miles on their car yearly, with average premiums of $139 per month for both.

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

Where your home is can have a pretty big impact on your monthly insurance payment. Typically, those who live in urban areas will pay more than policyholders in rural areas because there are a lot more vehicles on the road in those areas, which increases the chances of an accident.

When comparing these two companies side-by-side, General Casualty normally comes out as the cheapest option for drivers in all areas, regardless of if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

Drivers in rural ZIP codes see the lowest prices from both carriers, but General Casualty comes out on top with average rates around $131 a month. General Casualty also has more affordable average premiums for policyholders in urban and suburban ZIP codes -- a $56 and $45 a month respective difference when compared to Progressive drivers in similar areas.

General Casualty vs. Progressive Discounts

Regardless of why you might be in the market for a new auto 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 insurance discounts as you can.

But where do you even start? With so many discounts out there, it may seem hard to find all the of the ones you're eligible for.

Below, we've broken down all of the different discounts offered by both General Casualty and Progressive so that you can see which company offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

Progressive blows General Casualty away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 22 more discounts than General Casualty.

There are a couple discounts both companies offer, but Progressive also offers ABS discounts, advanced safety feature discounts, agency transfer discounts, and more that General Casualty does not.

On the flip side, General Casualty has a couple unique discounts of its own -- employee discounts, new vehicle discounts, and occupation discounts.

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

So, you've seen how different factors can affect your car insurance prices. We've broken down the different discounts each company offers, too. But, at the end of the day, which carrier is the best carrier for you and your specific driver profile?

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.
• You already have a great credit score.
• You have a short commute.

Progressive might be best for you if...

• You value the experience that comes with a large national auto insurance company.
• You have a DUI charge on your record.
• You want to save extra money with discounts.

We hope this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between General Casualty and Progressive. 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 insurance -- comparing quotes from several carriers, not just General Casualty and Progressive. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get free quotes from dozens of top car insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

General Casualty vs. Progressive FAQs

Is General Casualty or Progressive cheaper?

Looking just at the national average rates, General Casualty is the cheaper of the two carriers, offering average rates of $139 per month compared to $180 for Progressive. But General Casualty won't necessarily be the most affordable carrier for each policyholder, since there are many different variables (things like age, gender, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, General Casualty or Progressive?

Unfortunately, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". No single company is necessarily "better" for everyone -- it all depends on what your unique auto insurance profile looks like. For example, Progressive offers more affordable premiums for drivers with a recent DUI, while General Casualty is less expensive for drivers with excellent credit.

Why do General Casualty and Progressive offer me different rates?

Insurance companies take a look at several different factors when determining the prices they charge policyholders. Things like your driving record, age, gender, where you call home, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both General Casualty and Progressive calculate rates using different formulas, so each one will most likely offer different premiums. The only real way to see which carrier is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a bunch of different carriers.

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

The only way to find the car 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, sites like Compare.com make it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your information once and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best auto insurance carriers in your area. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the best rate. And who knows, the best carrier for you might not be General Casualty or Progressive 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.