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

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for insurance, Trustgard Auto offers slightly cheaper prices than General Casualty
• General Casualty has less expensive rates for drivers who have a speeding ticket on their driving record
• Trustgard Auto tends to be a much more affordable option for policyholders who have a short commute

General Casualty or Trustgard Auto: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

So, you're thinking about switching to a new insurance policy. You've probably seen commercials and billboards from companies offering large savings, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You might be considering General Casualty or Trustgard Auto as potential options, but which carrier will offer you cheaper prices?

Looking at nationwide averages, General Casualty is around $2 more a month than Trustgard Auto.

However, that doesn't mean Trustgard Auto will necessarily be more affordable than General Casualty for every driver. Auto insurance carriers use tons of complex algorithms to determine rates, so depending on how old you are or how good your credit score is (among a bunch of other factors), you could see wildly different premiums from the ones above.

Luckily, we've broken down average rates from both General Casualty and Trustgard Auto by many different rate factors, so read on to find out which carrier is the best for you.

General Casualty vs. Trustgard Auto: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

General Casualty and Trustgard Auto only compete against each other in two states, with General Casualty offering less expensive premiums to the average driver in all of them. If you live in Illinois, General Casualty is the more affordable of the two companies when looking at the overall average prices. Trustgard Auto is the less expensive option in Indiana.

That being said, there's a lot more that goes into your insurance cost than just your home state. Continue reading to see how other variables will affect your rates.

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 out there on the road. That's normally because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to cause collisions and other accidents that will result in an insurance claim.

That being said, that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their auto insurance. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of over 25% less per month by choosing General Casualty over Trustgard Auto.

Even so, both carriers will offer you dramatically lower rates by the time drivers turn 25. For example, average prices for General Casualty policyholders lower about $150 and Trustgard Auto's premiums drop around $250 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Once you approach retirement age, you'll generally enjoy the most affordable insurance prices you'll ever see. You've been on the road for years, and all that experience pays off when it comes to your monthly rates for car insurance.

When looking at General Casualty and Trustgard Auto specifically, which company is best for retired drivers? Trustgard Auto gets the edge, with premiums for drivers 65 and older $28 cheaper than the national average for General Casualty.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that auto insurance prices are usually less expensive for married drivers than they are for single drivers? This usually boils down to married policyholders having more than one vehicle on their policy -- something a lot of car insurance companies will reward with discounts.

For single policyholders, the difference in average rates between these two carriers is not very significant, with General Casualty premiums coming in at about 5% less than Trustgard Auto's. The advantage for married couples is more obvious, where drivers who use Trustgard Auto save more than $15 a month.

General Casualty or Trustgard Auto: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to cause a collision and get into accidents, which means they'll typically end up paying more for insurance than women.

With General Casualty, men generally pay almost 10% more per month than women., and around 6% more with Trustgard Auto.

When it comes to the lowest rates for each gender, General Casualty is the cheapest carrier for women. Rates with General Casualty are $1 cheaper for women, while with Trustgard Auto, men can save about $1.

General Casualty vs. Trustgard Auto: 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.

Car insurance isn't the easiest topic to understand. There are so many different limits and coverages that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy for you.

But most policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability coverage (which provides bodily injury and property damage coverage for other drivers and passengers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which usually refers to having collision and comprehensive coverages in addition to what you get with a liability policy).

When it comes to state minimum liability insurance, Trustgard Auto has the edge, while General Casualty offers the most affordable average prices for full coverage policies with similar coverage limits. Policyholders looking for basic state minimum coverage can save around $3 with Trustgard Auto Insurance, while full coverage comes out to be around $1 cheaper with General Casualty.

Is General Casualty or Trustgard Auto 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.

You'll probably end up paying more with speeding tickets and collisions on your record, but which of these two companies offers the lowest rates to drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Drivers who use General Casualty for their auto insurance can typically expect their monthly bill to go up about 32% after getting a speeding ticket. Trustgard Auto policyholders can expect a bit more drastic of an increase of around 34%.

However, General Casualty tends to offer the best prices for both drivers who have clean records and those with a recent ticket, offering prices that are 8% and 10% more affordable, respectively, compared to Trustgard Auto Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

General Casualty policyholders who get in an accident can expect to see their premiums rise by just under 40%, while those who have insurance through Trustgard Auto will see about a 25% increase.

At the end of the day, the cheaper rates come from Trustgard Auto, with average prices coming in at $133 compared to General Casualty's $146.

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 car insurance bill. For example, General Casualty increases average premiums by more than $95 a month -- that's more than a 50% increase.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable rates, Trustgard Auto tends to be more affordable for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at around $171 to General Casualty's $186.

How does Credit Score Impact General Casualty and Trustgard Auto Rates?

Did you know many insurance carriers take your credit score into account when determining prices? Certain states and companies do not allow for credit score to be used as an auto insurance factor, but it might come into play for lots of drivers.

Auto 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, policyholders with good credit will often be rewarded with less expensive premiums.

Looking specifically at Trustgard Auto and General Casualty, which one has the best rates for drivers at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have a great credit score, General Casualty will normally reward you the most. For policyholders with "excellent" credit scores, General Casualty comes in nearly NaN more affordable. Drivers with "good" credit scores typically save about 8% with General Casualty compared to average premiums from Trustgard Auto.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

If you have less-than-perfect credit, it can be somewhat of a toss-up as far as which company offers you the best prices. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around 1% less with General Casualty than Trustgard Auto, but those whose credit is considered "poor" have it flipped -- saving about 13% per month with Trustgard Auto.

Is General Casualty or Trustgard Auto 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 companies will charge for coverage. Usually, those who drive less will end up with cheaper premiums since there's less of a chance of causing a collision and filing an insurance claim.

In this case, neither General Casualty or Trustgard Auto report increasing prices for drivers with higher annual mileage figures. Even so, Trustgard Auto comes out as the cheapest for drivers at both intervals, whether they put 6,000 or 12,000 miles on their car every year, with average rates of $137 a month for both.

General Casualty or Trustgard Auto: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you park your vehicle can have a large impact on your monthly insurance bill. Generally, if you live in an urban area with more cars on the road, you'll pay a little more for auto insurance, while the opposite is true for people in rural areas.

Trustgard Auto normally comes out as the less expensive option for drivers in urban and suburban areas, while General Casualty wins in rural areas.

If you live in a rural area, you can expect to pay around $131 per month with General Casualty and $134 with Trustgard Auto. Drivers in suburban ZIP codes pay a monthly rate of about $132 with Trustgard Auto compared to $134 with General Casualty. In urban areas, Trustgard Auto's average rates are around $147 while General Casualty offers premiums about $151.

General Casualty vs. Trustgard Auto Discounts

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

But where do you even start? With what seems like a million different discounts out there, it may be hard to find all the ones you're eligible for.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and compared all of the different discounts offered by General Casualty and Trustgard Auto so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

Overall, Trustgard Auto has the advantage when it comes to total number of discounts. General Casualty offers a grand total of 12 discounts, while Trustgard Auto has 16.

There are a couple discounts both carriers offer, but Trustgard Auto also offers discounts for advanced safety feature, company car, COVID-19 relief, and more.

On the other hand, General Casualty has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like employee discounts, good driving discounts, multi-policy discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is General Casualty or Trustgard Auto Best for You?

You've seen the effect certain factors have on your auto insurance and the different discounts companies offer. That's all well and good, but at the end of the day, is General Casualty or Trustgard Auto the best company for you and your specific driver profile?

Trustgard Auto might be best for you if....

• Your driving record contains an at-fault accident.
• You live in an urban area.
• You've started working from home and don't have much of a commute.

General Casualty might be best for you if...

• You will be the only person on the insurance policy.
• Your credit score is high.
• You want to save money while purchasing auto insurance for a teenager.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between General Casualty and Trustgard Auto 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 several carriers, not just General Casualty and Trustgard Auto. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Simply 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.

General Casualty vs. Trustgard Auto FAQs

Is General Casualty or Trustgard Auto cheaper?

Trustgard Auto is the more affordable of the two carriers when looking at national average rates, with policies averaging $137 per month with Trustgard Auto and $139 for General Casualty. Even so, that doesn't mean Trustgard Auto will be the most affordable carrier for each driver, since there are several different variables (things like age, gender, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, General Casualty or Trustgard Auto?

Sadly, the answer truly is "it depends.". Neither company is "better" for everyone -- it all comes down to what your unique car insurance profile looks like. For example, General Casualty is less expensive for drivers with excellent credit, while Trustgard Auto offers cheaper premiums for drivers with a recent DUI.

Why do General Casualty and Trustgard Auto offer me different rates?

Auto insurance companies use many different factors when calculating the prices they charge. Things like where your home is, age, where you call home, gender, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both General Casualty and Trustgard Auto calculate premiums using different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different rates. The best way to determine which carrier is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from lots of different carriers.

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

The only way to find the car insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from a handful of companies 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 quotes from dozens of your local top auto insurance carriers for free. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the most affordable premium. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't General Casualty or Trustgard Auto 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.