Grange vs. Great Northern: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for insurance, Grange offers significantly more affordable premiums than Great Northern
• Grange offers less expensive average prices for policyholders who drive a short distance to work everyday
• Grange tends to be a much cheaper option for drivers with a DUI charge on their record

Grange vs. Great Northern: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

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

You might be considering Grange or Great Northern as potential options, but which carrier will save you the most?

As you can see, Great Northern is quite a bit more expensive than Grange, with rates averaging $496 per month compared to just $249 with Grange when looking at the national average rates for auto insurance.

But that doesn't mean Grange will necessarily be more affordable than Great Northern for every driver. Insurance companies use tons of complex algorithms to calculate premiums, so depending on how old you are or how good your credit score is (among a range of other factors), you could see wildly different prices from the ones above.

So, if you want to find out which of Grange or Great Northern is really the best for you, keep reading to see average premiums for each company broken down by a variety of different rate factors.

Grange or Great Northern: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Grange and Great Northern only compete against each other in Michigan, where Great Northern offers the cheaper average prices. For Michigan residents, Great Northern offers car insurance for $496 per month on average. Grange's average rates come out to be over 30% more expensive, at $695 a month.

But there's more to calculating auto insurance premiums than just the state you live in. Read on to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive car insurance rates of any group out there on the road. It's typically because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to cause collisions and other accidents that will result in an insurance claim.

But still, even with seemingly sky-high prices, teen drivers can still find ways to save money. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have Grange for their insurance pay nearly $400 less than those who use Great Northern.

That being said, both carriers will offer you dramatically lower premiums by the time you turn 25. For example, average rates for Grange policyholders decrease almost $350 and Great Northern's prices reduce more than $450 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 cheapest rates out there.

When looking at Grange and Great Northern specifically, which carrier is best for retired drivers? Grange gets the edge here, with average premiums coming in at about $200 monthly compared to Great Northern's $346.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that car insurance prices are usually more expensive for single drivers than they are for married drivers? This usually boils down to married couples having more than one car on their policy -- something many insurance companies will reward with discounts.

When it comes to relationship status, Grange is the clear winner for those who are single, with rates around $262 a month cheaper than Great Northern, on average. The advantage for married policyholders with Grange is also obvious, where drivers save nearly 55% per month.

Grange vs. Great Northern: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get tickets and get into collisions, which means they'll normally end up paying more for car insurance than women.

Generally, women see premiums about 5% a month less with Grange; and with Great Northern, everyone ends up paying the same monthly prices regardless of gender.

Looking at the data for each company specifically, Grange comes out on top for both men and women. On average, women save about $253 per month and men save around $241 with Grange compared to the average Great Northern policyholder.

Grange or Great Northern: 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, auto insurance isn't the easiest topic to understand. 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 covers the other party's injuries and property damage if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which includes comprehensive and collision coverages that protect your own vehicle, in addition to liability).

If you're looking for state minimum liability insurance, Grange generally offers significantly less expensive rates of $185 compared to Great Northern's $255. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, Grange again has the edge, with policies about $400 a month more affordable than Great Northern, on average.

Is Grange or Great Northern Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

It's no big secret that drivers who are accident-free get better deals on their insurance. But even if you have a spotty record, you can still find plenty of ways to save some cash on your monthly bill.

You'll probably end up paying more with tickets and accidents on your record, but which of these two carriers offers the most affordable prices to drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Drivers with Great Northern car insurance policies don't report seeing their premiums increase after getting a ticket, but Grange policyholders can expect to see their monthly bill increase by around $55.

However, Grange is usually the cheaper option for both drivers who have a recent ticket and those with clean records, offering rates that are $316 and $261 less expensive, respectively, compared to Great Northern Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Grange policyholders who get in a collision can expect to see their premiums increase by over 30%, while those who have insurance through Great Northern will see about a 0% increase.

Overall, the cheaper prices come from Grange, with monthly rates averaging $266 compared to Great Northern Insurance's $496.

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 -- generally a lot more than an accident or speeding ticket. Grange drivers usually see a 43% increase in their insurance prices after a DUI charge, while Great Northern will normally raise premiums by around 0%.

If you have a DUI on your record and are looking for more affordable rates, Grange tends to be the much more affordable option with average premiums of $314 per month compared to $496 from Great Northern.

How does Credit Score Impact Grange and Great Northern Rates?

Did you know that many car insurance companies take into account your credit score when calculating prices? 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.

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.

Looking specifically at Great Northern and Grange, which company has the cheapest rates for policyholders at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Michigan is one of a few states that does not allow auto insurance carriers from using credit scores to determine premiums. And since Great Northern is only available in Michigan, there is no data available on how credit score impacts prices because it's not a factor at all. This may be a good thing, since Grange and other companies tend to increase premiums quite a bit in other states if you don't have excellent credit.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

If you have less-than-stellar credit and live in Michigan, the good news is it won't cost you extra when it comes to car insurance. As you can see, poor credit can really cost Grange drivers in other states, but no need to worry if you live in Michigan.

Is Grange or Great Northern Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a substantial impact on how much auto insurance carriers will charge for coverage. Typically, those who drive less will end up with less expensive prices since there's less of a chance of getting into a collision and causing an insurance claim.

As you can see in the table above, annual mileage doesn't have much of an impact on how much Great Northern charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly rates for Grange, with policyholders who drive 6,000 miles annually paying about $2 less every month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles each year. Still, Grange is the cheaper option for drivers in both categories.

Grange vs. Great Northern: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you live can have a big impact on your monthly insurance bill. Usually, those who live in rural areas will pay less than drivers in urban areas due to the small number of cars that are on the roads in those areas.

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

Policyholders in rural ZIP codes see the most affordable rates from both companies, but Grange comes out on top with average prices around $220 monthly. Grange also has more affordable average premiums for drivers in urban and suburban ZIP codes -- a 49% and 52% per month respective difference when compared to Great Northern policyholders in similar areas.

Grange vs. Great Northern Discounts

Regardless of why you might be in the market for a new car insurance policy, you're always going to want to save as much money as possible, and the best way to do that is by utilizing as many insurance discounts as you can.

But with what seems like a million different discounts out there, it can be hard to nail down the carrier that has the most discounts for your unique driver profile and to find all the discounts you're eligible for.

In the table below, we've taken a look at all of the different discounts Grange and Great Northern offer their customers so that you can find the one that has the most discounts and, therefore, the biggest savings.

Grange blows Great Northern away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 18 more discounts than Great Northern.

Both carriers offer many of the same discounts -- like discounts for being a defensive driver, discounts for getting driver training, and passive restraint discounts -- but Grange also offers advanced safety feature discounts, agency transfer discounts, annual mileage discounts, and more that Great Northern does not.

On the flip side, Great Northern has a couple unique discounts of its own -- occasional operator discounts and vehicle ownership discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is Grange or Great Northern Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average rates for many of the factors auto insurance companies look at, and we've shown you all the discounts each company offers. That's all well and good, but at the end of the day, which carrier is the right carrier for you and your specific profile and needs?

Grange might be best for you if....

• You have a clean driving record, free of collisions, tickets, or DUIs.
• You want to save extra money with discounts.
• You are purchasing your car insurance with a spouse.

Great Northern might be best for you if...

• You have above-average credit.

We hope this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between Grange and Great Northern. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision about your auto insurance.

At the end of the day, the best way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your insurance policy is to compare quotes from several carriers, not just Grange and Great Northern. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. 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.

Grange vs. Great Northern FAQs

Is Grange or Great Northern cheaper?

Looking just at the national average prices, Grange is the less expensive of the two carriers, offering average rates of $249 a month compared to $496 for Great Northern. Even so, Grange won't necessarily be the cheapest company for every driver, since there are multiple different variables (things like gender, age, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Grange or Great Northern?

Unfortunately, the answer truly is "it depends.". One carrier is not "better" for everyone -- it all depends on what your unique auto insurance profile looks like. For example, Grange offers cheaper rates for drivers with a recent DUI, while Great Northern is less expensive for drivers with excellent credit.

Why do Grange and Great Northern offer me different rates?

Insurance companies take a look at several different factors when determining the premiums they charge drivers. Things like where you call home, age, gender, where your home is, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both Grange and Great Northern use 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 several different carriers.

How do I know if Grange or Great Northern is right for me?

The only way to find the auto insurance carrier 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 do all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best insurance carriers in your area. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the most affordable premium. And who knows, the best company for you might not be Grange or Great Northern 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.