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

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for auto insurance, Progressive offers significantly more affordable rates than Great Northern
• Progressive has less expensive premiums for policyholders who drive fewer than 12,000 miles yearly
• Progressive offers more affordable prices for policyholders who live in urban areas

Great Northern or Progressive: 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 have narrowed your search down to Great Northern or Progressive for your next policy, but between the two, which carrier has cheaper rates for car insurance?

Looking at the national average rates for both carriers, Progressive is quite a bit cheaper than Great Northern, with premiums averaging $180 a month compared to $496 with Great Northern.

That being said, Progressive may not be the cheapest or best option for each driver out there. After all, auto insurance companies can offer drastically different rates to every driver depending on rating factors like your credit score, where you call home, your driving record, or even your age (among other things), so prices will differ quite a bit from person to person.

Wanting to know if Great Northern or Progressive is really the right carrier for you? Keep on reading to see how average rates can change based on all of the factors we've mentioned above.

Great Northern vs. Progressive: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Great Northern and Progressive only compete against each other in Michigan, where Progressive offers the cheaper average premiums. Progressive drivers tend to pay about $279 per month less on average compared to drivers who use Great Northern for their insurance.

But there's more to calculating auto insurance prices than just your home state. Continue reading to see how other variables will affect your rates.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- normally pay a lot for insurance compared to older drivers. That's because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

However, that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their car insurance. As you can see above, teens who use Progressive save almost 55% a month compared to those who use Great Northern.

But both carriers will drop premiums by the time you turn 25. Progressive offers the steepest reduction, with 25-year-olds paying less than a third of what 18-year-old drivers are charged. Great Northern's average rates decrease nearly 50% during that same period.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Once you approach retirement age, you'll typically enjoy the lowest insurance prices you'll ever find. You've been on the road for years, and all that experience pays off when it comes to your monthly premiums for auto insurance.

But who has the best rates for retired drivers between Great Northern and Progressive? Progressive gets the edge, with premiums for drivers 65 and older over 60% less expensive than the national average for Great Northern.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that car insurance prices are usually cheaper for married policyholders than they are for single policyholders? That's because policies for married drivers generally cover more than one vehicle, which several companies will give you a discount for.

For those who are single, the difference in average rates between these two carriers is significant, with Progressive prices coming in at around a third of Great Northern's. The advantage for married couples with Progressive is also obvious, where drivers save about 70% per month.

Great Northern or Progressive: Average Rates by Gender

You may not know, but men usually pay more for insurance than women do. That's because women are less likely to get into collisions and get speeding tickets, which lowers the chances of filing a claim with insurance.

Everyone gets the same monthly rates regardless of gender with Great Northern, and around 3% with Progressive.

When it comes to the most affordable premiums for each gender, Progressive offers the cheapest average rates for both men and women, with average premiums 63% less for men and 64% cheaper for women.

Great Northern vs. 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.

It's no secret that car insurance can be pretty complicated. Everyone needs auto insurance, but there are so many different terms and coverages that it can be hard to find the right policy for you.

The two most common policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (which covers the other party's injuries and property damage if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which typically refers to having collision and comprehensive coverages alongside what you get with a liability policy).

Looking specifically at state minimum limits for liability insurance, Progressive has the significant edge, with average monthly prices coming in at $111. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Progressive again has the edge, with policies averaging about $250 a month to Great Northern's $737.

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

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from insurance companies offering great premiums for good drivers, but that doesn't mean people with less-than-perfect driving records can't save money, too.

Speeding tickets and at-fault collisions will most likely raise your prices, but is Great Northern or Progressive more affordable for drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders with Great Northern car insurance policies don't report seeing their rates increase after getting a ticket, but Progressive policyholders can expect to see their monthly bill increase by around 15%.

Even so, Progressive has cheaper prices for drivers in both categories, offering premiums that are $347 and $316 more affordable, respectively, compared to Great Northern Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Great Northern drivers who get in an accident can expect to see their rates climb by $0, while those who have insurance through Progressive will see about a $65 increase.

At the end of the day, Progressive offers the lowest prices for drivers with an at-fault collision on their records, with average rates coming in at $214 compared to Great Northern Insurance's $496.

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. On average, Progressive will climb your premiums around 16% after a DUI, while Great Northern's average prices increase by 0%.

How does Credit Score Impact Great Northern and Progressive Rates?

You may not have known, but your credit score can be used as one of the factors to determine your monthly auto insurance rates. Certain states and carriers do not allow for credit score to be used as an insurance factor, but it will come into play for many policyholders.

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

So, which company offers the most affordable prices for policyholders 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 Great Northern or Progressive 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 sizable impact on your monthly rates? Generally, those who drive less will end up with more affordable premiums since there's less of a chance of causing an accident and filing an insurance claim.

In this case, neither Great Northern or Progressive report increasing prices for drivers with higher annual mileage figures. Even so, Progressive comes out as the lowest for drivers at both intervals, whether they put 6,000 or 12,000 miles on their car annually, with average premiums of $180 per month for both.

Great Northern or Progressive: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

We've already mentioned how your home state can play a role in how much you pay for car insurance, but the type of area you live in can have a substantial impact as well. Normally, those who live in urban areas will pay more than drivers in rural areas due to the number of vehicles that are on the roads where they live.

Progressive boasts the most affordable average premiums for drivers in all areas, regardless of if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

Those in rural areas can expect to save about $278 with Progressive compared to Great Northern. People who live in suburban areas pay around $307 less with Progressive compared to Great Northern. For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, Progressive's average rates are about $363 less than Great Northern Insurance.

Great Northern vs. Progressive Discounts

No matter 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 you can, and the best way to do that is by utilizing as many insurance discounts as possible.

The difficult part is finding all of the discounts you can take advantage of, since it can feel sometimes like every company has different discounts and each one is advertised differently.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and compared all of the different discounts offered by Great Northern and Progressive so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and, therefore, the largest savings.

Progressive blows Great Northern away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 34 different discounts to Great Northern's 10.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like anti-theft discounts, discounts for being a good student, and multi-policy discounts. Progressive also offers discounts for advance quote, advanced safety feature, agency transfer, and more.

On the other hand, Great Northern has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like driver training discounts, occasional operator discounts, and vehicle ownership discounts.

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

You've seen the role certain variables have on your auto insurance and the different discounts carriers offer. That's all well and good, but at the end of the day, which insurance carrier is the right one for you and your specific profile and needs?

Progressive might be best for you if....

• You have received a ticket within the last few years.
• You're looking for the best premiums on liability only coverage.
• Your neighborhood is in a rural area.

Great Northern might be best for you if...

• Your credit score is high.

Hopefully, this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare Great Northern and Progressive and that it aids in making a more informed decision about your car insurance.

At the end of the day, the sure-fire way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your insurance policy is to compare quotes from a handful of companies, not just Great Northern and Progressive. Luckily, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get multiple free quotes from some of the best auto insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Great Northern vs. Progressive FAQs

Is Great Northern or Progressive cheaper?

Progressive is the less expensive of the two companies when looking at national average prices, with policies averaging $180 a month with Progressive and $496 for Great Northern. That being said, that doesn't mean Progressive will be the lowest company for each policyholder, since there are many different factors (things like age, gender, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Great Northern or Progressive?

Unfortunately, the answer truly is "it depends.". One carrier is not necessarily "better" for every policyholder -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique car insurance profile. For example, Great Northern is cheaper for drivers with excellent credit, while Progressive offers less expensive rates for drivers with a recent DUI.

Why do Great Northern and Progressive offer me different rates?

Auto insurance carriers use lots of different variables when determining the prices they charge. Things such as age, gender, where you live, your driving record, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Great Northern and Progressive calculate rates using different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different premiums. The best way to determine which company is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a range of different companies.

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

The only way to find the insurance carrier 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 area information and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top car insurance companies for free. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the best price. And maybe you'll find that the best company for you isn't Great Northern or Progressive 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.