Hallmark Financial vs. Safe Auto: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for auto insurance, Hallmark Financial offers slightly cheaper premiums than Safe Auto
• Hallmark Financial offers more affordable average prices for policyholders who are looking to purchase insurance with a spouse
• Safe Auto offers more affordable premiums for policyholders who have a clean driving record, free of collisions, tickets, or DUIs

Hallmark Financial or Safe Auto: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

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

You might have narrowed it down to Hallmark Financial or Safe Auto, but which carrier will offer you less expensive rates?

Looking at nationwide averages, Safe Auto is around $12 more a month than Hallmark Financial.

But Hallmark Financial may not be the most affordable or best option for each driver out there. Insurance carriers 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 a variety of other factors. So, at the end of the day, prices from every company will differ quite a bit from person to person.

Luckily, we've broken down average rates from both Hallmark Financial and Safe Auto by a bunch of different rate factors, so read on to find out which carrier is the best for you.

Hallmark Financial vs. Safe Auto: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Hallmark Financial and Safe Auto only compete against each other in one states, with Safe Auto offering more affordable premiums to the average driver in all of them. Oklahoma has the most noticable difference, where Safe Auto rates are $86 cheaper than car insurance prices at Hallmark Financial.

That being said, there's a lot more that goes into your insurance bill than just the state you live in. Continue reading to learn more about how other variables will affect your rates.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers usually pay a lot more for auto insurance than any group out there on the road. It's normally because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into an accident that results in an insurance claim, making them much riskier to insure.

That being said, that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high insurance rates. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have Safe Auto for their auto insurance pay 7% less than those who use Hallmark Financial. It's worth noting that Safe Auto offers car insurance in 13 different states compared to Hallmark Financial's three, which can skew the average premiums a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

Even so, both companies will offer you dramatically lower prices by the time you turn 25. For example, average rates for Hallmark Financial policyholders reduce about $300 and Safe Auto's premiums lower almost $250 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Once you approach retirement age, you'll generally enjoy the cheapest 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 rates for auto insurance.

So, which company offers the best prices to retired drivers? Hallmark Financial gets the edge, with premiums for drivers 65 and older $25 more affordable than the national average for Safe Auto.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but car insurance prices tend to be less expensive for married policyholders than they are for single drivers. That's because policies for married drivers typically cover more than one vehicle, which several carriers will give you a discount for.

For those who are single, the difference in average premiums between these two companies is not very significant, with Hallmark Financial rates coming in at around 2% less than Safe Auto's. But for married couples, the advantage is clear - Hallmark Financial offers the lowest average prices.

Hallmark Financial or Safe Auto: Average Rates by Gender

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

On average, women see premiums nearly 10% per month less with Hallmark Financial, and about 7% less with Safe Auto.

Looking at the data for each carrier specifically, Hallmark Financial comes out as the most affordable option for both genders. On average, male drivers save about $10 a month and women save around $13 with Hallmark Financial compared to the average Safe Auto policyholder.

Hallmark Financial vs. Safe 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.

For most people, car insurance isn't the easiest topic to understand. There are so many different limits and terms that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy for you.

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

Looking specifically at state minimum limits for liability insurance, Hallmark Financial has the slight edge, with average monthly rates coming in at $115. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Hallmark Financial again has the edge, with policies averaging about $306 per month to Safe Auto's $320.

Is Hallmark Financial or Safe Auto Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

It's no secret -- drivers with good records end up getting the best deals on their auto insurance. But that's not to say you can't save money if you don't have the best driving record, either.

It's no secret secret that at-fault accidents and speeding tickets lead to higher prices, but which company -- Hallmark Financial or Safe Auto -- has the lowest rates for drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Hallmark Financial for their insurance can generally expect their monthly bill to go up around 7% after getting a speeding ticket. Safe Auto policyholders can expect a bit more drastic of an increase of about 18%.

If you have gotten a ticket, Hallmark Financial tends to offer the best premiums at around 5% cheaper, while Safe Auto has the edge for drivers with a clean record.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

After an accident, drivers who have their car insurance through Hallmark Financial can expect to see about an $35 -- or around 15% -- rise in their auto insurance prices. Drivers who use Safe Auto for their insurance will see a monthly bill about $66 (or 27%) more expensive after reporting an accident to their auto insurance carrier.

At the end of the day, Hallmark Financial offers the cheapest rates for drivers with an at-fault collision on their records, with average premiums coming in at $229 compared to Safe Auto's $246.

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 car insurance bill -- typically a lot more than a collision or speeding ticket. For example, Safe Auto increases average prices by $65 a month -- that's more than a 25% increase.

Hallmark Financial has the overall lowest premiums for drivers with a DUI on their records at $212 monthly, but it's worth noting that Safe Auto's average rates come from 13 states compared to just three for Hallmark Financial, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact Hallmark Financial and Safe Auto Rates?

Did you know many auto insurance carriers take your credit score into account when determining rates? This isn't true for everyone (for example, Michigan and California are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it does affect a lot of drivers out there.

Insurance companies argue that those with poor credit scores are less likely to pay their bills on time each month, which raises the risk involved on their end, while the opposite is true for those with good credit.

Looking specifically at Safe Auto and Hallmark Financial, which one has the most affordable premiums for policyholders at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have solid credit, Hallmark Financial will normally reward you the most. For drivers with "excellent" credit scores, Hallmark Financial comes in NaN more affordable. Drivers with "good" credit scores usually save around 12% with Hallmark Financial compared to average prices from Safe Auto.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

If you have a below average credit score, it can be somewhat of a toss-up as far as which company offers you the best rates. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about 9% less with Hallmark Financial than Safe Auto, but those whose credit is considered "poor" have it flipped -- saving around 3% per month with Safe Auto.

Is Hallmark Financial or Safe Auto Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a considerable impact on your monthly premiums. Generally, those who drive fewer miles will end up with cheaper rates since there's less of a chance of causing an accident and filing an insurance claim.

In this case, neither Hallmark Financial or Safe Auto report increasing prices for drivers with higher annual mileage figures. That being said, Hallmark Financial comes out as the cheapest for drivers at both intervals, whether they put 6,000 or 12,000 miles on their car yearly, with average rates of $211 a month for both.

Hallmark Financial or Safe Auto: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where your home is can have a sizable impact on your monthly car insurance payment. Typically, those who live in rural areas will pay less than policyholders in urban areas since there are a lot fewer vehicles on the road where they live, which decreases the chances of an accident.

Looking at these carriers side-by-side, Hallmark Financial usually comes out as the less expensive option for drivers in rural and urban areas, while Safe Auto wins in suburban areas.

Those in rural areas can expect to save about $19 with Hallmark Financial compared to Safe Auto. People who live in suburban areas pay around $29 less with Safe Auto compared to Hallmark Financial. For drivers in urban ZIP codes, Hallmark Financial's average prices are about $46 less than Safe Auto.

Hallmark Financial vs. Safe Auto 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. That's where car insurance discounts comes into play.

The challenging part is finding all of the discounts you're eligible for, since it can feel sometimes like every carrier has different discounts and each one is advertised differently.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and broke down all of the different discounts offered by both Hallmark Financial and Safe 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.

Safe Auto knocks Hallmark Financial out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 10 more discounts than Hallmark Financial.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like discounts for being a defensive driver and passive restraint discounts. Safe Auto also offers discounts for agency transfer, anti-theft, claim free, and more.

On the other hand, Hallmark Financial has a few proprietary discounts of their own like education discounts and foreign license discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is Hallmark Financial or Safe Auto Best for You?

You've seen the role certain factors have on your insurance and the different discounts companies offer. But, at the end of the day, is Hallmark Financial or Safe Auto the best fit for you?

Hallmark Financial might be best for you if....

• Your driving record includes a DUI charge.
• You're of retirement age and want to take advantage of lower rates.

Safe Auto might be best for you if...

• You value the experience that comes with a large national car insurance company.
• Your home is located in the suburbs.
• 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 Hallmark Financial and Safe Auto. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best 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 Hallmark Financial and Safe Auto. Luckily, sites like Compare.com make it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your ZIP code below and get multiple free quotes from some of the best auto insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Hallmark Financial vs. Safe Auto FAQs

Is Hallmark Financial or Safe Auto cheaper?

Hallmark Financial is the cheaper of the two carriers when looking at national average premiums, with policies averaging $211 per month with Hallmark Financial and $223 for Safe Auto. But that doesn't mean Hallmark Financial will be the cheapest carrier for every policyholder, since there are a variety of different variables that are considered when it comes to your insurance cost.

Who is better, Hallmark Financial or Safe Auto?

Sadly, the real answer is "it depends.". One company is not necessarily "better" for everyone -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique car insurance profile. For example, Safe Auto is more affordable for drivers who have less-than-stellar credit scores, while Hallmark Financial offers less expensive prices for policyholders with an at-fault accident on their record.

Why do Hallmark Financial and Safe Auto offer me different rates?

Insurance companies use many different factors when calculating the rates they charge. Variables such as gender, your driving record, age, where you live, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both Hallmark Financial and Safe Auto calculate prices using different factors, so it's likely they'll offer different premiums. The best way to determine which carrier is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from many different carriers.

How do I know if Hallmark Financial or Safe Auto is right for me?

The only way to find the auto 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 does all the hard work for you. Just enter your area information and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top insurance carriers for free. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the cheapest price. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't Hallmark Financial or Safe 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.