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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for auto insurance, Shelter offers slightly cheaper prices than Hallmark Financial
• Hallmark Financial offers less expensive average premiums for policyholders who have a short commute
• Shelter offers more affordable rates for policyholders who have a clean driving record, free of accidents, tickets, or DUIs

Hallmark Financial vs. Shelter: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

So, you're thinking about switching your auto insurance. You've probably seen commercials and billboards from companies offering large discounts, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You might have narrowed your search down to Hallmark Financial or Shelter, but between the two, which one has more affordable prices for insurance?

As you can see, Shelter is about $3 per month less expensive than Hallmark Financial when looking at the national average rates for car insurance.

That being said, that doesn't necessarily mean Shelter will be the cheaper option for every driver. After all, insurance companies can offer drastically different rates to each driver depending on rating factors like where you call home, your credit score, your driving record, or even your age (among other things), so premiums could differ drastically from person to person.

Wanting to know if Hallmark Financial or Shelter is really the right company for you? Keep on reading to see how average prices can change based on all of the factors we've mentioned above.

Hallmark Financial or Shelter: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Hallmark Financial and Shelter only compete against each other in two states, with Shelter offering more affordable rates to the average driver in all of them. Oklahoma has the most noticable difference, where Shelter premiums are over 70% cheaper than auto insurance rates at Hallmark Financial.

There are plenty of other factors that go into your car insurance cost than just where you call home. Keep reading to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- normally pay a lot for insurance compared to older drivers. 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 premiums, teen drivers can still find ways to save money. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have Shelter for their auto insurance pay nearly $35 less than those who use Hallmark Financial.

But both carriers will offer you dramatically lower prices by the time drivers turn 25. Shelter offers the steepest drop, with 25-year-olds paying less than half what 18-year-old drivers are charged. That being said, Hallmark Financial still has the cheapest premiums at $184 monthly.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Once you approach retirement age, you'll usually enjoy the lowest insurance rates out there. You've been on the road for years, and all that experience pays off when it comes to your monthly prices for car insurance.

But who has the best premiums for retired drivers between Hallmark Financial and Shelter? Shelter gets the slight edge here, with average prices coming in at around $141 per month compared to Hallmark Financial's $154.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that auto insurance rates are generally more affordable for married drivers than they are for single policyholders? That's usually because married couples tend to own and insure more than one car, which can often earn you a discount.

When it comes to relationship status, Shelter is the winner for those who are single, with prices about $11 a month less expensive than Hallmark Financial, on average.

Hallmark Financial vs. Shelter: Average Rates by Gender

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

With Hallmark Financial, women generally pay almost 10% per month less than men, while with Shelter, the difference is closer to 11% a month.

When it comes to the cheapest premiums for each gender, Hallmark Financial is the lowest carrier for men. Rates with Hallmark Financial are $0 less for men, while women can save around $5 with Shelter.

Hallmark Financial or Shelter: 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 auto insurance can be pretty complicated. There are lots of different coverages that account for many 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.

However, most policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability only (that covers bodily injury and property damage 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, alongside liability).

In this case, Hallmark Financial offers the most affordable average rates for state minimum limits for liability insurance, while Shelter has the edge for full coverage policies with similar coverage limits. Drivers looking for basic state minimum coverage can save around $15 with Hallmark Financial, while full coverage comes out to be about $20 more affordable with Shelter Insurance.

Is Hallmark Financial or Shelter Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

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

You'll probably end up paying more with accidents and tickets on your record, but which of these two carriers offers the lowest rates to drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Hallmark Financial policyholders can expect their premiums to go up an average of $14 per month if they get a ticket, while Shelter typically raises rates around $39 a month, on average.

Even so, Shelter has cheaper prices for drivers in both categories, offering premiums that are 27% and 13% less expensive, respectively, compared to Hallmark Financial.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

After an accident, drivers who have their auto insurance through Hallmark Financial can expect to see about an $35 -- or around 15% -- increase in their car insurance prices. Drivers who use Shelter for their insurance will see a monthly bill about $92 (or 39%) more expensive after reporting an accident to their auto insurance company.

Overall, drivers who use Hallmark Financial end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with monthly premiums averaging $229 compared to Shelter Insurance's $234.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

On average, a DUI offense is going to cost you much more than a single accident or speeding ticket when it comes to your insurance bill. Shelter drivers usually see a 49% climb in their car insurance rates after a DUI charge, while Hallmark Financial will generally increase prices by around 8%.

If you have a DUI on your record and are looking for more affordable rates, Hallmark Financial tends to be the much more affordable option with average premiums of $212 a month compared to $277 from Shelter.

How does Credit Score Impact Hallmark Financial and Shelter Rates?

Did you know that many insurance companies take into account your credit score when calculating rates? Certain states and carriers do not allow for credit score to be used as a rating factor, but it will come into play for a lot of policyholders.

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

So, which carrier offers the cheapest premiums for policyholders with poor, average, or good credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have a solid credit score, you'll usually find a better deal with Shelter. Drivers with "excellent" credit can save just under 10% compared to Hallmark Financial, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- about $8 or 4% less expensive every month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Hallmark Financial typically offers lower prices than Shelter when it comes to drivers with a below average credit score. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around $12 per month less with Hallmark Financial compared to Shelter, and those with "poor" scores normally save an average of about $2 per month.

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

How much you drive can have a pretty big impact on your monthly car insurance bill. Usually, the more miles you put on your car, the more you can expect to pay for insurance.

As you can see in the table above, annual mileage doesn't have much of an impact on how much Hallmark Financial charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly rates for Shelter, with drivers who put 6,000 miles on their vehicle annually paying around $11 less each month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles yearly.

Hallmark Financial vs. Shelter: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you park your car can have a considerable impact on your monthly car insurance payment. Typically, if you live in a rural area with fewer cars on the road, you'll pay a little less for auto insurance, while the opposite is true for people in urban areas.

Looking at these carriers side-by-side, Hallmark Financial normally comes out as the cheaper option for drivers in rural and urban areas, while Shelter wins in suburban areas.

If you live in a rural area, you can expect to pay about $178 a month with Hallmark Financial and $203 with Shelter. People in suburban areas pay around $187 with Shelter compared to Hallmark Financial's $229 monthly. For drivers in urban ZIP codes, Hallmark Financial's average rates are about $225 a month compared to Shelter's $235.

Hallmark Financial vs. Shelter Discounts

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

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

In the section below, we've compared all of the different discounts offered by Hallmark Financial and Shelter so that you can find the carrier that has the most discounts and, therefore, the biggest savings.

Shelter blows Hallmark Financial away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 10 different discounts to Hallmark Financial's four.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like discounts for being a defensive driver and passive restraint discounts. Shelter also offers advance quote discounts, anti-theft discounts, driver training discounts, and more that Hallmark Financial does not.

On the flip side, Hallmark Financial has a couple unique discounts of its own -- education discounts and foreign license discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is Hallmark Financial or Shelter Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average prices for many of the factors insurance companies look at, and walked through the different discounts each carrier offers, too. That's all well and good, but when it comes down to it, which insurance company is the best one for you, your vehicle, and your wallet?

Shelter might be best for you if....

• You have received a ticket within the last few years.
• Your neighborhood is in the suburbs.
• You are over 65 years old and want to save some money on your auto insurance.

Hallmark Financial might be best for you if...

• You have less-than-stellar credit.
• You want basic insurance coverage at the state minimum limits.
• You have a short commute.

We hope this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare Hallmark Financial and Shelter and that you can now make a more informed decision when it comes to your auto 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 a handful of carriers, not just Hallmark Financial and Shelter. Luckily, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get multiple quotes from some of the best insurance companies in your area, all for free.

Hallmark Financial vs. Shelter FAQs

Is Hallmark Financial or Shelter cheaper?

Looking just at the national average premiums, Shelter is the less expensive of the two carriers, offering average rates of $208 per month compared to $211 for Hallmark Financial. But Shelter won't necessarily be the lowest carrier for everyone, since there are a bunch of different variables (things like age, driving record, gender, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Hallmark Financial or Shelter?

Unfortunately, the answer truly is "it depends.". No single company is "better" for every driver -- it all depends on what your unique car insurance profile looks like. For example, Hallmark Financial offers more affordable prices for drivers with a recent DUI, while Shelter is cheaper for drivers with excellent credit.

Why do Hallmark Financial and Shelter offer me different rates?

Auto insurance companies take a look at many different factors when determining the rates they charge policyholders. Variables like where you call home, where you live, gender, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both Hallmark Financial and Shelter calculate premiums using different formulas, so each one will most likely offer different rates. The only real way to see which carrier is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a range of different carriers.

How do I know if Hallmark Financial or Shelter 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 area information and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best auto insurance carriers in your area. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the best rate. And who knows, the best carrier for you might not be Hallmark Financial or Shelter 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.