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

Quick Facts

• In general, Safe Auto offers significantly cheaper rates than Hanover
• Hanover may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than Safe Auto
• Safe Auto has less expensive prices for drivers who have a speeding ticket on their driving record

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

Are you considering a new insurance policy? With so many ads from all sorts of companies offering large savings, you're probably wondering exactly how much you might be able to save.

You might be considering Hanover or Safe Auto for your next policy, but which carrier will save you the most?

Looking at the national average rates for both carriers, Safe Auto is quite a bit cheaper than Hanover, with premiums averaging $223 a month compared to $853 with Hanover.

However, that doesn't mean Safe Auto will necessarily be more affordable than Hanover for each driver. Auto insurance companies use a variety of complex algorithms to determine rates, so depending on how old you are or how clean your driving record is (among a wide array of other factors), you could see wildly different prices from the ones above.

Luckily, we've broken down average premiums from both Hanover and Safe Auto by several different rate factors, so read on to find out which company is the best for you.

Hanover vs. Safe Auto: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Hanover and Safe Auto only compete against each other in one states, with Safe Auto offering less expensive prices to the average driver in all of them. Illinois has the most noticable difference, where Safe Auto rates are 1219 more affordable than insurance prices at Hanover.

But there's more to car insurance than just your home state. As we mentioned above, there's a lot of things that go into how auto insurance carriers calculate your rates. Continue reading to learn more about how other variables will affect your rates.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- generally pay a lot for car insurance compared to older drivers. It's 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.

Even so, that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high auto insurance premiums. As you can see above, teens who use Safe Auto save over 75% per month compared to those who use Hanover.

But both companies will drop rates once you turn 25. Safe Auto offers the steepest reduction, with 25-year-olds paying less than half what 18-year-old drivers are charged. Hanover's average prices reduce more than 60% during that same period.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

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

So, which carrier offers the best rates to retired drivers? Safe Auto gets the edge here, with average premiums coming in at around $179 monthly compared to Hanover's $613.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

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

For single drivers, the difference in average rates between these two companies is significant, with Safe Auto premiums coming in at about a quarter of Hanover's. The advantage for married couples with Safe Auto is also obvious, where drivers save around $500 a month.

Hanover or Safe Auto: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to cause a collision and get into accidents. That means when it comes to auto insurance men will typically end up paying a little more.

With Hanover, women normally pay about $60 per month less than men, and around $17 less with Safe Auto.

Looking at overall affordability, Safe Auto comes out on top for both men and women, with average prices $652 less for men and $609 cheaper for women.

Hanover 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.

Car insurance isn't the easiest topic to understand. Everyone needs insurance, but there are so many different coverages and terms that it can be hard to find the right policy for you.

The two most common policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability coverage (which covers the other party's property damage and injuries if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes collision and comprehensive coverages that protect your own car, alongside liability coverage).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability insurance, Safe Auto has the significant edge, with average monthly rates coming in at $126. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Safe Auto again has the edge, with policies averaging about $320 a month to Hanover's 1196.

Is Hanover or Safe Auto Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from auto insurance carriers offering great premiums 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 speeding tickets and collisions on your record, but which of these two companies offers the lowest rates to drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Hanover for their insurance can usually expect their monthly bill to go up around 26% after getting a speeding ticket. Safe Auto policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of about 18%.

That being said, Safe Auto is generally the more affordable option for drivers both with a ticket and with a clean record, offering premiums that are 71% and 74% cheaper, respectively, compared to Hanover Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Hanover drivers who get in an accident can expect to see their prices climb by just under $350, while those who have insurance through Safe Auto will see around a $65 increase.

At the end of the day, the less expensive rates come from Safe Auto, with average prices coming in at $246 compared to Hanover Insurance's $943.

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 auto insurance bill. For example, Hanover increases average premiums by nearly $400 per month -- that's nearly a 40% increase.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable rates, Safe Auto tends to be more affordable for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at about $245 to Hanover's 1013.

How does Credit Score Impact Hanover and Safe Auto Rates?

You may not realized it, but your credit score can be used as one of the factors to determine your monthly car insurance prices. This isn't true for everyone (Michigan, for example, has banned the use of credit score as a car insurance factor) but it might come into play for lots of policyholders.

Auto insurance carriers argue that those with good credit scores are more likely to pay their bills on time every month, which decreases the risk involved on their end, while the opposite is true for those with bad credit.

So, which company offers the best premiums for drivers with poor, average, or good credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have a solid credit score, Safe Auto will typically reward you the most. For policyholders with "excellent" credit scores, Safe Auto comes in 15 cheaper. Drivers with "good" credit scores generally save around 58% with Safe Auto compared to average prices from Hanover.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Safe Auto typically offers lower premiums than Hanover when it comes to drivers with less-than-stellar credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about 73% a month less with Safe Auto compared to Hanover, and those with "poor" scores usually save an average of around 87% per month.

Is Hanover or Safe 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 your monthly rates. Typically, those who drive fewer miles will end up with less expensive premiums since there's less of a chance of causing a collision and filing an insurance claim.

As you can see in the table above, annual mileage doesn't have much of an impact on how much Safe Auto charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly rates for Hanover, with drivers who put 6,000 miles on their vehicle yearly paying about $1 less each month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles annually. Still, for drivers in both categories, Safe Auto is the more affordable carrier.

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

Where you park your car can have a big impact on your monthly car insurance cost. 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.

Safe Auto boasts the lowest average rates for drivers in all areas, regardless of if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, Safe Auto's average prices are around $695 less than Hanover Insurance. People who live in suburban areas pay about $642 less with Safe Auto compared to Hanover. Those in rural areas can expect to save around $553 with Safe Auto compared to Hanover.

Hanover vs. Safe Auto Discounts

No matter why you might be in the market for a new insurance policy, you're always going to want to save as much money as you can. That's where auto insurance discounts comes into play.

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 can take advantage of.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and compared all of the different discounts offered by Hanover and Safe Auto so that you can see which company can save you the most money each month.

Hanover blows Safe Auto away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 21 different discounts to Safe Auto's 14.

Both companies offer many of the same discounts -- like discounts for being a defensive driver, discounts for being a homeowner, and discounts for insuring multiple cars with the same company -- but Hanover also offers discounts for ABS, advance quote, annual mileage, and more.

On the other hand, Safe Auto has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like agency transfer discounts, claim free discounts, military discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Hanover or Safe Auto Best for You?

So, you've seen how different variables can affect your car insurance premiums. We've broken down the different discounts each carrier offers, too. But, when it comes down to it, which insurance company is the best one for you, your vehicle, and your wallet?

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

• You already have plans to move to another state -- Hanover Insurance only offers policies in eight states.
• You have less-than-stellar credit.
• You live in a rural area.

Hanover might be best for you if...

• You live in one of the following states: Arkansas, Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and New York.
• You're looking for the carrier with the most discounts.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between Hanover and Safe Auto and that you can now make a more informed decision when it comes to your insurance.

But, at the end of the day, there's only one way to know for sure that you're getting the best possible deal on auto insurance -- comparing quotes from several carriers, not just Hanover and Safe Auto. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get free quotes from dozens of top insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Hanover vs. Safe Auto FAQs

Is Hanover or Safe Auto cheaper?

Safe Auto is the less expensive of the two carriers when looking at national average prices, with policies averaging $223 per month with Safe Auto and $853 for Hanover. However, that doesn't mean Safe Auto will be the cheapest company for everyone, since there are a bunch of different factors that are considered when it comes to your car insurance bill.

Who is better, Hanover or Safe Auto?

Unfortunately, the real answer is "it depends.". Neither carrier is "better" for everyone -- it all depends on what your unique insurance profile looks like.

Why do Hanover and Safe Auto offer me different rates?

Car insurance companies use quite a few different variables when determining the rates they charge. Factors like your driving record, gender, where your home is, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Hanover and Safe Auto calculate prices using different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different rates. The best way to determine which company is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from lots of different carriers.

How do I know if Hanover or Safe Auto 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, 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 car insurance carriers for free. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the best rate. And maybe you'll find that the best company for you isn't Hanover 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.