Hanover vs. Utica National: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• In general, Utica National offers significantly cheaper premiums than Hanover
• Hanover may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than Utica National
• Utica National has more affordable rates for policyholders who live in rural neighborhoods

Hanover or Utica National: 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 hefty savings, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You might have narrowed your search down to Hanover or Utica National for your next policy, but between the two, which one will save you the most?

Looking at the national average rates for both carriers, Hanover is quite a bit more expensive than Utica National, with prices averaging $853 a month compared to just $394 with Utica National.

Even so, that doesn't mean Utica National will necessarily be less expensive than Hanover for each driver. Car insurance companies use a variety of complex algorithms to determine premiums, so depending on where you live or how old you are (among a bunch of other factors), you could see wildly different rates from the ones above.

So, if you want to find out which of Hanover or Utica National is really the best for you, keep reading to see average prices for each company broken down by a bunch of different rate factors.

Hanover vs. Utica National: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Hanover and Utica National only compete against each other in New York, where Utica National offers the cheaper average rates. Utica National drivers tend to pay about $170 per month less on average compared to drivers who use Hanover for their insurance.

But there's more to calculating auto insurance premiums than just your home state. Read on to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- generally pay a lot for car insurance compared to older drivers. That's usually because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to cause collisions and other accidents that will result in an insurance claim.

That being said, that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high insurance prices. As you can see above, teens who use Utica National save over 65% a month compared to those who use Hanover.

However, with both carriers, you'll see your rates reduce significantly by the time drivers turn 25. For example, average premiums for Hanover policyholders drop more than 60% and Utica National's rates decrease over 45% 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 most affordable prices you can find.

But who has the best premiums for retired drivers between Hanover and Utica National? Utica National gets the edge, with rates for drivers 65 and older almost 50% more affordable than the national average for Hanover.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that car insurance premiums are normally less expensive for married couples than they are for single drivers? This usually boils down to married policyholders having several vehicles on their policy -- something many insurance companies will reward with discounts.

For single policyholders, the difference in average prices between these two carriers is significant, with Utica National premiums coming in at around half of Hanover's. The advantage for married drivers with Utica National is also obvious, where drivers save nearly 50% per month.

Hanover or Utica National: Average Rates by Gender

Did you know women typically pay less for auto insurance than men? That's because men are more likely to get into collisions and get speeding tickets, which increases the chances of filing a claim with insurance.

Typically, women see prices about 7% a month less with Hanover, and around 7% less with Utica National when compared to their male counterparts.

Looking at overall affordability, Utica National comes out on top for both men and women, with average rates 54% less for men and 54% cheaper for women.

Hanover vs. Utica National: 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. There are a range of different coverages that account for a variety of different things. Some protect you and your car, while others only provide coverage for other people's property and health if you cause a collision.

The two most common policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability coverage (that covers bodily injury and property damage for other drivers and their passengers if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which generally refers to having collision and comprehensive coverages in addition to liability coverage).

Looking specifically at state minimum limits for liability insurance, Utica National has the significant edge, with average monthly premiums coming in at $197. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Utica National again has the edge, with policies averaging about $592 per month to Hanover's 1196.

Is Hanover or Utica National Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

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

At-fault collisions and speeding tickets will most likely raise your prices, but is Hanover or Utica National cheaper for drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Hanover for their car insurance can typically expect their monthly bill to go up around 26% after getting a speeding ticket. Utica National policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of about 16%.

But Utica National has more affordable rates for drivers in both categories. With Utica National, drivers with a clean record can save around $313 a month and drivers with a ticket can save about $476 per month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Hanover drivers who get in a collision can expect to see their prices increase by just under 35%, while those who have insurance through Utica National will see around a 15% increase.

At the end of the day, Utica National offers the cheapest premiums for drivers with an at-fault collision on their records, with average rates coming in at $362 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 accident or speeding ticket when it comes to your auto insurance bill. Hanover drivers usually see a 39% climb in their insurance prices after a DUI charge, while Utica National will usually increase premiums by about 45%.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable rates, Utica National tends to be less expensive for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at around $548 to Hanover's 1013.

How does Credit Score Impact Hanover and Utica National Rates?

Did you know many car insurance companies take into account your credit score when determining prices? This isn't true for everyone (for example, Michigan and Massachusetts are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it does affect quite a few policyholders out there.

Auto insurance carriers 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.

Looking at Hanover and Utica National specifically, which carrier has the best premiums for policyholders at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have great credit, Hanover will normally reward you the most for an "excellent" credit score. For drivers with "excellent" credit scores, Hanover comes in nearly 44% cheaper. Drivers with "good" credit scores usually save about 25% with Utica National compared to average rates from Hanover.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Utica National typically offers lower prices than Hanover when it comes to drivers with less-than-perfect credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around 54% a month less with Utica National compared to Hanover, and those with "poor" scores generally save an average of about 79% a month.

Is Hanover or Utica National 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 substantial impact on how much car insurance companies will charge for coverage? Typically, those who drive less will end up with less expensive premiums since there's less of a chance of causing an accident 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 Utica National charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly rates for Hanover, with drivers who put 6,000 miles on their car yearly paying around $1 less every month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles each year. Still, for drivers in both categories, Utica National is the more affordable carrier.

Hanover or Utica National: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you call home can have a sizable impact on your monthly insurance cost. Normally, those who live in rural areas will pay less than policyholders in urban areas since there are a lot fewer vehicles on the roads where they live.

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

Those in rural areas can expect to save about $417 with Utica National compared to Hanover. People who live in suburban areas pay around $526 less with Utica National compared to Hanover. For drivers in urban ZIP codes, Utica National's average premiums are about $433 less than Hanover Insurance.

Hanover vs. Utica National Discounts

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

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

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and compared all of the different discounts offered by Hanover and Utica National so that you can find the company that has the most discounts and, therefore, the largest savings.

Overall, Hanover comes out ahead with 21 discounts to Utica National's 18.

Both carriers offer several of the same discounts -- like anti-theft discounts, discounts for getting driver training, DRL discounts, and group discounts -- but Hanover also offers discounts for advance quote, annual mileage, distant student, and more.

On the other hand, Utica National has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like ESC discounts, greenhouse gas discounts, low mileage discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Hanover or Utica National Best for You?

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

Utica National might be best for you if....

• You want to save money on your auto insurance after a collision.
• Your neighborhood is in a city.
• You live in a rural neighborhood.

Hanover might be best for you if...

• You're looking for discounts -- Hanover has the most.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between Hanover and Utica National and that you can now make a more informed decision when it comes to your insurance.

At the end of the day, the best way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your auto insurance policy is to compare quotes from a handful of carriers, not just Hanover and Utica National. Luckily, sites like Compare.com make it easy for you to do just that. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get multiple quotes from some of the best insurance companies in your area, all for free.

Hanover vs. Utica National FAQs

Is Hanover or Utica National cheaper?

Utica National is the cheaper of the two carriers when looking at national average rates, with policies averaging $394 per month with Utica National and $853 for Hanover. That being said, that doesn't mean Utica National will be the cheapest company for every driver, since there are lots of different factors that come into play when it comes to your car insurance bill.

Who is better, Hanover or Utica National?

Unfortunately, the answer truly is "it depends.". No single carrier is necessarily "better" for everyone -- it all comes down to what your unique auto insurance profile looks like. For example, Hanover is less expensive for drivers with excellent credit, while Utica National offers more affordable premiums for drivers with a recent DUI.

Why do Hanover and Utica National offer me different rates?

Insurance companies use lots of different variables when calculating the rates they charge. Things such as where your home is, where you park your car, gender, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both Hanover and Utica National calculate prices using different factors, so it's likely they'll offer different premiums. The best way to determine which company is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from several different carriers.

How do I know if Hanover or Utica National is right for me?

The only way to find the car 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 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 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 Utica National 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.