Hastings Mutual vs. Le Mars: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• In general, Hastings Mutual offers slightly more affordable premiums than Le Mars
• Hastings Mutual has cheaper rates for residents of suburban areas
• Le Mars offers less expensive average premiums for drivers with a DUI

Hastings Mutual or Le Mars: 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 huge savings, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You've maybe even narrowed your search down to Hastings Mutual or Le Mars, but which carrier will offer you cheaper prices?

Looking at nationwide averages, Le Mars is around $23 more a month than Hastings Mutual.

That being said, Hastings Mutual may not be the lowest or best option for each driver out there. Auto insurance carriers vary their premiums depending on things like where you live, how old you are, how good your credit score is, how clean your driving record is, and tons of other factors, so prices will vary quite a bit from person to person.

So, if you want to find out which of Hastings Mutual or Le Mars is really the best for you, keep reading to see average rates for each company broken down by a variety of different rate factors.

Hastings Mutual vs. Le Mars: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Hastings Mutual and Le Mars only compete against each other in Iowa, where Hastings Mutual offers the cheaper average premiums. Hastings Mutual drivers tend to pay about $144 per month less on average compared to drivers who use Le Mars for their insurance.

That being said, there are plenty of other factors that go into your auto insurance payment than just your home state. Keep reading to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers usually pay a lot more for car insurance than any group out there on the road. It's normally because teen 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 rates, teen drivers can still find ways to save money. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of almost 10% less a month by choosing Hastings Mutual over Le Mars.

But with both companies, you'll see your prices reduce significantly by the time you turn 25. For example, average rates for Hastings Mutual policyholders lower about $150 and Le Mars's premiums decrease over $200 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Drivers around retirement age generally enjoy some of the cheapest insurance prices out there. After all, they've likely been driving for quite some time, which typically lowers their chances of collisions and other infractions that can raise rates.

So, which carrier offers the best premiums to retired drivers? Hastings Mutual gets the edge, with prices for drivers 65 and older $29 more affordable than the national average for Le Mars.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that auto insurance premiums are usually more expensive for single drivers than they are for married drivers? This usually boils down to married couples having multiple vehicles on their policy -- something quite a few car insurance carriers will reward with discounts.

For those who are single, the difference in average rates between these two companies is significant, with Hastings Mutual prices coming in at around 15% less than Le Mars's. It's not quite so glaring for married policyholders, where drivers who use Hastings Mutual save about 5% per month.

Hastings Mutual or Le Mars: Average Rates by Gender

Because women are less likely to get into collisions and get speeding tickets, they have a decreased chance of filing a claim with insurance. So, women generally pay less for insurance than men.

Typically, women see rates around 2% a month less with Hastings Mutual, but with Le Mars, the difference is closer to 12% per month.

When it comes to the most affordable premiums for each gender, Hastings Mutual offers the cheapest average prices for both men and women. On average, women save about $12 a month and men save about $36 with Hastings Mutual compared to the average Le Mars policyholder.

Hastings Mutual vs. Le Mars: 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 terms and limits that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy for you.

However, most policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- 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 what you get with a liability policy).

When it comes to state minimum liability insurance, Le Mars has the edge, while Hastings Mutual offers the lowest average rates for full coverage policies with similar coverage limits. Policyholders looking for basic state minimum coverage can save around $65 with Le Mars Insurance Company, while full coverage comes out to be around $100 less expensive with Hastings Mutual Insurance Company.

Is Hastings Mutual or Le Mars 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.

You'll probably end up paying more with accidents and speeding tickets on your record, but which of these two carriers offers the most affordable premiums to drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Drivers who use Hastings Mutual for their auto insurance can typically expect their monthly bill to go up about 16% after getting a speeding ticket. Le Mars policyholders can expect a bit more drastic of an increase of around 23%.

Even so, Hastings Mutual tends to offer the best prices for both drivers who have a recent ticket and those with clean records, offering prices that are $29 and $51 cheaper, respectively, compared to Le Mars Insurance Company.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

After an accident, drivers who have their car insurance through Hastings Mutual can expect to see about an $17 -- or around 13% -- rise in their auto insurance premiums. Drivers who use Le Mars for their insurance will see a monthly bill about $48 (or 26%) more expensive after reporting an accident to their auto insurance company.

At the end of the day, drivers who use Hastings Mutual end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with average rates coming in at $126 compared to Le Mars Insurance Company's $186.

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 insurance bill -- normally a lot more than a collision or speeding ticket. For example, Hastings Mutual increases average prices by more than $350 per month -- that's more than a 75% increase.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable premiums, Le Mars tends to be more affordable for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at around $434 to Hastings Mutual's $478.

How does Credit Score Impact Hastings Mutual and Le Mars Rates?

Often times, your credit score can be used as one of the variables to determine your monthly car insurance rates. Certain states and companies do not allow for credit score to be used as an insurance factor, but it might come into play for a lot of policyholders.

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

Looking specifically at Hastings Mutual and Le Mars, which company has the best prices for drivers at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have great credit, Le Mars will usually reward you the most. For policyholders with "excellent" credit scores, Le Mars comes in nearly 19.16 less expensive. Drivers with "good" credit scores normally save about 7% with Le Mars compared to average rates from Hastings Mutual.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Hastings Mutual typically offers lower prices than Le Mars when it comes to drivers with less-than-perfect credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around 6% a month less with Hastings Mutual compared to Le Mars, and those with "poor" scores typically save an average of about 31% a month.

Is Hastings Mutual or Le Mars Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a large impact on how much car insurance companies will charge for coverage. That's because the more milage you drive, the more likely you are to be in an accident and file an insurance claim.

As you can see in the table above, annual mileage doesn't have much of an impact on how much Hastings Mutual charges. However, there's a pretty significant difference in monthly premiums for Le Mars, with drivers who put 6,000 miles on their vehicle each year paying around $30 less every month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles annually. Still, for drivers in both categories, Hastings Mutual is the more affordable carrier.

Hastings Mutual or Le Mars: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where your home is can play a big role in how much you pay for insurance. Generally, drivers who live in less densely populated rural areas will pay quite a bit less than urban policyholders due to the small number of cars that are on the roads where they live.

When comparing these two carriers side-by-side, Hastings Mutual typically comes out as the cheaper option for drivers in rural and suburban areas, while Le Mars wins in urban areas.

Those in rural areas can expect to save about 30% with Hastings Mutual compared to Le Mars. People who live in suburban areas pay around 1% less with Hastings Mutual compared to Le Mars. For drivers in urban ZIP codes, Le Mars Insurance Company's average rates are about 0% less than Hastings Mutual Insurance Company.

Hastings Mutual vs. Le Mars Discounts

No matter why you might be in the market for a new car 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 with what seems like a million different discounts out there, it can be hard to nail down the company that has the most discounts for your unique driver profile and to find all the discounts you qualify for.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and looked at all of the different discounts Hastings Mutual and Le Mars offer their customers so that you can see which one offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

Le Mars blows Hastings Mutual away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering seven more discounts than Hastings Mutual.

There are a couple discounts both companies offer, but Le Mars also offers discounts for advance quote, driver training, family discount, and more.

On the other hand, Hastings Mutual has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like company car discounts, defensive driver discounts, prior carrier discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Hastings Mutual or Le Mars Best for You?

So, you've seen how different factors can affect your insurance premiums. We've broken down the different discounts each carrier offers, too. That's all well and good, but at the end of the day, which company is the right carrier for you and your specific needs?

Hastings Mutual might be best for you if....

• You will be the only person on the car insurance policy.
• You want the most robust protection via a "full coverage" policy.
• You want to save money while purchasing auto insurance for a teenager.

Le Mars might be best for you if...

• You have above-average credit.
• You're looking for the best prices on liability only coverage.
• Your neighborhood is in a city.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between Hastings Mutual and Le Mars and that it aids in making a more informed decision about 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 multiple carriers, not just Hastings Mutual and Le Mars. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your ZIP code below and get multiple quotes from some of the best car insurance companies in your area, all for free.

Hastings Mutual vs. Le Mars FAQs

Is Hastings Mutual or Le Mars cheaper?

Hastings Mutual is the less expensive of the two carriers when looking at national average premiums, with policies averaging $211 per month with Hastings Mutual and $234 for Le Mars. That being said, that doesn't mean Hastings Mutual will be the cheapest 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, Hastings Mutual or Le Mars?

Sadly, the answer truly is "it depends.". No one company is necessarily "better" for everyone -- it all depends on what your unique insurance profile looks like.

Why do Hastings Mutual and Le Mars offer me different rates?

Car insurance companies use many different factors when determining the prices they charge. Things such as age, where you live, gender, your driving record, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both Hastings Mutual and Le Mars calculate rates using different variables, so it's likely they'll offer different premiums. The best way to determine which carrier is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a range of different carriers.

How do I know if Hastings Mutual or Le Mars is right for me?

The only way to find the auto insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from several companies and finding the one best suited for your individual budget. Luckily, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Just enter your information once and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top insurance carriers for free. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the best rate. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't Hastings Mutual or Le Mars 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.