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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for insurance, Hastings Mutual offers significantly less expensive premiums than Metlife
• Hastings Mutual offers cheaper average prices for residents of suburban areas
• Metlife offers more discounts than Hastings Mutual Insurance Company

Hastings Mutual vs. Metlife: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

Are you in the market for a new insurance policy? After all, you've seen ads from all sorts of companies offering large discounts. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You might have narrowed your search down to Hastings Mutual or Metlife as potential options, but between the two, which company will save you the most?

Looking at nationwide averages, Hastings Mutual has average rates that are about 40% per month more affordable than those from Metlife.

However, that doesn't necessarily mean Hastings Mutual will be the cheaper option for each driver. After all, car insurance companies can offer drastically different rates to each driver depending on rating factors like your credit score, where you call home, your driving record, or even your age (among other things), so rates will differ quite a bit from person to person.

Wanting to know if Hastings Mutual or Metlife is really the right company for you? Keep on reading to see how average premiums can change based on all of the factors we've mentioned above.

Hastings Mutual or Metlife: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Hastings Mutual and Metlife compete against each other in five states, with Hastings Mutual offering less expensive prices to the average driver in all of them. Indiana has the most noticable difference, where Hastings Mutual premiums are over 70% more affordable than insurance prices at Metlife.

There's a lot more that goes into your auto insurance payment than just where you live. Read on to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers generally pay a lot more for car insurance than any other group of drivers. Usually, that's because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to cause collisions and other accidents that will result in an insurance claim.

But that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their auto insurance. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of more than $500 less a month by choosing Hastings Mutual over Metlife.

Even so, both carriers will offer you dramatically lower rates by the time you turn 25. For example, average premiums for Hastings Mutual policyholders drop over $150 and Metlife's prices reduce around $500 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

When it comes to insurance, patience and experience pay off, with drivers around retirement age paying some of the lowest rates you can find.

When looking at Hastings Mutual and Metlife specifically, which carrier is best for retired drivers? Hastings Mutual gets the edge, with prices for drivers 65 and older nearly 20% less expensive than the national average for Metlife.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but car insurance rates tend to be more affordable for married policyholders than they are for single policyholders. That's normally because married drivers tend to own and insure more than one car, which can often earn you a discount.

When it comes to relationship status, Hastings Mutual is the clear winner for those who are single, with premiums about $203 per month cheaper than Metlife, on average. The advantage for married couples with Hastings Mutual is also obvious, where drivers save almost $35 a month.

Hastings Mutual vs. Metlife: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get into an accident or get pulled over for speeding, which means they'll typically end up paying more for auto insurance than women.

Men usually pay around 2% more per month than women with Hastings Mutual, while with Metlife, the difference is closer to 8% a month.

Looking at the data for each company specifically, Hastings Mutual comes out as the most affordable option for both genders. On average, male drivers save about $141 per month and women save about $118 with Hastings Mutual compared to the average Metlife policyholder.

Hastings Mutual or Metlife: 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, insurance can be pretty complicated. There are so many different coverages and terms that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy.

That being said, the most common policies that many drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability only (which provides property damage and bodily injury coverage for other drivers and passengers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes comprehensive and collision coverages that protect your own vehicle, in addition to liability coverage).

If you're looking for state minimum limits for liability insurance, Hastings Mutual normally offers significantly more affordable rates of $142 compared to Metlife's $215. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, Hastings Mutual again has the edge, with policies around $200 a month cheaper than Metlife, on average.

Is Hastings Mutual or Metlife Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

It's no big secret that drivers who are accident-free get better deals on their car insurance. But even if you have a spotty record, you can still find plenty of ways to save some cash on your monthly bill.

You'll probably end up paying more with tickets and accidents on your record, but which of these two companies offers the cheapest prices to drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Hastings Mutual policyholders can expect their premiums to go up an average of $20 per month if they get a ticket, while Metlife generally raises prices about $59 a month, on average.

However, Hastings Mutual tends to offer the best prices for both drivers who have clean records and those with a recent speeding ticket, offering premiums that are 50% and 54% less expensive, respectively, compared to MetLife.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Hastings Mutual drivers who get in an accident can expect to see their rates rise by over $15, while those who have insurance through Metlife will see around a $150 increase.

Overall, Hastings Mutual offers the lowest premiums for drivers with an at-fault accident on their records, with monthly rates averaging $126 compared to MetLife's $368.

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 auto insurance bill -- typically a lot more than a collision or ticket. On average, Hastings Mutual will increase your prices about 77% after a DUI, while Metlife's average rates increase by over 55%.

How does Credit Score Impact Hastings Mutual and Metlife Rates?

You may not realized it, but your credit score can be used as one of the factors to calculate your monthly insurance premiums. This isn't always the case (for example, Michigan and Hawaii are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it might come into play for quite a few policyholders.

Auto insurance carriers argue that someone with good credit is more likely to pay their bills on time, which makes them less risky to insure. Because of that, drivers with good credit will often be rewarded with cheaper prices.

So, which carrier offers the most affordable rates for policyholders with good, average, or poor credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Is Hastings Mutual or Metlife 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 insurance bill. Normally, those who drive fewer miles will end up with more affordable prices since there's less of a chance of getting into an accident and causing 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 small difference in monthly premiums for Metlife, with policyholders who drive the least paying around $3 less every month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles annually. Still, Hastings Mutual is the less expensive option for drivers in both categories.

Hastings Mutual vs. Metlife: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

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

Hastings Mutual tends to offer the lowest prices for drivers in every type of area, no matter if it's urban, suburban, or rural.

Drivers in rural ZIP codes see the most affordable rates from both companies, but Hastings Mutual comes out on top with average premiums about $164 per month. Hastings Mutual also has cheaper average prices for policyholders in urban and suburban ZIP codes -- a 25% and 47% per month respective difference when compared to Metlife drivers in similar areas.

Hastings Mutual vs. Metlife Discounts

Regardless of why you might be in the market for a new insurance policy, you're always going to want to save as much money as possible, and the best way to do that is by taking advantage of as many car insurance discounts as you can.

But with what seems like a million different discounts out there, it can be challenging to find all the ones you're eligible for or to nail down the carrier that has the most discounts for your unique driver profile.

Below, we've taken a look at all of the different discounts Hastings Mutual and Metlife offer their customers so that you can find the carrier that has the most discounts and, therefore, the biggest savings.

Metlife knocks Hastings Mutual out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 26 more discounts than Hastings Mutual.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like discounts for being a defensive driver, discounts for being a good driver, and passive restraint discounts. Metlife also offers AAA discounts, academic discounts, agency transfer discounts, and more that Hastings Mutual does not.

On the flip side, Hastings Mutual has a couple unique discounts of its own -- company car discounts and prior carrier discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is Hastings Mutual or Metlife Best for You?

You've seen the effect certain variables have on your insurance and the different discounts carriers offer. But, at the end of the day, is Hastings Mutual or Metlife the right one for you, your vehicle, and your wallet?

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

• You're worried about the impact your credit score will have on your rates.
• Your credit score is high.
• You and your spouse are buying car insurance together.

Metlife might be best for you if...

• You already have plans to move to another state -- undefined is only available in.
• You're looking for the company with the most discounts.

We hope this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between Hastings Mutual and Metlife. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best 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 several companies, not just Hastings Mutual and Metlife. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your ZIP code below and get free quotes from dozens of the top insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Hastings Mutual vs. Metlife FAQs

Is Hastings Mutual or Metlife cheaper?

Looking just at the national average premiums, Hastings Mutual is the less expensive of the two companies, offering average rates of $211 a month compared to $340 for Metlife. Even so, Hastings Mutual won't necessarily be the lowest carrier for everyone, since there are a range of different factors (things like age, gender, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Hastings Mutual or Metlife?

Sadly, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". Neither company is "better" for everyone -- it all comes down to what your unique auto insurance profile looks like.

Why do Hastings Mutual and Metlife offer me different rates?

Insurance carriers take a look at lots of different variables when calculating the prices they charge policyholders. Things like age, your driving record, gender, where your home is, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both Hastings Mutual and Metlife calculate premiums using different formulas, so each one will most likely offer different prices. The only real way to see which carrier is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from several different companies.

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

The only way to find the auto insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from multiple carriers 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 car insurance companies in your area. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the cheapest price. And who knows, the best carrier for you might not be Hastings Mutual or Metlife 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.