Houston General vs. Southern County Mutual: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• In general, Houston General offers more affordable prices than Southern County Mutual
• Houston General offers more affordable rates for policyholders who may not have much of a commute
• Southern County Mutual offers more discounts than Houston General Insurance Exchange

Houston General vs. Southern County Mutual: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

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

You might be considering Houston General or Southern County Mutual for your next policy, but which company has less expensive premiums for car insurance?

As you can see, Southern County Mutual has average rates that are about 11% per month more expensive than those from Houston General when looking at the national average rates for insurance.

Even so, Houston General may not be the lowest or best option for every driver out there. Car insurance companies vary their rates depending on things like where you live, how clean your driving record is, how old you are, how good your credit score is, and all sorts of other factors, so prices will change quite a bit from person to person.

So, if you want to find out which of Houston General or Southern County Mutual is really the best for you, keep reading to see average rates for each carrier broken down by multiple different rate factors.

Houston General or Southern County Mutual: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Both Houston General and Southern County Mutual only offer auto insurance in Texas, so you'll see that the average figures here will mirror the ones we mentioned above. For Texas residents, Houston General offers insurance for $160 per month on average. Southern County Mutual's average premiums come out to be over 10% more expensive, at $179 a month.

Typically, where you live will play a sizable role in how much you pay for car insurance, but since both companies only do business in Texas, a wide array of other factors will come into play when you compare Houston General and Southern County Mutual. Keep reading to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive insurance prices of any other group of drivers out there on the road. That's generally 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 rates, teen drivers can still find ways to save money. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have Houston General for their auto insurance pay more than $45 less than those who use Southern County Mutual.

But both carriers will offer you dramatically lower prices once you turn 25. For example, average premiums for Houston General policyholders drop nearly $150 and Southern County Mutual's rates decrease around $200 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

When it comes to car insurance, patience and experience pay off, with drivers around retirement age paying some of the cheapest premiums you'll ever see.

So, which company offers the best prices to retired drivers? Houston General gets the edge here, with average premiums coming in at about $108 monthly compared to Southern County Mutual's $129.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

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

When it comes to relationship status, the two companies are comparable for single policyholders, with prices only differing around $20 a month, on average. But for married drivers, the advantage is clear - Houston General has the edge when it comes to average rates.

Houston General vs. Southern County Mutual: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get pulled over for speeding or get into an accident. That means when it comes to insurance men will typically end up paying a little more.

Women usually pay over $10 per month less than men with Houston General, while with Southern County Mutual, the difference is closer to $18 a month.

When it comes to the most affordable premiums for each gender, Houston General comes out on top for both men and women, with average prices $22 less for men and $16 cheaper for women.

Houston General or Southern County Mutual: 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 several different coverages that account for a bunch of different things. Some protect you and your vehicle, while others only provide coverage for other people's property and health if you cause a collision.

However, the most common policies that many drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability only (which covers the other party's property damage and injuries if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which includes comprehensive and collision coverages that protect your own vehicle, in addition to what you get with a liability policy).

If you're looking for state minimum liability limits, Houston General generally offers more affordable rates of $83 compared to Southern County Mutual's $105. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, Houston General again has the edge, with policies about $20 per month less expensive than Southern County Mutual, on average.

Is Houston General or Southern County Mutual Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from car insurance carriers 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 tickets and accidents on your record, but which of these two companies offers the cheapest premiums to drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Houston General policyholders can expect their prices to go up an average of $37 a month if they get a ticket, while Southern County Mutual normally raises rates around $10 per month, on average.

That being said, Houston General is usually the cheaper option for drivers both with clean records and with a speeding ticket. Drivers with a clean record can save about $55 a month and drivers with a ticket can save around $28 per month with Houston General Insurance Exchange.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both carriers will increase premiums pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault accident with Houston General raising by over $100. Southern County Mutual has a less extreme raise, but you can still expect to pay $3 more than you were prior to your first collision.

Overall, the more affordable rates come from Southern County Mutual, with monthly premiums averaging $169 compared to Houston General Insurance Exchange's $233.

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. Southern County Mutual drivers usually see a 20% climb in their car insurance prices after a DUI charge, while Houston General will typically increase premiums by about 24%.

If you have a DUI on your record and are looking for more affordable prices, Houston General tends to be the much cheaper option with average rates of $147 per month compared to $207 from Southern County Mutual.

How does Credit Score Impact Houston General and Southern County Mutual Rates?

In many cases, your credit score can be used as one of the variables to calculate your monthly auto insurance premiums. Certain states and companies do not allow for credit score to be used as a rating factor, but it might come into play for lots of drivers.

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

So, which carrier offers the lowest rates for policyholders with good, average, or poor 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 Houston General. Drivers with "excellent" credit can save just under 25% compared to Southern County Mutual, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- around $18 or 11% less expensive every month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Houston General typically offers lower prices than Southern County Mutual when it comes to drivers with bad credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about $24 a month less with Houston General compared to Southern County Mutual, and those with "poor" scores generally save an average of around $0 monthly.

Is Houston General or Southern County Mutual 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 car insurance bill. Normally, those who drive fewer miles will end up with cheaper rates since there's less of a chance of getting into a collision and causing an insurance claim.

In this case, neither Houston General or Southern County Mutual report increasing premiums for drivers with higher annual mileage figures. Still, Houston General comes out as the most affordable for drivers at both intervals, whether they put 6,000 or 12,000 miles on their car annually, with average prices of $160 per month for both.

Houston General vs. Southern County Mutual: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

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

Houston General boasts the cheapest average rates in urban and suburban areas, while Southern County Mutual wins in rural areas.

In urban areas, Houston General Insurance Exchange's average prices are about $36 less than Southern County Mutual Insurance Company. Drivers in suburban ZIP codes pay around $28 less with Houston General compared to Southern County Mutual. If you live in a rural area, you can expect to save about $6 with Southern County Mutual compared to Houston General.

Houston General vs. Southern County Mutual Discounts

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

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

In the table below, we've taken a look at all of the different discounts Houston General and Southern County Mutual offer their customers so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and, therefore, the biggest savings.

Overall, Southern County Mutual comes out ahead with nine discounts to Houston General's eight.

There are a couple discounts both companies offer, but Southern County Mutual also offers corporate discounts, multi-car discounts, paid in full discounts, and more that Houston General does not.

On the flip side, Houston General has a couple unique discounts of its own -- ABS discounts, advance quote discounts, and excess vehicle discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is Houston General or Southern County Mutual Best for You?

You've seen the role certain factors have on your car insurance and the different discounts carriers offer. But, at the end of the day, which carrier is the right carrier for you, your vehicle, and your wallet?

Houston General might be best for you if....

• You're single and purchasing auto insurance by yourself.
• You're looking for more protection with "full coverage" car insurance.
• You're buying auto insurance for a teen and looking for a wallet-friendly option.

Southern County Mutual might be best for you if...

• You have an at-fault collision on your record.
• You're looking for discounts -- Southern County Mutual has the most.
• You live in a rural area.

We hope this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between Houston General and Southern County Mutual and that you can now make a more informed decision when it comes to your insurance.

At the end of the day, the sure-fire way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your auto insurance policy is to compare quotes from a handful of companies, not just Houston General and Southern County Mutual. 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 insurance carriers in your area, all for free.

Houston General vs. Southern County Mutual FAQs

Is Houston General or Southern County Mutual cheaper?

Looking just at the national average premiums, Houston General is the more affordable of the two companies, offering average rates of $160 a month compared to $179 for Southern County Mutual. Even so, Houston General won't necessarily be the most affordable company for each driver, since there are many different variables (things like age, driving record, gender, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Houston General or Southern County Mutual?

Unfortunately, the answer truly is "it depends.". No one carrier is "better" for every driver -- it all comes down to what your unique car insurance profile looks like. For example, Southern County Mutual offers less expensive rates for policyholders with an at-fault accident on their record, while Houston General is cheaper for drivers who have less-than-stellar credit scores.

Why do Houston General and Southern County Mutual offer me different rates?

Auto insurance carriers take a look at quite a few different factors when calculating the premiums they charge drivers. Things like where you call home, where you live, gender, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both Houston General and Southern County Mutual calculate prices differently, so each one will most likely offer different premiums. The only real way to see which company is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a range of different companies.

How do I know if Houston General or Southern County Mutual is right for me?

The only way to find the car insurance carrier that's right for you is by getting quotes from several carriers 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 area information and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best insurance companies in your area. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the best premium. And who knows, the best company for you might not be Houston General or Southern County Mutual 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.