Kemper vs. Progressive: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• In general, Progressive offers significantly more affordable premiums than Kemper
• Progressive tends to be a much cheaper option for policyholders who are looking to purchase insurance with a spouse
• Progressive has less expensive prices for single people who will be the only person on the insurance policy

Kemper or Progressive: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

Are you in the market for 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 be considering Kemper or Progressive as potential options, but which carrier has cheaper premiums for auto insurance?

Looking at nationwide averages, Progressive is around $55 a month less expensive than Kemper.

However, that doesn't mean Progressive will necessarily be more affordable than Kemper for every single driver. Insurance carriers use a ton of complex algorithms to determine prices, so depending on how good your credit score is or how old you are (among multiple other factors), you could see wildly different rates from the ones above.

So, if you want to find out which of Kemper or Progressive is really the best for you, keep reading to see average prices for each company broken down by multiple different rate factors.

Kemper vs. Progressive: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Kemper and Progressive compete against each other in 14 states, with Progressive offering cheaper premiums to the average driver in all of them. If you live in, undefined is the more affordable of the two companies when looking at the overall average rates, but Progressive is the cheaper option in most of the others.

But there's more to car insurance than just where you call home. As we mentioned above, there's a lot of things that go into how auto insurance carriers calculate your premiums. 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 other group of drivers. Generally, that's 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 teen drivers can't still save money on their insurance. As you can see above, teens who use Progressive save almost 10% per month compared to those who use Kemper.

But with both companies, you'll see your prices lower significantly by the time you turn 25. For example, average rates for Kemper policyholders decrease about $300 and Progressive's premiums drop around $300 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 lowest prices you can find.

When looking at Kemper and Progressive specifically, which carrier is best for retired drivers? Progressive gets the edge, with rates for drivers 65 and older $48 less expensive than the national average for Kemper.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that insurance premiums are normally more expensive for those who are single than they are for married policyholders? This usually boils down to married couples having more than one vehicle on their policy -- something lots of auto insurance carriers will reward with discounts.

For single policyholders, the difference in average rates between these two companies is significant, with Progressive prices coming in at a quarter less than Kemper's. The advantage for married drivers with Progressive is also obvious, where drivers save nearly $60 a month.

Kemper or Progressive: Average Rates by Gender

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

Men typically pay almost 10% more per month than women with Kemper, and about 3% more with Progressive.

Looking at the data for each company specifically, Progressive comes out on top for both men and women. On average, male drivers save about $61 a month and women save around $47 with Progressive compared to the average Kemper policyholder.

Kemper vs. Progressive: 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, auto insurance can be pretty complicated. There are a variety of different coverages that account for several 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 that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (which covers the other party's property damage and injuries if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which includes collision and comprehensive coverages that protect your own car, in addition to what you get with a liability policy).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability insurance, Progressive has the edge, with average monthly premiums coming in at $111. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Progressive again has the edge, with policies averaging about $250 per month to Kemper's $331.

Is Kemper or Progressive 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.

It's no secret secret that at-fault collisions and speeding tickets lead to higher prices, but which carrier -- Kemper or Progressive -- has the most affordable rates for drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Kemper for their car insurance can normally expect their monthly bill to go up around 21% after getting a speeding ticket. Progressive policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of about 17%.

Even so, Progressive is typically the cheaper option for both drivers who have clean records and those with a recent ticket, offering premiums that are $25 and $39 more affordable, respectively, compared to Kemper.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Kemper drivers who get in a collision can expect to see their rates rise by just under 35%, while those who have insurance through Progressive will see around a 30% increase.

At the end of the day, drivers who use Progressive end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with average prices coming in at $214 compared to Kemper's $259.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

If you get a DUI charge on your record, it's probably going to cost you more than a simple speeding ticket or even an accident. Kemper drivers usually see a 39% raise in their auto insurance rates after a DUI charge, while Progressive will generally climb prices by about 16%.

How does Credit Score Impact Kemper and Progressive Rates?

Did you know many insurance carriers take into account your credit score when determining premiums? This isn't true for everyone (for example, are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it does affect a lot of policyholders out there.

The reasoning auto insurance companies use is that drivers with good credit will be more likely to pay their bills on time; so they'll reward them with cheaper rates, while those with poor credit will usually be forced to pay more.

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

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Is Kemper or Progressive Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a large impact on how much insurance carriers will charge for coverage. Typically, those who drive fewer miles will end up with less expensive prices 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 Progressive charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly rates for Kemper, with drivers who put 6,000 miles on their vehicle every year paying around $1 less each month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles yearly. Still, for drivers in both categories, Progressive is the more affordable carrier.

Kemper or Progressive: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you call home can play a big role in how much you pay for car insurance. Normally, if you live in an urban area with more cars on the road, you'll pay a little more for insurance, while the opposite is true for people in rural areas.

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

For drivers in urban ZIP codes, Progressive's average premiums are about 30% less than Kemper. People who live in suburban areas pay around 21% less with Progressive compared to Kemper. Those in rural areas can expect to save about 15% with Progressive compared to Kemper.

Kemper vs. Progressive Discounts

No matter why you might be in the market for a new auto insurance policy, you're always going to want to save as much money as you can, and the best way to do that is by utilizing as many car insurance discounts as possible.

The hard part is finding all of the discounts you qualify for, since it can feel sometimes like every carrier has different discounts and each one is advertised differently.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and broke down all of the different discounts offered by both Kemper and Progressive so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and, therefore, the largest savings.

Progressive knocks Kemper out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 10 more discounts than Kemper.

There are a couple discounts both companies offer, but Progressive also offers discounts for advanced safety feature, agency transfer, COVID-19 relief, and more.

On the other hand, Kemper has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like AAA discounts, driver training discounts, ESC discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Kemper or Progressive Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average prices for many of the variables auto insurance carriers look at, and walked through the different discounts each company offers, too. That's all well and good, but at the end of the day, which carrier is the best one for you and your specific driver profile?

Progressive might be best for you if....

• You value the experience that comes with a large national insurance company.
• Your home is in a busy urban area.
• You have a short drive to work everyday.

Kemper might be best for you if...

• You have a more unique driver profile than those we mentioned above.

Hopefully, this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare Kemper and Progressive. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision when it comes to your car 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 companies, not just Kemper and Progressive. Luckily, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get free quotes from dozens of top insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Kemper vs. Progressive FAQs

Is Kemper or Progressive cheaper?

Progressive is the less expensive of the two companies when looking at national average rates, with policies averaging $180 a month with Progressive and $235 for Kemper. But that doesn't mean Progressive will be the cheapest carrier for every driver, since there are many different factors (things like gender, age, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Kemper or Progressive?

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

Why do Kemper and Progressive offer me different rates?

Auto insurance carriers use many different variables when calculating the prices they charge. Factors like gender, your driving record, where you live, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both Kemper and Progressive calculate premiums using different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different rates. The best way to determine which carrier is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from lots of different companies.

How do I know if Kemper or Progressive is right for me?

The only way to find the car insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from a handful of carriers and finding the one best suited for your individual budget. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Just enter your information once and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top insurance companies for free. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the best premium. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't Kemper or Progressive 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.