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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for auto insurance, Kemper offers more affordable prices than The Hartford
• Kemper offers less expensive average premiums for policyholders who may not have much of a commute
• The Hartford offers more affordable rates for residents of urban areas

Kemper vs. The Hartford: 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 hefty discounts. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You've maybe even narrowed it down to Kemper or The Hartford, but which one will offer you cheaper premiums?

As you can see, Kemper is about $30 per month less expensive than The Hartford when looking at the national average rates for insurance.

That being said, that doesn't mean Kemper will necessarily be cheaper than The Hartford for every driver. Car insurance companies vary their prices depending on things like how old you are, how good your credit score is, where you live, how clean your driving record is, and a variety of other factors. So, at the end of the day, premiums from each carrier will differ quite a bit from person to person.

Luckily, we've broken down average prices from both Kemper and The Hartford by a range of different rate factors, so read on to find out which company is the best for you.

Kemper or The Hartford: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Kemper and The Hartford only compete against each other in California, where Kemper offers the cheaper average rates. For California residents, Kemper offers auto insurance for $140 per month on average. The Hartford's average prices come out to be over 70% more expensive, at $265 a month.

That being said, there's a lot more that goes into your insurance bill than just where you call home. Read on to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive auto insurance rates of any group out there on the road. That's normally 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 premiums, teen drivers can still find ways to save money. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have The Hartford for their car insurance pay $55 less than those who use Kemper. It's worth noting that Kemper offers insurance in 15 different states compared to The Hartford's one, which can skew the average prices a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

Even so, with both carriers, you'll see your rates drop significantly by the time drivers turn 25. For example, average premiums for Kemper policyholders reduce nearly $300 and The Hartford's rates decrease around $150 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 prices you'll ever find.

So, which carrier offers the best premiums to retired drivers? Kemper gets the slight edge here, with average rates coming in at about $179 monthly compared to The Hartford's $192.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that insurance premiums are generally more expensive for single drivers than they are for married drivers? That's because policies for married couples usually cover multiple cars, which a lot of companies will offer you a discount for.

When it comes to relationship status, the two carriers are comparable for single policyholders, with prices only differing around $21 a month, on average. But for married policyholders, the advantage is clear - Kemper has the edge when it comes to average rates.

Kemper vs. The Hartford: Average Rates by Gender

Because men are more likely to get tickets and get into collisions, they run a larger risk of filing a claim with insurance. Therefore, men tend to pay more for auto insurance than women.

Men typically pay almost $20 per month more than women with Kemper; men and women get the same monthly premiums with The Hartford.

When it comes to the most affordable prices for each gender, Kemper offers the lowest average rates for both men and women. On average, male drivers save about $21 a month and women save about $40 with Kemper compared to the average The Hartford policyholder.

Kemper or The Hartford: 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 insurance can be a complicated subject for most people. There are a bunch of different coverages that account for lots of different things. Some protect you and your vehicle, while others only provide coverage for other people's property and health if you cause an accident.

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

In this case, The Hartford offers the cheapest average premiums for state minimum liability limits, while Kemper has the edge for full coverage policies with similar coverage limits. Drivers looking for basic state minimum coverage can save around $4 with The Hartford, while full coverage comes out to be around $65 more affordable with Kemper.

Is Kemper or The Hartford 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 lowest prices to drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Kemper policyholders can expect their premiums to go up an average of $45 per month if they get a ticket, while The Hartford usually raises rates about $71 a month, on average.

But The Hartford is normally the less expensive option for both drivers who have clean records and those with a recent speeding ticket, offering prices that are 28% and 10% cheaper, respectively, compared to Kemper.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Kemper policyholders who get in an accident can expect to see their rates increase by just under 35%, while those who have insurance through The Hartford will see around a 50% increase.

Overall, the more affordable prices come from Kemper, with monthly premiums averaging $259 compared to The Hartford's $262.

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 ticket when it comes to your auto insurance bill. The Hartford drivers usually see a 73% increase in their car insurance prices after a DUI charge, while Kemper will typically raise rates by about 39%.

Kemper has the overall most affordable premiums for drivers with a DUI on their records at $287 per month, but it's worth noting that Kemper's average rates come from 15 states compared to just one for The Hartford, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact Kemper and The Hartford Rates?

You may not have known, but your credit score can come into play when carriers calculate your monthly bill. This isn't always the case (California, for example, has banned the use of credit score as a rating factor) but it might come into play for lots of drivers.

The reasoning insurance companies use is that policyholders with bad credit will be less likely to pay their bills on time; so generally, they'll be asked to pay more, while those with good credit will be rewarded with cheaper rates.

Looking at Kemper and The Hartford specifically, which company has the cheapest prices for drivers at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have fantastic credit, Kemper will usually reward you. With Kemper, improving your score from "good" to "excellent" will generally save you around 15%. On the other hand, The Hartford doesn't have data available for credit scores, which means they most likely don't use credit to calculate your premiums.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

If you have bad credit, it can cost you with Kemper. If your credit score is in the "poor" range, at Kemper, you may pay about $85 more per month compared to those with "fair" scores (and even more compared to drivers with good or excellent scores). On the other hand, because The Hartford doesn't have data available for credit scores, they could have better rates for drivers with bad credit over Kemper.

Is Kemper or The Hartford 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 sizable impact on your monthly auto insurance cost? That's because the fewer miles you drive, the less likely you are to get into a collision and cause an insurance claim.

For both drivers who put 6,000 miles on their vehicles every year, as well as those who average twice that figure, Kemper offers less expensive premiums than The Hartford. Kemper's average prices for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in around $3 more affordable than The Hartford. Those who drive 12,000 miles yearly can expect to pay about $57 less with Kemper over The Hartford.

Kemper vs. The Hartford: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

We've already mentioned how your home state can play a role in how much you pay for car insurance, but the type of area you live in can have a considerable impact as well. Normally, 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.

Looking at these carriers side-by-side, Kemper typically comes out as the cheaper option for drivers in rural and suburban areas, while The Hartford wins in urban areas.

In urban areas, The Hartford's average rates are around 8% less than Kemper. Drivers in suburban ZIP codes pay about 15% less with Kemper compared to The Hartford. If you live in a rural area, you can expect to save around 29% with Kemper compared to The Hartford.

Kemper vs. The Hartford 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 auto insurance discounts as you can.

But where do you even start? With so many discounts out there, it may seem challenging to find all the of the ones you're eligible for.

Below, we've taken a look at all of the different discounts Kemper and The Hartford offer their customers so that you can find the one that has the most discounts and, therefore, the biggest savings.

Kemper knocks The Hartford out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 11 more discounts than The Hartford.

Both companies offer quite a few of the same discounts -- like anti-theft discounts, distant student discounts, discounts for being a good driver, and multi-policy discounts -- but Kemper also offers AAA discounts, advance quote discounts, continuous insurance discounts, and more that The Hartford does not.

On the flip side, The Hartford has a couple unique discounts of its own -- employee discounts, lay-up credit discounts, and umbrella policy discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is Kemper or The Hartford Best for You?

You've seen the effect certain factors have on your insurance and the different discounts carriers offer. That's all well and good, but when it comes down to it, which carrier is the best company for you and your specific profile and needs?

Kemper might be best for you if....

• You're single and purchasing car insurance by yourself.
• You care about discounts (Kemper offers the most).
• You have a short commute.

The Hartford might be best for you if...

• You have a clean record.
• You have a speeding ticket on your driving record.
• You live in an urban area.

We hope this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between Kemper and The Hartford. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision about your 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 Kemper and The Hartford. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get multiple free quotes from some of the best auto insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Kemper vs. The Hartford FAQs

Is Kemper or The Hartford cheaper?

Looking just at the national average prices, Kemper is the more affordable of the two companies, offering average rates of $235 a month compared to $265 for The Hartford. However, Kemper won't necessarily be the most affordable company for each policyholder, since there are several different variables (things like age, gender, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Kemper or The Hartford?

Unfortunately, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". One carrier is not necessarily "better" for every driver -- it all depends on what your unique insurance profile looks like.

Why do Kemper and The Hartford offer me different rates?

Car insurance carriers take a look at many different factors when calculating the rates they charge policyholders. Things like your driving record, age, gender, where you park your car, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both Kemper and The Hartford calculate premiums differently, so each one will most likely offer different prices. The only real way to see which company is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from multiple different companies.

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

The only way to find the auto insurance carrier 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 makes it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your information once and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best car insurance companies in your area. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the best rate. And who knows, the best company for you might not be Kemper or The Hartford 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.