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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for insurance, Wawanesa offers significantly less expensive prices than Kemper
• Kemper may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than Wawanesa Insurance
• Wawanesa tends to be a much more affordable option for policyholders who live in rural neighborhoods

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

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

You've maybe even narrowed your search down to Kemper or Wawanesa as your top options, but which one will offer you cheaper premiums?

Looking at nationwide averages, Wawanesa has average rates that are around 55% a month more affordable than those from Kemper.

But Wawanesa may not be the most affordable or best option for every single driver out there. Auto insurance carriers use tons of complex algorithms to determine prices, so depending on how good your credit score is or where you live (among a variety of other factors), you could see wildly different premiums from the ones above.

Wanting to know if Kemper or Wawanesa is really the right carrier for you? Keep on reading to see how average rates can change based on all of the factors we've mentioned above.

Kemper vs. Wawanesa: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Kemper and Wawanesa only compete against each other in California, where Wawanesa offers the cheaper average prices. Wawanesa drivers tend to pay about $36 per month less on average compared to drivers who use Kemper for their car insurance.

But there's more to calculating insurance rates than just where you call home. Read on to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- generally pay a lot for auto insurance compared to older drivers. It's normally because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into an accident that results in an insurance claim, making them much riskier to insure.

However, that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their car insurance. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of over 65% less a month by choosing Wawanesa over Kemper. It's worth noting that Kemper offers insurance in 15 different states compared to Wawanesa's one, which can skew the average premiums a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

Even so, both companies will drop prices by the time drivers turn 25. Wawanesa offers the steepest decrease, with 25-year-olds paying a third less what 18-year-old drivers are charged. Kemper's average rates decrease more than 55% during that same period.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Drivers around retirement age usually enjoy some of the cheapest auto insurance premiums you can find. After all, they've likely been driving for quite some time, which typically reduces their chances of collisions and other infractions that can raise prices.

When looking at Kemper and Wawanesa specifically, which company is best for retired drivers? Wawanesa gets the edge, with premiums for drivers 65 and older $92 cheaper than the national average for Kemper.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but insurance rates tend to be more expensive for single policyholders than they are for married couples. This usually boils down to married policyholders having multiple vehicles on their policy -- something several car insurance carriers will reward with discounts.

For single drivers, the difference in average premiums between these two companies is significant, with Wawanesa rates coming in at about half of Kemper's. The advantage is also clear for married drivers - Wawanesa offers the most affordable average prices.

Kemper or Wawanesa: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get pulled over for speeding or get into a collision, which means they'll usually end up paying more for insurance than women.

Typically, women see premiums around $20 per month less expensive with Kemper; everyone gets the same monthly rates regardless of gender with Wawanesa.

When it comes to the cheapest prices for each gender, Wawanesa comes out as the lowest option for both genders, with average premiums $140 less for men and $121 cheaper for women.

Kemper vs. Wawanesa: 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 car insurance can be a complicated subject for most people. Everyone needs auto insurance, but there are so many different limits and coverages that it can be hard to find the right policy for you.

The two most common policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability coverage (which covers the other party's property damage and injuries if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- collision and comprehensive -- in addition to what you get with a liability policy).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability insurance, Wawanesa has the significant edge, with average monthly rates coming in at $64. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Wawanesa again has the edge, with policies averaging about $144 a month to Kemper's $331.

Is Kemper or Wawanesa Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

It's no secret -- drivers with good records end up getting the best deals on their car 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 speeding tickets and at-fault accidents lead to higher prices, but which carrier -- Kemper or Wawanesa -- has the cheapest premiums for drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Kemper for their insurance can generally expect their monthly bill to go up around 21% after getting a speeding ticket. Wawanesa policyholders can expect a bit more drastic of an increase of about 30%.

That being said, Wawanesa tends to offer the best prices for drivers both with clean records and with a ticket -- their rates are around 57% more affordable for drivers with clean records and 52% cheaper for those with a ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

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

At the end of the day, Wawanesa offers the most affordable prices for drivers with an at-fault collision on their records, with average premiums coming in at $113 compared to Kemper's $259.

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 auto insurance bill. On average, Kemper will climb your prices about 39% after a DUI, while Wawanesa's average rates climb by more than 40%.

Wawanesa has the overall lowest prices for drivers with a DUI on their records at $125 monthly, but it's worth noting that Kemper's average rates come from 15 states compared to just one for Wawanesa, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact Kemper and Wawanesa Rates?

You may not realized it, but your credit score can be used as one of the variables to calculate your monthly insurance rates. This isn't true for everyone (California, for example, has banned the use of credit score as a car insurance factor) but it might come into play for lots of policyholders.

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

Looking specifically at Wawanesa and Kemper, which company has the most affordable rates for policyholders at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Generally, if you have stellar credit, you can expect to be rewarded. With Kemper, improving your score from "good" to "excellent" will normally save you around 15%. Because Wawanesa, doesn't have data available for credit scores, they most likely don't use credit to calculate your prices.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

If you have bad credit, it can cost you with Kemper. For drivers with less-than-stellar credit, at Kemper, you may pay about 25% per month more if you have "poor" credit compared to those with "fair" scores. It's an even larger difference when compared to drivers with "good" or "excellent" scores. Wawanesa, on the other hand, doesn't have data available for credit scores, which means drivers with bad credit might find better rates with Wawanesa over Kemper.

Is Kemper or Wawanesa 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 how much car insurance companies will charge for coverage. Usually, those who drive fewer miles will end up with less expensive premiums since there's less of a chance of causing an accident and filing an insurance claim.

For both remote workers and those taking short commutes, Wawanesa offers more affordable prices than Kemper. Kemper's average premiums for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in nearly $150 more expensive than Wawanesa. Those who drive 12,000 miles yearly can expect to pay more than $100 more with Kemper over Wawanesa.

Kemper or Wawanesa: 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 insurance, but the type of area you live in can have a big impact as well. Normally, if you live in a rural area with fewer cars on the road, you'll pay a little less for car insurance, while the opposite is true for people in urban areas.

Wawanesa boasts the cheapest average rates for drivers in all areas, regardless of if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

For drivers in urban ZIP codes, Wawanesa Insurance's average premiums are around $182 less than Kemper. People who live in suburban areas pay about $121 less with Wawanesa compared to Kemper. Those in rural areas can expect to save around $87 with Wawanesa compared to Kemper.

Kemper vs. Wawanesa 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 taking advantage of as many insurance discounts as possible.

But where do you even start? With so many discounts out there, it may seem difficult to find all the of the ones you can take advantage of.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and broke down all of the different discounts offered by both Kemper and Wawanesa so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

Kemper knocks Wawanesa out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 24 different discounts to Wawanesa's two.

Both carriers offer lots of the same discounts -- like discounts for being a good driver and mature driver discounts -- but Kemper also offers discounts for AAA, ABS, advance quote, and more.

Wawanesa's discounts come through just two categories -- Good Driving and Mature Driver.

Final Thoughts: Is Kemper or Wawanesa Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average prices for many of the factors car insurance companies look at, and we've shown you all the discounts each carrier offers. That's all well and good, but when it comes down to it, which insurance company is the best carrier for you and your specific driver profile?

Wawanesa might be best for you if....

• You will be the only person on the auto insurance policy.
• You want to save money on your insurance after a collision.
• You're of retirement age and want to take advantage of lower rates.

Kemper might be best for you if...

• Your credit is less-than-stellar.
• Your credit score is high.
• You want to save extra money with discounts.

Hopefully, this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare Kemper and Wawanesa and that you can now make a more informed decision when it comes to your auto insurance.

At the end of the day, the sure-fire way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your car insurance policy is to compare quotes from a handful of carriers, not just Kemper and Wawanesa. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Simply enter your ZIP code below and get free quotes from dozens of the top auto insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Kemper vs. Wawanesa FAQs

Is Kemper or Wawanesa cheaper?

Wawanesa is the cheaper of the two carriers when looking at national average premiums, with policies averaging $104 a month with Wawanesa and $235 for Kemper. But that doesn't mean Wawanesa will be the most affordable carrier for every driver, since there are several different variables that are considered when it comes to your car insurance payment.

Who is better, Kemper or Wawanesa?

Unfortunately, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". Neither company is "better" for everyone -- it all comes down to what your unique insurance profile looks like. For example, Kemper is less expensive for drivers who have less-than-stellar credit scores, while Wawanesa offers more affordable prices for policyholders with an at-fault collision on their record.

Why do Kemper and Wawanesa offer me different rates?

Auto insurance companies use quite a few different factors when determining the premiums they charge. Things like gender, age, your driving record, where you park your car, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both Kemper and Wawanesa calculate rates using different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different premiums. The best way to determine which carrier is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a variety of different carriers.

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

The only way to find the car 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, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your information once and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top insurance carriers for free. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the best price. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't Kemper or Wawanesa 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.