Le Mars vs. National Mutual: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• In general, National Mutual offers less expensive prices than Le Mars
• Le Mars offers more affordable average premiums for residents of suburban areas
• National Mutual offers more affordable prices for policyholders who are looking to purchase insurance with a spouse

Le Mars or National Mutual: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

Are you considering 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 Le Mars or National Mutual, but which carrier will save you the most?

Looking at nationwide averages, National Mutual has average rates that are around 14% a month cheaper than those from Le Mars.

But National Mutual may not be the lowest or best option for every driver out there. After all, car insurance carriers can offer drastically different rates to every driver depending on rating factors like your credit score, where you call home, your driving record, or even your age (among other things), so premiums will change quite a bit from person to person.

So, if you want to find out which of Le Mars or National Mutual is really the best for you, keep reading to see average rates for each carrier broken down by several different rate factors.

Le Mars vs. National Mutual: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Le Mars and National Mutual only compete against each other in Iowa, where National Mutual offers the cheaper average premiums. National Mutual drivers tend to pay about $15 per month less on average compared to drivers who use Le Mars for their auto insurance.

That being said, there's a lot more that goes into your car insurance payment than just where you live. Keep reading to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive insurance rates of any group on the road. It's because teen 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 prices, teen drivers can still find ways to save money. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of 10% less a month by choosing Le Mars over National Mutual.

That being said, with both companies, you'll see your rates decrease significantly once you turn 25. For example, average premiums for Le Mars policyholders reduce about $200 and National Mutual's prices lower 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 most affordable rates out there.

So, which company offers the best premiums to retired drivers? National Mutual gets the edge, with prices for drivers 65 and older $62 more affordable than the national average for Le Mars.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that auto insurance rates are usually more expensive for single drivers than they are for married drivers? That's generally because married couples tend to own and insure several vehicles, which can often earn you a discount.

For those who are single, the difference in average premiums between these two carriers is not very significant, with National Mutual prices coming in at about 10% less than Le Mars's. But for married policyholders, the advantage is clear - National Mutual has the edge when it comes to average rates.

Le Mars or National Mutual: Average Rates by Gender

Men normally pay more for insurance than women. That's because women are less likely to get into collisions and get tickets, which lowers the chances of filing a claim with insurance.

With Le Mars, men typically pay almost $30 per month more than women, but with National Mutual, the difference is closer to $21 a month.

When it comes to the cheapest premiums for each gender, National Mutual comes out on top for both men and women. On average, women save about $29 per month and men save around $37 with National Mutual compared to the average Le Mars policyholder.

Le Mars vs. National 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 car insurance can be a complicated subject for most people. There are multiple different coverages that account for a bunch of 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 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 collision and comprehensive coverages that protect your own car, in addition to what you get with a liability policy).

When it comes to state minimum liability limits, Le Mars has the edge, while National Mutual offers the lowest average prices for full coverage policies with similar coverage limits. Policyholders looking for basic state minimum coverage can save around $15 with Le Mars Insurance Company, while full coverage comes out to be about $85 cheaper with National Mutual Insurance.

Is Le Mars or National Mutual Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from auto insurance companies offering great premiums for good drivers, but that doesn't mean people with less-than-perfect driving records can't save money, too.

It's no secret secret that collisions and speeding tickets lead to higher prices, but which carrier -- Le Mars or National Mutual -- has the most affordable rates for drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Drivers who use Le Mars for their insurance can usually expect their monthly bill to go up around 23% after getting a speeding ticket. National Mutual policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of about 8%.

However, National Mutual has less expensive prices for drivers in both categories -- their rates are around 5% more affordable for drivers with clean records and 21% cheaper for those with a ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both carriers will raise premiums pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault collision with National Mutual increasing by around 37%. Le Mars has a less extreme increase, but you can still expect to pay more than 25% more than you were prior to your first accident.

At the end of the day, Le Mars offers the cheapest rates for drivers with an at-fault collision on their records, with average premiums coming in at $186 compared to National Mutual Insurance's $207.

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 car insurance bill. On average, Le Mars will climb your rates about 68% after a DUI, while National Mutual's average prices rise by nearly 60%.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable premiums, National Mutual tends to be less expensive for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at around $325 to Le Mars's $434.

How does Credit Score Impact Le Mars and National Mutual Rates?

Often times, your credit score can come into play when companies determine your monthly bill. This isn't true for everyone (Hawaii, for example, has banned the use of credit score as an insurance factor) but it might come into play for quite a few policyholders.

Auto insurance carriers argue that someone with bad credit is less likely to pay their bills on time, which makes them riskier to insure. Because of that, drivers with bad credit will often be forced to pay more.

Looking specifically at Le Mars and National Mutual, which one has the lowest rates for policyholders at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have solid credit, National Mutual will generally reward you the most. For drivers with "excellent" credit scores, National Mutual comes in NaN cheaper. Drivers with "good" credit scores typically save about 11% with National Mutual compared to average prices from Le Mars.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

If you have less-than-perfect credit, it can be somewhat of a toss-up as far as which company offers you the best rates. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around 0% less with Le Mars than National Mutual, but those whose credit is considered "poor" have it flipped -- saving about 26% a month with National Mutual.

Is Le Mars or National Mutual Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a considerable impact on your monthly insurance bill. Normally, those who drive fewer miles will end up with more affordable premiums 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 National Mutual charges. However, there's a pretty significant difference in monthly prices for Le Mars, with policyholders who drive 6,000 miles yearly paying around $30 less each month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles every year. Still, for drivers in both categories, National Mutual is the less expensive company.

Le Mars or National Mutual: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where your home is can play a large role in how much you pay for car insurance. Generally, policyholders who live in heavily-populated urban areas will pay quite a bit more than rural drivers due to the number of vehicles that are on the roads where they live.

When comparing these two companies side-by-side, National Mutual boasts the cheapest average prices in rural and urban areas, while Le Mars wins in suburban areas.

For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, National Mutual Insurance's average premiums are about $76 less than Le Mars Insurance Company. People who live in suburban areas pay around $22 less with Le Mars compared to National Mutual. Those in rural areas can expect to save about $46 with National Mutual compared to Le Mars.

Le Mars vs. National Mutual 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 insurance discounts as possible.

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

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and looked at all of the different discounts Le Mars and National Mutual offer their customers so that you can see which company can save you the most money each month.

Overall, National Mutual comes out ahead with 19 discounts to Le Mars's 17.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like advance quote discounts, discounts for getting driver training, discounts for insuring multiple cars with the same company, and passive restraint discounts. National Mutual also offers discounts for claim free, continuous insurance, defensive driver, and more.

On the other hand, Le Mars has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like ABS discounts, family discounts, good driving discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Le Mars or National Mutual Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average prices for many of the variables auto insurance carriers look at, and we've shown you all the discounts each carrier offers. But, at the end of the day, which company is the best one for you, your vehicle, and your wallet?

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

• You've received a ticket for speeding recently and don't want to see your premiums climb.
• You live in an urban area.
• You don't spend much time in your car.

Le Mars might be best for you if...

• You're looking for the best rates on liability only coverage.
• Your neighborhood is in the suburbs.
• You want to save money while purchasing insurance for a teenager.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between Le Mars and National Mutual. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision about your car insurance.

At the end of the day, the sure-fire way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your insurance policy is to compare quotes from a handful of companies, not just Le Mars and National Mutual. 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 top auto insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Le Mars vs. National Mutual FAQs

Is Le Mars or National Mutual cheaper?

National Mutual is the cheaper of the two companies when looking at national average premiums, with policies averaging $201 per month with National Mutual and $234 for Le Mars. Even so, that doesn't mean National Mutual will be the lowest carrier for each driver, since there are a range of different factors that are considered when it comes to your car insurance cost.

Who is better, Le Mars or National Mutual?

Unfortunately, the real answer is "it depends.". No single company is "better" for every policyholder -- it all comes down to what your unique auto insurance profile looks like. For example, National Mutual is less expensive for drivers who have less-than-stellar credit scores, while Le Mars offers more affordable rates for drivers with an at-fault collision on their record.

Why do Le Mars and National Mutual offer me different rates?

Car insurance carriers use several different variables when determining the prices they charge. Things such as your driving record, where you park your car, gender, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Le Mars and National Mutual calculate rates using different factors, so it's likely they'll offer different premiums. The best way to determine which carrier is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a variety of different companies.

How do I know if Le Mars or National Mutual is right for me?

The only way to find the 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 information once and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top auto insurance companies for free. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the best rate. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't Le Mars or National Mutual 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.