Main Street America vs. Patriot: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for car insurance, Patriot offers less expensive prices than Main Street America
• Main Street America offers more affordable premiums for drivers with a DUI charge on their record
• Patriot tends to be a much more affordable option for drivers who have received a ticket within the last few years

Main Street America vs. Patriot: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

So, you're considering switching your auto insurance. With so many ads from all sorts of companies offering large discounts, you're probably wondering exactly how much you might be able to save.

You might have narrowed your search down to Main Street America or Patriot, but between the two, which company will save you the most?

Looking at the national average rates for both companies, Main Street America is about $36 more per month than Patriot.

But that doesn't mean Patriot will necessarily be cheaper than Main Street America for every single driver. Auto insurance carriers vary their prices depending on things like how good your credit score is, how old you are, where you live, how clean your driving record is, and tons of other factors, so premiums could vary drastically from person to person.

Wanting to know if Main Street America or Patriot is really the right company for you? Keep on reading to see how average rates can change based on all of the factors we've mentioned above.

Main Street America or Patriot: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Main Street America and Patriot only compete against each other in one states, with Main Street America offering more affordable prices to the average driver in all of them. Vermont has the most noticable difference, where Main Street America rates are over 10% less expensive than insurance premiums at Patriot.

That being said, there's a lot more that goes into your car insurance cost than just your home state. Read on to find out 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. That's usually because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to get into an accident that results in an auto insurance claim, making them much riskier to insure.

However, that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their car insurance. As you can see above, teens who use Patriot save nearly $50 a month compared to those who use Main Street America.

Even so, both companies will lower premiums once you turn 25. Patriot offers the steepest reduction, with 25-year-olds paying less than half what 18-year-old drivers are charged. Main Street America's average prices drop almost 55% during that same period.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Once you approach retirement age, you'll typically enjoy the most affordable auto insurance premiums you'll ever find. You've been on the road for years, and all that experience pays off when it comes to your monthly rates for car insurance.

But who has the best prices for retired drivers between Main Street America and Patriot? Patriot gets the edge, with premiums for drivers 65 and older $53 cheaper than the national average for Main Street America.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that insurance prices are normally more expensive for single policyholders than they are for married policyholders? That's because policies for married couples generally cover more than one car, which a lot of carriers will offer you a discount for.

When it comes to relationship status, Patriot is the clear winner for those who are single, with rates around $42 per month less expensive than Main Street America, on average. The advantage is also clear for married drivers - Patriot offers the cheapest average prices.

Main Street America vs. Patriot: Average Rates by Gender

Because men are more likely to get into collisions and get speeding tickets, they raise the chances of filing a claim with insurance. Therefore, insurance companies will tend to charge men more than women.

Surprisingly, women normally pay about 3% more a month than men with Main Street America, and nearly 10% less with Patriot when compared to their male counterparts.

Looking at the data for each carrier specifically, Patriot offers the most affordable average premiums for both men and women. On average, women save about $48 per month and men save around $24 with Patriot compared to the average Main Street America policyholder.

Main Street America or Patriot: 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 a variety of different coverages that account for many 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.

That being said, the 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 and passengers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- comprehensive and collision -- in addition to what you get with liability coverage).

In this case, Patriot offers the lowest average rates for state minimum limits for liability insurance, while Main Street America has the edge for full coverage policies with similar coverage limits. Drivers looking for basic state minimum coverage can save around $80 with Patriot Insurance, while full coverage comes out to be about $10 cheaper with Main Street America Insurance.

Is Main Street America or Patriot Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

It's no big secret that drivers who are accident-free get better deals on their insurance. But even if you have a spotty record, you can still find plenty of ways to save some cash on your monthly bill.

Tickets and accidents will most likely raise your premiums, but is Main Street America or Patriot more affordable for drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Main Street America policyholders can expect their prices to go up an average of $61 a month if they get a ticket, while Patriot generally raises rates around $23 per month, on average.

But Patriot tends to offer the best prices for drivers both with a speeding ticket and with a clean record -- their rates are around 52% cheaper for drivers with clean records and 55% less expensive for those with a ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Main Street America policyholders who get in an accident can expect to see their prices rise by $40, while those who have insurance through Patriot will see about a $20 increase.

Overall, Patriot offers the cheapest rates for drivers with an at-fault accident on their records, with monthly premiums averaging $103 compared to Main Street America Insurance's $215.

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 ticket or even a collision. For example, Patriot increases average rates by just under $400 a month -- that's over a 80% increase.

If you have a DUI on your record and are looking for more affordable prices, Main Street America tends to be the much more affordable option with average premiums of $283 monthly compared to $472 from Patriot.

How does Credit Score Impact Main Street America and Patriot 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 (Hawaii, for example, has banned the use of credit score as a rating factor) but it might come into play for lots of drivers.

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

Looking at Main Street America and Patriot specifically, which one has the best prices for drivers at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Is Main Street America or Patriot 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 premiums. That's because the fewer miles you put on your vehicle, the less likely you are to get into an accident and cause an insurance claim.

As you can see in the table above, annual mileage doesn't have much of an impact on how much Patriot charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly rates for Main Street America, with policyholders who drive the least paying around $4 less each month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles every year. Still, Patriot is the less expensive option for drivers in both categories.

Main Street America vs. Patriot: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you park your car can have a pretty big impact on your monthly car insurance payment. Typically, those who live in urban areas will pay more than policyholders in rural areas because there are a lot more vehicles on the road in those areas, which increases the chances of an accident.

When comparing these two carriers side-by-side, Patriot usually comes out as the most affordable option for drivers in all types of areas, no matter if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

Drivers in rural ZIP codes see the cheapest rates from both companies, but Patriot comes out on top with average premiums about $183 per month. Patriot also has more affordable average rates for policyholders in urban and suburban ZIP codes -- a $71 and $32 per month respective difference when compared to Main Street America drivers in similar areas.

Main Street America vs. Patriot 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 utilizing as many car insurance discounts as you can.

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

In the section below, we've taken a look at all of the different discounts Main Street America and Patriot offer their customers so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and, therefore, the biggest savings.

Main Street America blows Patriot away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering seven more discounts than Patriot.

There are a couple discounts both carriers offer, but Main Street America also offers ABS discounts, anti-theft discounts, driver training discounts, and more that Patriot does not.

On the flip side, Patriot has a couple unique discounts of its own -- advance quote discounts, full coverage discounts, and life policy discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is Main Street America or Patriot Best for You?

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

Patriot might be best for you if....

• You have an at-fault collision on your record.
• You want basic car insurance coverage at the state minimum limits.
• You are over 65 years old and want to save some money on your auto insurance.

Main Street America might be best for you if...

• You already have a great credit score.
• You're looking for the company with the most discounts.
• You're looking for more protection with "full coverage" insurance.

We hope this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between Main Street America and Patriot. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision about your auto insurance.

But, at the end of the day, there's only one way to know for sure that you're getting the best possible deal on car insurance -- comparing quotes from a handful of carriers, not just Main Street America and Patriot. Luckily, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get multiple free quotes from some of the best insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Main Street America vs. Patriot FAQs

Is Main Street America or Patriot cheaper?

Looking just at the national average prices, Patriot is the cheaper of the two carriers, offering average rates of $191 a month compared to $227 for Main Street America. Even so, Patriot won't necessarily be the most affordable carrier for each driver, since there are a bunch of different variables (things like age, driving record, gender, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Main Street America or Patriot?

Sadly, the real answer is "it depends.". One company is not "better" for everyone -- it all boils down to your unique auto insurance profile.

Why do Main Street America and Patriot offer me different rates?

Insurance companies take a look at quite a few different factors when calculating the premiums they charge policyholders. Variables such as your driving record, age, where you live, gender, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Main Street America and Patriot calculate rates differently, so each one will most likely offer different prices. The only real way to see which carrier is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from several different carriers.

How do I know if Main Street America or Patriot is right for me?

The only way to find the car insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from multiple 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 area information and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best insurance carriers in your area. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the lowest premium. And who knows, the best carrier for you might not be Main Street America or Patriot 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.