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

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for car insurance, Progressive offers significantly cheaper prices than Main Street America
• Progressive offers more affordable rates for policyholders who are looking to purchase insurance with a spouse
• Progressive tends to be a much more affordable option for residents of suburban areas

Main Street America or Progressive: 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 big savings. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You might be considering Main Street America or Progressive as your top options, but between the two, which company will offer you less expensive premiums?

As you can see, Main Street America has average rates that are around 21% a month more expensive than those from Progressive when looking at the national average rates for auto insurance.

However, Progressive may not be the cheapest or best option for every driver out there. Car insurance carriers vary their rates depending on things like how clean your driving record is, how good your credit score is, where you live, how old you are, and tons of other factors, so prices will vary quite a bit from person to person.

Luckily, we've broken down average rates from both Main Street America and Progressive by a bunch of different rate factors, so read on to find out which company is the best for you.

Main Street America vs. Progressive: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Main Street America and Progressive compete against each other in five states, with Main Street America offering cheaper prices to the average driver in all of them. Virginia has the most noticable difference, where Progressive premiums are $83 less expensive than insurance prices at Main Street America.

There's a lot more that goes into your auto insurance payment than just your home state. Continue reading to see how other variables will affect your rates.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers typically pay a lot more for insurance than any group on the road. It's because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into an accident that results in an auto insurance claim, making them much riskier to insure.

But that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their car insurance. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have Progressive for their auto insurance pay over 5% less than those who use Main Street America.

Even so, with both companies, you'll see your rates decrease significantly once you turn 25. For example, average premiums for Main Street America policyholders reduce almost 55% and Progressive's prices drop nearly 70% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Drivers around retirement age generally enjoy some of the most affordable car insurance rates you'll ever see. After all, they've likely been driving for quite some time, which usually reduces their chances of collisions and other infractions that can raise premiums.

When looking at Main Street America and Progressive specifically, which carrier is best for retired drivers? Progressive gets the edge, with rates for drivers 65 and older almost 30% more affordable than the national average for Main Street America.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but insurance prices tend to be more expensive for those who are single than they are for married drivers. That's normally because married policyholders tend to own and insure several vehicles, which can often earn you a discount.

For single drivers, the difference in average premiums between these two carriers is significant, with Progressive rates coming in at about 15% less than Main Street America's. The advantage for married couples with Progressive is also obvious, where drivers save nearly 30% per month.

Main Street America or Progressive: Average Rates by Gender

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

Surprisingly, with Main Street America, men typicallypay around 3% less a month than women, and about 3% with Progressive.

When it comes to the lowest premiums for each gender, Progressive offers the most affordable average prices for both men and women. On average, male drivers save about $41 per month and women save around $52 with Progressive compared to the average Main Street America policyholder.

Main Street America 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.

It's no secret that insurance can be a complicated subject for most people. There are a range 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.

That being said, most policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability coverage (that covers bodily injury and property damage for other drivers if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which includes collision and comprehensive coverages that protect your own car, alongside what you get with a liability policy).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability insurance, Progressive has the significant edge, with average monthly rates 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 a month to Main Street America's $295.

Is Main Street America or Progressive 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 speeding tickets and at-fault accidents lead to higher prices, but which company -- Main Street America or Progressive -- has the lowest rates for drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Main Street America for their insurance can usually expect their monthly bill to go up around 26% after getting a speeding ticket. Progressive policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of about 17%.

Even so, Progressive is normally the cheaper option for both drivers who have clean records and those with a recent ticket, offering prices that are $26 and $56 less expensive, respectively, compared to Main Street America Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both carriers will increase premiums pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault collision with Progressive raising by around 30%. Main Street America has a less extreme increase, but you can still expect to pay nearly 20% more than you were prior to your first accident.

At the end of the day, Progressive offers the cheapest rates for drivers with an at-fault collision on their records, with average prices coming in at $214 compared to Main Street America Insurance's $215.

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 car insurance bill. Main Street America drivers usually see a 38% raise in their auto insurance premiums after a DUI charge, while Progressive will generally increase prices by about 16%.

How does Credit Score Impact Main Street America and Progressive Rates?

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

Car insurance carriers argue that someone with good credit is more likely to pay their bills on time, which makes them less risky to insure. Because of that, policyholders with good credit will often be rewarded with more affordable rates.

So, which carrier offers the lowest premiums for drivers 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 Main Street America or Progressive Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a big impact on your monthly auto insurance bill. Normally, those who drive fewer miles will end up with less expensive rates 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 prices for Main Street America, with drivers who put 6,000 miles on their vehicle yearly paying around $4 less every month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles annually. Still, for drivers in both categories, Progressive is the more affordable company.

Main Street America or Progressive: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you live can have a considerable impact on your monthly car insurance cost. Generally, those who live in rural areas will pay less than policyholders in urban areas since there are a lot fewer cars on the road where they live, which lowers the chances of an accident.

When comparing these two companies side-by-side, Progressive usually comes out as the most affordable option for drivers in every type of area, no matter if it's urban, suburban, or rural.

For drivers in urban ZIP codes, Progressive's average prices are about $57 less than Main Street America Insurance. People who live in suburban areas pay around $51 less with Progressive compared to Main Street America. Those in rural areas can expect to save about $34 with Progressive compared to Main Street America.

Main Street America vs. Progressive Discounts

You want to save as much money as you can, right? The best way to do that is by utilizing as many insurance discounts as possible.

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

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and looked at all of the different discounts Main Street America and Progressive offer their customers so that you can see which carrier can save you the most money each month.

Progressive blows Main Street America away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 34 different discounts to Main Street America's 18.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like anti-theft discounts, distant student discounts, DRL discounts, and discounts for being a good student. Progressive also offers discounts for advance quote, advanced safety feature, agency transfer, and more.

On the other hand, Main Street America has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like driver training discounts, good payer discounts, new business discounts, and more.

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

So, you've seen how different factors can affect your auto insurance rates. We've broken down the different discounts each carrier offers, too. But, at the end of the day, which insurance company is the best one for you and your specific driver profile?

Progressive might be best for you if....

• You don't have any speeding tickets, DUIs, or at-fault collisions on your record.
• You live in an urban area.
• You are purchasing your car insurance with a spouse.

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

• You already have a great credit score.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between Main Street America and Progressive. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision when it comes to your auto insurance.

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

Main Street America vs. Progressive FAQs

Is Main Street America or Progressive cheaper?

Progressive is the cheaper of the two carriers when looking at national average premiums, with policies averaging $180 per month with Progressive and $227 for Main Street America. However, that doesn't mean Progressive will be the lowest carrier for each driver, since there are a variety of different variables that come into play when it comes to your auto insurance payment.

Who is better, Main Street America or Progressive?

Unfortunately, the real answer is "it depends.". No one company is necessarily "better" for everyone -- it all boils down to your unique insurance profile. For example, Main Street America is more affordable for drivers with excellent credit, while Progressive offers cheaper rates for drivers with a recent DUI.

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

Car insurance companies use lots of different factors when calculating the prices they charge. Things such as your driving record, gender, where you park your vehicle, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Main Street America and Progressive calculate rates differently, so it's likely they'll offer different prices. The best way to determine which carrier is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from lots of different carriers.

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

The only way to find the insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from a handful of companies and finding the one best suited for your individual budget. Luckily, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top auto insurance carriers for free. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the best price. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't Main Street America 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.