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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for auto insurance, Safe Auto offers slightly less expensive prices than Main Street America
• Main Street America has cheaper premiums for policyholders who haven't received any speeding tickets or been in an accident in the last few years
• Safe Auto offers more affordable prices for policyholders who may not have much of a commute

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

So, you're thinking about 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 Safe Auto as your top options, but which company has more affordable rates for car insurance?

Looking at the national average rates for both companies, Safe Auto is about $4 per month less expensive than Main Street America.

That being said, that doesn't mean Safe Auto will necessarily be cheaper than Main Street America for every driver. Insurance carriers vary their premiums depending on things like how clean your driving record is, where you live, how good your credit score is, how old you are, and tons of other factors. So, at the end of the day, rates from each company will differ quite a bit from person to person.

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

Main Street America or Safe Auto: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Main Street America and Safe Auto only compete against each other in one states, with Main Street America offering more affordable premiums to the average driver in all of them. South Carolina has the most noticable difference, where Main Street America prices are over 30% cheaper than auto insurance rates at Safe Auto.

But there's more to car insurance than just where you call home. As we mentioned above, there's a lot of things that go into how insurance companies calculate your premiums. Read on to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive auto insurance prices of any other group of drivers. The reason is that young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to cause collisions and other accidents that will result in an insurance claim.

But that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high insurance rates. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have Safe Auto for their car insurance pay nearly $35 less than those who use Main Street America.

Even so, both carriers will offer you dramatically lower premiums by the time drivers turn 25. Safe Auto offers the steepest drop, with 25-year-olds paying less than half what 18-year-old drivers are charged. Main Street America's average rates drop almost 55% during that same period.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

When it comes to auto insurance, patience and experience pay off, with drivers around retirement age paying some of the cheapest prices you can find.

So, which company offers the best premiums to retired drivers? Safe Auto gets the slight edge here, with average rates coming in at around $179 per month compared to Main Street America's $181. However, that difference is less than 5%, which means it ultimately will come down to other factors, such as where you live or your driving record.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Married policyholders tend to get slightly less expensive insurance prices than single drivers. That's because policies for married drivers normally cover several cars, which lots of companies will offer you a discount for.

If you're in the market for car insurance, Safe Auto tends to have the lowest average premiums regardless of relationship status, with prices about $6 more affordable for single policyholders and around $2 less expensive for married couples.

Main Street America vs. Safe Auto: Average Rates by Gender

Did you know women tend to pay less for auto insurance than men? This is because men are more likely to get speeding tickets and get into accidents, which increases the chances of an insurance claim.

Surprisingly, men generally pay about 3% less a month than women with Main Street America, and around 7% with Safe Auto.

When it comes to the most affordable prices for each gender, Main Street America is the cheapest carrier for men. Rates with Main Street America are $7 less for men, while women can save about $16 with Safe Auto.

Main Street America or Safe Auto: 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.

Insurance can be a complicated subject for most people. There are many different coverages that account for multiple different things. Some protect you and your vehicle, while others only provide coverage for other people's property and health if you cause a collision.

Even so, most policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability only (which provides property damage and bodily injury coverage for other drivers and their passengers if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- comprehensive and collision -- in addition to what you get with liability).

In this case, Safe Auto 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 $35 with Safe Auto, while full coverage comes out to be around $25 cheaper with Main Street America Insurance.

Is Main Street America or Safe Auto 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 at-fault accidents and tickets on your record, but which of these two carriers offers the cheapest premiums to drivers with less-than-perfect 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 per month if they get a ticket, while Safe Auto typically raises rates about $40 a month, on average.

If you have a clean record, Main Street America tends to offer the best premiums at around 3% more affordable, while Safe Auto has the edge for drivers with a speeding ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Main Street America policyholders who get in a collision can expect to see their prices climb by just under 20%, while those who have insurance through Safe Auto will see about a 25% increase.

Overall, the cheaper rates come from Main Street America, with monthly premiums averaging $215 compared to Safe Auto's $246.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

If you get a DUI charge, you can expect some pretty significant increases in your monthly auto insurance bill -- usually a lot more than an accident or ticket. On average, Main Street America will climb your rates around 38% after a DUI, while Safe Auto's average prices increase by over 25%.

How does Credit Score Impact Main Street America and Safe Auto Rates?

In many cases, your credit score can be used as one of the variables to determine your monthly car insurance premiums. This isn't always the case (Michigan, for example, has banned the use of credit score as a rating factor) but it will come into play for several drivers.

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.

So, which company offers the most affordable prices 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 Safe Auto 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 substantial impact on your monthly auto insurance cost? That's because the more miles you put on your vehicle, the more likely you are to get into a collision 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 Safe Auto charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly rates for Main Street America, with drivers who put 6,000 miles on their car yearly paying about $4 less every month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles annually. Still, Safe Auto is the less expensive option for drivers in both categories.

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

Where you call home can have a sizable impact on your monthly insurance bill. Generally, policyholders who live in heavily-populated urban areas will pay quite a bit more than rural drivers because there are a lot more vehicles on the road in those areas, which increases the chances of an accident.

Looking at these carriers side-by-side, Main Street America normally comes out as the more affordable option for drivers in rural and urban areas, while Safe Auto wins in suburban areas.

In urban areas, Main Street America Insurance's average prices are around 3% less than Safe Auto. Drivers in suburban ZIP codes pay about 13% less with Safe Auto compared to Main Street America. If you live in a rural area, you can expect to save around 5% with Main Street America compared to Safe Auto.

Main Street America vs. Safe Auto Discounts

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

But where do you even start? With what seems like a million different discounts out there, it may be hard to find all the ones you can take advantage of.

In the section below, we've compared all of the different discounts offered by Main Street America and Safe Auto so that you can find the one that has the most discounts and, therefore, the biggest savings.

Looking at the total number of discounts, Main Street America comes out ahead with 18 discounts to Safe Auto's 14.

There are a couple discounts both companies offer, but Main Street America also offers ABS discounts, distant student discounts, DRL discounts, and more that Safe Auto does not.

On the flip side, Safe Auto has a couple unique discounts of its own -- agency transfer discounts, claim free discounts, discounts for being a homeowner, and more.

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

So, we've broken down the average premiums for many of the factors auto insurance carriers look at, and walked through the different discounts each company offers, too. But, when it comes down to it, which insurance carrier is the best carrier for you, your vehicle, and your wallet?

Safe Auto might be best for you if....

• You have a DUI charge on your record.
• Your home is located in the suburbs.
• You're buying car insurance for a teen and looking for a wallet-friendly option.

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

• You have a clean record.
• You're looking for more protection with "full coverage" insurance.
• You live in an urban area.

We hope this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between Main Street America and Safe Auto and that you can now make a more informed decision when it comes to 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 insurance -- comparing quotes from several companies, not just Main Street America and Safe Auto. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code below and get multiple quotes from some of the best car insurance carriers in your area, all for free.

Main Street America vs. Safe Auto FAQs

Is Main Street America or Safe Auto cheaper?

Looking just at the national average prices, Safe Auto is the less expensive of the two companies, offering average rates of $223 per month compared to $227 for Main Street America. But Safe Auto won't necessarily be the most affordable company for each policyholder, since there are a bunch of different variables that are considered when it comes to your auto insurance payment.

Who is better, Main Street America or Safe Auto?

Unfortunately, the real answer is "it depends.". No single carrier is "better" for every driver -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique insurance profile. For example, Main Street America offers cheaper rates for policyholders with an at-fault accident on their record, while Safe Auto is more affordable for drivers who have less-than-stellar credit scores.

Why do Main Street America and Safe Auto offer me different rates?

Car insurance carriers take a look at a lot of different factors when calculating the premiums they charge drivers. Variables like where you park your car, age, gender, where you live, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Main Street America and Safe Auto calculate prices using different factors, so each one will most likely offer different rates. The only real way to see which company is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a range of different companies.

How do I know if Main Street America or Safe Auto 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, sites like Compare.com make it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your area information and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best car insurance companies in your area. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the best rate. And who knows, the best company for you might not be Main Street America or Safe Auto 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.