MetLife vs. Safety: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for car insurance, Safety offers significantly more affordable premiums than MetLife
• MetLife may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than Safety Insurance
• Safety has less expensive rates for single people who will be the only person on the insurance policy

MetLife or Safety: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

So, you're thinking about switching to a new insurance policy. You've probably seen commercials and billboards from companies offering pretty big savings, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You might have narrowed it down to MetLife or Safety, but which one will offer you cheaper premiums?

As you can see, Safety is quite a bit cheaper than MetLife, with prices averaging $217 a month compared to $340 with MetLife when looking at the national average rates for auto insurance.

That being said, that doesn't necessarily mean Safety will be the less expensive option for every driver. After all, car insurance carriers can offer drastically different rates to every driver depending on rating factors like your age, your credit score, your driving record, or even where you call home (among other things), so rates could vary drastically from person to person.

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

MetLife vs. Safety: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

MetLife and Safety only compete against each other in two states, with MetLife offering cheaper rates to the average driver in all of them. If you live in Massachusetts, MetLife is the more affordable of the two companies when looking at the overall average premiums. Safety is the cheaper option in New Hampshire.

That being said, there's a lot more that goes into your auto insurance bill than just your home state. Read on to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers usually pay a lot more for insurance than any other group of drivers. 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 rates, teen drivers can still find ways to save money. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of over 55% less per month by choosing Safety over MetLife. It's worth noting that MetLife offers car insurance in 44 different states compared to Safety's two, which can skew the average premiums a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

However, with both carriers, you'll see your prices reduce significantly by the time you turn 25. For example, average premiums for MetLife policyholders decrease around $500 and Safety's prices lower more than $200 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

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

When looking at MetLife and Safety specifically, which carrier is best for retired drivers? Safety gets the edge, with rates for drivers 65 and older about 20% more affordable than the national average for MetLife.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that car insurance prices are generally less expensive for married couples than they are for single drivers? This usually boils down to married policyholders having several vehicles on their policy -- something several auto insurance companies will reward with discounts.

For those who are single, the difference in average rates between these two carriers is significant, with Safety premiums coming in at around half of MetLife's. The advantage is also clear for married drivers - Safety offers the lowest average prices.

MetLife or Safety: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get into accidents and get tickets, which means they'll normally end up paying more for car insurance than women.

With MetLife, women usually pay almost 10% a month less than men, but with Safety, the difference is closer to 5% per month.

Looking at the data for each company specifically, Safety comes out as the cheapest option for both genders, with average rates 37% less for men and 35% cheaper for women.

MetLife vs. Safety: 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.

For most people, auto insurance can be pretty complicated. There are multiple different coverages that account for lots 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.

But the most common policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (which covers the other party's injuries and property damage 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, Safety has the significant edge, with average monthly premiums coming in at $122. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Safety again has the edge, with policies averaging about $313 a month to MetLife's $466.

Is MetLife or Safety Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

It's no secret -- drivers with good records end up getting the best deals on their insurance. But that's not to say you can't save money if you don't have the best driving record, either.

Accidents and speeding tickets will most likely raise your prices, but is MetLife or Safety more affordable for drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use MetLife for their auto insurance can typically expect their monthly bill to go up around 21% after getting a speeding ticket. Safety policyholders can expect a bit more drastic of an increase of about 32%.

Even so, Safety is generally the less expensive option for drivers both with a ticket and with a clean record, offering rates that are $91 and $89 cheaper, respectively, compared to MetLife.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

MetLife drivers who get in a collision can expect to see their premiums increase by over 40%, while those who have insurance through Safety will see around a 45% increase.

At the end of the day, drivers who use Safety end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with average prices coming in at $226 compared to MetLife's $368.

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 speeding ticket or even an accident. On average, MetLife will climb your premiums about 55% after a DUI, while Safety's average prices rise by more than 60%.

Safety has the overall most affordable rates for drivers with a DUI on their records at $324 a month, but it's worth noting that MetLife's average rates come from 44 states compared to just two for Safety, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact MetLife and Safety Rates?

Often times, your credit score can come into play when companies determine your monthly bill. This isn't true for everyone (for example, Hawaii and Massachusetts are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it might come into play for many policyholders.

Insurance carriers argue that those with poor credit scores are less likely to pay their bills on time each month, which raises the risk involved on their end, while the opposite is true for those with good credit.

Looking specifically at MetLife and Safety, which carrier has the lowest prices for drivers at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have solid credit, Safety will usually reward you the most. For policyholders with "excellent" credit scores, Safety comes in over 36.04 more affordable. Drivers with "good" credit scores normally save around 45% with Safety compared to average premiums from MetLife.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Safety typically offers lower rates than MetLife when it comes to drivers with less-than-perfect credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about 45% per month less with Safety compared to MetLife, and those with "poor" scores typically save an average of around 51% monthly.

Is MetLife or Safety Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a substantial impact on how much car insurance companies will charge for coverage. That's because the more milage you put on your vehicle each year, the more likely you are to be in a collision and file an insurance claim.

For both remote workers and those taking short commutes, Safety tends to be the cheaper option. MetLife average prices for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in about $123 more expensive than Safety. Those who drive 12,000 miles annually can expect to pay around $123 more with MetLife over Safety.

MetLife or Safety: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where your home is can play a sizable role in how much you pay for auto insurance. Generally, those who live in rural areas will pay less than drivers in urban areas due to the small number of cars that are on the roads where they live.

Safety boasts the cheapest average premiums for drivers in every type of area, no matter if it's urban, suburban, or rural.

For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, Safety Insurance's average rates are about 28% less than MetLife. People who live in suburban areas pay around 34% less with Safety compared to MetLife. Those in rural areas can expect to save about 51% with Safety compared to MetLife.

MetLife vs. Safety Discounts

No matter why you might be in the market for a new car insurance policy, you're always going to want to save as much money as you can. That's where insurance discounts comes into play.

But with what seems like a million different discounts out there, it can be challenging 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.

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

MetLife blows Safety away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 36 different discounts to Safety's 18.

There are a couple discounts both carriers offer, but MetLife also offers discounts for AAA, ABS, academic, and more.

On the other hand, Safety has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like advance quote discounts, book transfer policy discounts, driver training discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is MetLife or Safety Best for You?

So, you've seen how different variables can affect your car insurance premiums. We've broken down the different discounts each company offers, too. That's all well and good, but when it comes down to it, which insurance carrier is the best one for you and your specific profile and needs?

Safety might be best for you if....

• You will be the only person on the auto insurance policy.
• You're worried about the impact your credit score will have on your prices.
• You live in a rural neighborhood.

MetLife might be best for you if...

• You value the experience that comes with a large national insurance company.
• You want to save extra money with discounts.

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

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

MetLife vs. Safety FAQs

Is MetLife or Safety cheaper?

Safety is the less expensive of the two companies when looking at national average rates, with policies averaging $217 a month with Safety and $340 for MetLife. But that doesn't mean Safety will be the lowest carrier for every policyholder, since there are many different factors (things like gender, age, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, MetLife or Safety?

Sadly, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". One company is not necessarily "better" for each policyholder -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique car insurance profile.

Why do MetLife and Safety offer me different rates?

Auto insurance carriers use a lot of different variables when determining the prices they charge. Factors such as gender, age, your driving record, where you park your vehicle, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both MetLife and Safety calculate rates using different variables, 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 range of different companies.

How do I know if MetLife or Safety 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, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your ZIP code and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top auto insurance companies for free. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the cheapest rate. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't MetLife or Safety 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.