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

Quick Facts

• In general, Southern offers slightly more affordable premiums than MetLife
• MetLife tends to be a much less expensive option for drivers with a DUI
• Southern offers more affordable prices for policyholders who live in rural neighborhoods

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

Are you considering a new insurance policy? You've probably seen commercials and billboards from companies offering sizable savings, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You've maybe even narrowed your search down to MetLife or Southern as potential options, but between the two, which carrier will save you the most?

As you can see, MetLife is around $18 more a month than Southern when looking at the national average rates for car insurance.

That being said, that doesn't mean Southern will necessarily be cheaper than MetLife for every single driver. Insurance carriers use a ton of complex algorithms to determine premiums, so depending on where you live or how clean your driving record is (among multiple other factors), you could see wildly different rates from the ones above.

So, if you want to find out which of MetLife or Southern is really the best for you, keep reading to see average prices for each company broken down by a bunch of different rate factors.

MetLife vs. Southern: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

MetLife and Southern only compete against each other in three states, with Southern offering more affordable rates to the average driver in all of them. If you live in Georgia, MetLife is the less expensive of the two companies when looking at the overall average prices. Southern is the cheaper option in Alabama and Tennessee.

But there's more to car insurance than just the state you live in. As we mentioned above, there's a lot of things that go into how insurance carriers calculate your premiums. Keep reading to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive auto insurance rates of any group out there 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. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have Southern for their car insurance pay over 25% less than those who use MetLife. It's worth noting that MetLife offers insurance in 44 different states compared to Southern's three, which can skew the average premiums a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

However, both companies will offer you dramatically lower rates once you turn 25. For example, average prices for MetLife policyholders drop about $500 and Southern's premiums decrease around $450 over that time.

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 lowest rates you'll ever see.

So, which carrier offers the best premiums to retired drivers? MetLife gets the edge, with prices for drivers 65 and older $49 more affordable than the national average for Southern.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but car insurance rates tend to be less expensive for married couples than they are for single drivers. This usually boils down to married drivers having more than one vehicle on their policy -- something lots of insurance carriers will reward with discounts.

For single policyholders, the difference in average prices between these two companies is significant, with Southern premiums coming in at about 10% less than MetLife's. The advantage for married policyholders with MetLife is also obvious, where drivers save more than 10% per month.

MetLife or Southern: Average Rates by Gender

Women tend to pay less for auto insurance than men. This is because men are statistically more likely than women to get into collisions and get speeding tickets, which leads to increased risk for insurers and, therefore, higher prices.

Men generally pay almost $30 a month more than women with MetLife, but with Southern, the difference is closer to $36 per month.

When it comes to the cheapest premiums for each gender, Southern comes out on top for both men and women. On average, women save about $22 a month and men save around $14 with Southern compared to the average MetLife policyholder.

MetLife vs. Southern: 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, car insurance can be pretty complicated. Everyone needs auto insurance, but there are so many different limits and coverages that it can be hard to find the right policy for you.

But most policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (which covers the other party's property damage and injuries if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes collision and comprehensive coverages that protect your own car, in addition to what you get with a liability policy).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability limits, Southern has the edge, with average monthly rates coming in at $192. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Southern again has the edge, with policies averaging about $452 per month to MetLife's $466.

Is MetLife or Southern 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.

You'll probably end up paying more with speeding tickets and collisions on your record, but which of these two carriers offers the most affordable premiums to drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use MetLife for their car insurance can typically expect their monthly bill to go up around 21% after getting a speeding ticket. Southern policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of about 7%.

Even so, Southern is usually the more affordable option for both drivers who have clean records and those with a recent ticket. With Southern Insurance Company of Virginia, drivers with a clean record can save around $4 a month and drivers with a speeding ticket can save about $46 per month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

MetLife drivers who get in an accident can expect to see their rates increase by over 40%, while those who have insurance through Southern will see around a 25% increase.

At the end of the day, the cheaper prices come from Southern, with average rates coming in at $293 compared to MetLife's $368.

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 insurance bill -- normally a lot more than a collision or ticket. Southern drivers usually see a 61% climb in their auto insurance premiums after a DUI charge, while MetLife will generally raise prices by about 55%.

MetLife has the overall cheapest rates for drivers with a DUI on their records at $494 per month, but it's worth noting that MetLife's average rates come from 44 states compared to just three for Southern, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact MetLife and Southern Rates?

You may not have known, but your credit score can be used as one of the variables to determine your monthly insurance premiums. This isn't true for everyone (Michigan, for example, has banned the use of credit score as an auto insurance factor) but it does affect quite a few policyholders out there.

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

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

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have a great credit score, Southern will usually reward you the most. For policyholders with "excellent" credit scores, Southern comes in NaN less expensive. Drivers with "good" credit scores typically save around 5% with Southern compared to average rates from MetLife.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Southern typically offers lower premiums than MetLife when it comes to drivers with bad credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about 3% a month less with Southern compared to MetLife, and those with "poor" scores normally save an average of around 9% a month.

Is MetLife or Southern 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 carriers will charge for coverage. Usually, those who drive fewer miles will end up with cheaper prices since there's less of a chance of causing an accident and filing an insurance claim.

Southern tends to be the less expensive option for both remote workers and those taking short commutes. Southern's average premiums for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in nearly 10% more affordable than MetLife. Those who drive 12,000 miles annually can expect to pay 1% less with Southern over MetLife.

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

Where your home is can have a considerable impact on your monthly auto insurance bill. Normally, those who live in rural areas will pay less than drivers in urban areas because of the small number of vehicles that are on the roads where they live.

When comparing these two companies side-by-side, Southern tends to offer the cheapest option for drivers in rural and suburban areas, while MetLife wins in urban areas.

Those in rural areas can expect to save about $1 with Southern compared to MetLife. People who live in suburban areas pay around $54 less with Southern compared to MetLife. For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, MetLife's average rates are about $1 less than Southern Insurance Company of Virginia.

MetLife vs. Southern Discounts

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

The hard part is finding all of the discounts you're eligible for, since it can feel sometimes like every carrier 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 MetLife and Southern offer their customers so that you can find the company that has the most discounts and, therefore, the largest savings.

MetLife knocks Southern out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 16 more discounts than Southern.

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

On the other hand, Southern has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like advance quote discounts, driver training discounts, experienced operator discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is MetLife or Southern Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average prices for many of the factors 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 needs?

Southern might be best for you if....

• You like the personalized touch of a small, local company.
• You have an at-fault collision on your record.
• You've started working from home and don't have much of a commute.

MetLife might be best for you if...

• Your driving record includes a DUI charge.
• Your home is in a busy urban area.
• You are purchasing your car insurance with a spouse.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between MetLife and Southern and that it aids in making a more informed decision about your auto 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 several carriers, not just MetLife and Southern. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get free quotes from dozens of top car insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

MetLife vs. Southern FAQs

Is MetLife or Southern cheaper?

Southern is the cheaper of the two carriers when looking at national average premiums, with policies averaging $322 per month with Southern and $340 for MetLife. That being said, that doesn't mean Southern will be the lowest carrier for everyone, since there are several different variables (things like age, gender, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, MetLife or Southern?

Unfortunately, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". Neither company is "better" for everyone -- it all comes down to what your unique auto insurance profile looks like. For example, MetLife is less expensive for drivers who have already retired, while Southern offers more affordable rates for single drivers.

Why do MetLife and Southern offer me different rates?

Insurance companies use a lot of different factors when determining the prices they charge. Things like age, gender, your driving record, where you live, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both MetLife and Southern use different formulas, 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 many different carriers.

How do I know if MetLife or Southern is right for me?

The only way to find the car 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 information once 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 cheapest rate. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't MetLife or Southern 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.