Motorists vs. Progressive: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• In general, Progressive offers significantly cheaper prices than Motorists
• Motorists tends to be a much more affordable option for policyholders whose driving record contains an at-fault collision
• Progressive has less expensive premiums for policyholders who live in rural neighborhoods

Motorists or Progressive: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

Are you in the market for a new insurance policy? With so many ads from all sorts of companies offering huge savings, you're probably wondering exactly how much you might be able to save.

You've maybe even narrowed your search down to Motorists or Progressive for your next policy, but which one will offer you cheaper prices?

Looking at the national average rates for both carriers, Motorists has average rates that are around 30% a month more expensive than those from Progressive.

Even so, that doesn't mean Progressive will necessarily be less expensive than Motorists for every driver. Insurance companies vary their premiums depending on things like how clean your driving record is, how old you are, how good your credit score is, where you live, and a ton of other factors. So, at the end of the day, rates from every carrier will differ quite a bit from person to person.

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

Motorists vs. Progressive: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Motorists and Progressive compete against each other in five states, with Progressive offering more affordable premiums to the average driver in all of them. Pennsylvania has the most noticable difference, where Progressive rates are $242 cheaper than car insurance premiums at Motorists.

But there's more to calculating auto insurance prices than just where you call home. Read on to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive insurance rates of any other group of drivers. Generally, that's because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into an accident that results in a car insurance claim, making them much riskier to insure.

That being said, that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high car insurance prices. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of over 10% less per month by choosing Motorists over Progressive.

But both carriers will offer you dramatically lower rates by the time you turn 25. For example, average premiums for Motorists policyholders lower almost 45% and Progressive's rates drop nearly 70% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

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

So, which carrier offers the best prices to retired drivers? Progressive gets the edge, with rates for drivers 65 and older more than 40% less expensive than the national average for Motorists.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but auto insurance premiums tend to be more affordable for married drivers than they are for single policyholders. This usually boils down to married couples having several vehicles on their policy -- something many car insurance companies will reward with discounts.

For those who are single, the difference in average prices between these two carriers is significant, with Progressive rates coming in at a quarter less than Motorists's. The advantage is also clear for married policyholders - Progressive offers the lowest average premiums.

Motorists or Progressive: Average Rates by Gender

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

On average, women see prices about $10 a month less expensive with Motorists, but with Progressive, the difference is closer to $5 per month.

When it comes to the cheapest rates for each gender, Progressive comes out on top for both men and women, with average prices 29% less for men and 27% cheaper for women.

Motorists 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.

Auto insurance can be a complicated subject for most people. There are so many different coverages and limits that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy for you.

However, the most common policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (that covers bodily injury and property damage for other drivers 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 liability coverage).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability insurance, Progressive has the slight edge, with average monthly premiums 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 around $250 a month to Motorists's $379.

Is Motorists or Progressive 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 at-fault collisions on your record, but which of these two companies offers the lowest rates to drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Motorists for their auto insurance can normally expect their monthly bill to go up about 10% after getting a speeding ticket. Progressive policyholders can expect a bit more drastic of an increase of around 17%.

That being said, Progressive is typically the more affordable option for both drivers who have a recent ticket and those with clean records -- their rates are around 12% cheaper for drivers with clean records and 4% less expensive for those with a ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Motorists drivers who get in an accident can expect to see their prices rise by over $35, while those who have insurance through Progressive will see about a $65 increase.

At the end of the day, the more affordable premiums come from Motorists, with average prices coming in at $206 compared to Progressive's $214.

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 car insurance bill -- normally a lot more than a collision or speeding ticket. Motorists drivers usually see a 62% increase in their insurance premiums after a DUI charge, while Progressive will generally climb rates by around 16%.

How does Credit Score Impact Motorists and Progressive Rates?

Did you know many auto insurance carriers take your credit score into account when determining prices? This isn't true for everyone (Michigan, for example, has banned the use of credit score as an insurance factor) but it might come into play for lots of policyholders.

Car insurance companies 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, drivers with good credit will often be rewarded with cheaper premiums.

So, which company offers the best rates for policyholders with good, average, or poor credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Is Motorists or Progressive Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a considerable impact on your monthly premiums. Typically, the more milage you drive, the more you can expect to pay for auto insurance.

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 Motorists, with policyholders who drive the least paying about $10 less each month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles yearly. Still, for drivers in both categories, Progressive is the more affordable carrier.

Motorists or Progressive: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you live can have a substantial impact on your monthly insurance bill. Usually, drivers who live in heavily-populated urban areas will pay quite a bit more than rural policyholders due to the number of vehicles that are on the roads where they live.

When comparing these two carriers side-by-side, Progressive generally comes out as the cheapest 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 around $79 less than Motorists Insurance Group. People who live in suburban areas pay about $36 less with Progressive compared to Motorists. Those in rural areas can expect to save around $98 with Progressive compared to Motorists.

Motorists vs. Progressive 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 where do you even start? With so many discounts out there, it may seem hard to find all the of the ones you're eligible for.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and looked at all of the different discounts Motorists and Progressive offer their customers so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

Progressive knocks Motorists out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 34 different discounts to Motorists's 34.

There are a couple discounts both companies offer, but Progressive also offers discounts for advanced safety feature, agency transfer, continuous insurance, and more.

On the other hand, Motorists has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like empty nester discounts, hybrid vehicle discounts, life policy discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Motorists or Progressive Best for You?

You've seen the effect certain variables have on your car insurance and the different discounts carriers offer. That's all well and good, but at the end of the day, which carrier is the right carrier for you and your specific driver profile?

Progressive might be best for you if....

• You're thinking about moving to another state -- undefined only offers policies in.
• You care about discounts (Progressive offers the most).
• Your neighborhood is in a rural area.

Motorists might be best for you if...

• You want to save money on your auto insurance after an accident.
• You want to save money while purchasing car insurance for a teenager.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between Motorists and Progressive 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 multiple companies, not just Motorists and Progressive. Luckily, sites like Compare.com make it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your ZIP code below and get free quotes from dozens of top car insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Motorists vs. Progressive FAQs

Is Motorists or Progressive cheaper?

Progressive is the less expensive of the two companies when looking at national average rates, with policies averaging $180 per month with Progressive and $251 for Motorists. But that doesn't mean Progressive will be the lowest company for everyone, since there are a variety of different factors that come into play when it comes to your auto insurance payment.

Who is better, Motorists or Progressive?

Unfortunately, the answer truly is "it depends.". One carrier is not necessarily "better" for everyone -- it all depends on what your unique insurance profile looks like. For example, Progressive is cheaper for drivers who have less-than-stellar credit scores, while Motorists offers less expensive premiums for policyholders with an at-fault accident on their record.

Why do Motorists and Progressive offer me different rates?

Car insurance carriers use several different variables when calculating the rates they charge. Things such as gender, where you park your car, age, your driving record, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Motorists and Progressive calculate premiums using different factors, so it's likely they'll offer different prices. The best way to determine which company is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from many different companies.

How do I know if Motorists or Progressive 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, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Just enter your information once and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top insurance companies for free. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the cheapest price. And maybe you'll find that the best company for you isn't Motorists 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.