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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for insurance, State Farm offers significantly less expensive rates than Motorists
• State Farm offers more affordable premiums for policyholders who live in urban areas
• State Farm may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than Motorists Insurance Group

Motorists or State Farm: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

So, you're thinking about switching to a new insurance policy. After all, you've seen ads from all sorts of companies offering large savings. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You might be considering Motorists or State Farm for your next policy, but between the two, which one has cheaper prices for auto insurance?

As you can see, Motorists is quite a bit more expensive than State Farm, with premiums averaging $251 a month compared to just $158 with State Farm when looking at the national average rates for insurance.

Even so, that doesn't necessarily mean State Farm will be the more affordable option for every single driver. After all, car insurance carriers can offer drastically different rates to every driver depending on rating factors like your age, where you call home, your driving record, or even your credit score (among other things). So, at the end of the day, rates from each company will differ quite a bit from person to person.

Luckily, we've broken down average prices from both Motorists and State Farm by several different rate factors, so read on to find out which carrier is the best for you.

Motorists vs. State Farm: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Motorists and State Farm compete against each other in five states, with State Farm offering less expensive rates to the average driver in all of them. West Virginia has the most noticable difference, where State Farm premiums are $186 more affordable than auto insurance prices at Motorists.

But there's more to insurance than just where you call home. As we mentioned above, there's a lot of things that go into how car insurance companies determine your premiums. Continue reading to learn more about how other variables will affect your rates.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- normally pay a lot for insurance compared to older drivers. The reason is that teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

That being said, that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high car insurance rates. As you can see above, teens who use State Farm save over 15% per month compared to those who use Motorists.

However, both carriers will drop prices by the time drivers turn 25. For example, average premiums for Motorists policyholders decrease almost 45% and State Farm's rates lower nearly 60% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Once you approach retirement age, you'll usually enjoy the cheapest auto insurance premiums you'll ever see. You've been on the road for years, and all that experience pays off when it comes to your monthly rates for insurance.

But who has the best prices for retired drivers between Motorists and State Farm? State Farm gets the edge here, with average rates coming in at around $111 per month compared to Motorists's $219.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Those who are single tend to get offered slightly more expensive car insurance premiums than married couples. That's because policies for married policyholders typically cover several vehicles, which several companies will give you a discount for.

For single policyholders, the difference in average prices between these two carriers is significant, with State Farm premiums coming in at a third less than Motorists's. For married drivers, the advantage is clear again - State Farm has the edge when it comes to average prices.

Motorists or State Farm: Average Rates by Gender

Men tend to pay more for auto insurance than women. That's because men are more likely to get tickets and get into collisions, which increases the chances of filing a claim with insurance.

On average, men see rates about 5% a month higher with Motorists, and around 7% with State Farm.

Looking at the data for each company specifically, State Farm comes out on top for both men and women. On average, women save about $93 per month and men save about $93 with State Farm compared to the average Motorists policyholder.

Motorists vs. State Farm: 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 isn't the easiest topic to understand. Everyone needs auto insurance, but there are so many different terms and limits that it can be hard to find the right policy for you.

The two most common policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability coverage (which covers the other party's property damage and injuries if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which generally refers to having collision and comprehensive coverages in addition to what you get with a liability policy).

Looking specifically at state minimum limits for liability insurance, State Farm has the edge, with average monthly premiums coming in at $99. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, State Farm again has the edge, with policies averaging around $216 a month to Motorists's $379.

Is Motorists or State Farm Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

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

At-fault collisions and speeding tickets will most likely raise your prices, but is Motorists or State Farm cheaper for drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Motorists for their insurance can normally expect their monthly bill to go up about 10% after getting a speeding ticket. State Farm policyholders can expect a bit more drastic of an increase of around 14%.

But State Farm tends to offer the best prices for drivers both with a ticket and with a clean record, offering rates that are 21% and 17% less expensive, respectively, compared to Motorists Insurance Group.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Motorists drivers who get in an accident can expect to see their prices climb by just under 20%, while those who have insurance through State Farm will see about a 20% increase.

At the end of the day, drivers who use State Farm end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with average rates coming in at $163 compared to Motorists Insurance Group's $206.

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 -- generally a lot more than a collision or speeding ticket. On average, Motorists will raise your premiums around 62% after a DUI, while State Farm's average prices increase by more than 25%.

How does Credit Score Impact Motorists and State Farm Rates?

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

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, drivers with good credit will often be rewarded with more affordable premiums.

So, which carrier offers the best prices for policyholders 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 Motorists or State Farm Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a pretty big impact on your monthly premiums. That's because the fewer miles you put on your car, the less likely you are to be in an accident and file an insurance claim.

State Farm tends to be the cheaper option for both remote workers and those taking short commutes. Motorists's average rates for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in $95 more expensive than State Farm. Those who drive 12,000 miles every year can expect to pay more than $90 more with Motorists over State Farm.

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

Where you live can play a considerable role in how much you pay for auto insurance. Typically, drivers who live in heavily-populated urban areas will pay quite a bit more than rural policyholders because of the number of vehicles that are on the roads where they live.

State Farm tends to offer the most affordable premiums for drivers in all areas, regardless of if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

For drivers in urban ZIP codes, State Farm's average prices are about $101 less than Motorists Insurance Group. People who live in suburban areas pay around $54 less with State Farm compared to Motorists. Those in rural areas can expect to save about $125 with State Farm compared to Motorists.

Motorists vs. State Farm 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, and the best way to do that is by taking advantage of as many insurance discounts as possible.

But where do you even start? With so many discounts out there, it may seem challenging to find all the of the ones you can take advantage of.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and compared all of the different discounts offered by Motorists and State Farm so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and, therefore, the largest savings.

State Farm knocks Motorists out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering nine more discounts than Motorists.

Both companies offer lots of the same discounts -- like ABS discounts, anti-theft discounts, and discounts for being a homeowner -- but State Farm also offers discounts for annual mileage, distant student, drive safe & save, and more.

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

Final Thoughts: Is Motorists or State Farm Best for You?

You've seen the role certain factors have on your auto insurance and the different discounts carriers offer. That's all well and good, but when it comes down to it, which insurance carrier is the best carrier for you and your specific profile and needs?

State Farm might be best for you if....

• You will be the only person on the car insurance policy.
• Your credit score is high.
• You're married and plan to have both of your names on the vehicle's auto insurance policy.

Motorists might be best for you if...

• You have a more unique driver profile than those we mentioned above.

Hopefully, this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare Motorists and State Farm and that you can now make a more informed decision when it comes to your car 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 a handful of companies, not just Motorists and State Farm. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your ZIP code below and get multiple quotes from some of the best car insurance carriers in your area, all for free.

Motorists vs. State Farm FAQs

Is Motorists or State Farm cheaper?

State Farm is the more affordable of the two companies when looking at national average premiums, with policies averaging $158 per month with State Farm and $251 for Motorists. Even so, that doesn't mean State Farm will be the lowest company for each driver, since there are multiple different variables (things like age, driving record, gender, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Motorists or State Farm?

Sadly, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". One carrier is not necessarily "better" for every policyholder -- it all depends on what your unique auto insurance profile looks like.

Why do Motorists and State Farm offer me different rates?

Insurance carriers use quite a few different factors when calculating the rates they charge. Variables such as gender, age, where you park your car, your driving record, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Motorists and State Farm use different formulas, 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 State Farm is right for me?

The only way to find the auto insurance carrier that's right for you is by getting quotes from multiple 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 ZIP code and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top insurance companies for free. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the cheapest price. And maybe you'll find that the best company for you isn't Motorists or State Farm 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.