National Mutual vs. Partners Mutual: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for auto insurance, Partners Mutual offers significantly cheaper premiums than National Mutual
• National Mutual offers more discounts than Partners Mutual Insurance
• Partners Mutual offers less expensive average rates for drivers who have less-than-stellar credit

National Mutual vs. Partners Mutual: 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 huge discounts, you're probably wondering exactly how much you might be able to save.

You've maybe even narrowed your search down to National Mutual or Partners Mutual, but between the two, which one has more affordable premiums for insurance?

Looking at the national average rates for both companies, National Mutual is quite a bit more expensive than Partners Mutual, with prices averaging $201 per month compared to just $123 with Partners Mutual.

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

Wanting to know if National Mutual or Partners Mutual 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.

National Mutual or Partners Mutual: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

National Mutual and Partners Mutual only compete against each other in Iowa, where Partners Mutual offers the cheaper average rates. For Iowa residents, Partners Mutual offers auto insurance for $123 per month on average. National Mutual's average premiums come out to be over 70% more expensive, at $219 monthly.

But there's more to insurance than just your home state. As we mentioned above, there's a lot of things that go into how auto insurance companies calculate your prices. Read on to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- generally pay a lot for car insurance compared to older drivers. That's normally because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

Even so, that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high insurance premiums. As you can see above, teens who use Partners Mutual save nearly $250 a month compared to those who use National Mutual.

That being said, both carriers will offer you dramatically lower rates by the time you turn 25. For example, average prices for National Mutual policyholders reduce more than 60% and Partners Mutual's premiums drop over 55% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

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

But who has the best rates for retired drivers between National Mutual and Partners Mutual? Partners Mutual gets the edge, with prices for drivers 65 and older more than 25% cheaper than the national average for National Mutual.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but insurance rates tend to be more affordable for married policyholders than they are for single policyholders. That's because policies for married drivers typically cover several cars, which several companies will offer you a discount for.

When it comes to relationship status, Partners Mutual is the clear winner for those who are single, with prices about $102 per month less expensive than National Mutual, on average. For married couples, the advantage is clear again - Partners Mutual has the edge when it comes to average premiums.

National Mutual vs. Partners Mutual: Average Rates by Gender

Women usually to pay less for auto insurance than men. This is because men are more likely to get into accidents and get speeding tickets, which increases the chances of an insurance claim.

With National Mutual, women generally pay over $20 a month less than men, and almost $10 with Partners Mutual.

Looking at overall affordability, Partners Mutual offers the cheapest average prices for both men and women. On average, women save about $72 per month and men save around $85 with Partners Mutual compared to the average National Mutual policyholder.

National Mutual or Partners Mutual: 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.

Car insurance isn't the easiest topic to understand. Everyone needs auto insurance, but there are so many different terms and coverages that it can be hard to find the right policy.

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

If you're looking for state minimum limits for liability insurance, Partners Mutual typically offers significantly cheaper rates of $52 compared to National Mutual's $94. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, Partners Mutual again has the edge, with policies about $100 a month more affordable than National Mutual, on average.

Is National Mutual or Partners Mutual Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

It's no big secret that drivers who are accident-free get better deals on their insurance. But even if you have a spotty record, you can still find plenty of ways to save some cash on your monthly bill.

Tickets and at-fault accidents will most likely raise your premiums, but is National Mutual or Partners Mutual less expensive for drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

National Mutual policyholders can expect their prices to go up an average of $11 per month if they get a ticket, while Partners Mutual normally raises rates around $16 a month, on average.

However, Partners Mutual has more affordable premiums for drivers in both categories. Drivers with a clean record can save about $52 per month and drivers with a speeding ticket can save around $47 a month with Partners Mutual Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both carriers will increase prices pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault accident with National Mutual climbing by over $75. Partners Mutual has a less extreme increase, but you can still expect to pay more than $35 more than you were prior to your first collision.

Overall, Partners Mutual offers the most affordable premiums for drivers with an at-fault accident on their records, with monthly rates averaging $115 compared to National Mutual Insurance's $207.

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 ticket or even a collision. National Mutual drivers usually see a 60% climb in their car insurance prices after a DUI charge, while Partners Mutual will usually raise rates by about 61%.

If you have a DUI on your record and are looking for more affordable premiums, Partners Mutual tends to be the much cheaper option with average prices of $203 a month compared to $325 from National Mutual.

How does Credit Score Impact National Mutual and Partners Mutual Rates?

Often times, your credit score can come into play when companies determine your monthly bill. This isn't always the case (for example, California and Michigan are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it does affect many drivers out there.

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

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

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have a great credit score, you'll usually find a better deal with Partners Mutual. Drivers with "excellent" credit can save over 25% compared to National Mutual, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- around $53 or 33% less expensive every month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Partners Mutual typically offers lower rates than National Mutual when it comes to drivers with less-than-perfect credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about $95 per month less with Partners Mutual compared to National Mutual, and those with "poor" scores typically save an average of around $131 monthly.

Is National Mutual or Partners Mutual 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 sizable impact on your monthly premiums? Normally, those who drive less will end up with cheaper prices since there's less of a chance of getting into an accident and causing an insurance claim.

In this case, neither National Mutual or Partners Mutual report increasing rates for drivers with higher annual mileage figures. Partners Mutual comes out as the cheapest for drivers at both intervals, whether they put 6,000 or 12,000 miles on their vehicle yearly, with average prices of $123 a month for both.

National Mutual vs. Partners Mutual: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

We've already mentioned how your home state can play a role in how much you pay for car insurance, but the type of area you live in can have a substantial impact as well. Generally, if you live in a rural area with fewer cars on the road, you'll pay a little less for auto insurance, while the opposite is true for people in urban areas.

Partners Mutual tends to offer the most affordable premiums for drivers in every type of area, no matter if it's urban, suburban, or rural.

If you live in a rural area, you can expect to pay about $118 per month with Partners Mutual compared to National Mutual's $189. People in suburban areas pay a monthly price of around $108 with Partners Mutual compared to $201 with National Mutual. For drivers in urban ZIP codes, Partners Mutual's average prices are about $143 per month compared to National Mutual's $214.

National Mutual vs. Partners Mutual Discounts

Regardless of why you might be in the market for a new insurance policy, you're always going to want to save as much money as possible, and the best way to do that is by utilizing as many auto insurance discounts as you can.

The challenging part is finding all of the discounts you can take advantage of, since it can feel sometimes like every company has different discounts and each one is advertised differently.

In the section below, we've taken a look at all of the different discounts National Mutual and Partners Mutual offer their customers so that you can see which company offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

National Mutual blows Partners Mutual away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 11 more discounts than Partners Mutual.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like advance quote discounts, multi-policy discounts, and passive restraint discounts. National Mutual also offers claim free discounts, continuous insurance discounts, defensive driver discounts, and more that Partners Mutual does not.

On the flip side, Partners Mutual has a couple unique discounts of its own -- ABS discounts, ESC discounts, and group discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is National Mutual or Partners Mutual Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average premiums for many of the factors car insurance companies look at, and we've shown you all the discounts each carrier offers. But, when it comes down to it, which insurance company is the best carrier for you, your vehicle, and your wallet?

Partners Mutual might be best for you if....

• You're single and purchasing insurance by yourself.
• You want basic auto insurance coverage at the state minimum limits.
• You drive often but have a short commute.

National Mutual might be best for you if...

• You care about discounts (National Mutual offers the most).

We hope this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between National Mutual and Partners Mutual 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 auto insurance -- comparing quotes from several carriers, not just National Mutual and Partners Mutual. 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.

National Mutual vs. Partners Mutual FAQs

Is National Mutual or Partners Mutual cheaper?

Looking just at the national average rates, Partners Mutual is the more affordable of the two carriers, offering average rates of $123 a month compared to $201 for National Mutual. That being said, Partners Mutual won't necessarily be the lowest carrier for each policyholder, since there are many different variables (things like age, driving record, gender, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, National Mutual or Partners Mutual?

Unfortunately, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". No one company is necessarily "better" for everyone -- it all depends on what your unique insurance profile looks like.

Why do National Mutual and Partners Mutual offer me different rates?

Car insurance companies take a look at a lot of different factors when calculating the prices they charge policyholders. Variables like where you live, gender, where your home is, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both National Mutual and Partners Mutual calculate premiums using different formulas, so each one will most likely offer different rates. The only real way to see which carrier is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from lots of different carriers.

How do I know if National Mutual or Partners Mutual is right for me?

The only way to find the 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, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Just enter your area information and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best auto insurance carriers in your area. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the lowest rate. And who knows, the best carrier for you might not be National Mutual or Partners Mutual 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.