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

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for car insurance, National Mutual offers slightly more affordable rates than Safe Auto
• National Mutual offers more affordable prices for people who are single and purchasing insurance by yourself
• Safe Auto tends to be a much less expensive option for drivers with a DUI charge on their record

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

You might have narrowed it down to National Mutual or Safe Auto as potential options, but which company will save you the most?

Looking at the national average rates for both companies, National Mutual is about $22 per month cheaper than Safe Auto.

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

Luckily, we've broken down average premiums from both National Mutual and Safe Auto by several different rate factors, so read on to find out which carrier is the best for you.

National Mutual or Safe Auto: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

National Mutual and Safe Auto only compete against each other in one states, with Safe Auto offering more affordable prices to the average driver in all of them. Indiana has the most noticable difference, where Safe Auto premiums are over 50% cheaper than car insurance prices at National Mutual.

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 auto insurance companies calculate your rates. Read on to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers generally pay a lot more for car insurance than any other group of drivers out there on the road. It's because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

But still, even with seemingly sky-high premiums, teen drivers can still find ways to save money. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have Safe Auto for their insurance pay nearly $35 less than those who use National Mutual.

Even so, both carriers will offer you dramatically lower prices by the time drivers turn 25. For example, average rates for National Mutual policyholders lower almost $300 and Safe Auto's prices reduce around $250 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Drivers around retirement age normally enjoy some of the most affordable auto insurance premiums you'll ever see. After all, they've likely been driving for quite some time, which usually lowers their chances of accidents and other infractions that can increase rates.

But who has the best premiums for retired drivers between National Mutual and Safe Auto? National Mutual gets the edge, with prices for drivers 65 and older more than 25% less expensive than the national average for Safe Auto.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but car insurance rates tend to be more affordable for married policyholders than they are for those who are single. This usually boils down to married couples having more than one car on their policy -- something lots of auto insurance companies will reward with discounts.

When it comes to relationship status, the two carriers are comparable for single policyholders, with prices only differing about $19 a month, on average. The advantage for married drivers is more obvious, where drivers who use National Mutual save around $25 per month.

National Mutual vs. Safe Auto: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get tickets and get into collisions. That means when it comes to car insurance men will typically end up paying a little more.

On average, men see premiums nearly 10% a month higher with National Mutual, and about 7% more with Safe Auto.

Looking at overall affordability, National Mutual offers the cheapest average rates for both men and women, with average prices $19 less for men and $23 cheaper for women.

National Mutual or Safe Auto: 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.

It's no secret that insurance can be pretty complicated. Everyone needs car insurance, but there are so many different coverages and terms that it can be hard to find the right policy.

The two most common policies that many drivers look at fall into two categories -- 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 -- alongside what you get with a liability policy).

If you're looking for state minimum liability insurance, National Mutual normally offers significantly cheaper premiums of $94 compared to Safe Auto's $126. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, National Mutual again has the edge, with policies around $10 per month less expensive than Safe Auto, on average.

Is National Mutual or Safe Auto Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from auto insurance companies offering great rates for good drivers, but that doesn't mean people with less-than-perfect driving records can't save money, too.

It's no secret secret that tickets and collisions lead to higher prices, but which company -- National Mutual or Safe Auto -- has the most affordable premiums for drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

National Mutual policyholders can expect their rates to go up an average of $11 a month if they get a ticket, while Safe Auto usually raises premiums about $40 per month, on average.

That being said, National Mutual tends to offer the best prices for drivers both with clean records and with a speeding ticket. Drivers with a clean record can save around $49 a month and drivers with a ticket can save about $78 per month with National Mutual Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both carriers will raise rates pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault accident with National Mutual climbing by over $75. Safe Auto has a less extreme climb, but you can still expect to pay more than $65 more than you were prior to your first collision.

Overall, National Mutual offers the lowest prices for drivers with an at-fault accident on their records, with monthly rates averaging $207 compared to Safe Auto's $246.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

On average, a DUI offense is going to cost you much more than a single collision or speeding ticket when it comes to your insurance bill. For example, National Mutual increases average premiums by just under $200 a month -- that's just under a 60% increase.

How does Credit Score Impact National Mutual and Safe Auto Rates?

Did you know that many auto insurance companies take your credit score into account when calculating prices? This isn't always the case (Massachusetts, for example, has banned the use of credit score as a rating factor) but it will come into play for quite a few drivers.

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

So, which carrier offers the cheapest premiums 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 National Mutual or Safe Auto Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

The amount of time you spend behind the wheel of your car plays a big role in your monthly car insurance payment. Generally, the more miles you put on your vehicle each year, the more you can expect to pay for coverage.

In this case, neither National Mutual or Safe Auto report increasing prices for drivers with higher annual mileage figures. That being said, National Mutual comes out as the lowest for drivers at both intervals, whether they put 6,000 or 12,000 miles on their car every year, with average rates of $201 per month for both.

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

Where you park your vehicle can have a sizable impact on your monthly auto insurance cost. Typically, if you live in a rural area with fewer cars on the road, you'll pay a little less for insurance, while the opposite is true for people in urban areas.

Looking at these companies side-by-side, National Mutual tends to offer the cheapest option for drivers in rural and urban areas, while Safe Auto wins in suburban areas.

In urban areas, National Mutual Insurance's average prices are around $57 less than Safe Auto. Drivers in suburban ZIP codes pay about $1 less with Safe Auto compared to National Mutual. If you live in a rural area, you can expect to save around $8 with National Mutual compared to Safe Auto.

National Mutual vs. Safe Auto Discounts

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

But where do you even start? With what seems like a million different discounts out there, it may be challenging to find all the ones you can take advantage of.

Below, we've compared all of the different discounts offered by National Mutual and Safe Auto so that you can see which carrier offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

Overall, National Mutual has the advantage when it comes to total number of discounts. Safe Auto offers a grand total of 14 discounts, while National Mutual has 19.

Both carriers offer quite a few of the same discounts -- like discounts for being a defensive driver, discounts for getting driver training, and passive restraint discounts -- but National Mutual also offers advance quote discounts, continuous insurance discounts, education discounts, and more that Safe Auto does not.

On the flip side, Safe Auto has a couple unique discounts of its own -- agency transfer discounts, discounts for being a homeowner, military discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is National Mutual or Safe Auto Best for You?

You've seen the effect certain factors have on your insurance and the different discounts companies offer. But, at the end of the day, which insurance carrier is the right one for you and your specific profile and needs?

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

• You have received a ticket within the last few years.
• You live in an urban area.
• You drive fewer than 6,000 miles yearly.

Safe Auto might be best for you if...

• You have a DUI charge on your record.
• Your neighborhood is in the suburbs.
• You're buying auto insurance for a teen and looking for a wallet-friendly option.

We hope this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between National Mutual and Safe Auto and that you can now make a more informed decision when it comes to your car insurance.

At the end of the day, the sure-fire way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your auto insurance policy is to compare quotes from multiple carriers, not just National Mutual and Safe Auto. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get multiple quotes from some of the best insurance companies in your area, all for free.

National Mutual vs. Safe Auto FAQs

Is National Mutual or Safe Auto cheaper?

Looking just at the national average rates, National Mutual is the more affordable of the two carriers, offering average rates of $201 a month compared to $223 for Safe Auto. But National Mutual won't necessarily be the most affordable company for each policyholder, since there are multiple different variables (things like gender, age, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, National Mutual or Safe Auto?

Unfortunately, the answer truly is "it depends.". No single carrier is "better" for everyone -- it all depends on what your unique car insurance profile looks like. For example, Safe Auto offers cheaper prices for drivers with a recent DUI, while National Mutual is more affordable for drivers with excellent credit.

Why do National Mutual and Safe Auto offer me different rates?

Insurance companies take a look at several different factors when determining the premiums they charge drivers. Variables like your driving record, age, where you live, gender, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both National Mutual and Safe Auto calculate rates using different formulas, so each one will most likely offer different premiums. The only real way to see which company is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from many different carriers.

How do I know if National Mutual or Safe Auto 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 companies 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 free quotes from dozens of the best car insurance carriers in your area. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the best rate. And who knows, the best company for you might not be National Mutual or Safe Auto 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.