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

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for insurance, West Bend Mutual offers significantly more affordable rates than National Mutual
• National Mutual offers more discounts than West Bend Mutual Insurance
• West Bend Mutual offers cheaper average prices for drivers who have an at-fault accident on their record

National Mutual vs. West Bend Mutual: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

Are you in the market for a new insurance policy? After all, you've seen ads from all sorts of companies offering considerable discounts. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You might be considering National Mutual or West Bend Mutual as your top options, but which company will save you the most?

Looking at nationwide averages, West Bend Mutual has average rates that are about 35% per month less expensive than those from National Mutual.

That being said, that doesn't mean West Bend Mutual will necessarily be more affordable than National Mutual for each driver. Car insurance companies use tons of complex algorithms to calculate premiums, so depending on how old you are or how good your credit score is (among many other factors), you could see wildly different prices from the ones above.

So, if you want to find out which of National Mutual or West Bend Mutual is really the best for you, keep reading to see average rates for each company broken down by lots of different rate factors.

National Mutual or West Bend Mutual: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

National Mutual and West Bend Mutual only compete against each other in one states, with West Bend Mutual offering less expensive premiums to the average driver in all of them. Iowa has the most noticable difference, where West Bend Mutual rates are over 70% cheaper than auto insurance prices at National Mutual.

But there's more to insurance than just where you live. As we mentioned above, there's a lot of things that go into how auto insurance carriers determine your premiums. Continue reading to see how other factors will affect your rates.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

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

But still, even with seemingly sky-high prices, teen drivers can still find ways to save money. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of nearly $150 less a month by choosing West Bend Mutual over National Mutual.

Even so, with both companies, you'll see your premiums reduce significantly once you turn 25. For example, average rates for National Mutual policyholders decrease almost $300 and West Bend Mutual's prices drop more than $200 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Drivers around retirement age typically enjoy some of the lowest insurance rates you'll ever find. After all, they've likely been driving for quite some time, which generally decreases their chances of accidents and other infractions that can increase premiums.

When looking at National Mutual and West Bend Mutual specifically, which carrier is best for retired drivers? West Bend Mutual gets the edge, with prices for drivers 65 and older $42 more affordable than the national average for National Mutual.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that car insurance rates are normally more expensive for single drivers than they are for married couples? That's typically because married drivers tend to own and insure more than one car, which can often earn you a discount.

When it comes to relationship status, West Bend Mutual is the clear winner for those who are single, with premiums around $78 per month cheaper than National Mutual, on average. The advantage for married policyholders with West Bend Mutual is also obvious, where drivers save about $60 a month.

National Mutual vs. West Bend Mutual: Average Rates by Gender

Men generally pay more for auto insurance than women. 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.

With National Mutual, women normally pay nearly 10% per month less than men, and around 12% less with West Bend Mutual.

When it comes to the most affordable premiums for each gender, West Bend Mutual offers the cheapest average rates for both men and women, with average prices 34% less for men and 36% cheaper for women.

National Mutual or West Bend 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.

Insurance isn't the easiest topic to understand. There are multiple different coverages that account for several different things. Some protect you and your vehicle, while others only provide coverage for other people's property and health if you cause an accident.

The two most common policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability only (that covers property damage and bodily injury for other drivers and passengers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which usually refers to having comprehensive and collision coverages in addition to liability).

If you're looking for state minimum liability limits, West Bend Mutual typically offers less expensive rates of $77 compared to National Mutual's $94. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, West Bend Mutual again has the edge, with policies about $100 a month more affordable than National Mutual, on average.

Is National Mutual or West Bend Mutual Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from auto insurance carriers offering great premiums 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 at-fault collisions and tickets lead to higher prices, but which company -- National Mutual or West Bend Mutual -- has the lowest premiums for drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

National Mutual policyholders can expect their rates to go up an average of $11 per month if they get a ticket, while West Bend Mutual generally raises prices around $25 a month, on average.

But West Bend Mutual tends to offer the best prices for drivers both with a speeding ticket and with a clean record, offering premiums that are 36% and 23% cheaper, respectively, compared to National Mutual Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

National Mutual drivers who get in an accident can expect to see their rates increase by over 35%, while those who have insurance through West Bend Mutual will see about a 50% increase.

Overall, the less expensive prices come from West Bend Mutual, with monthly premiums averaging $163 compared to National Mutual Insurance's $207.

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 ticket when it comes to your car insurance bill. National Mutual drivers usually see a 60% raise in their insurance rates after a DUI charge, while West Bend Mutual will normally increase prices by around 50%.

If you have a DUI on your record and are looking for more affordable premiums, West Bend Mutual tends to be the much more affordable option with average prices of $169 per month compared to $325 from National Mutual.

How does Credit Score Impact National Mutual and West Bend Mutual Rates?

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

Car insurance carriers argue that those with poor credit scores are less likely to pay their bills on time each month, which increases the risk involved on their end, while the opposite is true for those with good credit.

So, which carrier offers the best premiums for drivers with good, average, or poor credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have solid credit, you'll usually find a better deal with West Bend Mutual. Policyholders with "excellent" credit can save just under 25% compared to National Mutual, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- about $46 or 29% cheaper every month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

West Bend Mutual typically offers lower rates than National Mutual when it comes to drivers with less-than-perfect credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around $88 per month less with West Bend Mutual compared to National Mutual, and those with "poor" scores usually save an average of about $117 a month.

Is National Mutual or West Bend Mutual Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a pretty big impact on how much insurance companies will charge for coverage. That's because the more miles you put on your vehicle each year, the more likely you are to get into a collision and cause an insurance claim.

In this case, neither National Mutual or West Bend Mutual report increasing prices for drivers with higher annual mileage figures. Even so, West Bend Mutual comes out as the most affordable for drivers at both intervals, whether they put 6,000 or 12,000 miles on their car each year, with average premiums of $131 a month for both.

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

Where your home is can play a large role in how much you pay for auto insurance. 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 in those areas.

West Bend Mutual boasts the cheapest average prices for drivers in all types of areas, no matter if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

Policyholders in rural ZIP codes see the most affordable premiums from both carriers, but West Bend Mutual comes out on top with average rates around $113 monthly. West Bend Mutual also has less expensive average prices for drivers in urban and suburban ZIP codes -- a $56 and $79 per month respective difference when compared to National Mutual policyholders in similar areas.

National Mutual vs. West Bend Mutual Discounts

Regardless of 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 possible, and the best way to do that is by utilizing as many insurance discounts as you can.

But where do you even start? With so many discounts out there, it may seem hard to find all the of the ones you qualify for.

In the table below, we've broken down all of the different discounts offered by both National Mutual and West Bend Mutual so that you can find the carrier that has the most discounts and, therefore, the biggest savings.

Looking at the total number of discounts, National Mutual has advantage when it comes to total number of discounts. West Bend Mutual offers a grand total of 16 discounts, while National Mutual has 19.

Both companies offer quite a few of the same discounts -- like anti-theft discounts, discounts for being a defensive driver, and discounts for insuring multiple cars with the same company -- but National Mutual also offers advance quote discounts, claim free discounts, continuous insurance discounts, and more that West Bend Mutual does not.

On the flip side, West Bend Mutual has a couple unique discounts of its own -- ABS discounts, advanced safety feature discounts, distant student discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is National Mutual or West Bend Mutual Best for You?

So, you've seen how different variables can affect your auto insurance rates. We've broken down the different discounts each carrier offers, too. But, when it comes down to it, is National Mutual or West Bend Mutual the right one for you and your specific needs?

West Bend Mutual might be best for you if....

• You have a clean driving record, free of accidents, tickets, or DUIs.
• Your home is in a busy urban area.
• You don't spend much time in your car.

National Mutual might be best for you if...

• You're looking for the company with the most discounts.

We hope this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between National Mutual and West Bend Mutual and that it aids in making a more informed decision about your insurance.

At the end of the day, the sure-fire way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your car insurance policy is to compare quotes from multiple carriers, not just National Mutual and West Bend Mutual. 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 the top auto insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

National Mutual vs. West Bend Mutual FAQs

Is National Mutual or West Bend Mutual cheaper?

Looking just at the national average premiums, West Bend Mutual is the cheaper of the two carriers, offering average rates of $131 a month compared to $201 for National Mutual. However, West Bend Mutual won't necessarily be the cheapest carrier for every driver, since there are a range of different factors that are considered when it comes to your car insurance payment.

Who is better, National Mutual or West Bend Mutual?

Sadly, the answer truly is "it depends.". One company is not necessarily "better" for everyone -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique insurance profile.

Why do National Mutual and West Bend Mutual offer me different rates?

Auto insurance companies take a look at quite a few different variables when determining the prices they charge drivers. Factors like your driving record, where you call home, gender, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both National Mutual and West Bend Mutual calculate rates using different formulas, so each one will most likely offer different premiums. The only real way to see which carrier is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a bunch of different carriers.

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

The only way to find the car insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from several 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 free quotes from dozens of the best insurance carriers in your area. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the best premium. And who knows, the best carrier for you might not be National Mutual or West Bend 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.