National Mutual vs. Western Reserve Group: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for insurance, Western Reserve Group offers significantly more affordable rates than National Mutual
• National Mutual offers more discounts than Western Reserve Group
• Western Reserve Group offers more affordable premiums for couples purchasing car insurance together

National Mutual vs. Western Reserve Group: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

So, you're considering switching your auto insurance. After all, you've seen ads from all sorts of companies offering huge discounts. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You might have narrowed it down to National Mutual or Western Reserve Group as potential options, but between the two, which carrier has less expensive prices for auto insurance?

Looking at nationwide averages, Western Reserve Group is quite a bit cheaper than National Mutual, with rates averaging $137 per month compared to $201 with National Mutual.

But that doesn't mean Western Reserve Group will necessarily be cheaper than National Mutual for each driver. Insurance companies use a ton of complex algorithms to calculate premiums, so depending on where you live or how good your credit score is (among many other factors), you could see wildly different prices from the ones above.

Luckily, we've broken down average rates from both National Mutual and Western Reserve Group by a range of different rate factors, so read on to find out which carrier is the best for you.

National Mutual or Western Reserve Group: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

National Mutual and Western Reserve Group only compete against each other in two states, with Western Reserve Group offering more affordable premiums to the average driver in all of them. Ohio has the most noticable difference, where Western Reserve Group prices are over 40% less expensive than auto insurance rates at National Mutual.

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 car insurance carriers determine your prices. Read on to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers normally pay a lot more for auto insurance than any group out there on the road. It's usually 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. As you can see above, teens who use Western Reserve Group save more than $200 a month compared to those who use National Mutual.

Even so, with both companies, you'll see your rates reduce significantly by the time drivers turn 25. For example, average premiums for National Mutual policyholders drop over 60% and Western Reserve Group's rates lower nearly 50% 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 lowest prices you'll ever see.

So, which company offers the best rates to retired drivers? Western Reserve Group gets the edge, with premiums for drivers 65 and older more than 20% cheaper than the national average for National Mutual.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but car insurance prices tend to be more affordable for married couples than they are for single drivers. That's generally because married policyholders tend to own and insure several cars, which can often earn you a discount.

When it comes to relationship status, Western Reserve Group is the clear winner for those who are single, with rates about $83 per month less expensive than National Mutual, on average. The advantage for married drivers with Western Reserve Group is also obvious, where drivers save over 25% a month.

National Mutual vs. Western Reserve Group: Average Rates by Gender

Men typically pay more for insurance than women. This is because men are statistically more likely than women to cause a collision and get into accidents, which leads to increased risk for insurers and, therefore, higher premiums.

Men usually pay almost 10% more per month than women with National Mutual, but surprisingly, with Western Reserve Group, men typically pay around 1% a month less than women.

Looking at the data for each carrier specifically, Western Reserve Group offers the cheapest average prices for both men and women, with average premiums 36% less for men and 28% cheaper for women.

National Mutual or Western Reserve Group: 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 isn't the easiest topic to understand. There are a variety of different coverages that account for many 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 (which covers the other party's injuries and property damage if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which generally refers to having comprehensive and collision coverages alongside liability coverage).

In this case, National Mutual offers the most affordable average prices for state minimum liability limits, while Western Reserve Group has the edge for full coverage policies with similar coverage limits. Drivers looking for basic state minimum coverage can save around $0 with National Mutual Insurance, while full coverage comes out to be about $150 cheaper with Western Reserve Group.

Is National Mutual or Western Reserve Group Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

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

It's no secret secret that tickets and at-fault accidents lead to higher rates, but which company -- National Mutual or Western Reserve Group -- has the cheapest premiums 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 Western Reserve Group normally raises rates around $34 a month, on average.

That being said, Western Reserve Group tends to offer the best prices for both drivers who have a recent speeding ticket and those with clean records -- their rates are around 33% less expensive for drivers with clean records and 14% more affordable for those with a ticket.

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. Western Reserve Group has a less extreme raise, but you can still expect to pay more than $30 more than you were prior to your first collision.

Overall, drivers who use Western Reserve Group end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with monthly premiums averaging $120 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 accident or ticket when it comes to your auto insurance bill. For example, National Mutual increases average rates by just under $200 per month -- that's just under a 60% increase.

If you have a DUI on your record and are looking for more affordable premiums, Western Reserve Group tends to be the much cheaper option with average prices of $218 a month compared to $325 from National Mutual.

How does Credit Score Impact National Mutual and Western Reserve Group Rates?

In many cases, your credit score can be used as one of the factors to calculate your monthly insurance rates. This isn't always the case (for example, Massachusetts and Michigan are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it does affect several policyholders out there.

Car insurance companies 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 lowest premiums for drivers with good, average, or poor credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have great credit, you'll usually find a better deal with Western Reserve Group. Policyholders with "excellent" credit can save nearly 20% compared to National Mutual, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- about $44 or 27% more affordable every month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Western Reserve Group typically offers lower prices than National Mutual when it comes to drivers with a below average credit score. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around $82 a month less with Western Reserve Group compared to National Mutual, and those with "poor" scores usually save an average of about $108 monthly.

Is National Mutual or Western Reserve Group 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 big impact on how much auto insurance carriers will charge for coverage? Generally, those who drive fewer miles will end up with cheaper rates since there's less of a chance of getting into an accident and causing an insurance claim.

In this case, neither National Mutual or Western Reserve Group report increasing premiums for drivers with higher annual mileage figures. Western Reserve Group comes out as the most affordable for drivers at both intervals, whether they put 6,000 or 12,000 miles on their vehicle yearly, with average prices of $137 per month for both.

National Mutual vs. Western Reserve Group: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you live can play a sizable role in how much you pay for insurance. Typically, drivers who live in less densely populated rural areas will pay quite a bit less than urban policyholders due to the small number of cars that are on the roads in those areas.

Western Reserve Group boasts the lowest average premiums for drivers in every type of area, no matter if it's urban, suburban, or rural.

Drivers in rural ZIP codes see the most affordable prices from both companies, but Western Reserve Group comes out on top with average rates around $125 per month. Western Reserve Group also has less expensive average premiums for policyholders in urban and suburban ZIP codes -- a 31% and 31% a month respective difference when compared to National Mutual drivers in similar areas.

National Mutual vs. Western Reserve Group 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 taking advantage of as many auto insurance discounts as you can.

But with what seems like a million different discounts out there, it can be difficult to find all the ones you're eligible for or to nail down the carrier that has the most discounts for your unique driver profile.

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

National Mutual blows Western Reserve Group away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering eight more discounts than Western Reserve Group.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like anti-theft discounts, discounts for being a good student, and discounts for insuring multiple cars with the same company. National Mutual also offers claim free discounts, continuous insurance discounts, driver training discounts, and more that Western Reserve Group does not.

On the flip side, Western Reserve Group has a couple unique discounts of its own -- agency transfer discounts, company car discounts, distant student discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is National Mutual or Western Reserve Group Best for You?

You've seen the effect certain variables have on your insurance and the different discounts carriers offer. But, when it comes down to it, is National Mutual or Western Reserve Group the right fit for you?

Western Reserve Group might be best for you if....

• You have a DUI charge on your record.
• Your credit score is high.
• You and your spouse are buying car insurance together.

National Mutual might be best for you if...

• You want to save extra money with discounts.
• You want basic auto insurance coverage at the state minimum limits.

We hope this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between National Mutual and Western Reserve Group. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best 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 a handful of companies, not just National Mutual and Western Reserve Group. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Simply enter your ZIP code below and get free quotes from dozens of the top auto insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

National Mutual vs. Western Reserve Group FAQs

Is National Mutual or Western Reserve Group cheaper?

Looking just at the national average prices, Western Reserve Group is the cheaper of the two companies, offering average rates of $137 per month compared to $201 for National Mutual. However, Western Reserve Group won't necessarily be the lowest company for each driver, since there are several different factors that come into play when it comes to your insurance cost.

Who is better, National Mutual or Western Reserve Group?

Unfortunately, the real answer is "it depends.". Neither carrier is necessarily "better" for everyone -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique car insurance profile.

Why do National Mutual and Western Reserve Group offer me different rates?

Insurance carriers take a look at a lot of different variables when calculating the rates they charge policyholders. Things such as where you park your vehicle, age, where your home is, gender, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both National Mutual and Western Reserve Group calculate prices using different factors, so each one will most likely offer different premiums. The only real way to see which company is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a bunch of different companies.

How do I know if National Mutual or Western Reserve Group 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 area information and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best car insurance companies in your area. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the best premium. And who knows, the best company for you might not be National Mutual or Western Reserve Group 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.