North Star Mutual vs. Progressive: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for insurance, North Star Mutual offers slightly less expensive prices than Progressive
• North Star Mutual offers more affordable premiums for policyholders who have a clean driving record, free of collisions, tickets, or DUIs
• Progressive offers more affordable average prices for policyholders who live in urban areas

North Star Mutual or Progressive: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

So, you're considering switching to a new insurance policy. With so many ads from all sorts of companies offering large savings, you're probably wondering exactly how much you might be able to save.

You might be considering North Star Mutual or Progressive, but between the two, which carrier will offer you cheaper premiums?

As you can see, Progressive is around $0 more a month than North Star Mutual when looking at the national average rates for car insurance.

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

Wanting to know if North Star Mutual or Progressive is really the right company for you? Keep on reading to see how average premiums can change based on all of the factors we've mentioned above.

North Star Mutual vs. Progressive: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

North Star Mutual and Progressive only compete against each other in three states, with Progressive offering less expensive rates to the average driver in all of them. South Dakota has the most noticable difference, where Progressive prices are $44 cheaper than auto insurance premiums at North Star Mutual.

But there's more to calculating car insurance rates than just where you live. Read on to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers usually pay a lot more for insurance than any group out there on the road. It's because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into an accident that results in an 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. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have North Star Mutual for their auto insurance pay over 25% less than those who use Progressive.

However, both companies will offer you dramatically lower rates by the time drivers turn 25. For example, average prices for North Star Mutual policyholders drop about $150 and Progressive's premiums lower more than $300 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Drivers around retirement age normally enjoy some of the cheapest insurance rates you'll ever find. After all, they've likely been driving for quite some time, which typically reduces their chances of accidents and other infractions that can raise prices.

When looking at North Star Mutual and Progressive specifically, which carrier is best for retired drivers? Progressive gets the slight edge here, with average premiums coming in at around $131 per month compared to North Star Mutual's $144.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but auto insurance prices tend to be less expensive for married couples than they are for single drivers. That's generally because married drivers tend to own and insure multiple vehicles, which can often earn you a discount.

For single policyholders, the difference in average premiums between these two carriers is not very significant, with North Star Mutual rates coming in at about 10% less than Progressive's. But for married policyholders, the advantage is clear - Progressive offers the most affordable average premiums.

North Star Mutual or Progressive: Average Rates by Gender

Because women are less likely to get speeding tickets and get into collisions, they are less likely to file a claim with insurance. So, women normally pay less for car insurance than men.

Usually, men see rates around 2% per month higher with North Star Mutual, and about 3% with Progressive.

When it comes to the lowest prices for each gender, North Star Mutual offers the most affordable average premiums for both men and women, with average prices 1% less for men and 0% cheaper for women.

North Star Mutual vs. Progressive: 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.

For most people, auto insurance can be pretty complicated. There are several different coverages that account for a bunch of different things. Some protect you and your car, while others only provide coverage for other people's property and health if you cause a collision.

That being said, most policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (which covers the other party's property damage and injuries if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- collision and comprehensive -- in addition to liability).

When it comes to state minimum limits for liability insurance, North Star Mutual has the edge, while Progressive offers the cheapest average rates for full coverage policies with similar coverage limits. Policyholders looking for basic state minimum coverage can save around $45 with North Star Mutual, while full coverage comes out to be around $45 cheaper with Progressive.

Is North Star Mutual or Progressive 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 North Star Mutual or Progressive more affordable for drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Drivers who use North Star Mutual for their insurance can typically expect their monthly bill to go up about 30% after getting a speeding ticket. Progressive policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of around 17%.

Even so, North Star Mutual tends to offer the best prices for drivers both with clean records and with a ticket -- their rates are around 32% cheaper for drivers with clean records and 19% less expensive for those with a ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

After an accident, drivers who have their auto insurance through North Star Mutual can expect to see about an $73 -- or around 42% -- rise in their insurance premiums. Drivers who use Progressive for their car insurance will see a monthly bill about $65 (or 30%) more expensive after reporting a collision to their insurance company.

At the end of the day, North Star Mutual offers the most affordable rates for drivers with an at-fault collision on their records, with average premiums coming in at $174 compared to Progressive's $214.

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 speeding ticket when it comes to your auto insurance bill. North Star Mutual drivers usually see a 66% climb in their car insurance prices after a DUI charge, while Progressive will generally raise rates by around 16%.

How does Credit Score Impact North Star Mutual and Progressive Rates?

Did you know many auto insurance companies take your credit score into account when determining prices? Certain states and carriers do not allow for credit score to be used as a car insurance factor, but it might come into play for a lot of policyholders.

The reasoning insurance companies use is that drivers with good credit will be more likely to pay their bills on time; so they'll reward them with cheaper rates, while those with poor credit will usually be forced to pay more.

Looking specifically at Progressive and North Star Mutual, which one has the lowest premiums for policyholders at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Is North Star Mutual or Progressive 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 how much car insurance carriers will charge for coverage. 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.

In this case, neither North Star Mutual or Progressive report increasing rates for drivers with higher annual mileage figures.

North Star Mutual or Progressive: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where your home is can have a pretty big impact on your monthly insurance cost. Generally, drivers who live in heavily-populated urban areas will pay quite a bit more than rural policyholders since there are a lot more vehicles on the roads where they live.

Progressive tends to offer the cheapest option for drivers in rural and urban areas, while North Star Mutual wins in suburban areas.

Those in rural areas can expect to save about 7% with Progressive compared to North Star Mutual. People who live in suburban areas pay around 8% less with North Star Mutual compared to Progressive. For drivers in urban ZIP codes, Progressive's average prices are about 0% less than North Star Mutual.

North Star Mutual vs. Progressive 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. That's where auto insurance discounts comes into play.

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

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and compared all of the different discounts offered by North Star Mutual and Progressive so that you can see which company offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

Progressive knocks North Star Mutual out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 28 more discounts than North Star Mutual.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like anti-theft discounts, multi-policy discounts, and passive restraint discounts. Progressive also offers discounts for ABS, advance quote, advanced safety feature, and more.

On the other hand, North Star Mutual has a proprietary discount of their own -- a family discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is North Star Mutual or Progressive Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average premiums for many of the variables car insurance companies look at, and we've shown you all the discounts each company offers. But, at the end of the day, which insurance carrier is the right one for you and your specific needs?

North Star Mutual might be best for you if....

• You've received a ticket for speeding recently and don't want to see your prices climb.
• Your driving record contains an at-fault collision.
• You want to save money while purchasing insurance for a teenager.

Progressive might be best for you if...

• Your driving record includes a DUI charge.
• You want the most robust protection via a "full coverage" policy.
• You're married and plan to have both of your names on the vehicle's auto insurance policy.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between North Star Mutual and Progressive and that you can now make a more informed decision when it comes to your insurance.

At the end of the day, the best way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your auto insurance policy is to compare quotes from several carriers, not just North Star Mutual and Progressive. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. 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.

North Star Mutual vs. Progressive FAQs

Is North Star Mutual or Progressive cheaper?

North Star Mutual is the more affordable of the two carriers when looking at national average premiums, with policies averaging $180 a month with North Star Mutual and $180 for Progressive. However, that doesn't mean North Star Mutual will be the lowest company for everyone, since there are a range of different factors that come into play when it comes to your auto insurance payment.

Who is better, North Star Mutual or Progressive?

Unfortunately, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". One carrier is not "better" for every policyholder -- it all depends on what your unique car insurance profile looks like. For example, Progressive is less expensive for drivers who have already retired, while North Star Mutual offers more affordable rates for single policyholders.

Why do North Star Mutual and Progressive offer me different rates?

Insurance companies use several different variables when calculating the premiums they charge. Things like where you park your car, gender, where you live, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both North Star Mutual and Progressive calculate rates using 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 carriers.

How do I know if North Star Mutual or Progressive 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, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Just enter your information once and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top car insurance carriers for free. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the best premium. And maybe you'll find that the best company for you isn't North Star Mutual or Progressive 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.