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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for insurance, North Star Mutual offers cheaper prices than Shelter
• North Star Mutual offers more affordable premiums for policyholders who have a short commute
• Shelter has more affordable rates for drivers with a DUI charge on their record

North Star Mutual vs. Shelter: 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 big discounts. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You've maybe even narrowed your search down to North Star Mutual or Shelter, but between the two, which carrier will save you the most?

As you can see, North Star Mutual is about $28 per month less expensive than Shelter when looking at the national average rates for auto insurance.

But that doesn't mean North Star Mutual will necessarily be cheaper than Shelter for each driver. After all, car insurance companies can offer drastically different rates to each driver depending on rating factors like your credit score, where you call home, your driving record, or even your age (among other things), so premiums will change quite a bit from person to person.

Wanting to know if North Star Mutual or Shelter 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.

North Star Mutual or Shelter: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

North Star Mutual and Shelter only compete against each other in one states, with North Star Mutual offering less expensive rates to the average driver in all of them. Nebraska has the most noticable difference, where North Star Mutual prices are more affordable than auto insurance premiums at Shelter.

There's a lot more that goes into your insurance bill than just the state you live in. Keep reading to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive auto insurance prices of any group out there on the road. It's generally because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to cause collisions and other accidents that will result in an insurance claim.

Even so, that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high car insurance premiums. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of more than $100 less a month by choosing North Star Mutual over Shelter.

However, both carriers will offer you dramatically lower rates by the time drivers turn 25. For example, average prices for North Star Mutual policyholders drop over 50% and Shelter's premiums decrease more than 55% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Once you approach retirement age, you'll typically enjoy the lowest insurance rates you'll ever find. You've been on the road for years, and all that experience pays off when it comes to your monthly prices for car insurance.

So, which company offers the best rates to retired drivers? Shelter gets the slight edge here, with average premiums coming in at around $141 monthly compared to North Star Mutual's $144. That being said, that difference is less than 5%, which means it ultimately will come down to other factors, such as your driving record is or your credit score.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Single policyholders tend to get offered slightly more expensive auto insurance rates than married policyholders. This usually boils down to married couples having more than one car on their policy -- something several insurance companies will reward with discounts.

When it comes to relationship status, North Star Mutual is the clear winner for single drivers, with prices about $45 per month less expensive than Shelter, on average. It's not quite so glaring for married drivers, where drivers who use North Star Mutual save around $7 a month.

North Star Mutual vs. Shelter: Average Rates by Gender

Because men are more likely to get speeding tickets and get into collisions, they are more likely to file a claim with insurance. Therefore, insurance carriers will often charge men more than women.

Usually, men see premiums about 2% per month higher with North Star Mutual, and over 10% with Shelter.

When it comes to the cheapest rates for each gender, North Star Mutual comes out on top for both men and women, with average premiums $39 less for men and $18 cheaper for women.

North Star Mutual or Shelter: 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 car insurance can be pretty complicated. There are a variety of different coverages that account for a range of 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 that many drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability only (which provides property damage and bodily injury coverage for other drivers and their passengers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- comprehensive and collision -- alongside what you get with a liability policy).

In this case, North Star Mutual offers the most affordable average prices for state minimum liability limits, while Shelter has the edge for full coverage policies with similar coverage limits. Drivers looking for basic state minimum coverage can save around $65 with North Star Mutual, while full coverage comes out to be around $7 more affordable with Shelter Insurance.

Is North Star Mutual or Shelter Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

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

You'll probably end up paying more with tickets and at-fault accidents on your record, but which of these two companies offers the cheapest premiums to drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

North Star Mutual policyholders can expect their rates to go up an average of $44 a month if they get a ticket, while Shelter usually raises prices about $39 per month, on average.

However, North Star Mutual is normally the cheaper option for both drivers who have clean records and those with a recent speeding ticket, offering rates that are 29% and 20% less expensive, respectively, compared to Shelter Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

After an accident, drivers who have their insurance through North Star Mutual can expect to see around an $73 -- or about 42% -- increase in their car insurance premiums. Drivers who use Shelter for their insurance will see a monthly bill around $92 (or 39%) more expensive after reporting an accident to their auto insurance carrier.

Overall, the more affordable prices come from North Star Mutual, with monthly rates averaging $174 compared to Shelter Insurance's $234.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

If you get a DUI charge, you can expect some pretty significant increases in your monthly car insurance bill -- usually a lot more than a collision or ticket. North Star Mutual drivers usually see a 66% increase in their auto insurance premiums after a DUI charge, while Shelter will typically climb prices by about 49%.

If you have a DUI on your record and are looking for more affordable rates, Shelter tends to be the much cheaper option with average prices of $277 a month compared to $299 from North Star Mutual.

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

Did you know that many insurance carriers take your credit score into account when calculating premiums? Certain states and companies do not allow for credit score to be used as a rating factor, but it might come into play for quite a few policyholders.

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

So, which company offers the best rates for drivers with good, average, or poor credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Is North Star Mutual or Shelter Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a considerable impact on your monthly insurance cost. Generally, those who drive less will end up with less expensive premiums since there's less of a chance of getting into an accident and causing an insurance claim.

As you can see in the table above, annual mileage doesn't have much of an impact on how much North Star Mutual charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly prices for Shelter, with drivers who put 6,000 miles on their vehicle annually paying around $11 less each month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles yearly. Still, North Star Mutual is the cheaper option for drivers in both categories.

North Star Mutual vs. Shelter: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where your home is can have a big impact on your monthly auto insurance payment. Normally, those who live in rural areas will pay less than policyholders in urban areas because there are a lot fewer cars on the road in those areas, which reduces the chances of an accident.

When comparing these two companies side-by-side, North Star Mutual generally comes out as the most affordable option for drivers in all areas, regardless of if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

For drivers in rural ZIP codes, North Star Mutual offers premiums about $166 per month compared to Shelter's $203. People who live in urban ZIP codes can expect to pay around $208 a month for North Star Mutual and $235 for Shelter. Lastly, those in suburban areas tend to get the cheapest prices from both carriers, with average monthly premiums coming in at $165 and $187 for North Star Mutual and Shelter respectively.

North Star Mutual vs. Shelter 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.

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

In the table below, we've taken a look at all of the different discounts North Star Mutual and Shelter offer their customers so that you can find the one that has the most discounts and, therefore, the biggest savings.

Looking at the total number of discounts, Shelter has the advantage when it comes to total number of discounts. North Star Mutual offers a grand total of six discounts, while Shelter has 10.

There are a couple discounts both companies offer, but Shelter also offers advance quote discounts, driver training discounts, good driving discounts, and more that North Star Mutual does not.

On the flip side, North Star Mutual has a unique discount of its own -- a family discounts.

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

So, we've broken down the average rates for many of the variables car insurance carriers look at, and walked through the different discounts each company offers, too. That's all well and good, but at the end of the day, which carrier is the right company for you and your specific driver profile?

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

• Your driving record contains an at-fault accident.
• Your home is located in the suburbs.
• You live in a rural area.

Shelter might be best for you if...

• You're looking for the company with the most discounts.
• You're looking for more protection with "full coverage" insurance.
• You are over 65 years old and want to save some money on your auto insurance.

We hope this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between North Star Mutual and Shelter and that you can now make a more informed decision when it comes to your car insurance.

At the end of the day, the best way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your insurance policy is to compare quotes from several companies, not just North Star Mutual and Shelter. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code below and get free quotes from dozens of top car insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

North Star Mutual vs. Shelter FAQs

Is North Star Mutual or Shelter cheaper?

Looking just at the national average prices, North Star Mutual is the more affordable of the two companies, offering average rates of $180 per month compared to $208 for Shelter. Even so, North Star Mutual won't necessarily be the lowest carrier for everyone, since there are several different factors that come into play when it comes to your auto insurance bill.

Who is better, North Star Mutual or Shelter?

Unfortunately, the real answer is "it depends.". One company is not necessarily "better" for everyone -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique car insurance profile. For example, Shelter offers cheaper premiums for drivers with a recent DUI, while North Star Mutual is less expensive for drivers with excellent credit.

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

Insurance carriers take a look at a lot of different variables when determining the rates they charge policyholders. Factors such as where you park your vehicle, gender, where you live, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both North Star Mutual and Shelter calculate prices using different variables, so each one will most likely offer different rates. The only real way to see which carrier is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from lots of different companies.

How do I know if North Star Mutual or Shelter is right for me?

The only way to find the auto insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from multiple carriers 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 companies in your area. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the best rate. And who knows, the best carrier for you might not be North Star Mutual or Shelter 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.