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

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for auto insurance, West Bend Mutual offers significantly less expensive premiums than North Star Mutual
• West Bend Mutual offers more affordable average rates for residents of urban areas
• West Bend Mutual tends to be a much cheaper option for residents of rural areas

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

So, you're thinking about switching your auto insurance. With so many ads from all sorts of companies offering big discounts, you're probably wondering exactly how much you might be able to save.

You might have narrowed your search down to North Star Mutual or West Bend Mutual as your top options, but between the two, which carrier has less expensive prices for insurance?

Looking at the national average rates for both companies, West Bend Mutual is quite a bit cheaper than North Star Mutual, with rates averaging $131 per month compared to $180 with North Star Mutual.

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

Wanting to know if North Star Mutual or West Bend Mutual is really the right company 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 West Bend Mutual: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

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

There's a lot more that goes into your car insurance payment than just your home state. Keep reading to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- usually pay a lot for insurance compared to older drivers. Generally, 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.

That being said, that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high auto insurance prices. As you can see above, teens who use West Bend Mutual save $5 a month compared to those who use North Star Mutual.

However, with both companies, you'll see your premiums drop significantly by the time drivers turn 25. For example, average rates for North Star Mutual policyholders decrease more than $150 and West Bend Mutual's prices reduce about $200 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

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

So, which carrier offers the best premiums to retired drivers? West Bend Mutual gets the edge, with rates for drivers 65 and older over 35% less expensive than the national average for North Star Mutual.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but insurance premiums tend to be cheaper for married policyholders than they are for single policyholders. That's usually because married couples tend to own and insure multiple cars, 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 prices around $37 per month less expensive than North Star Mutual, on average. The advantage is also clear for married drivers - West Bend Mutual offers the lowest average rates.

North Star Mutual vs. West Bend Mutual: Average Rates by Gender

Because men are more likely to get into collisions and get tickets, they run a larger risk of filing a claim with insurance. Therefore, insurance carriers will tend to charge men more than women.

With North Star Mutual, men normally pay about $4 a month more than women, and around $16 more with West Bend Mutual.

When it comes to the cheapest prices for each gender, West Bend Mutual offers the most affordable average premiums for both men and women, with average rates 24% less for men and 31% cheaper for women.

North Star 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.

It's no secret that auto insurance can be a complicated subject for most people. Everyone needs insurance, but there are so many different limits and coverages that it can be hard to find the right policy.

Even so, most policies that many drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability only (that covers property damage and bodily injury for other drivers and their passengers if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- comprehensive and collision -- in addition to what you get with liability).

In this case, North Star Mutual offers the cheapest average prices for state minimum limits for liability insurance, while West Bend Mutual has the edge for full coverage policies with similar coverage limits. Drivers looking for basic state minimum coverage can save around $10 with North Star Mutual, while full coverage comes out to be about $100 more affordable with West Bend Mutual Insurance.

Is North Star Mutual or West Bend Mutual 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.

It's no secret secret that tickets and at-fault collisions lead to higher premiums, but which company -- North Star Mutual or West Bend Mutual -- has the lowest rates for drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

North Star Mutual policyholders can expect their premiums to go up an average of $44 per month if they get a ticket, while West Bend Mutual generally raises prices around $25 a month, on average.

That being said, West Bend Mutual has cheaper rates for drivers in both categories -- their rates are around 17% less expensive for drivers with clean records and 25% cheaper for those with a ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

After an accident, drivers who have their car insurance through North Star Mutual can expect to see about an $73 -- or around 42% -- increase in their auto insurance prices. Drivers who use West Bend Mutual for their insurance will see a monthly bill about $79 (or 48%) more expensive after reporting a collision to their car insurance carrier.

Overall, West Bend Mutual offers the most affordable premiums for drivers with an at-fault accident on their records, with monthly rates averaging $163 compared to North Star Mutual's $174.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

If you get a DUI charge on your record, it's probably going to cost you more than a simple speeding ticket or even an accident. On average, North Star Mutual will climb your prices around 66% after a DUI, while West Bend Mutual's average rates climb by over 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 monthly compared to $299 from North Star Mutual.

How does Credit Score Impact North Star Mutual and West Bend Mutual Rates?

You may not have known, but your credit score can be used as one of the factors to calculate your monthly insurance rates. This isn't always the case (Michigan, for example, has banned the use of credit score as a rating factor) but it will come into play for a lot of policyholders.

Auto insurance companies argue that someone with bad credit is less likely to pay their bills on time, which makes them riskier to insure. Because of that, drivers with bad credit will often be forced to pay more.

Looking specifically at North Star Mutual and West Bend Mutual, which one has the best 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 West Bend Mutual 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 substantial impact on your monthly rates? Typically, the more miles you put on your vehicle, the more you can expect to pay for car insurance.

In this case, neither North Star Mutual or West Bend Mutual report increasing prices for drivers with higher annual mileage figures. West Bend Mutual comes out as the cheapest for drivers at both intervals, whether they put 6,000 or 12,000 miles on their car yearly, with average premiums of $131 per month for both.

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

Where you park your vehicle can play a pretty big role in how much you pay for insurance. Generally, if you live in an urban area with more cars on the road, you'll pay a little more for auto insurance, while the opposite is true for people in rural areas.

West Bend Mutual tends to offer the cheapest premiums for drivers in all areas, regardless of if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

In urban areas, West Bend Mutual Insurance's average prices are about $50 less than North Star Mutual. Drivers in suburban ZIP codes pay around $43 less with West Bend Mutual compared to North Star Mutual. If you live in a rural area, you can expect to save about $53 with West Bend Mutual compared to North Star Mutual.

North Star 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 taking advantage of as many auto 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 North Star Mutual and West Bend Mutual so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and, therefore, the biggest savings.

West Bend Mutual blows North Star Mutual away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 10 more discounts than North Star Mutual.

There are a couple discounts both carriers offer, but West Bend Mutual also offers ABS discounts, advanced safety feature discounts, distant student discounts, and more that North Star Mutual does not.

On the flip side, North Star Mutual has a couple unique discounts of its own -- family discounts and passive restraint discounts.

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

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

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

• You want to save money on your car insurance after a collision.
• You and your spouse are buying insurance together.

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

• You want basic auto insurance coverage at the state minimum limits.

We hope this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare North Star Mutual and West Bend Mutual and that it aids in making a more informed decision about 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 multiple carriers, not just North Star 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 multiple free quotes from some of the best car insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

North Star Mutual vs. West Bend Mutual FAQs

Is North Star Mutual or West Bend Mutual cheaper?

Looking just at the national average premiums, West Bend Mutual is the less expensive of the two carriers, offering average rates of $131 a month compared to $180 for North Star Mutual. However, West Bend Mutual won't necessarily be the most affordable company for each policyholder, since there are lots of different factors that are considered when it comes to your auto insurance cost.

Who is better, North Star Mutual or West Bend Mutual?

Sadly, the answer truly is "it depends.". No single carrier is "better" for every driver -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique insurance profile.

Why do North Star Mutual and West Bend Mutual offer me different rates?

Car insurance companies take a look at several different variables when calculating the rates they charge drivers. Things such as your driving record, age, gender, where you live, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both North Star Mutual and West Bend Mutual calculate premiums differently, so each one will most likely offer different prices. The only real way to see which company is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from several different carriers.

How do I know if North Star Mutual or West Bend Mutual 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 area information 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 North Star 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.