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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for insurance, Partners Mutual offers slightly cheaper prices than West Bend Mutual
• Partners Mutual offers more affordable average premiums for policyholders who may not have much of a commute
• West Bend Mutual offers more discounts than Partners Mutual Insurance

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

So, you're thinking about switching your auto insurance. You've probably seen commercials and billboards from companies offering hefty discounts, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You've maybe even narrowed it down to Partners Mutual or West Bend Mutual, but between the two, which company will save you the most?

As you can see, Partners Mutual is about $8 per month less expensive than West Bend Mutual when looking at the national average rates for auto insurance.

Even so, that doesn't mean Partners Mutual will necessarily be cheaper than West Bend Mutual for every single driver. Insurance companies use a ton of complex algorithms to calculate prices, so depending on how good your credit score is or where you live (among a wide array of other factors), you could see wildly different rates from the ones above.

Wanting to know if Partners Mutual or West Bend Mutual 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.

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

Partners Mutual and West Bend Mutual only compete against each other in Iowa, where West Bend Mutual offers the cheaper average rates. For Iowa residents, West Bend Mutual offers auto insurance for $95 per month on average. Partners Mutual's average prices come out to be over 20% more expensive, at $123 a month.

But there's more to car insurance than just the state you live in. As we mentioned above, there's a lot of things that go into how insurance carriers determine your premiums. Keep reading to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- usually pay a lot for car insurance compared to older drivers. That's generally because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to cause collisions and other accidents that will result in an insurance claim.

But still, even with seemingly sky-high rates, teen drivers can still find ways to save money. As you can see above, teens who use Partners Mutual save $85 a month compared to those who use West Bend Mutual.

However, both companies will offer you dramatically lower prices once you turn 25. For example, average premiums for Partners Mutual policyholders lower nearly $150 and West Bend Mutual's prices reduce more than $200 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

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

But who has the best premiums for retired drivers between Partners Mutual and West Bend Mutual? West Bend Mutual gets the slight edge, with rates for drivers 65 and older around 7% less expensive than the national average for Partners Mutual.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but car insurance prices tend to be more expensive for those who are single than they are for married policyholders. This usually boils down to married drivers having multiple cars on their policy -- something a lot of auto insurance carriers will reward with discounts.

When it comes to relationship status, Partners Mutual is the clear winner for single policyholders, with premiums about $24 per month more affordable than West Bend Mutual, on average. The advantage for married couples with West Bend Mutual is also obvious, where drivers save around $15 a month.

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

Because men are more likely to get speeding tickets and get into collisions, they have an increased chance of filing a claim with insurance. Therefore, men tend to get higher rates than women.

With Partners Mutual, women typically pay almost $10 per month less than men, and about $16 less with West Bend Mutual.

Looking at overall affordability, Partners Mutual comes out on top for both men and women. On average, women save about $4 a month and men save around $12 with Partners Mutual compared to the average West Bend Mutual policyholder.

Partners 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 insurance can be a complicated subject for most people. There are so many different limits and terms that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy.

The two most common policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability only (that covers bodily injury and property damage for other drivers if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- comprehensive and collision -- in addition to what you get with a liability policy).

In this case, Partners Mutual offers the lowest average prices for state minimum 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 $25 with Partners Mutual Insurance, while full coverage comes out to be about $10 less expensive with West Bend Mutual Insurance.

Is Partners 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 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.

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

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Partners Mutual policyholders can expect their prices to go up an average of $16 per month if they get a ticket, while West Bend Mutual normally raises rates around $25 a month, on average.

That being said, Partners Mutual tends to offer the best prices for both drivers who have clean records and those with a recent speeding ticket, offering premiums that are 6% and 13% cheaper, respectively, compared to West Bend Mutual Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Partners Mutual policyholders who get in a collision can expect to see their rates climb by over 30%, while those who have insurance through West Bend Mutual will see about a 50% increase.

Overall, drivers who use Partners Mutual end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with monthly prices averaging $115 compared to West Bend Mutual Insurance's $163.

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 insurance bill -- generally a lot more than an accident or ticket. On average, Partners Mutual will increase your premiums around 61% after a DUI, while West Bend Mutual's average prices increase 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 rates of $169 monthly compared to $203 from Partners Mutual.

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

You may not realized it, but your credit score can be used as one of the factors to calculate your monthly auto insurance prices. This isn't always the case (for example, California and Michigan are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it might come into play for lots of drivers.

Insurance carriers 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 best rates for policyholders with poor, average, or good credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have solid credit, you'll usually find a better deal with Partners Mutual. Drivers with "excellent" credit can save 5% compared to West Bend Mutual, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- about $7 or 6% cheaper every month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Partners Mutual typically offers lower premiums than West Bend Mutual when it comes to drivers with less-than-stellar credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around $7 per month less with Partners Mutual compared to West Bend Mutual, and those with "poor" scores usually save an average of about $14 per month.

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

How much you drive can have a big 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 Partners Mutual or West Bend Mutual report increasing premiums for drivers with higher annual mileage figures. That being said, Partners 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 prices of $123 a month for both.

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

We've already mentioned how your home state can play a role in how much you pay for auto insurance, but the type of area you live in can have a large impact as well. Normally, if you live in an urban area with more cars on the road, you'll pay a little more for car insurance, while the opposite is true for people in rural areas.

When comparing these two companies side-by-side, Partners Mutual generally comes out as the less expensive option for drivers in urban and suburban areas, while West Bend Mutual wins in rural areas.

Those in rural areas can expect to pay around $113 monthly with West Bend Mutual and $118 with Partners Mutual. Drivers in suburban ZIP codes pay a monthly rate of about $108 with Partners Mutual compared to $122 with West Bend Mutual. In urban areas, Partners Mutual's average rates are around $143 per month compared to West Bend Mutual's $158.

Partners Mutual vs. West Bend Mutual 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. That's where auto insurance discounts comes into play.

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 company that has the most discounts for your unique driver profile.

In the table below, we've compared all of the different discounts offered by Partners Mutual and West Bend Mutual so that you can see which carrier can save you the most money each month.

West Bend Mutual knocks Partners Mutual out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering eight more discounts than Partners Mutual.

Both carriers offer lots of the same discounts -- like ABS discounts, group discounts, and paid in full discounts -- but West Bend Mutual also offers advanced safety feature discounts, defensive driver discounts, distant student discounts, and more that Partners Mutual does not.

On the flip side, Partners Mutual has a couple unique discounts of its own -- advance quote discounts, ESC discounts, and passive restraint discounts.

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

You've seen the role certain variables have on your car insurance and the different discounts companies offer. But, at the end of the day, which carrier is the best one for you and your specific profile and needs?

Partners Mutual might be best for you if....

• You want to save money on your insurance after a collision.
• You want basic auto insurance coverage at the state minimum limits.
• You're buying insurance for a teen and looking for a wallet-friendly option.

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

• You have a DUI charge on your record.
• You're looking for more protection with "full coverage" auto insurance.
• You are over 65 years old and want to save some money on your car insurance.

We hope this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between Partners Mutual and West Bend Mutual. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision about your auto insurance.

At the end of the day, the best way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your car insurance policy is to compare quotes from a handful of carriers, not just Partners Mutual and West Bend Mutual. Luckily, sites like Compare.com make it easy for you to do just that. Simply enter your ZIP code below and get free quotes from dozens of the top insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Partners Mutual vs. West Bend Mutual FAQs

Is Partners Mutual or West Bend Mutual cheaper?

Looking just at the national average prices, Partners Mutual is the more affordable of the two carriers, offering average rates of $123 a month compared to $131 for West Bend Mutual. But Partners Mutual won't necessarily be the lowest company for everyone, since there are a variety of different factors (things like age, gender, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Partners Mutual or West Bend Mutual?

Unfortunately, the answer truly is "it depends.". No one carrier is necessarily "better" for every driver -- it all boils down to your unique auto insurance profile. For example, Partners Mutual offers cheaper premiums for single policyholders, while West Bend Mutual is less expensive for drivers who have already retired.

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

Insurance companies take a look at many different variables when calculating the prices they charge drivers. Factors such as where you park your vehicle, age, where you live, gender, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Partners Mutual and West Bend Mutual calculate rates using different variables, 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 range of different carriers.

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

The only way to find the car insurance carrier that's right for you is by getting quotes from several companies and finding the one best suited for your individual budget. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best insurance carriers in your area. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the lowest price. And who knows, the best company for you might not be Partners 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.