Pemco vs. Sentry: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for auto insurance, Pemco offers significantly less expensive prices than Sentry
• Pemco has more affordable premiums for policyholders who haven't received any speeding tickets or been in an accident in the last few years
• Pemco tends to be a much cheaper option for policyholders who drive fewer than 12,000 miles each year

Pemco vs. Sentry: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

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

You might have narrowed your search down to Pemco or Sentry as your top options, but between the two, which company has less expensive rates for car insurance?

Looking at the national average rates for both companies, Pemco has average rates that are about 45% per month more affordable than those from Sentry.

Even so, that doesn't necessarily mean Pemco will be the cheaper option for each driver. Auto insurance carriers vary their prices depending on things like how old you are, how clean your driving record is, how good your credit score is, where you live, and a variety of other factors. So, at the end of the day, rates from every carrier will differ quite a bit from person to person.

Wanting to know if Pemco or Sentry 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.

Pemco or Sentry: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Pemco and Sentry only compete against each other in Washington, where Pemco offers the cheaper average premiums. For Washington residents, Pemco offers insurance for $107 a month on average. Sentry's average prices come out to be over 70% more expensive, at $209 per month.

But there's more to auto insurance than just where you call home. As we mentioned above, there's a lot of things that go into how car insurance companies calculate your rates. Read on to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive insurance premiums of any other group of drivers out there on the road. Usually, that's because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

But that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high car insurance prices. As you can see above, teens who use Pemco save nearly $200 a month compared to those who use Sentry.

That being said, both carriers will offer you dramatically lower premiums by the time drivers turn 25. For example, average rates for Pemco policyholders drop more than $100 and Sentry's prices reduce around $200 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Once you approach retirement age, you'll generally enjoy the most affordable insurance premiums you can find. You've been on the road for years, and all that experience pays off when it comes to your monthly rates for auto insurance.

When looking at Pemco and Sentry specifically, which carrier is best for retired drivers? Pemco gets the edge, with prices for drivers 65 and older almost 40% less expensive than the national average for Sentry.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but insurance premiums tend to be more expensive for single drivers than they are for married policyholders. This usually boils down to married drivers having more than one car on their policy -- something several car insurance companies will reward with discounts.

When it comes to relationship status, Pemco is the clear winner for single policyholders, with rates about $102 per month more affordable than Sentry, on average. The advantage for married couples with Pemco is also obvious, where drivers save nearly 45% a month.

Pemco vs. Sentry: Average Rates by Gender

You may not know, but auto insurance is normally more expensive for men than for women. This is because men are more likely to get into accidents and get tickets, which raises the chances of an insurance claim.

Generally, men see prices around $4 per month higher with Pemco, and about $20 with Sentry.

Looking at overall affordability, Pemco comes out as the cheapest option for both genders. On average, male drivers save about $96 a month and women save around $80 with Pemco compared to the average Sentry policyholder.

Pemco or Sentry: 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.

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

The two most common policies that many drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability only (which covers the other party's property damage and injuries if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- comprehensive and collision -- in addition to liability).

If you're looking for state minimum limits for liability insurance, Pemco typically offers significantly cheaper rates of $62 compared to Sentry's $104. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, Pemco again has the edge, with policies about $150 per month less expensive than Sentry, on average.

Is Pemco or Sentry 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.

At-fault accidents and tickets will most likely raise your premiums, but is Pemco or Sentry cheaper for drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Pemco policyholders can expect their rates to go up an average of $16 a month if they get a ticket, while Sentry generally raises prices around $25 per month, on average.

However, Pemco tends to offer the best prices for both drivers who have clean records and those with a recent speeding ticket -- their rates are around 52% more affordable for drivers with clean records and 50% cheaper for those with a ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Pemco drivers who get in an accident can expect to see their premiums climb by just under 25%, while those who have insurance through Sentry will see about a 20% increase.

Overall, Pemco offers the lowest rates for drivers with an at-fault accident on their records, with monthly premiums averaging $111 compared to Sentry Insurance's $221.

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. On average, Pemco will climb your prices around 35% after a DUI, while Sentry's average premiums rise by 0%.

If you have a DUI on your record and are looking for more affordable rates, Pemco tends to be the much less expensive option with average prices of $131 monthly compared to $178 from Sentry.

How does Credit Score Impact Pemco and Sentry Rates?

In many cases, your credit score can be used as one of the factors to determine your monthly insurance rates. This isn't always the case (California, for example, has banned the use of credit score as a rating factor) but it will come into play for quite a few policyholders.

Auto insurance carriers argue that those with poor credit scores are less likely to pay their bills on time each month, which increases the risk involved on their end, while the opposite is true for those with good credit.

So, which company offers the most affordable prices for drivers with good, average, or poor credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have a solid credit score, you'll usually find a better deal with Pemco. Policyholders with "excellent" credit can save just under 65% compared to Sentry, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- about $103 or 56% more affordable every month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Pemco typically offers lower premiums than Sentry when it comes to drivers with less-than-stellar credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around $92 a month less with Pemco compared to Sentry, and those with "poor" scores normally save an average of about $47 per month.

Is Pemco or Sentry 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 large impact on your monthly car insurance cost? Typically, the more miles you drive, the more you can expect to pay for coverage.

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

Pemco vs. Sentry: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you live can play a considerable 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.

Pemco tends to offer the cheapest prices for drivers in every type of area, no matter if it's urban, suburban, or rural.

For drivers in urban ZIP codes, Pemco offers premiums about $115 monthly compared to Sentry's $224. People who live in suburban ZIP codes can expect to pay around $119 per month for Pemco and $218 for Sentry. Lastly, those in rural areas tend to get the most affordable rates from both companies, with average monthly prices coming in at $88 and $143 for Pemco and Sentry respectively.

Pemco vs. Sentry Discounts

You want to save as much money as possible, right? The best way to do that is by taking advantage of as many car insurance discounts as you can.

But where do you even start? With so many discounts out there, it may seem challenging to find all the of the ones you can take advantage of.

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

Pemco knocks Sentry out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 12 different discounts to Sentry's five.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like advance quote discounts, discounts for being a homeowner, and paid in full discounts. Pemco also offers anti-theft discounts, distant student discounts, employee discounts, and more that Sentry does not.

On the flip side, Sentry has a unique discount of its own -- a multi-car discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is Pemco or Sentry Best for You?

You've seen the role certain variables have on your insurance and the different discounts carriers offer. That's all well and good, but at the end of the day, which company is the right one for you and your specific profile and needs?

Pemco might be best for you if....

• You're worried about the impact your credit score will have on your premiums.
• You're looking for the carrier with the most discounts.
• You've started working from home and don't have much of a commute.

Sentry might be best for you if...

• You have a more unique driver profile than those we mentioned above.

We hope this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between Pemco and Sentry 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 auto insurance policy is to compare quotes from a handful of companies, not just Pemco and Sentry. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. 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.

Pemco vs. Sentry FAQs

Is Pemco or Sentry cheaper?

Looking just at the national average rates, Pemco is the more affordable of the two companies, offering average rates of $107 a month compared to $195 for Sentry. That being said, Pemco won't necessarily be the lowest company for every policyholder, since there are a range of different factors that are considered when it comes to your insurance bill.

Who is better, Pemco or Sentry?

Sadly, the answer truly is "it depends.". One carrier is not "better" for everyone -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique auto insurance profile.

Why do Pemco and Sentry offer me different rates?

Car insurance carriers take a look at many different variables when calculating the prices they charge policyholders. Things like where you park your vehicle, where you call home, gender, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Pemco and Sentry calculate premiums using different factors, so each one will most likely offer different rates. The only real way to see which company is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from many different companies.

How do I know if Pemco or Sentry is right for me?

The only way to find the auto insurance carrier that's right for you is by getting quotes from several 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 insurance companies in your area. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the most affordable price. And who knows, the best company for you might not be Pemco or Sentry 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.