Personal Service vs. Progressive: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for car insurance, Progressive offers significantly less expensive prices than Personal Service
• Progressive offers more affordable rates for drivers who have a speeding ticket on their driving record
• Progressive tends to be a much cheaper option for single people who will be the only person on the insurance policy

Personal Service or Progressive: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

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

You've maybe even narrowed it down to Personal Service or Progressive, but between the two, which carrier will save you the most?

As you can see, Personal Service has average rates that are around 45% a month more expensive than those from Progressive when looking at the national average rates for auto insurance.

But that doesn't necessarily mean Progressive will be the less expensive option for each driver. Car insurance carriers use tons of complex algorithms to determine prices, so depending on how good your credit score is or where you live (among a whole bunch of other factors), you could see wildly different rates from the ones above.

Luckily, we've broken down average premiums from both Personal Service and Progressive by a bunch of different rate factors, so read on to find out which company is the best for you.

Personal Service vs. Progressive: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Personal Service and Progressive only compete against each other in New Jersey, where Progressive offers the cheaper average prices. Progressive drivers tend to pay about $119 per month less on average compared to drivers who use Personal Service for their insurance.

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

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive insurance rates of any group on the road. That's because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into an accident that results in a car insurance claim, making them much riskier to insure.

Even so, that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their auto insurance. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have Progressive for their insurance pay over 30% less than those who use Personal Service.

That being said, with both carriers, you'll see your premiums reduce significantly by the time you turn 25. For example, average rates for Personal Service policyholders lower about $300 and Progressive's prices drop more than $300 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

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

When looking at Personal Service and Progressive specifically, which carrier is best for retired drivers? Progressive gets the edge, with premiums for drivers 65 and older $100 cheaper than the national average for Personal Service.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but insurance prices tend to be more expensive for single policyholders than they are for married couples. That's because policies for married policyholders generally cover multiple vehicles, which a lot of companies will give you a discount for.

For those who are single, the difference in average premiums between these two carriers is significant, with Progressive rates coming in at around 40% less than Personal Service's. For married drivers, the advantage is clear again - Progressive has the edge when it comes to average premiums.

Personal Service or Progressive: Average Rates by Gender

Did you know men usually pay more for car insurance than women? This is because men are statistically more likely than women to get pulled over for speeding or get into a collision, which leads to increased risk for insurers and, therefore, higher prices.

Usually, women see rates about $45 a month more affordable with Personal Service, and around $5 with Progressive.

Looking at the data for each company specifically, Progressive comes out on top for both men and women. On average, women save about $124 per month and men save about $165 with Progressive compared to the average Personal Service policyholder.

Personal Service 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.

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

However, the most common 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 -- alongside liability).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability insurance, Progressive has the significant edge, with average monthly premiums coming in at $111. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Progressive again has the edge, with policies averaging around $250 a month to Personal Service's $422.

Is Personal Service or Progressive Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from auto insurance companies offering great rates for good drivers, but that doesn't mean people with less-than-perfect driving records can't save money, too.

Speeding tickets and at-fault accidents will most likely raise your prices, but is Personal Service or Progressive less expensive for drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Personal Service for their car insurance can typically expect their monthly bill to go up about 12% after getting a speeding ticket. Progressive policyholders can expect a bit more drastic of an increase of around 17%.

That being said, Progressive has more affordable premiums for drivers in both categories -- their rates are around 42% cheaper for drivers with clean records and 39% more affordable for those with a ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Personal Service drivers who get in a collision can expect to see their rates rise by over 25%, while those who have insurance through Progressive will see about a 30% increase.

At the end of the day, drivers who use Progressive end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with average prices coming in at $214 compared to Personal Service Insurance Company's $348.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

On average, a DUI offense is going to cost you much more than a single collision or ticket when it comes to your auto insurance bill. For example, Personal Service increases average rates by nearly $150 per month -- that's more than a 35% increase.

How does Credit Score Impact Personal Service and Progressive Rates?

You may not realized it, but your credit score can come into play when carriers determine your monthly bill. This isn't true for everyone (for example, Michigan and Massachusetts are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it does affect quite a few policyholders out there.

Car 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.

So, which carrier offers the best premiums for policyholders 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 Personal Service 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 your monthly prices. Usually, those who drive fewer miles will end up with cheaper premiums since there's less of a chance of causing an accident and filing an insurance claim.

In this case, neither Personal Service or Progressive report increasing prices for drivers with higher annual mileage figures. Still, Progressive comes out as the most affordable for drivers at both intervals, whether they put 6,000 or 12,000 miles on their car annually, with average rates of $180 a month for both.

Personal Service or Progressive: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where your home is can play a pretty big role in how much you pay for insurance. Generally, drivers who live in less densely populated rural areas will pay quite a bit less than urban policyholders since there are a lot fewer vehicles on the roads where they live.

Progressive boasts the most affordable average rates for drivers in all types of areas, no matter if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

For drivers in urban ZIP codes, Progressive's average premiums are around $195 less than Personal Service Insurance Company. People who live in suburban areas pay about $176 less with Progressive compared to Personal Service. Those in rural areas can expect to save around $63 with Progressive compared to Personal Service.

Personal Service vs. Progressive Discounts

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

But where do you even start? With what seems like a million different discounts out there, it may be difficult to find all the ones you can take advantage of.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and broke down all of the different discounts offered by both Personal Service and Progressive so that you can find the company that has the most discounts and, therefore, the largest savings.

Progressive blows Personal Service away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 24 more discounts than Personal Service.

There are a couple discounts both carriers offer, but Progressive also offers discounts for ABS, advance quote, advanced safety feature, and more.

On the other hand, Personal Service has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like cellphone safety discounts, good payer discounts, and multi-car/single driver discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is Personal Service or Progressive Best for You?

So, you've seen how different variables can affect your insurance prices. We've broken down the different discounts each carrier offers, too. But, when it comes down to it, which insurance company is the best carrier for you and your specific driver profile?

Progressive might be best for you if....

• You will be the only person on the auto insurance policy.
• You want the most robust protection via a "full coverage" policy.
• You've started working from home and don't have much of a commute.

Personal Service might be best for you if...

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

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between Personal Service and Progressive and that it aids in making a more informed decision about your insurance.

At the end of the day, the sure-fire 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 Personal Service and Progressive. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Simply enter your ZIP code below and get free quotes from dozens of the top car insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Personal Service vs. Progressive FAQs

Is Personal Service or Progressive cheaper?

Progressive is the less expensive of the two companies when looking at national average premiums, with policies averaging $180 per month with Progressive and $325 for Personal Service. Even so, that doesn't mean Progressive will be the lowest carrier for every policyholder, since there are lots of different factors (things like age, gender, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Personal Service or Progressive?

Unfortunately, the real answer is "it depends.". No one company is "better" for everyone -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique auto insurance profile.

Why do Personal Service and Progressive offer me different rates?

Insurance carriers use several different variables when determining the rates they charge. Factors such as gender, age, your driving record, where you call home, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both Personal Service and Progressive calculate premiums using different variables, so it's likely they'll offer different rates. The best way to determine which carrier is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a variety of different companies.

How do I know if Personal Service or Progressive is right for me?

The only way to find the car 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, sites like Compare.com make it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your ZIP code and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top auto insurance companies for free. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the best rate. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't Personal Service 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.