Progressive vs. Rockford Mutual: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for auto insurance, Rockford Mutual offers slightly less expensive premiums than Progressive
• Progressive offers more affordable rates for policyholders who live in urban areas
• Rockford Mutual tends to be a much cheaper option for single people who will be the only person on the insurance policy

Progressive or Rockford Mutual: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

So, you're thinking about switching to a new insurance policy. After all, you've seen ads from all sorts of companies offering hefty savings. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You might have narrowed your search down to Progressive or Rockford Mutual as potential options, but between the two, which one will offer you more affordable prices?

Looking at the national average rates for both carriers, Progressive is around $11 more a month than Rockford Mutual.

That being said, that doesn't mean Rockford Mutual will necessarily be less expensive than Progressive for every single driver. Auto insurance companies use tons of complex algorithms to determine rates, so depending on how clean your driving record is or where you live (among lots of other factors), you could see wildly different premiums from the ones above.

Wanting to know if Progressive or Rockford Mutual is really the right carrier for you? Keep on reading to see how average rates can change based on all of the factors we've mentioned above.

Progressive vs. Rockford Mutual: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Progressive and Rockford Mutual only compete against each other in two states, with Progressive offering cheaper premiums to the average driver in all of them. Wisconsin has the most noticable difference, where Progressive prices are $45 more affordable than car insurance premiums at Rockford Mutual.

That being said, there's a lot more that goes into your insurance payment than just the state you live in. Read on to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- generally pay a lot for auto insurance compared to older drivers. It's normally because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

However, that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high car insurance prices. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of 7% less per month by choosing Rockford Mutual over Progressive. It's worth noting that Progressive offers insurance in 44 different states compared to Rockford Mutual's two, which can skew the average rates a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

But both carriers will offer you dramatically lower premiums by the time you turn 25. For example, average prices for Progressive policyholders reduce almost 70% and Rockford Mutual's rates lower over 65% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Drivers around retirement age usually enjoy some of the most affordable car insurance premiums you'll ever see. After all, they've likely been driving for quite some time, which typically decreases their chances of collisions and other infractions that can raise prices.

When looking at Progressive and Rockford Mutual specifically, which company is best for retired drivers? Rockford Mutual gets the slight edge, with rates for drivers 65 and older nearly 10% less expensive than the national average for Progressive.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that auto insurance premiums are usually more expensive for single policyholders than they are for married couples? That's normally because married policyholders tend to own and insure multiple vehicles, which can often earn you a discount.

If you're in the market for car insurance, Rockford Mutual tends to have the cheapest average prices regardless of relationship status, with prices about 7% more affordable for single drivers and around 3% cheaper for married drivers.

Progressive or Rockford Mutual: Average Rates by Gender

Because women are less likely to get tickets and get into accidents, they have a decreased chance of filing a claim with insurance. So, women tend to get cheaper rates than men.

On average, men see rates about $5 a month higher with Progressive, and around $15 with Rockford Mutual.

Looking at overall affordability, Rockford Mutual comes out as the lowest option for both genders. On average, women save about $17 per month and men save about $6 with Rockford Mutual compared to the average Progressive policyholder.

Progressive vs. Rockford 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.

Auto insurance isn't the easiest topic to understand. Everyone needs insurance, but there are so many different limits and terms that it can be hard to find the right policy for you.

The two most common policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (which provides property damage and bodily injury coverage for other drivers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- collision and comprehensive -- in addition to what you get with a liability policy).

When it comes to state minimum liability insurance, Rockford Mutual has the edge, while Progressive offers the most affordable average prices for full coverage policies with similar coverage limits. Policyholders looking for basic state minimum coverage can save around $25 with Rockford Mutual Insurance Company, while full coverage comes out to be around $1 less expensive with Progressive.

Is Progressive or Rockford Mutual Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

It's no secret -- drivers with good records end up getting the best deals on their auto insurance. But that's not to say you can't save money if you don't have the best driving record, either.

At-fault accidents and speeding tickets will most likely raise your rates, but is Progressive or Rockford Mutual more affordable for drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Drivers who use Progressive for their insurance can generally expect their monthly bill to go up about 17% after getting a speeding ticket. Rockford Mutual policyholders can expect a bit more drastic of an increase of around 29%.

Even so, Rockford Mutual has cheaper premiums for drivers in both categories -- their rates are around 19% less expensive for drivers with clean records and 6% cheaper for those with a ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both companies will increase prices pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault collision with Progressive climbing by about 30%. Rockford Mutual has a less extreme climb, but you can still expect to pay nearly 25% more than you were prior to your first accident.

At the end of the day, Rockford Mutual offers the cheapest rates for drivers with an at-fault collision on their records, with average premiums coming in at $158 compared to Progressive's $214.

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 ticket or even an accident. Rockford Mutual drivers usually see a 48% increase in their car insurance prices after a DUI charge, while Progressive will typically raise premiums by around 16%.

Progressive has the overall lowest rates for drivers with a DUI on their records at $177 monthly, but it's worth noting that Progressive's average rates come from 44 states compared to just two for Rockford Mutual, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact Progressive and Rockford Mutual Rates?

Did you know many auto insurance carriers take your credit score into account when determining prices? Certain states and companies do not allow for credit score to be used as an insurance factor, but it does affect many policyholders out there.

The reasoning insurance carriers use is that drivers with bad credit will be less likely to pay their bills on time; so normally, they'll be asked to pay more, while those with good credit will be rewarded with more affordable premiums.

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 a great credit score, Rockford Mutual will generally reward you the most. For drivers with "excellent" credit scores, Rockford Mutual comes in NaN cheaper. Drivers with "good" credit scores typically save about 10% with Rockford Mutual compared to average prices from Progressive.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Rockford Mutual typically offers lower rates than Progressive when it comes to drivers with a below average credit score. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around 5% a month less with Rockford Mutual compared to Progressive, and those with "poor" scores usually save an average of about 7% per month.

Is Progressive or Rockford Mutual 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 how much car insurance companies will charge for coverage. That's because the fewer miles you put on your car each year, the less likely you are to be in a collision and file an insurance claim.

In this case, neither Progressive or Rockford Mutual report increasing premiums for drivers with higher annual mileage figures. Rockford Mutual comes out as the most affordable for drivers at both intervals, whether they put 6,000 or 12,000 miles on their vehicle every year, with average rates of $169 per month for both.

Progressive or Rockford 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 pretty big impact as well. Normally, if you live in a rural area with fewer cars on the road, you'll pay a little less for insurance, while the opposite is true for people in urban areas.

Rockford Mutual generally comes out as the more affordable option for drivers in rural and suburban areas, while Progressive wins in urban areas.

Those in rural areas can expect to save around 6% with Rockford Mutual compared to Progressive. People who live in suburban areas pay about 27% less with Rockford Mutual compared to Progressive. For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, Progressive's average premiums are around 11% less than Rockford Mutual Insurance Company.

Progressive vs. Rockford Mutual Discounts

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

The difficult part is finding all of the discounts you qualify for, since it can feel sometimes like every company has different discounts and each one is advertised differently.

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

Progressive knocks Rockford Mutual out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 26 more discounts than Rockford Mutual.

Both carriers offer several of the same discounts -- like discounts for being a good driver, discounts for being a good student, and multi-policy discounts -- but Progressive also offers discounts for ABS, advance quote, advanced safety feature, and more.

Rockford Mutual's discounts come through just a few categories, including Anti-Theft, Defensive Driver, Good Driving, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Progressive or Rockford Mutual Best for You?

You've seen the effect certain variables have on your auto insurance and the different discounts companies offer. That's all well and good, but at the end of the day, is Progressive or Rockford Mutual the right carrier for you and your specific needs?

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

• You will be the only person on the insurance policy.
• You live in a rural neighborhood.
• You drive fewer than 6,000 miles yearly.

Progressive might be best for you if...

• Your driving record includes a DUI charge.
• You want the most robust protection via a "full coverage" policy.
• You live in an urban area.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between Progressive and Rockford Mutual and that you can now make a more informed decision when it comes to your car insurance.

But, at the end of the day, there's only one way to know for sure that you're getting the best possible deal on insurance -- comparing quotes from multiple carriers, not just Progressive and Rockford Mutual. 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 the top car insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Progressive vs. Rockford Mutual FAQs

Is Progressive or Rockford Mutual cheaper?

Rockford Mutual is the less expensive of the two carriers when looking at national average prices, with policies averaging $169 a month with Rockford Mutual and $180 for Progressive. However, that doesn't mean Rockford Mutual will be the cheapest carrier for each policyholder, since there are a range of different factors that are considered when it comes to your auto insurance cost.

Who is better, Progressive or Rockford Mutual?

Sadly, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". Neither company is "better" for every policyholder -- it all depends on what your unique insurance profile looks like. For example, Rockford Mutual is more affordable for drivers with excellent credit, while Progressive offers less expensive premiums for drivers with a recent DUI.

Why do Progressive and Rockford Mutual offer me different rates?

Car insurance companies use several different variables when calculating the prices they charge. Factors like age, gender, where you live, your driving record, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Progressive and Rockford Mutual calculate rates using different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different premiums. The best way to determine which carrier is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a bunch of different carriers.

How do I know if Progressive or Rockford Mutual is right for me?

The only way to find the auto insurance company 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 does all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top insurance carriers for free. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the cheapest premium. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't Progressive or Rockford Mutual 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.