Progressive vs. Safe Auto: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for insurance, Progressive offers more affordable rates than Safe Auto
• Progressive offers cheaper average prices for policyholders who live in urban areas
• Progressive may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than Safe Auto

Progressive or Safe Auto: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

Are you in the market for 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 might be considering Progressive or Safe Auto for your next policy, but which one will offer you less expensive rates?

Looking at nationwide averages, Safe Auto has average rates that are around 19% a month more expensive than those from Progressive.

Even so, Progressive may not be the lowest or best option for every single driver out there. After all, auto insurance carriers can offer drastically different rates to every driver depending on rating factors like your driving record, where you call home, your age, or even your credit score (among other things). So, at the end of the day, prices from each company will differ quite a bit from person to person.

Luckily, we've broken down average premiums from both Progressive and Safe Auto by many different rate factors, so read on to find out which carrier is the best for you.

Progressive vs. Safe Auto: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Progressive and Safe Auto compete against each other in 12 states, with Progressive offering cheaper rates to the average driver in all but one of them. If you live in Louisiana, Safe Auto is the less expensive of the two companies when looking at the overall average premiums, but Progressive is the cheaper option in most of the others.

But there's more to calculating car insurance prices than just the state you live in. Continue reading to learn more about how other variables will affect your rates.

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. It's because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

That being said, 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 Safe Auto for their car insurance pay almost 2% less than those who use Progressive.

But both carriers will lower rates by the time you turn 25. For example, average prices for Progressive policyholders decrease about $300 and Safe Auto's premiums drop around $250 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Once you approach retirement age, you'll normally enjoy the cheapest insurance rates out there. You've been on the road for years, and all that experience pays off when it comes to your monthly prices for car insurance.

When looking at Progressive and Safe Auto specifically, which company is best for retired drivers? Progressive gets the edge, with rates for drivers 65 and older $48 more affordable than the national average for Safe Auto.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Single policyholders tend to get offered slightly more expensive insurance prices than married couples. That's typically because married drivers tend to own and insure multiple vehicles, which can often earn you a discount.

For those who are single, the difference in average premiums between these two companies is significant, with Progressive prices coming in at about 15% less than Safe Auto's. The advantage for married policyholders with Progressive is also obvious, where drivers save nearly $50 per month.

Progressive or Safe Auto: Average Rates by Gender

Did you know women generally pay less for auto insurance than men? This is because men are statistically more likely than women to cause a collision and get into accidents, which leads to increased risk for insurers and, therefore, higher rates.

On average, women see premiums around 3% a month less with Progressive, and about 7% less with Safe Auto.

Looking at the data for each carrier specifically, Progressive offers the most affordable average prices for both men and women, with average premiums $48 less for men and $36 cheaper for women.

Progressive vs. Safe Auto: 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.

For most people, insurance can be pretty complicated. There are so many different coverages and limits that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy for you.

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

Looking specifically at state minimum liability insurance, Progressive has the edge, with average monthly rates 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 per month to Safe Auto's $320.

Is Progressive or Safe Auto Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

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

Speeding tickets and collisions will most likely raise your prices, but is Progressive or Safe Auto cheaper for drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Progressive for their auto insurance can usually expect their monthly bill to go up about 17% after getting a speeding ticket. Safe Auto policyholders can expect a bit more drastic of an increase of around 18%.

But Progressive is generally the more affordable option for both drivers who have clean records and those with a recent ticket. With Progressive, drivers with a clean record can save about $31 a month and drivers with a speeding ticket can save around $40 per month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

After an accident, drivers who have their insurance through Progressive can expect to see about an $65 -- or around 30% -- rise in their auto insurance rates. Drivers who use Safe Auto for their car insurance will see a monthly bill about $66 (or 27%) more expensive after reporting an accident to their auto insurance company.

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 Safe Auto's $246.

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 -- normally a lot more than a collision or ticket. For example, Safe Auto increases average premiums by $65 a month -- that's more than a 25% increase.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable rates, Progressive tends to be less expensive for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at around $177 to Safe Auto's $245.

How does Credit Score Impact Progressive and Safe Auto Rates?

Did you know many car insurance companies take your credit score into account when determining prices? This isn't true for everyone (Hawaii, for example, has banned the use of credit score as an auto insurance factor) but it will 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 every month, which lowers the risk involved on their end, while the opposite is true for those with bad credit.

Looking specifically at Progressive and Safe Auto, which carrier has the best premiums for policyholders at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have a great credit score, Progressive will typically reward you the most. For drivers with "excellent" credit scores, Progressive comes in over 27.27 more affordable. Drivers with "good" credit scores usually save about 29% with Progressive compared to average rates from Safe Auto.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Progressive typically offers lower premiums than Safe Auto when it comes to drivers with bad credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around 21% per month less with Progressive compared to Safe Auto, and those with "poor" scores normally save an average of about 2% per month.

Is Progressive or Safe Auto 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 big impact on how much auto insurance companies will charge for coverage? That's because the more milage you drive, the more likely you are to be in an accident and file an insurance claim.

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

Progressive or Safe Auto: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

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

Progressive tends to offer the most affordable rates for drivers in all areas, regardless of if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, Progressive's average prices are around $64 less than Safe Auto. People who live in suburban areas pay about $21 less with Progressive compared to Safe Auto. Those in rural areas can expect to save around $43 with Progressive compared to Safe Auto.

Progressive vs. Safe Auto Discounts

No matter why you might be in the market for a new insurance policy, you're always going to want to save as much money as you can, and the best way to do that is by utilizing as many auto insurance discounts as possible.

But with what seems like a million different discounts out there, it can be hard to nail down the company that has the most discounts for your unique driver profile and to find all the discounts you qualify for.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and broke down all of the different discounts offered by both Progressive and Safe Auto so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

Progressive knocks Safe Auto out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 20 more discounts than Safe Auto.

Both carriers offer lots of the same discounts -- like anti-theft discounts, discounts for being a homeowner, military discounts, and passive restraint discounts -- but Progressive also offers discounts for ABS, advance quote, advanced safety feature, and more.

On the other hand, Safe Auto has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like claim free discounts, driver training discounts, non-owner discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Progressive or Safe Auto Best for You?

So, you've seen how different factors can affect your car insurance rates. We've shown you all the discounts each carrier offers, too. But, at the end of the day, is Progressive or Safe Auto the right company for you and your specific needs?

Progressive might be best for you if....

• Your driving record includes a DUI charge.
• You live in an urban area.
• Your neighborhood is in the suburbs.

Safe Auto might be best for you if...

• You want to save money while purchasing auto insurance for a teenager.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between Progressive and Safe Auto. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best 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 several companies, not just Progressive and Safe Auto. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get multiple free quotes from some of the best auto insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Progressive vs. Safe Auto FAQs

Is Progressive or Safe Auto cheaper?

Progressive is the cheaper of the two companies when looking at national average prices, with policies averaging $180 per month with Progressive and $223 for Safe Auto. That being said, that doesn't mean Progressive will be the cheapest company for every policyholder, since there are lots of different variables that come into play when it comes to your car insurance bill.

Who is better, Progressive or Safe Auto?

Unfortunately, the real answer is "it depends.". No single carrier is "better" for each policyholder -- it all boils down to your unique insurance profile.

Why do Progressive and Safe Auto offer me different rates?

Car insurance carriers use quite a few different factors when calculating the premiums they charge. Things like gender, age, your driving record, where you live, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both Progressive and Safe Auto calculate rates using different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different premiums. The best way to determine which company is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from multiple different companies.

How do I know if Progressive or Safe Auto is right for me?

The only way to find the insurance carrier that's right for you is by getting quotes from a handful of carriers 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 quotes from dozens of your local top auto insurance companies for free. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the lowest rate. And maybe you'll find that the best company for you isn't Progressive or Safe Auto 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.