Progressive vs. South Carolina Farm Bureau: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• In general, South Carolina Farm Bureau offers significantly cheaper prices than Progressive
• Progressive offers more discounts than South Carolina Farm Bureau Insurance
• South Carolina Farm Bureau offers more affordable average premiums for policyholders who have a short commute

Progressive vs. South Carolina Farm Bureau: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

Are you in the market for a new insurance policy? You've probably seen commercials and billboards from companies offering considerable discounts, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You've maybe even narrowed it down to Progressive or South Carolina Farm Bureau as your top options, but between the two, which one will offer you less expensive prices?

Looking at nationwide averages, Progressive is quite a bit more expensive than South Carolina Farm Bureau, with rates averaging $180 per month compared to just $111 with South Carolina Farm Bureau.

That being said, South Carolina Farm Bureau may not be the lowest or best option for every single driver out there. Auto insurance companies vary their premiums depending on things like how good your credit score is, where you live, how clean your driving record is, how old you are, and a variety of other factors. So, at the end of the day, rates from each carrier will differ quite a bit from person to person.

So, if you want to find out which of Progressive or South Carolina Farm Bureau is really the best for you, keep reading to see average premiums for each company broken down by a bunch of different rate factors.

Progressive or South Carolina Farm Bureau: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Progressive and South Carolina Farm Bureau only compete against each other in South Carolina, where South Carolina Farm Bureau offers the cheaper average prices. For South Carolina residents, South Carolina Farm Bureau offers insurance for $111 monthly on average. Progressive's average premiums come out to be over 20% more expensive, at $136 a month.

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

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive car insurance prices of any group out there on the road. The reason is that young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

However, that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their insurance. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of nearly $250 less a month by choosing South Carolina Farm Bureau over Progressive. It's worth noting that Progressive offers auto insurance in 44 different states compared to South Carolina Farm Bureau's one, which can skew the average premiums a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

But both companies will offer you dramatically lower rates once you turn 25. For example, average prices for Progressive policyholders decrease more than $300 and South Carolina Farm Bureau's rates lower about $100 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

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

When looking at Progressive and South Carolina Farm Bureau specifically, which carrier is best for retired drivers? South Carolina Farm Bureau gets the edge, with prices for drivers 65 and older almost 45% more affordable than the national average for Progressive.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but auto insurance rates tend to be cheaper for married drivers than they are for single drivers. That's because policies for married policyholders generally cover more than one car, which many carriers will offer you a discount for.

When it comes to relationship status, South Carolina Farm Bureau is the clear winner for single policyholders, with premiums around $90 per month less expensive than Progressive, on average. For married couples, the advantage is clear again - South Carolina Farm Bureau has the edge when it comes to average rates.

Progressive vs. South Carolina Farm Bureau: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get into collisions and get speeding tickets, which means they'll usually end up paying more for insurance than women.

With Progressive, men normally pay about 3% more a month than women., while with South Carolina Farm Bureau, the difference is closer to 5% per month.

When it comes to the most affordable prices for each gender, South Carolina Farm Bureau comes out on top for both men and women, with average premiums 38% less for men and 39% cheaper for women.

Progressive or South Carolina Farm Bureau: 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 pretty complicated. There are many different coverages that account for multiple different things. Some protect you and your vehicle, while others only provide coverage for other people's property and health if you cause an accident.

The two most common policies that many drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability only (that covers bodily injury and property damage for other drivers and their passengers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes comprehensive and collision coverages that protect your own vehicle, alongside liability coverage).

If you're looking for state minimum liability limits, South Carolina Farm Bureau usually offers significantly more affordable prices of $78 compared to Progressive's $111. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, South Carolina Farm Bureau again has the edge, with policies around $100 a month cheaper than Progressive, on average.

Is Progressive or South Carolina Farm Bureau Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from car 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.

You'll probably end up paying more with tickets and accidents on your record, but which of these two carriers offers the cheapest premiums to drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Progressive policyholders can expect their prices to go up an average of $31 per month if they get a ticket, while South Carolina Farm Bureau generally raises premiums about $12 a month, on average.

Even so, South Carolina Farm Bureau has less expensive rates for drivers in both categories. Drivers with a clean record can save around $54 per month and drivers with a speeding ticket can save about $73 a month with South Carolina Farm Bureau Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

After an accident, drivers who have their auto insurance through Progressive can expect to see around an $65 -- or about 30% -- increase in their car insurance premiums. Drivers who use South Carolina Farm Bureau for their insurance will see a monthly bill around $30 (or 24%) more expensive after reporting an accident to their car insurance company.

Overall, the cheaper rates come from South Carolina Farm Bureau, with monthly prices averaging $125 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 a collision. Progressive drivers usually see a 16% climb in their insurance rates after a DUI charge, while South Carolina Farm Bureau will normally raise prices by about 18%.

South Carolina Farm Bureau has the overall most affordable premiums for drivers with a DUI on their records at $116 per month, but it's worth noting that Progressive's average rates come from 44 states compared to just one for South Carolina Farm Bureau, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact Progressive and South Carolina Farm Bureau Rates?

In many cases, your credit score can be used as one of the factors to determine your monthly auto insurance rates. Certain states and companies do not allow for credit score to be used as a rating factor, but it does affect several drivers out there.

Car insurance carriers argue that someone with good credit is more likely to pay their bills on time, which makes them less risky to insure. Because of that, policyholders with good credit will often be rewarded with less expensive prices.

So, which carrier offers the lowest premiums 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 South Carolina Farm Bureau. Policyholders with "excellent" credit can save just under 45% compared to Progressive, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- around $63 or 40% more affordable every month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

South Carolina Farm Bureau typically offers lower prices than Progressive when it comes to drivers with less-than-stellar credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about $71 per month less with South Carolina Farm Bureau compared to Progressive, and those with "poor" scores typically save an average of around $83 a month.

Is Progressive or South Carolina Farm Bureau 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 insurance companies will charge for coverage. That's because the more miles you put on your car each year, the more likely you are to get into an accident and cause an insurance claim.

In this case, neither Progressive or South Carolina Farm Bureau report increasing rates for drivers with higher annual mileage figures. Still, South Carolina Farm Bureau comes out as the most affordable for drivers at both intervals, whether they put 6,000 or 12,000 miles on their vehicle yearly, with average premiums of $111 a month for both.

Progressive vs. South Carolina Farm Bureau: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you park your car can play a pretty big role in how much you pay for auto insurance. Generally, if you live in an urban area with more cars on the road, you'll pay a little more for insurance, while the opposite is true for people in rural areas.

When comparing these two carriers side-by-side, South Carolina Farm Bureau typically comes out as the cheapest option for drivers in all types of areas, no matter if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

In urban areas, South Carolina Farm Bureau Insurance's average rates are about $92 less than Progressive. Drivers in suburban ZIP codes pay around $76 less with South Carolina Farm Bureau compared to Progressive. If you live in a rural area, you can expect to save about $40 with South Carolina Farm Bureau compared to Progressive.

Progressive vs. South Carolina Farm Bureau Discounts

Regardless of why you might be in the market for a new car insurance policy, you're always going to want to save as much money as possible, and the best way to do that is by utilizing as many auto insurance discounts as you can.

But where do you even start? With what seems like a million different discounts out there, it may be hard to find all the ones you qualify for.

In the section below, we've taken a look at all of the different discounts Progressive and South Carolina Farm Bureau offer their customers so that you can see which carrier can save you the most money each month.

Progressive knocks South Carolina Farm Bureau out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 29 more discounts than South Carolina Farm Bureau.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like discounts for being a defensive driver, discounts for being a good student, and multi-policy discounts. Progressive also offers ABS discounts, advance quote discounts, advanced safety feature discounts, and more that South Carolina Farm Bureau does not.

On the flip side, South Carolina Farm Bureau has a unique discount of its own -- a driver training discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is Progressive or South Carolina Farm Bureau Best for You?

You've seen the effect certain variables have on your car insurance and the different discounts companies offer. That's all well and good, but at the end of the day, is Progressive or South Carolina Farm Bureau the best fit for you?

South Carolina Farm Bureau might be best for you if....

• You want to save money on your auto insurance after a collision.
• Your home is located in the suburbs.
• You're buying insurance for a teen and looking for a wallet-friendly option.

Progressive might be best for you if...

• You are considering moving to another state -- South Carolina Farm Bureau Insurance only offers policies to South Carolina residents.
• You want to save extra money with discounts.

We hope this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between Progressive and South Carolina Farm Bureau and that you can now make a more informed decision when it comes to 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 multiple carriers, not just Progressive and South Carolina Farm Bureau. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your ZIP code below and get multiple free quotes from some of the best insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Progressive vs. South Carolina Farm Bureau FAQs

Is Progressive or South Carolina Farm Bureau cheaper?

Looking just at the national average premiums, South Carolina Farm Bureau is the less expensive of the two carriers, offering average rates of $111 per month compared to $180 for Progressive. But South Carolina Farm Bureau won't necessarily be the lowest company for each policyholder, since there are a range of different factors that are considered when it comes to your auto insurance bill.

Who is better, Progressive or South Carolina Farm Bureau?

Unfortunately, the answer truly is "it depends.". No one carrier is "better" for every driver -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique car insurance profile.

Why do Progressive and South Carolina Farm Bureau offer me different rates?

Insurance companies take a look at a lot of different variables when calculating the prices they charge drivers. Things like age, gender, your driving record, where you call home, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Progressive and South Carolina Farm Bureau calculate premiums using different formulas, 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 a variety of different carriers.

How do I know if Progressive or South Carolina Farm Bureau 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, sites like Compare.com do 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 best premium. And who knows, the best company for you might not be Progressive or South Carolina Farm Bureau 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.