Progressive vs. The General: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for auto insurance, Progressive offers significantly less expensive rates than The General
• Progressive offers cheaper average premiums for single people who will be the only person on the car insurance policy
• The General has more affordable prices in AZ, MO, and UT

Progressive or The General: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

Are you considering a new insurance policy? You've probably seen commercials and billboards from companies offering hefty savings, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You've maybe even narrowed it down to Progressive or The General, but which one will offer you less expensive rates?

As you can see, Progressive has average rates that are around 25% a month more affordable than those from The General when looking at the national average rates for auto insurance.

But that doesn't necessarily mean Progressive will be the cheaper option for every driver. Insurance carriers use tons of complex algorithms to determine premiums, so depending on how old you are or how clean your driving record is (among a whole bunch of other factors), you could see wildly different prices from the ones above.

Wanting to know if Progressive or The General is really the right company for you? Keep on reading to see how average premiums can change based on all of the factors we've mentioned above.

Progressive vs. The General: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Progressive and The General only compete against each other in three states, with Progressive offering less expensive rates to the average driver in all of them. Missouri has the most noticable difference, where Progressive prices are $176 cheaper than auto insurance rates at The General.

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

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers generally pay a lot more for insurance than 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.

But still, even with seemingly sky-high rates, teen drivers can still find ways to save money. As you can see above, teens who use The General save 1% per month compared to those who use Progressive. It's worth noting that Progressive offers auto insurance in 44 different states compared to The General's three, which can skew the average premiums a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

Even so, both carriers will reduce prices by the time drivers turn 25. For example, average premiums for Progressive policyholders drop almost 70% and The General's prices lower over 45% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

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

But who has the best premiums for retired drivers between Progressive and The General? Progressive gets the edge, with rates for drivers 65 and older nearly 35% more affordable than the national average for The General.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that auto insurance prices are normally more expensive for single policyholders than they are for married policyholders? That's because policies for married drivers typically cover more than one vehicle, which several 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 a quarter less than The General's. The advantage is also clear for married couples - Progressive offers the lowest average prices.

Progressive or The General: Average Rates by Gender

Did you know men tend to pay more for car insurance than women? This is because men are statistically more likely than women to get speeding tickets and get into accidents, which leads to increased risk for insurers and, therefore, higher rates.

Women usually pay about 3% a month less than men with Progressive, and more than 10% less with The General when compared to their male counterparts.

When it comes to the most affordable premiums for each gender, Progressive comes out as the lowest option for both genders. On average, women save about $47 per month and men save around $74 with Progressive compared to the average The General policyholder.

Progressive vs. The General: 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. Everyone needs car insurance, but there are so many different coverages and limits 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 bodily injury and property damage coverage for other drivers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- collision and comprehensive -- in addition to liability).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability insurance, Progressive has the significant 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 about $250 a month to The General's $329.

Is Progressive or The General 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.

Speeding tickets and collisions will most likely raise your prices, but is Progressive or The General cheaper for drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Progressive for their car insurance can generally expect their monthly bill to go up around 17% after getting a speeding ticket. The General policyholders can expect a bit more drastic of an increase of about 20%.

However, Progressive has more affordable premiums for drivers in both categories -- their rates are around 22% less expensive for drivers with clean records and 25% more affordable for those with a ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

After an accident, drivers who have their insurance through Progressive can expect to see around an $65 -- or about 30% -- rise in their auto insurance prices. Drivers who use The General for their insurance will see a monthly bill around $87 (or 31%) more expensive after reporting an accident to their car insurance carrier.

At the end of the day, Progressive offers the most affordable rates for drivers with an at-fault collision on their records, with average premiums coming in at $214 compared to The General's $279.

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. On average, The General will climb your prices about 24% after a DUI, while Progressive's average premiums rise by more than 15%.

Progressive has the overall cheapest rates for drivers with a DUI on their records at $177 per month, but it's worth noting that Progressive's average rates come from 44 states compared to just three for The General, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact Progressive and The General Rates?

Did you know many auto insurance companies take into account your credit score when determining prices? This isn't true for everyone (Massachusetts, for example, has banned the use of credit score as an insurance factor) but it will come into play for quite a few 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 The General, which carrier has the most affordable rates for policyholders at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have a great credit score, Progressive will normally reward you the most. For drivers with "excellent" credit scores, Progressive comes in nearly 22.73 less expensive. Drivers with "good" credit scores typically save around 28% with Progressive compared to average premiums from The General.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Progressive typically offers lower prices than The General when it comes to drivers with a below average credit score. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about 26% per month less with Progressive compared to The General, and those with "poor" scores generally save an average of around 24% monthly.

Is Progressive or The General 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 fewer miles you put on your car each year, the less likely you are to be in an accident and file an insurance claim.

In this case, neither Progressive or The General report increasing rates for drivers with higher annual mileage figures. Progressive comes out as the lowest for drivers at both intervals, whether they put 6,000 or 12,000 miles on their vehicle yearly, with average premiums of $180 a month for both.

Progressive or The General: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where your home is can have a large impact on your monthly car insurance cost. Normally, policyholders who live in heavily-populated urban areas will pay quite a bit more than rural drivers since there are a lot more cars on the roads where they live.

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

For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, Progressive's average premiums are about 33% less than The General. People who live in suburban areas pay around 20% less with Progressive compared to The General. Those in rural areas can expect to save about 19% with Progressive compared to The General.

Progressive vs. The General 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 taking advantage of 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 challenging to find all the ones you can take advantage of.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and compared all of the different discounts offered by Progressive and The General so that you can see which company offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

Progressive blows The General away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 34 different discounts to The General's six.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like discounts for being a defensive driver, discounts for being a homeowner, and paid in full discounts. Progressive also offers discounts for ABS, advance quote, advanced safety feature, and more.

On the other hand, The General has a few proprietary discounts of their own like liability only discounts and star level discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is Progressive or The General Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average rates for many of the variables auto insurance carriers look at, and walked through the different discounts each company offers, too. But, at the end of the day, which carrier is the right one for you and your specific profile and needs?

Progressive might be best for you if....

• Your driving record includes a DUI charge.
• You are purchasing your insurance with a spouse.

The General might be best for you if...

• You're looking for the best rates in AZ, MO, and UT.
• You want to save money while purchasing car insurance for a teenager.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between Progressive and The General. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision about your auto 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 a handful of companies, not just Progressive and The General. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your ZIP code below and get multiple quotes from some of the best auto insurance carriers in your area, all for free.

Progressive vs. The General FAQs

Is Progressive or The General cheaper?

Progressive is the cheaper of the two companies when looking at national average prices, with policies averaging $180 per month with Progressive and $241 for The General. That being said, that doesn't mean Progressive will be the most affordable company for each policyholder, since there are a bunch of different factors (things like age, driving record, gender, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Progressive or The General?

Sadly, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". One carrier is not necessarily "better" for everyone -- it all boils down to your unique car insurance profile.

Why do Progressive and The General offer me different rates?

Insurance carriers use lots of different variables when calculating the rates they charge. Factors such as where you call home, age, gender, where you park your vehicle, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Progressive and The General calculate premiums using different variables, so it's likely they'll offer different rates. The best way to determine which company is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a range of different companies.

How do I know if Progressive or The General is right for me?

The only way to find the car 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 information once 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 cheapest price. And maybe you'll find that the best company for you isn't Progressive or The General 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.