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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for insurance, Union Mutual offers significantly less expensive premiums than Progressive
• Progressive may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than Union Mutual
• Union Mutual offers more affordable rates for policyholders who drive fewer than 6,000 miles yearly

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

Are you considering a new insurance policy? With so many ads from all sorts of companies offering large savings, you're probably wondering exactly how much you might be able to save.

You might have narrowed your search down to Progressive or Union Mutual as potential options, but which carrier has more affordable prices for car insurance?

As you can see, Union Mutual is quite a bit cheaper than Progressive, with premiums averaging $132 a month compared to $180 with Progressive when looking at the national average rates for auto insurance.

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

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

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

Progressive and Union Mutual only compete against each other in Vermont, where Union Mutual offers the cheaper average rates. Union Mutual drivers tend to pay about $3 per month less on average compared to drivers who use Progressive for their car insurance.

That being said, there are plenty of other factors that go into your auto insurance payment than just where you live. Keep reading to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive insurance prices of any other group of drivers out there on the road. That's because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

But that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their car insurance. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of over 25% less a month by choosing Union Mutual over Progressive. It's worth noting that Progressive offers auto insurance in 44 different states compared to Union Mutual's one, which can skew the average premiums a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

However, with both companies, you'll see your rates lower significantly by the time you turn 25. Union Mutual offers the steepest decrease, with 25-year-olds paying less than a third of what 18-year-old drivers are charged. Progressive's average prices reduce almost 70% during that same period.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Drivers around retirement age typically enjoy some of the most affordable car insurance premiums out there. After all, they've likely been driving for quite some time, which normally reduces their chances of collisions and other infractions that can raise rates.

When looking at Progressive and Union Mutual specifically, which company is best for retired drivers? Union Mutual gets the edge here, with average prices coming in at around $97 per month compared to Progressive's $131.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Those who are single tend to get offered slightly more expensive insurance premiums than married couples. That's generally because married policyholders tend to own and insure multiple vehicles, which can often earn you a discount.

For single drivers, the difference in average rates between these two carriers is significant, with Union Mutual premiums coming in at a quarter less than Progressive's. The advantage for married drivers with Union Mutual is also obvious, where drivers save about $30 per month.

Progressive or Union Mutual: Average Rates by Gender

Did you know women usually pay less for auto insurance than men? That's because men are more likely to get tickets and get into collisions, which raises the chances of filing a claim with insurance.

Men typically pay around 3% more a month than women with Progressive, and more than 10% with Union Mutual.

Looking at the data for each carrier specifically, Union Mutual comes out on top for both men and women, with average prices $44 less for men and $53 cheaper for women.

Progressive vs. Union 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.

Car insurance can be a complicated subject for most people. There are a variety of different coverages that account for multiple different things. Some protect you and your car, while others only provide coverage for other people's property and health if you cause a collision.

That being said, most policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (which provides property damage and bodily injury coverage for other drivers and their passengers if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which normally refers to having collision and comprehensive coverages alongside liability).

Looking specifically at state minimum limits for liability insurance, Union Mutual has the significant edge, with average monthly rates coming in at $48. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Union Mutual again has the edge, with policies averaging about $216 per month to Progressive's $250.

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

It's no secret -- drivers with good records end up getting the best deals on their 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 premiums, but is Progressive or Union Mutual cheaper for drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Progressive for their car insurance can usually expect their monthly bill to go up around 17% after getting a speeding ticket. Union Mutual policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of about 4%.

However, Union Mutual has less expensive prices for drivers in both categories, offering rates that are 41% and 49% more affordable, respectively, compared to Progressive.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Progressive drivers who get in a collision can expect to see their premiums rise by $65, while those who have insurance through Union Mutual will see around a $15 increase.

At the end of the day, Union Mutual offers the cheapest prices for drivers with an at-fault collision on their records, with average rates coming in at $103 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. On average, Union Mutual will raise your premiums about 64% after a DUI, while Progressive's average rates climb by more than 15%.

Progressive has the overall lowest prices 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 one for Union Mutual, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact Progressive and Union Mutual Rates?

You may not realized it, but your credit score can be used as one of the variables to determine your monthly insurance premiums. This isn't true for everyone (Michigan, for example, has banned the use of credit score as an auto insurance factor) but it will come into play for quite a few policyholders.

Auto insurance companies 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, drivers with good credit will often be rewarded with cheaper rates.

So, which company offers the cheapest prices for policyholders with poor, average, or good credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have great credit, Union Mutual will generally reward you the most. For drivers with "excellent" credit scores, Union Mutual comes in over 26.47 less expensive. Drivers with "good" credit scores usually save around 32% with Union Mutual compared to average rates from Progressive.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Union Mutual typically offers lower prices than Progressive when it comes to drivers with less-than-stellar credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about 30% a month less with Union Mutual compared to Progressive, and those with "poor" scores generally save an average of around 21% a month.

Is Progressive or Union 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 your monthly premiums. Normally, those who drive less will end up with more affordable rates since there's less of a chance of causing a collision and filing an insurance claim.

In this case, neither Progressive or Union Mutual report increasing prices for drivers with higher annual mileage figures. Union Mutual comes out as the most affordable for drivers at both intervals, whether they put 6,000 or 12,000 miles on their car every year, with average premiums of $132 per month for both.

Progressive or Union Mutual: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you live can have a large impact on your monthly car insurance cost. Typically, policyholders who live in less densely populated rural areas will pay quite a bit less than urban drivers since there are a lot fewer vehicles on the roads where they live.

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

For drivers in urban ZIP codes, Union Mutual's average rates are about $128 a month compared to Progressive's $207. Drivers in suburban ZIP codes pay a monthly price of around $135 with Union Mutual compared to $179 with Progressive. If you live in a rural area, you can expect to pay about $132 per month with Union Mutual compared to Progressive's $154.

Progressive vs. Union 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 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 qualify for.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and compared all of the different discounts offered by Progressive and Union Mutual so that you can see which one can save you the most money each month.

Progressive blows Union Mutual away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 34 different discounts to Union Mutual's 10.

Both carriers offer a lot of the same discounts -- like anti-theft discounts, discounts for insuring multiple cars with the same company, and multi-policy discounts -- but Progressive also offers discounts for advance quote, advanced safety feature, agency transfer, and more.

On the other hand, Union Mutual has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like company car discounts, driver training discounts, and hybrid vehicle discounts.

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

You've seen the role certain factors have on your auto insurance and the different discounts companies offer. But, at the end of the day, which insurance company is the right company for you and your specific profile and needs?

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

• You will be the only person on the insurance policy.
• You live in an urban area.
• You're of retirement age and want to take advantage of lower prices.

Progressive might be best for you if...

• You value the experience that comes with a large national auto insurance carrier.
• Your driving record includes a DUI charge.
• You're looking for discounts -- Progressive has the most.

Hopefully, this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare Progressive and Union Mutual and that you can now make a more informed decision when it comes to your car insurance.

At the end of the day, the sure-fire way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your insurance policy is to compare quotes from multiple carriers, not just Progressive and Union Mutual. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get free quotes from dozens of top auto insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Progressive vs. Union Mutual FAQs

Is Progressive or Union Mutual cheaper?

Union Mutual is the cheaper of the two carriers when looking at national average premiums, with policies averaging $132 per month with Union Mutual and $180 for Progressive. But that doesn't mean Union Mutual will be the most affordable company for each driver, since there are several different variables (things like driving record, age, gender, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Progressive or Union Mutual?

Unfortunately, the answer truly is "it depends.". No single carrier is necessarily "better" for every policyholder -- it all boils down to your unique car insurance profile. For example, Union Mutual is more affordable for drivers with excellent credit, while Progressive offers less expensive rates for drivers with a recent DUI.

Why do Progressive and Union Mutual offer me different rates?

Insurance companies use many different factors when determining the prices they charge. Variables like age, your driving record, where you call home, gender, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Progressive and Union Mutual use different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different premiums. The best way to determine which company is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a bunch of different carriers.

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

The only way to find the auto insurance carrier 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, sites like Compare.com make it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your area information and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top car insurance carriers for free. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the most affordable premium. And maybe you'll find that the best company for you isn't Progressive or Union 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.