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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for car insurance, Vermont Mutual offers slightly more affordable prices than Progressive
• Progressive offers more affordable premiums for policyholders who are looking to purchase insurance with a spouse
• Vermont Mutual tends to be a much less expensive option for policyholders who live in urban areas

Progressive or Vermont Mutual: 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 large savings, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You've maybe even narrowed your search down to Progressive or Vermont Mutual for your next policy, but between the two, which company will save you the most?

As you can see, Progressive is around $7 more a month than Vermont Mutual when looking at the national average rates for auto insurance.

But Vermont Mutual may not be the lowest or best option for every driver out there. Car insurance carriers vary their prices depending on things like how clean your driving record is, where you live, how old you are, how good your credit score is, and tons of other factors, so rates will differ quite a bit from person to person.

Wanting to know if Progressive or Vermont Mutual 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. Vermont Mutual: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Progressive and Vermont Mutual only compete against each other in three states, with Progressive offering more affordable rates to the average driver in all of them. New Hampshire has the most noticable difference, where Progressive prices are $76 cheaper than auto insurance premiums at Vermont Mutual.

But there's more to insurance than just the state you live in. As we mentioned above, there's a lot of things that go into how car insurance companies determine your rates. Read on to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive insurance premiums of any group out there on the road. That's because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to cause collisions and other accidents that will result in an insurance claim.

But still, even with seemingly sky-high prices, teen drivers can still find ways to save money. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have Vermont Mutual for their auto insurance pay over 25% less than those who use Progressive.

However, both carriers will offer you dramatically lower rates by the time you turn 25. Vermont Mutual offers the steepest drop, with 25-year-olds paying less than half what 18-year-old drivers are charged. That being said, Progressive still has the cheapest premiums at $142 monthly.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

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

So, which carrier offers the best prices to retired drivers? In this case, Progressive has the slight edge, with rates about $0 per month less than Vermont Mutual. Even so, the difference is only around 5%, so other variables will likely come into play when determining which company has the cheapest prices for you.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that auto insurance rates are normally less expensive for married drivers than they are for single drivers? That's typically because married couples tend to own and insure several 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 Vermont Mutual rates coming in at about 10% less than Progressive's. But for married policyholders, that advantage is much less clear - Progressive offers the lowest average premiums.

Progressive or Vermont Mutual: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get into a collision or get pulled over for speeding. That means when it comes to insurance men will generally end up paying a little more.

With Progressive, women normally pay around 3% a month less than men, and almost 10% less with Vermont Mutual when compared to their male counterparts.

When it comes to the most affordable prices for each gender, Vermont Mutual comes out on top for both men and women, with average rates $3 less for men and $12 cheaper for women.

Progressive vs. Vermont 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.

It's no secret that auto insurance can be pretty complicated. There are so many different terms and coverages that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy for you.

That being said, most policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability coverage (which covers the other party's property damage and injuries if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which usually refers to having collision and comprehensive coverages in addition to liability).

When it comes to state minimum limits for liability insurance, Vermont Mutual has the edge, while Progressive offers the cheapest average prices for full coverage policies with similar coverage limits. Policyholders looking for basic state minimum coverage can save around $25 with Vermont Mutual, while full coverage comes out to be about $10 cheaper with Progressive.

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

It's no secret -- drivers with good records end up getting the best deals on their car 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 at-fault accidents will most likely raise your premiums, but is Progressive or Vermont 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 typically expect their monthly bill to go up around 17% after getting a speeding ticket. Vermont Mutual policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of about 6%.

But Vermont Mutual is normally the less expensive option for drivers both with clean records and with a ticket -- their rates are around 21% cheaper for drivers with clean records and 31% less expensive for those with a ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

After an accident, drivers who have their car insurance through Progressive can expect to see around an $65 -- or about 30% -- rise in their auto insurance rates. Drivers who use Vermont Mutual for their insurance will see a monthly bill around $27 (or 19%) more expensive after reporting a collision to their car insurance carrier.

At the end of the day, Vermont Mutual offers the most affordable premiums for drivers with an at-fault collision on their records, with average prices coming in at $144 compared to Progressive's $214.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

On average, a DUI offense is going to cost you much more than a single accident or speeding ticket when it comes to your insurance bill. Vermont Mutual drivers usually see a 62% increase in their auto insurance premiums after a DUI charge, while Progressive will usually climb rates by about 16%.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable prices, Progressive tends to be more affordable for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at around $177 to Vermont Mutual's $307.

How does Credit Score Impact Progressive and Vermont Mutual Rates?

Did you know many insurance carriers take into account your credit score when determining rates? Certain states and companies do not allow for credit score to be used as an auto insurance factor, but it might come into play for many policyholders.

Car insurance carriers argue that those with poor credit scores are less likely to pay their bills on time every month, which raises the risk involved on their end, while the opposite is true for those with good credit.

So, which company 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, Vermont Mutual will typically reward you the most. For policyholders with "excellent" credit scores, Vermont Mutual comes in nearly 23.53 less expensive. Drivers with "good" credit scores generally save about 23% with Vermont Mutual compared to average prices from Progressive.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

If you have less-than-perfect credit, it can be somewhat of a toss-up as far as which company offers you the best rates. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around 10% less with Vermont Mutual than Progressive, but those whose credit is considered "poor" have it flipped -- saving about 15% per month with Progressive.

Is Progressive or Vermont Mutual Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a substantial impact on your monthly auto insurance bill. That's because the fewer miles you drive, the less likely you are to be in an accident and file an insurance claim.

In this case, neither Progressive or Vermont Mutual report increasing prices for drivers with higher annual mileage figures. Even so, Vermont Mutual comes out as the most affordable for drivers at both intervals, whether they put 6,000 or 12,000 miles on their car annually, with average premiums of $173 a month for both.

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

Where your home is can have a considerable impact on your monthly car insurance payment. Usually, those who live in urban areas will pay more than drivers in rural areas since there are a lot more vehicles on the roads where they live.

Vermont Mutual boasts the lowest average rates for drivers in every type of area, no matter if it's urban, suburban, or rural.

For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, Vermont Mutual's average premiums are around 4% less than Progressive. People who live in suburban areas pay about 6% less with Vermont Mutual compared to Progressive. Those in rural areas can expect to save around 1% with Vermont Mutual compared to Progressive.

Progressive vs. Vermont Mutual Discounts

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

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

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and looked at all of the different discounts Progressive and Vermont Mutual offer their customers 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 blows Vermont Mutual away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 20 more discounts than Vermont Mutual.

Both companies offer several of the same discounts -- like advance quote discounts, distant student discounts, discounts for being a good student, and multi-policy discounts -- but Progressive also offers discounts for advanced safety feature, agency transfer, continuous insurance, and more.

On the other hand, Vermont Mutual has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like annual mileage discounts, driver training discounts, and experienced operator discounts.

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

So, we've broken down the average rates for many of the factors auto insurance carriers look at, and we've shown you all the discounts each carrier offers. That's all well and good, but when it comes down to it, which company is the best one for you, your vehicle, and your wallet?

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

• You will be the only person on the car insurance policy.
• You don't spend much time in your car.

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 are purchasing your auto insurance with a spouse.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between Progressive and Vermont Mutual. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision about your 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 car insurance -- comparing quotes from several companies, not just Progressive and Vermont Mutual. 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. Vermont Mutual FAQs

Is Progressive or Vermont Mutual cheaper?

Vermont Mutual is the cheaper of the two companies when looking at national average prices, with policies averaging $173 per month with Vermont Mutual and $180 for Progressive. Even so, that doesn't mean Vermont Mutual will be the cheapest carrier for everyone, since there are a bunch of different variables (things like gender, age, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Progressive or Vermont Mutual?

Sadly, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". One company is not necessarily "better" for everyone -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique insurance profile. For example, Progressive is more affordable for drivers who have less-than-stellar credit scores, while Vermont Mutual offers cheaper premiums for drivers with an at-fault collision on their record.

Why do Progressive and Vermont Mutual offer me different rates?

Auto insurance carriers use a lot of different factors when calculating the rates they charge. Variables such as age, where you park your car, gender, your driving record, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both Progressive and Vermont Mutual calculate premiums using different factors, so it's likely they'll offer different prices. The best way to determine which carrier is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a variety of different companies.

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

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