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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for insurance, Virginia Farm Bureau offers significantly cheaper premiums than Progressive
• Progressive offers more discounts than Virginia Farm Bureau Insurance
• Virginia Farm Bureau offers more affordable prices for policyholders who have a clean driving record, free of accidents, tickets, or DUIs

Progressive vs. Virginia Farm Bureau: 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 big discounts, you're probably wondering exactly how much you might be able to save.

You might be considering Progressive or Virginia Farm Bureau, but which company will save you the most?

Looking at the national average rates for both companies, Progressive is quite a bit more expensive than Virginia Farm Bureau, with rates averaging $180 per month compared to just $101 with Virginia Farm Bureau.

Even so, that doesn't necessarily mean Virginia Farm Bureau will be the more affordable option for every single driver. After all, car insurance carriers can offer drastically different rates to each driver depending on rating factors like your age, where you call home, your credit score, or even your driving record (among other things). So, at the end of the day, prices from every carrier will differ quite a bit from person to person.

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

Progressive or Virginia Farm Bureau: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Progressive and Virginia Farm Bureau only compete against each other in Virginia, where Virginia Farm Bureau offers the cheaper average prices. For Virginia residents, Virginia Farm Bureau offers auto insurance for $101 per month on average. Progressive's average rates come out to be over 30% more expensive, at $139 monthly.

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

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive car insurance prices of any group on the road. That's generally because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to cause collisions and other accidents that will result in an insurance claim.

However, that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high insurance premiums. As you can see above, teens who use Virginia Farm Bureau save more than $250 a month compared to those who use Progressive. It's worth noting that Progressive offers auto insurance in 44 different states compared to Virginia Farm Bureau's one, which can skew the average rates a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

That being said, both companies will drop prices by the time drivers turn 25. For example, average rates for Progressive policyholders reduce over $300 and Virginia Farm Bureau's premiums decrease about $100 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Once you approach retirement age, you'll usually 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.

So, which carrier offers the best premiums to retired drivers? Virginia Farm Bureau gets the edge, with prices for drivers 65 and older more than 30% less expensive than the national average for Progressive.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but auto insurance premiums tend to be cheaper for married drivers than they are for single policyholders. That's because policies for married policyholders typically cover multiple cars, which a lot of carriers will offer you a discount for.

When it comes to relationship status, Virginia Farm Bureau is the clear winner for those who are single, with rates around $106 per month more affordable than Progressive, on average. The advantage for married couples with Virginia Farm Bureau is also obvious, where drivers save nearly 35% a month.

Progressive vs. Virginia Farm Bureau: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to cause a collision and get into accidents. That means when it comes to insurance men will normally end up paying a little more.

With Progressive, women generally pay about $5 per month less than men, and around $4 less with Virginia Farm Bureau.

When it comes to the most affordable prices for each gender, Virginia Farm Bureau comes out on top for both men and women, with average rates 44% less for men and 44% cheaper for women.

Progressive or Virginia 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 a complicated subject for most people. Everyone needs car insurance, but there are so many different coverages and limits that it can be hard to find the right policy.

But most 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 an accident) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- comprehensive and collision -- in addition to liability coverage).

If you're looking for state minimum limits for liability insurance, Virginia Farm Bureau normally offers significantly less expensive premiums of $66 compared to Progressive's $111. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, Virginia Farm Bureau again has the edge, with policies about $100 a month cheaper than Progressive, on average.

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

It's no big secret that drivers who are accident-free get better deals on their insurance. But even if you have a spotty record, you can still find plenty of ways to save some cash on your monthly bill.

You'll probably end up paying more with at-fault collisions and tickets on your record, but which of these two companies offers the lowest prices to drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Progressive policyholders can expect their rates to go up an average of $31 per month if they get a ticket, while Virginia Farm Bureau typically raises premiums around $25 a month, on average.

That being said, Virginia Farm Bureau is usually the less expensive option for drivers both with a speeding ticket and with a clean record. Drivers with a clean record can save about $67 per month and drivers with a ticket can save around $73 a month with Virginia Farm Bureau Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Progressive drivers who get in a collision can expect to see their rates climb by over 30%, while those who have insurance through Virginia Farm Bureau will see about a 20% increase.

Overall, Virginia Farm Bureau offers the most affordable premiums for drivers with an at-fault accident on their records, with monthly prices averaging $105 compared to Progressive's $214.

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 car insurance bill -- typically a lot more than an accident or speeding ticket. On average, Virginia Farm Bureau will increase your rates around 26% after a DUI, while Progressive's average premiums increase by over 15%.

Virginia Farm Bureau has the overall cheapest prices for drivers with a DUI on their records at $111 a month, but it's worth noting that Progressive's average rates come from 44 states compared to just one for Virginia Farm Bureau, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact Progressive and Virginia Farm Bureau Rates?

In many cases, your credit score can come into play when carriers calculate your monthly bill. This isn't always the case (Michigan, for example, has banned the use of credit score as a rating factor) but it will come into play for lots of policyholders.

Auto insurance companies argue that those with poor credit scores are less likely to pay their bills on time each month, which increases the risk involved on their end, while the opposite is true for those with good credit.

So, which company offers the lowest rates 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 Virginia Farm Bureau. Policyholders with "excellent" credit can save more than 50% compared to Progressive, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- about $69 or 44% more affordable every month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Virginia Farm Bureau typically offers lower prices than Progressive when it comes to drivers with bad credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around $72 per month less with Virginia Farm Bureau compared to Progressive, and those with "poor" scores usually save an average of about $105 monthly.

Is Progressive or Virginia Farm Bureau 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 pretty big impact on your monthly premiums? Generally, those who drive fewer miles will end up with less expensive prices since there's less of a chance of getting into a collision and causing an insurance claim.

As you can see in the table above, annual mileage doesn't have much of an impact on how much Progressive charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly rates for Virginia Farm Bureau, with drivers who put 6,000 miles on their vehicle yearly paying around $4 less each month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles every year. Still, Virginia Farm Bureau is the cheaper option for drivers in both categories.

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

We've already mentioned how your home state can play a role in how much you pay for car insurance, but the type of area you live in can have a considerable impact as well. Normally, those who live in rural areas will pay less than drivers in urban areas because there are a lot fewer cars on the roads in those areas.

When comparing these two carriers side-by-side, Virginia Farm Bureau usually comes out as the lowest option for drivers in all areas, regardless of if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

Policyholders in rural ZIP codes see the cheapest premiums from both companies, but Virginia Farm Bureau comes out on top with average rates about $78 a month. Virginia Farm Bureau also has more affordable average prices for drivers in urban and suburban ZIP codes -- a $98 and $63 a month respective difference when compared to Progressive policyholders in similar areas.

Progressive vs. Virginia Farm Bureau Discounts

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

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 can take advantage of.

Below, we've compared all of the different discounts offered by Progressive and Virginia Farm Bureau so that you can see which carrier offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

Progressive knocks Virginia Farm Bureau out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 34 different discounts to Virginia Farm Bureau's eight.

There are a couple discounts both carriers offer, but Progressive also offers advance quote discounts, advanced safety feature discounts, agency transfer discounts, and more that Virginia Farm Bureau does not.

On the flip side, Virginia Farm Bureau has a couple unique discounts of its own -- discounts for getting driver training, new business discounts, and umbrella policy discounts.

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

So, you've seen how different variables can affect your insurance rates. We've broken down the different discounts each carrier offers, too. That's all well and good, but when it comes down to it, which company is the best fit for you?

Virginia Farm Bureau might be best for you if....

• You're looking for the best rates in VA.
• You want basic auto insurance coverage at the state minimum limits.
• You are over 65 years old and want to save some money on your car insurance.

Progressive might be best for you if...

• You're planning on moving to another state soon -- Virginia Farm Bureau Insurance only offers policies in VA.
• You want to save extra money with discounts.

We hope this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare Progressive and Virginia Farm Bureau and that it aids in making a more informed decision about your 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 a handful of companies, not just Progressive and Virginia Farm Bureau. Luckily, sites like Compare.com make it easy for you to do just that. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get multiple quotes from some of the best auto insurance carriers in your area, all for free.

Progressive vs. Virginia Farm Bureau FAQs

Is Progressive or Virginia Farm Bureau cheaper?

Looking just at the national average premiums, Virginia Farm Bureau is the less expensive of the two companies, offering average rates of $101 per month compared to $180 for Progressive. But Virginia Farm Bureau won't necessarily be the most affordable carrier for each policyholder, since there are a range of different factors (things like age, driving record, gender, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Progressive or Virginia Farm Bureau?

Sadly, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". No one company is necessarily "better" for everyone -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique insurance profile.

Why do Progressive and Virginia Farm Bureau offer me different rates?

Car insurance carriers take a look at many different variables when calculating the rates they charge drivers. Factors like gender, your driving record, where you call home, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Progressive and Virginia Farm Bureau calculate prices using different variables, so each one will most likely offer different premiums. The only real way to see which carrier is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a bunch of different companies.

How do I know if Progressive or Virginia Farm Bureau is right for me?

The only way to find the auto 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 area information and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best car insurance companies in your area. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the best rate. And who knows, the best carrier for you might not be Progressive or Virginia 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.