Safe Auto vs. Southern County Mutual: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for insurance, Southern County Mutual offers less expensive prices than Safe Auto
• Safe Auto offers more discounts than Southern County Mutual Insurance Company
• Southern County Mutual offers more affordable rates for drivers who have an at-fault accident on their record

Safe Auto vs. Southern County Mutual: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

Are you considering a new insurance policy? After all, you've seen ads from all sorts of companies offering hefty discounts. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You might be considering Safe Auto or Southern County Mutual for your next policy, but which carrier has more affordable premiums for car insurance?

Looking at nationwide averages, Southern County Mutual has average rates that are about 20% per month cheaper than those from Safe Auto.

But that doesn't mean Southern County Mutual will necessarily be less expensive than Safe Auto for every single driver. Auto insurance companies vary their prices depending on things like how good your credit score is, where you live, how old you are, how clean your driving record is, and all sorts of other factors, so rates will differ quite a bit from person to person.

Wanting to know if Safe Auto or Southern County Mutual is really the right company for you? Keep on reading to see how average prices can change based on all of the factors we've mentioned above.

Safe Auto or Southern County Mutual: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Safe Auto and Southern County Mutual only compete against each other in Texas, where Southern County Mutual offers the cheaper average rates. For Texas residents, Southern County Mutual offers insurance for $179 a month on average. Safe Auto's average premiums come out to be over 30% more expensive, at $236 monthly.

That being said, there's a lot more that goes into your car insurance bill than just where you live. Read on to find out 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 group out there on the road. That's typically because young, inexperienced 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. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of $85 less a month by choosing Southern County Mutual over Safe Auto. It's worth noting that Safe Auto offers auto insurance in 13 different states compared to Southern County Mutual's one, which can skew the average premiums a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

That being said, both carriers will offer you dramatically lower prices by the time drivers turn 25. Southern County Mutual offers the steepest reduction, with 25-year-olds paying less than half what 18-year-old drivers are charged. Safe Auto's average premiums drop more than 50% during that same period.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

When it comes to car insurance, patience and experience pay off, with drivers around retirement age paying some of the cheapest rates you'll ever see.

But who has the best prices for retired drivers between Safe Auto and Southern County Mutual? Southern County Mutual gets the edge here, with average rates coming in at around $129 per month compared to Safe Auto's $179.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that insurance premiums are usually cheaper for married drivers than they are for single drivers? That's because policies for married couples normally cover more than one car, which a lot of companies will offer you a discount for.

When it comes to relationship status, Southern County Mutual is the clear winner for those who are single, with prices about $55 per month more affordable than Safe Auto, on average. For married policyholders, the advantage is clear again - Southern County Mutual has the edge when it comes to average rates.

Safe Auto vs. Southern County Mutual: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get into accidents and file an insurance claim, which means they'll generally end up paying more for auto insurance than women.

Men normally pay over $15 a month more than women with Safe Auto, while with Southern County Mutual, the difference is closer to $18 per month.

When it comes to the lowest prices for each gender, Southern County Mutual comes out as the cheapest option for both genders, with average premiums $43 less for men and $44 cheaper for women.

Safe Auto or Southern County 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.

For most people, insurance isn't the easiest topic to understand. Everyone needs auto insurance, but there are so many different limits and coverages that it can be hard to find the right policy.

The two most common policies that many drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability only (which covers the other party's injuries and property damage if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which usually refers to having comprehensive and collision coverages alongside liability).

If you're looking for state minimum liability insurance, Southern County Mutual typically offers cheaper rates of $105 compared to Safe Auto's $126. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, Southern County Mutual again has the edge, with policies around $65 a month more affordable than Safe Auto, on average.

Is Safe Auto or Southern County Mutual Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

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

Tickets and collisions will most likely raise your prices, but is Safe Auto or Southern County Mutual less expensive for drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Safe Auto policyholders can expect their premiums to go up an average of $40 per month if they get a ticket, while Southern County Mutual normally raises prices about $10 a month, on average.

Even so, Southern County Mutual has more affordable premiums for drivers in both categories -- their rates are around 8% less expensive for drivers with clean records and 20% cheaper for those with a ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both carriers will increase rates pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault collision with Safe Auto increasing by over $65. Southern County Mutual has a less extreme raise, but you can still expect to pay $3 more than you were prior to your first accident.

Overall, the more affordable prices come from Southern County Mutual, with monthly premiums averaging $169 compared to Safe Auto's $246.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

On average, a DUI offense is going to cost you much more than a single collision or speeding ticket when it comes to your insurance bill. On average, Safe Auto will climb your rates around 27% after a DUI, while Southern County Mutual's average prices climb by just under 20%.

Southern County Mutual has the overall lowest rates for drivers with a DUI on their records at $207 monthly, but it's worth noting that Safe Auto's average rates come from 13 states compared to just one for Southern County Mutual, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact Safe Auto and Southern County Mutual Rates?

In many cases, your credit score can be used as one of the factors to calculate your monthly auto insurance premiums. This isn't always the case (California, for example, has banned the use of credit score as a rating factor) but it might come into play for quite a few drivers.

The reasoning car insurance companies use is that policyholders with good credit will be more likely to pay their bills on time; so they'll reward them with cheaper rates, while those with poor credit will generally be forced to pay more.

So, which carrier offers the most affordable premiums for drivers with poor, average, or good credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have solid credit, you'll usually find a better deal with Southern County Mutual. Policyholders with "excellent" credit can save nearly 20% compared to Safe Auto, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- about $59 or 27% less expensive each month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Southern County Mutual typically offers lower prices than Safe Auto when it comes to drivers with a below average credit score. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around $36 per month less with Southern County Mutual compared to Safe Auto, and those with "poor" scores usually save an average of about $41 per month.

Is Safe Auto or Southern County Mutual Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a pretty big impact on how much insurance carriers will charge for coverage. Typically, the more miles you put on your vehicle each year, the more you can expect to pay for car insurance.

In this case, neither Safe Auto or Southern County Mutual report increasing premiums for drivers with higher annual mileage figures. Still, Southern County Mutual comes out as the lowest for drivers at both intervals, whether they put 6,000 or 12,000 miles on their car annually, with average prices of $179 a month for both.

Safe Auto vs. Southern County Mutual: 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 auto insurance, but the type of area you live in can have a large impact as well. Generally, those who live in urban areas will pay more than drivers in rural areas because of the number of vehicles that are on the roads in those areas.

When comparing these two companies side-by-side, Southern County Mutual usually comes out as the cheapest option for drivers in all areas, regardless of if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

Policyholders in rural ZIP codes see the most affordable rates from both carriers, but Southern County Mutual comes out on top with average premiums around $159 a month. Southern County Mutual also has cheaper average prices for drivers in urban and suburban ZIP codes -- a $69 and $23 per month respective difference when compared to Safe Auto policyholders in similar areas.

Safe Auto vs. Southern County Mutual 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. That's where auto insurance discounts comes into play.

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

In the table below, we've compared all of the different discounts offered by Safe Auto and Southern County Mutual so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

Overall, Safe Auto has the advantage when it comes to total number of discounts. Southern County Mutual offers a grand total of nine discounts, while Safe Auto has 14.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like anti-theft discounts, paid in full discounts, and passive restraint discounts. Safe Auto also offers agency transfer discounts, claim free discounts, defensive driver discounts, and more that Southern County Mutual does not.

On the flip side, Southern County Mutual has a couple unique discounts of its own -- corporate discounts, distant student discounts, discounts for being a good student, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Safe Auto or Southern County Mutual 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. But, at the end of the day, is Safe Auto or Southern County Mutual the best one for you and your specific profile and needs?

Southern County Mutual might be best for you if....

• You have a clean record.
• You live in an urban area.
• You drive fewer than 6,000 miles yearly.

Safe Auto might be best for you if...

• You value the experience that comes with a large national auto insurance company.
• You're looking for discounts -- Safe Auto has the most.

We hope this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare Safe Auto and Southern County Mutual and that you can now make a more informed decision when it comes to 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 multiple companies, not just Safe Auto and Southern County Mutual. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your ZIP code below and get free quotes from dozens of top auto insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Safe Auto vs. Southern County Mutual FAQs

Is Safe Auto or Southern County Mutual cheaper?

Looking just at the national average prices, Southern County Mutual is the less expensive of the two companies, offering average rates of $179 a month compared to $223 for Safe Auto. However, Southern County Mutual won't necessarily be the cheapest carrier for everyone, since there are many different factors that come into play when it comes to your insurance payment.

Who is better, Safe Auto or Southern County Mutual?

Sadly, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". No single company is necessarily "better" for everyone -- it all comes down to what your unique car insurance profile looks like.

Why do Safe Auto and Southern County Mutual offer me different rates?

Insurance carriers take a look at several different variables when calculating the rates they charge drivers. Things like age, where you park your car, gender, your driving record, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both Safe Auto and Southern County Mutual use different formulas, so each one will most likely offer different premiums. The only real way to see which carrier is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a variety of different companies.

How do I know if Safe Auto or Southern County Mutual is right for me?

The only way to find the car insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from a handful of 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 free quotes from dozens of the best auto 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 Safe Auto or Southern County Mutual 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.