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

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for car insurance, Safe Auto offers significantly cheaper rates than Southern
• Safe Auto tends to be a much more affordable option for drivers with a DUI charge on their record
• Southern offers more discounts than Safe Auto

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

So, you're thinking about switching your auto insurance. You've probably seen commercials and billboards from companies offering big discounts, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You might have narrowed it down to Safe Auto or Southern, but which carrier will save you the most?

As you can see, Safe Auto has average rates that are about 30% per month less expensive than those from Southern when looking at the national average rates for insurance.

However, that doesn't mean Safe Auto will necessarily be cheaper than Southern for each driver. Auto insurance companies vary their prices depending on things like where you live, how clean your driving record is, how old you are, how good your credit score is, and a variety of other factors, so rates will vary quite a bit from person to person.

Luckily, we've broken down average premiums from both Safe Auto and Southern by many different rate factors, so read on to find out which carrier is the best for you.

Safe Auto or Southern: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Safe Auto and Southern only compete against each other in one states, with Safe Auto offering less expensive prices to the average driver in all of them. Tennessee has the most noticable difference, where Safe Auto rates are over 60% more affordable than car insurance prices at Southern.

There are plenty of other factors that go into your insurance bill than just where you call home. Read on to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive auto insurance premiums of any group on the road. The reason is that young, inexperienced 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 rates, teen drivers can still find ways to save money. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have Safe Auto for their car insurance pay more than $250 less than those who use Southern.

Even so, with both carriers, you'll see your prices reduce significantly once you turn 25. For example, average premiums for Safe Auto policyholders lower over 50% and Southern's rates decrease more than 60% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

When it comes to insurance, patience and experience pay off, with drivers around retirement age paying some of the cheapest prices out there.

So, which company offers the best premiums to retired drivers? Safe Auto gets the edge here, with average rates coming in at around $179 per month compared to Southern's $254.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Those who are single tend to get offered slightly more expensive car insurance prices than married drivers. This usually boils down to married policyholders having several cars on their policy -- something many auto insurance companies will reward with discounts.

When it comes to relationship status, Safe Auto is the clear winner for single drivers, with premiums about $122 a month cheaper than Southern, on average. The advantage for married couples with Safe Auto is also obvious, where drivers save nearly 30% per month.

Safe Auto vs. Southern: Average Rates by Gender

Did you know women normally pay less for insurance than men? This is because men are statistically more likely than women to cause a collision and get into accidents, which leads to increased risk for insurers and, therefore, higher rates.

With Safe Auto, women usually pay over $15 a month less than men, and around $35 with Southern.

When it comes to the most affordable premiums for each gender, Safe Auto offers the lowest average prices for both men and women, with average premiums 32% less for men and 30% cheaper for women.

Safe Auto or Southern: 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 car insurance can be a complicated subject for most people. There are so many different coverages and terms that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy.

But most 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 includes comprehensive and collision coverages that protect your own vehicle, alongside liability coverage).

If you're looking for state minimum liability insurance, Safe Auto typically offers significantly less expensive rates of $126 compared to Southern's $192. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, Safe Auto again has the edge, with policies about $150 per month more affordable than Southern, on average.

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

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from insurance carriers offering great prices for good drivers, but that doesn't mean people with less-than-perfect driving records can't save money, too.

You'll probably end up paying more with at-fault accidents and tickets on your record, but which of these two companies offers the cheapest premiums to drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Safe Auto policyholders can expect their rates to go up an average of $40 a month if they get a ticket, while Southern generally raises prices around $17 per month, on average.

That being said, Safe Auto is normally the cheaper option for both drivers who have clean records and those with a recent speeding ticket, offering premiums that are $36 and $13 less expensive, respectively, compared to Southern Insurance Company of Virginia.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Safe Auto drivers who get in a collision can expect to see their rates increase by over $65, while those who have insurance through Southern will see about a $75 increase.

Overall, drivers who use Safe Auto end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with monthly prices averaging $246 compared to Southern Insurance Company of Virginia's $293.

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 auto insurance bill -- usually a lot more than an accident or ticket. For example, Southern increases average rates by just under $350 a month -- that's over a 60% increase.

If you have a DUI on your record and are looking for more affordable premiums, Safe Auto tends to be the much more affordable option with average prices of $245 monthly compared to $548 from Southern.

How does Credit Score Impact Safe Auto and Southern Rates?

Did you know that many car insurance carriers take into account your credit score when calculating rates? Certain states and companies do not allow for credit score to be used as a rating factor, but it might come into play for a lot of policyholders.

Insurance carriers argue that someone with bad credit is less likely to pay their bills on time, which makes them riskier to insure. Because of that, drivers with bad credit will often be forced to pay more.

So, which carrier offers the best prices for policyholders with poor, average, or good credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Is Safe Auto or Southern 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 how much auto insurance companies will charge for coverage. Typically, those who drive less will end up with cheaper premiums 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 Safe Auto charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly rates for Southern, with drivers who put 6,000 miles on their car annually paying around $30 less each month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles yearly. Still, Safe Auto is the less expensive option for drivers in both categories.

Safe Auto vs. Southern: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where your home is can play a pretty big role in how much you pay for car insurance. Generally, drivers who live in less densely populated rural areas will pay quite a bit less than urban policyholders because there are a lot fewer vehicles on the road in those areas, which decreases the chances of an accident.

When comparing these two carriers side-by-side, Safe Auto usually comes out as the lowest option for drivers in every type of area, no matter if it's urban, suburban, or rural.

Those in rural areas can expect to pay about $197 a month with Safe Auto compared to Southern's $298. Drivers in suburban ZIP codes pay a monthly premium of around $200 with Safe Auto compared to $279 with Southern. For drivers in urban ZIP codes, Safe Auto's average prices are about $271 per month compared to Southern's $390.

Safe Auto vs. Southern Discounts

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

The hard part is finding all of the discounts you're eligible for, since it can feel sometimes like every company has different discounts and each one is advertised differently.

Below, we've broken down all of the different discounts offered by both Safe Auto and Southern so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and, therefore, the biggest savings.

Southern knocks Safe Auto out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering six more discounts than Safe Auto.

There are a couple discounts both companies offer, but Southern also offers ABS discounts, advance quote discounts, experienced operator discounts, and more that Safe Auto does not.

On the flip side, Safe Auto has a couple unique discounts of its own -- agency transfer discounts, claim free discounts, military discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Safe Auto or Southern Best for You?

So, you've seen how different factors can affect your auto insurance premiums. We've shown you all the discounts each carrier offers, too. That's all well and good, but at the end of the day, is Safe Auto or Southern the best one for you and your specific needs?

Safe Auto might be best for you if....

• You're single and purchasing car insurance by yourself.
• You live in an suburban area.
• You are over 65 years old and want to save some money on your insurance.

Southern might be best for you if...

• You care about discounts (Southern offers the most).

We hope this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between Safe Auto and Southern. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision about your auto 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 several carriers, not just Safe Auto and Southern. Luckily, sites like Compare.com make 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 companies in your area, all for free.

Safe Auto vs. Southern FAQs

Is Safe Auto or Southern cheaper?

Looking just at the national average rates, Safe Auto is the more affordable of the two carriers, offering average rates of $223 a month compared to $322 for Southern. But Safe Auto won't necessarily be the most affordable company for every driver, since there are a variety of different variables that come into play when it comes to your insurance cost.

Who is better, Safe Auto or Southern?

Sadly, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". Neither carrier is "better" for everyone -- it all comes down to what your unique auto insurance profile looks like.

Why do Safe Auto and Southern offer me different rates?

Car insurance companies take a look at quite a few different factors when determining the prices they charge drivers. Variables like gender, age, your driving record, where you live, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both Safe Auto and Southern calculate premiums differently, so each one will most likely offer different rates. The only real way to see which company is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from lots of different carriers.

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

The only way to find the 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, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best auto insurance carriers in your area. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the best rate. And who knows, the best company for you might not be Safe Auto or Southern 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.