Safe Auto vs. Western Reserve Group: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for auto insurance, Western Reserve Group offers significantly less expensive premiums than Safe Auto
• Safe Auto offers more discounts than Western Reserve Group
• Western Reserve Group has more affordable rates for policyholders who have a short commute

Safe Auto vs. Western Reserve Group: 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 large discounts, you're probably wondering exactly how much you might be able to save.

You've maybe even narrowed it down to Safe Auto or Western Reserve Group as potential options, but between the two, which one will offer you cheaper premiums?

As you can see, Western Reserve Group has average rates that are about 40% per month less expensive than those from Safe Auto when looking at the national average rates for car insurance.

Even so, that doesn't necessarily mean Western Reserve Group will be the cheaper option for each driver. Insurance companies vary their prices depending on things like where you live, how good your credit score is, how old you are, how clean your driving record is, and a ton of other factors, so premiums will vary quite a bit from person to person.

Wanting to know if Safe Auto or Western Reserve Group is really the right carrier for you? Keep on reading to see how average rates can change based on all of the factors we've mentioned above.

Safe Auto or Western Reserve Group: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Safe Auto and Western Reserve Group only compete against each other in one states, with Safe Auto offering more affordable prices to the average driver in all of them. Indiana has the most noticable difference, where Safe Auto rates are over 15% less expensive than auto insurance prices at Western Reserve Group.

That being said, there's a lot more that goes into your insurance payment than just where you live. Keep reading to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive car insurance premiums of any group out there on the road. That's because 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 Western Reserve Group for their auto insurance pay nearly $200 less than those who use Safe Auto. It's worth noting that Safe Auto offers insurance in 13 different states compared to Western Reserve Group's two, which can skew the average prices a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

But with both carriers, you'll see your premiums reduce significantly once you turn 25. Western Reserve Group offers the steepest drop, with 25-year-olds paying less than half what 18-year-old drivers are charged. Safe Auto's average prices drop more than 50% during that same period.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

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

But who has the best premiums for retired drivers between Safe Auto and Western Reserve Group? Western Reserve Group gets the edge, with prices for drivers 65 and older over 40% cheaper than the national average for Safe Auto.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that car insurance premiums are normally more affordable for married drivers than they are for single drivers? That's typically because married policyholders tend to own and insure more than one car, which can often earn you a discount.

When it comes to relationship status, Western Reserve Group is the clear winner for single policyholders, with rates around $102 a month less expensive than Safe Auto, on average. The advantage is also clear for married couples - Western Reserve Group offers the most affordable average prices.

Safe Auto vs. Western Reserve Group: Average Rates by Gender

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

Men generally pay more than $15 per month more than women with Safe Auto, but surprisingly, with Western Reserve Group, men usually pay about $2 a month less than women.

Looking at overall affordability, Western Reserve Group comes out on top for both men and women. On average, women save about $76 per month and men save around $95 with Western Reserve Group compared to the average Safe Auto policyholder.

Safe Auto or Western Reserve Group: 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 several different coverages that account for many different things. Some protect you and your vehicle, while others only provide coverage for other people's property and health if you cause an accident.

However, most policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability only (which provides bodily injury and property damage coverage for other drivers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- comprehensive and collision -- alongside what you get with a liability policy).

If you're looking for state minimum liability limits, Western Reserve Group generally offers significantly more affordable rates of $94 compared to Safe Auto's $126. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, Western Reserve Group again has the edge, with policies about $150 a month cheaper than Safe Auto, on average.

Is Safe Auto or Western Reserve Group Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

It's no big secret that drivers who are accident-free get better deals on their auto 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 collisions and tickets on your record, but which of these two companies offers the lowest premiums to drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Safe Auto policyholders can expect their prices to go up an average of $40 per month if they get a ticket, while Western Reserve Group normally raises rates around $34 a month, on average.

That being said, Western Reserve Group is typically the more affordable option for drivers both with clean records and with a speeding ticket, offering premiums that are $92 and $98 cheaper, respectively, compared to Safe Auto.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Safe Auto drivers who get in an accident can expect to see their prices rise by over 25%, while those who have insurance through Western Reserve Group will see about a 25% increase.

Overall, Western Reserve Group offers the cheapest premiums for drivers with an at-fault accident on their records, with monthly rates averaging $120 compared to Safe Auto's $246.

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 a collision. For example, Western Reserve Group increases average premiums by just under $150 per month -- that's just under a 60% increase.

Western Reserve Group has the overall most affordable rates for drivers with a DUI on their records at $218 per month, but it's worth noting that Safe Auto's average rates come from 13 states compared to just two for Western Reserve Group, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact Safe Auto and Western Reserve Group Rates?

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

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 less expensive prices.

So, which company offers the lowest rates for policyholders with poor, average, or good credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have great credit, you'll usually find a better deal with Western Reserve Group. Drivers with "excellent" credit can save nearly 45% compared to Safe Auto, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- around $105 or 47% cheaper each month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Western Reserve Group typically offers lower prices than Safe Auto when it comes to drivers with less-than-stellar credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about $91 a month less with Western Reserve Group compared to Safe Auto, and those with "poor" scores normally save an average of around $63 monthly.

Is Safe Auto or Western Reserve Group 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 sizable impact on your monthly car insurance bill? Usually, those who drive less will end up with less expensive premiums since there's less of a chance of getting into an accident and causing an insurance claim.

In this case, neither Safe Auto or Western Reserve Group report increasing rates for drivers with higher annual mileage figures. Even so, Western Reserve Group comes out as the most affordable for drivers at both intervals, whether they put 6,000 or 12,000 miles on their vehicle annually, with average premiums of $137 per month for both.

Safe Auto vs. Western Reserve Group: 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 big impact as well. Generally, those who live in rural areas will pay less than policyholders in urban areas because there are a lot fewer cars on the road in those areas, which reduces the chances of an accident.

When comparing these two carriers side-by-side, Western Reserve Group typically comes out as the cheapest option for drivers in all areas, regardless of if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

For drivers in urban ZIP codes, Western Reserve Group offers prices about $147 a month compared to Safe Auto's $271. People who live in suburban ZIP codes can expect to pay around $139 a month for Western Reserve Group and $200 for Safe Auto. Lastly, those in rural areas tend to get the lowest premiums from both companies, with average monthly rates coming in at $125 and $197 for Western Reserve Group and Safe Auto respectively.

Safe Auto vs. Western Reserve Group Discounts

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

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.

In the table below, we've compared all of the different discounts offered by Safe Auto and Western Reserve Group so that you can see which company can save you the most money each month.

Looking at the total number of discounts, Safe Auto has advantage when it comes to total number of discounts. Western Reserve Group offers a grand total of 11 discounts, while Safe Auto has 14.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like agency transfer discounts, anti-theft discounts, and discounts for being a homeowner. Safe Auto also offers claim free discounts, driver training discounts, military discounts, and more that Western Reserve Group does not.

On the flip side, Western Reserve Group has a couple unique discounts of its own -- advance quote discounts, company car discounts, distant student discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Safe Auto or Western Reserve Group Best for You?

So, you've seen how different factors can affect your auto insurance prices. We've broken down the different discounts each carrier offers, too. That's all well and good, but when it comes down to it, is Safe Auto or Western Reserve Group the right carrier for you and your specific driver profile?

Western Reserve Group might be best for you if....

• You've been pulled over for speeding recently.
• You have above-average credit.
• You drive fewer than 12,000 miles yearly.

Safe Auto might be best for you if...

• You value the experience that comes with a large national car insurance company.
• You want to save extra money with discounts.

We hope this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between Safe Auto and Western Reserve Group and that you can now make a more informed decision when it comes to your auto 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 a handful of carriers, not just Safe Auto and Western Reserve Group. Luckily, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get multiple quotes from some of the best insurance companies in your area, all for free.

Safe Auto vs. Western Reserve Group FAQs

Is Safe Auto or Western Reserve Group cheaper?

Looking just at the national average rates, Western Reserve Group is the more affordable of the two carriers, offering average rates of $137 per month compared to $223 for Safe Auto. Even so, Western Reserve Group won't necessarily be the most affordable carrier for everyone, since there are a range of different variables that come into play when it comes to your car insurance cost.

Who is better, Safe Auto or Western Reserve Group?

Sadly, the real answer is "it depends.". No one company is necessarily "better" for every driver -- it all depends on what your unique insurance profile looks like.

Why do Safe Auto and Western Reserve Group offer me different rates?

Auto insurance companies take a look at many different factors when calculating the prices they charge policyholders. Things like your driving record, where you park your vehicle, age, gender, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both Safe Auto and Western Reserve Group 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 multiple different carriers.

How do I know if Safe Auto or Western Reserve Group is right for me?

The only way to find the car insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from several 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 information once 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 cheapest premium. And who knows, the best carrier for you might not be Safe Auto or Western Reserve Group 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.