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

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for auto insurance, Vermont Mutual offers significantly less expensive prices than Safety
• Safety offers more affordable rates for policyholders who live in rural neighborhoods
• Vermont Mutual has cheaper premiums for single people who will be the only person on the car insurance policy

Safety or Vermont Mutual: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

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

You might have narrowed it down to Safety or Vermont Mutual for your next policy, but which company has more affordable rates for auto insurance?

Looking at nationwide averages, Vermont Mutual has average rates that are around 20% a month cheaper than those from Safety.

That being said, that doesn't mean Vermont Mutual will necessarily be less expensive than Safety for every single driver. After all, insurance carriers can offer drastically different rates to every driver depending on rating factors like your age, where you call home, your credit score, or even your driving record (among other things), so prices could change drastically from person to person.

Luckily, we've broken down average premiums from both Safety and Vermont Mutual by a range of different rate factors, so read on to find out which carrier is the best for you.

Safety vs. Vermont Mutual: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Safety and Vermont Mutual only compete against each other in two states, with Vermont Mutual offering more affordable prices to the average driver in all of them. If you live in New Hampshire, Safety is the less expensive of the two companies when looking at the overall average rates. Vermont Mutual is the cheaper option in Massachusetts.

But there's more to auto insurance than just where you live. As we mentioned above, there's a lot of things that go into how car insurance carriers determine your prices. Continue reading to learn more about how other variables will affect your rates.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- generally pay a lot for insurance compared to older drivers. It's because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

Even so, that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their auto insurance. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have Vermont Mutual for their car insurance pay almost 20% less than those who use Safety.

But with both companies, you'll see your premiums decrease significantly by the time you turn 25. For example, average rates for Safety policyholders lower over 50% and Vermont Mutual's prices drop more than 50% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Once you approach retirement age, you'll normally enjoy the most affordable insurance premiums out there. You've been on the road for years, and all that experience pays off when it comes to your monthly rates for auto insurance.

When looking at Safety and Vermont Mutual specifically, which company is best for retired drivers? Vermont Mutual gets the edge here, with average prices coming in at about $131 monthly compared to Safety's $164.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that insurance rates are typically more affordable for married policyholders than they are for single policyholders? That's because policies for married couples usually cover more than one vehicle, which quite a few carriers will give you a discount for.

For single drivers, the difference in average premiums between these two companies is significant, with Vermont Mutual rates coming in at around 20% less than Safety's. The advantage is also clear for married drivers - Vermont Mutual offers the cheapest average prices.

Safety or Vermont Mutual: Average Rates by Gender

Because women are less likely to get into collisions and get tickets, they have a decreased chance of filing a claim with insurance. So, women tend to pay less for car insurance than men.

Men generally pay about 5% more per month than women with Safety, and nearly 10% with Vermont Mutual.

Looking at overall affordability, Vermont Mutual comes out as the most affordable option for both genders. On average, women save about $46 a month and men save around $43 with Vermont Mutual compared to the average Safety policyholder.

Safety 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.

Auto insurance isn't the easiest topic to understand. Everyone needs car insurance, but there are so many different terms and limits that it can be hard to find the right policy for you.

However, most policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability coverage (which covers the other party's injuries and property damage if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which typically refers to having collision and comprehensive coverages alongside what you get with a liability policy).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability insurance, Vermont Mutual has the significant edge, with average monthly premiums coming in at $85. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Vermont Mutual again has the edge, with policies averaging about $261 per month to Safety's $313.

Is Safety or Vermont Mutual 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.

It's no secret secret that speeding tickets and collisions lead to higher rates, but which carrier -- Safety or Vermont Mutual -- has the lowest premiums for drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Safety for their auto insurance can normally expect their monthly bill to go up around 32% after getting a speeding ticket. Vermont Mutual policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of about 6%.

Even so, Vermont Mutual has cheaper rates for drivers in both categories. With Vermont Mutual, drivers with a clean record can save around $12 a month and drivers with a ticket can save about $66 per month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both companies will raise premiums pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault collision with Safety climbing by around 43%. Vermont Mutual has a less extreme climb, but you can still expect to pay nearly 20% more than you were prior to your first accident.

At the end of the day, drivers who use Vermont Mutual end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with average prices coming in at $144 compared to Safety Insurance's $226.

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, Safety will raise your premiums about 60% after a DUI, while Vermont Mutual's average rates climb by more than 60%.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable prices, Vermont Mutual tends to be more affordable for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at around $307 to Safety's $324.

How does Credit Score Impact Safety and Vermont Mutual Rates?

Often times, your credit score can be used as one of the factors to calculate your monthly car insurance premiums. This isn't true for everyone (California, for example, has banned the use of credit score as an auto insurance factor) but it will come into play for lots of drivers.

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, policyholders with bad credit will often be forced to pay more.

Looking specifically at Vermont Mutual and Safety, which one has the cheapest rates for drivers at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have great credit, Vermont Mutual will usually reward you the most. For policyholders with "excellent" credit scores, Vermont Mutual comes in over 26.76 less expensive. Drivers with "good" credit scores generally save about 20% with Vermont Mutual compared to average prices from Safety.

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 premiums. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around 14% less with Vermont Mutual than Safety, but those whose credit is considered "poor" have it flipped -- saving about 10% a month with Safety.

Is Safety or Vermont Mutual 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 how much auto insurance companies will charge for coverage? Typically, those who drive less will end up with more affordable prices since there's less of a chance of causing an accident and filing an insurance claim.

As you can see in the table above, annual mileage doesn't have much of an impact on how much Vermont Mutual charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly rates for Safety, with policyholders who drive the least paying around $3 less each month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles yearly. Still, for drivers in both categories, Vermont Mutual is the cheaper company.

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

Where you call home can have a pretty big impact on your monthly car insurance cost. Usually, if you live in an urban area with more cars on the road, you'll pay a little more for insurance, while the opposite is true for people in rural areas.

Looking at these carriers side-by-side, Vermont Mutual boasts the most affordable average premiums in urban and suburban areas, while Safety wins in rural areas.

For drivers in urban ZIP codes, Vermont Mutual's average rates are about $83 less than Safety Insurance. People who live in suburban areas pay around $52 less with Vermont Mutual compared to Safety. Those in rural areas can expect to save about $4 with Safety compared to Vermont Mutual.

Safety vs. Vermont Mutual Discounts

No matter why you might be in the market for a new auto insurance policy, you're always going to want to save as much money as you can, and the best way to do that is by taking advantage of as many car insurance discounts as possible.

But where do you even start? With what seems like a million different discounts out there, it may be challenging to find all the ones you qualify for.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and broke down all of the different discounts offered by both Safety and Vermont Mutual so that you can see which carrier can save you the most money each month.

Overall, Safety comes out ahead with 18 discounts to Vermont Mutual's 14.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like annual mileage discounts, distant student discounts, discounts for getting driver training, and discounts for insuring multiple cars with the same company. Safety also offers discounts for book transfer policy, e-signature, employee discount, and more.

On the other hand, Vermont Mutual has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like ABS discounts, experienced operator discounts, and paid in full discounts.

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

So, we've broken down the average prices for many of the variables insurance companies look at, and we've shown you all the discounts each carrier offers. But, at the end of the day, which insurance company is the right one for you and your specific driver profile?

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

• You've been pulled over for speeding recently.
• You're looking for the best premiums on liability only coverage.
• You and your spouse are buying car insurance together.

Safety might be best for you if...

• You're looking for discounts -- Safety has the most.
• Your neighborhood is in a rural area.

Hopefully, this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare Safety and Vermont Mutual and that it aids in making a more informed decision about 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 Safety and Vermont Mutual. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code below and get free quotes from dozens of the top insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Safety vs. Vermont Mutual FAQs

Is Safety or Vermont Mutual cheaper?

Vermont Mutual is the less expensive of the two carriers when looking at national average prices, with policies averaging $173 per month with Vermont Mutual and $217 for Safety. But that doesn't mean Vermont Mutual will be the lowest carrier for every policyholder, since there are a variety of different factors that are considered when it comes to your auto insurance bill.

Who is better, Safety or Vermont Mutual?

Sadly, the real answer is "it depends.". No one company is "better" for each policyholder -- it all depends on what your unique insurance profile looks like. For example, Safety is more affordable for drivers who have less-than-stellar credit scores, while Vermont Mutual offers cheaper rates for policyholders with an at-fault accident on their record.

Why do Safety and Vermont Mutual offer me different rates?

Car insurance companies use a lot of different variables when determining the prices they charge. Things like gender, age, your driving record, where you live, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both Safety and Vermont Mutual calculate premiums using different factors, so it's likely they'll offer different rates. The best way to determine which carrier is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a bunch of different carriers.

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

The only way to find the auto insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from multiple companies 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 quotes from dozens of your local top car insurance carriers for free. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the best premium. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't Safety 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.