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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for car insurance, Safeway offers significantly more affordable prices than Southern
• Safeway has less expensive rates for drivers with a DUI charge on their record
• Southern offers more discounts than Safeway Insurance

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

Are you in the market for a new insurance policy? You've probably seen commercials and billboards from companies offering hefty discounts, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You might have narrowed it down to Safeway or Southern as potential options, but which one will offer you cheaper prices?

As you can see, Southern has average rates that are about 40% per month more expensive than those from Safeway when looking at the national average rates for insurance.

However, that doesn't mean Safeway will necessarily be less expensive than Southern for each driver. Car insurance companies vary their premiums depending on things like where you live, how clean your driving record is, how good your credit score is, how old you are, and a variety of other factors. So, at the end of the day, rates from each carrier will differ quite a bit from person to person.

So, if you want to find out which of Safeway or Southern is really the best for you, keep reading to see average prices for each company broken down by a bunch of different rate factors.

Safeway or Southern: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Safeway and Southern only compete against each other in two states, with Safeway offering cheaper premiums to the average driver in all of them. Georgia has the most noticable difference, where Safeway rates are over 70% more affordable than auto insurance prices at Southern.

But there's more to calculating car insurance rates than just your home state. Read on to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- normally pay a lot for insurance compared to older drivers. That's typically because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to cause collisions and other accidents that will result in an insurance claim.

But that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high auto insurance premiums. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have Safeway for their car insurance pay more than $250 less than those who use Southern.

Even so, with both carriers, you'll see your rates drop significantly by the time you turn 25. Southern offers the steepest reduction, with 25-year-olds paying less than a third of what 18-year-old drivers are charged. That being said, Safeway still has the most affordable prices at $179 monthly.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Once you approach retirement age, you'll usually enjoy the cheapest auto insurance premiums you can find. You've been on the road for years, and all that experience pays off when it comes to your monthly prices for insurance.

So, which carrier offers the best premiums to retired drivers? Safeway gets the edge, with rates for drivers 65 and older over 45% cheaper than the national average for Southern.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

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

When it comes to relationship status, Safeway is the clear winner for single policyholders, with prices around $146 a month less expensive than Southern, on average. The advantage for married couples with Safeway is also obvious, where drivers save nearly 45% per month.

Safeway vs. Southern: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get pulled over for speeding or get into an accident. That means when it comes to car insurance men will generally end up paying a little more.

On average, men see rates almost 10% a month higher with Safeway, while with Southern, the difference is closer to 11% per month.

When it comes to the lowest prices for each gender, Safeway offers the cheapest average rates for both men and women. On average, male drivers save about $137 a month and women save about $119 with Safeway compared to the average Southern policyholder.

Safeway 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 auto insurance can be pretty complicated. There are so many different coverages and terms that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy.

The two most common policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability only (which provides bodily injury and property damage coverage for other drivers and passengers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which usually refers to having comprehensive and collision coverages in addition to what you get with liability).

If you're looking for state minimum limits for liability insurance, Safeway normally offers significantly more affordable premiums of $130 compared to Southern's $192. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, Safeway again has the edge, with policies around $200 per month cheaper than Southern, on average.

Is Safeway or Southern Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

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

At-fault accidents and tickets will most likely raise your prices, but is Safeway or Southern more affordable for drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Safeway policyholders can expect their premiums to go up an average of $7 a month if they get a ticket, while Southern generally raises rates about $17 per month, on average.

That being said, Safeway is typically the less expensive option for both drivers who have clean records and those with a recent speeding ticket, offering premiums that are 25% and 27% more affordable, respectively, compared to Southern Insurance Company of Virginia.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Safeway drivers who get in an accident can expect to see their prices rise by over 25%, while those who have insurance through Southern will see around a 25% increase.

Overall, Safeway offers the most affordable premiums for drivers with an at-fault accident on their records, with monthly prices averaging $223 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 car insurance bill -- normally a lot more than a collision 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, Safeway tends to be the much less expensive option with average prices of $220 a month compared to $548 from Southern.

How does Credit Score Impact Safeway and Southern Rates?

Did you know that many auto insurance companies take your credit score into account when calculating rates? This isn't always the case (for example, Massachusetts and California are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it does affect quite a few policyholders out there.

The reasoning insurance carriers use is that drivers with good credit will be more likely to pay their bills on time; so they'll reward them with cheaper premiums, while those with poor credit will typically be forced to pay more.

So, which company offers the best prices for policyholders 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 Safeway. Drivers with "excellent" credit can save more than 10% compared to Southern, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- about $67 or 26% cheaper every month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Safeway typically offers lower rates than Southern when it comes to drivers with less-than-stellar credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around $135 per month less with Safeway compared to Southern, and those with "poor" scores generally save an average of about $286 per month.

Is Safeway 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 your monthly prices. That's because the more miles you put on your vehicle, the more likely you are to get into an accident and cause an insurance claim.

As you can see in the table above, annual mileage doesn't have much of an impact on how much Safeway charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly premiums for Southern, with policyholders who drive 6,000 miles each year paying around $30 less every month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles yearly. Still, Safeway is the more affordable option for drivers in both categories.

Safeway vs. Southern: 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 large impact as well. Usually, if you live in a rural area with fewer cars on the road, you'll pay a little less for insurance, while the opposite is true for people in urban areas.

Safeway boasts the most affordable average prices for drivers in all types of areas, no matter if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

For drivers in urban ZIP codes, Safeway's average premiums are about $234 a month compared to Southern's $390. People in suburban areas pay a monthly premium of around $201 with Safeway compared to $279 with Southern. Those in rural areas can expect to pay about $146 a month with Safeway compared to Southern's $298.

Safeway 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 auto insurance discounts as you can.

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

In the section below, we've compared all of the different discounts offered by Safeway and Southern so that you can find the carrier that has the most discounts and, therefore, the biggest savings.

Southern blows Safeway away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 20 different discounts to Safeway's 11.

There are a couple discounts both companies offer, but Southern also offers ABS discounts, advance quote discounts, anti-theft discounts, and more that Safeway does not.

On the flip side, Safeway has a couple unique discounts of its own -- agency transfer discounts, full coverage discounts, military discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Safeway or Southern Best for You?

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

Safeway might be best for you if....

• Your driving record contains an at-fault collision.
• Your neighborhood is in the suburbs.
• You live in a rural neighborhood.

Southern might be best for you if...

• You want to save extra money with discounts.

We hope this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between Safeway and Southern 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 auto insurance policy is to compare quotes from a handful of carriers, not just Safeway and Southern. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get free quotes from dozens of top car insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Safeway vs. Southern FAQs

Is Safeway or Southern cheaper?

Looking just at the national average prices, Safeway is the less expensive of the two carriers, offering average rates of $194 per month compared to $322 for Southern. However, Safeway won't necessarily be the lowest carrier for each policyholder, since there are a variety of different variables (things like age, gender, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Safeway or Southern?

Sadly, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". One company is not "better" for everyone -- it all depends on what your unique insurance profile looks like.

Why do Safeway and Southern offer me different rates?

Car insurance companies take a look at a lot of different factors when determining the rates they charge policyholders. Variables like gender, age, where you live, your driving record, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Safeway and Southern calculate premiums using different formulas, so each one will most likely offer different rates. The only real way to see which carrier is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from many different carriers.

How do I know if Safeway or Southern 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 free quotes from dozens of the best car insurance carriers in your area. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the best price. And who knows, the best carrier for you might not be Safeway 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.