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

Quick Facts

• In general, Safeway offers cheaper rates than The General
• Safeway tends to be a much more affordable option for policyholders who drive a short distance to work everyday
• Safeway offers less expensive average prices for couples purchasing insurance together

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

So, you're considering switching your auto insurance. After all, you've seen ads from all sorts of companies offering substantial discounts. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You might have narrowed your search down to Safeway or The General, but which company has cheaper premiums for car insurance?

As you can see, Safeway is about $47 per month more affordable than The General when looking at the national average rates for insurance.

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

So, if you want to find out which of Safeway or The General is really the best for you, keep reading to see average rates for each carrier broken down by several different rate factors.

Safeway or The General: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Safeway and The General only compete against each other in one states, with Safeway offering more affordable prices to the average driver in all of them. Arizona has the most noticable difference, where Safeway rates are over 50% cheaper than car insurance premiums at The General.

There are plenty of other factors that go into your auto insurance bill than just the state you live in. Read on to learn more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers typically pay a lot more for insurance than any group on the road. It'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 The General for their auto insurance pay nearly $10 less than those who use Safeway.

However, both carriers will offer you dramatically lower premiums by the time drivers turn 25. For example, average prices for Safeway policyholders drop more than 60% and The General's rates reduce over 45% over that time.

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 most affordable premiums you'll ever see.

So, which company offers the best prices to retired drivers? Safeway gets the edge here, with average premiums coming in at around $136 per month compared to The General's $195.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but insurance rates tend to be more expensive for those who are single than they are for married couples. This usually boils down to married drivers having multiple cars on their policy -- something quite a few auto insurance companies will reward with discounts.

When it comes to relationship status, Safeway is the clear winner for single drivers, with prices about $44 a month less expensive than The General, on average. The advantage is also clear for married policyholders - Safeway offers the cheapest average rates.

Safeway vs. The General: Average Rates by Gender

Did you know women tend to pay less for insurance than men? This is because women are less likely to get into collisions and get tickets, which decreases the chances of an insurance claim.

Usually, women see premiums almost 10% per month less with Safeway, while with The General, the difference is closer to 12% a month.

When it comes to the lowest prices for each gender, Safeway comes out on top for both men and women, with average rates 21% less for men and 18% cheaper for women.

Safeway or The General: 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 isn't the easiest topic to understand. There are multiple different coverages that account for a variety of 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.

Even so, most policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability only (that covers bodily injury and property damage for other drivers and passengers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes comprehensive and collision coverages that protect your own vehicle, in addition to liability).

If you're looking for state minimum limits for liability insurance, Safeway normally offers cheaper prices of $130 compared to The General's $154. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, Safeway again has the edge, with policies around $70 per month more affordable than The General, on average.

Is Safeway or The General Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

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

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Safeway policyholders can expect their rates to go up an average of $7 a month if they get a ticket, while The General generally raises premiums about $48 per month, on average.

But Safeway has less expensive prices for drivers in both categories, offering premiums that are 15% and 29% cheaper, respectively, compared to The General.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both companies will increase rates pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault accident with The General increasing by over $85. Safeway has a less extreme rise, but you can still expect to pay $60 more than you were prior to your first collision.

Overall, drivers who use Safeway end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with monthly prices averaging $223 compared to The General's $279.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

On average, a DUI offense is going to cost you much more than a single accident or speeding ticket when it comes to your car insurance bill. For example, The General increases average premiums by more than $60 a month -- that's just under a 25% increase.

If you have a DUI on your record and are looking for more affordable prices, Safeway tends to be the much less expensive option with average rates of $220 a month compared to $254 from The General.

How does Credit Score Impact Safeway and The General Rates?

You may not have known, but your credit score can be used as one of the factors to calculate your monthly auto insurance prices. This isn't always the case (for example, Hawaii and California are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it might come into play for many drivers.

The reasoning car insurance carriers 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 usually be forced to pay more.

Looking at Safeway and The General specifically, which carrier has the best premiums for drivers at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have solid credit, you'll usually find a better deal with The General for an "excellent" credit score. Policyholders with "excellent" credit can save nearly 10% compared to Safeway, while those with "good" scores can expect to see better savings from Safeway -- around $23 or 11% more affordable than The General every month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Safeway typically offers lower rates than The General when it comes to drivers with bad credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about $52 per month less with Safeway compared to The General, and those with "poor" scores generally save an average of around $131 monthly.

Is Safeway or The General Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a big impact on your monthly auto insurance cost. Typically, those who drive less will end up with cheaper premiums since there's less of a chance of getting into an accident and causing an insurance claim.

In this case, neither Safeway or The General report increasing prices for drivers with higher annual mileage figures. Even so, Safeway 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 rates of $194 a month for both.

Safeway vs. The General: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where your home is can have a sizable impact on your monthly insurance payment. Usually, if you live in a rural area with fewer cars on the road, you'll pay a little less for car insurance, while the opposite is true for people in urban areas.

When comparing these two companies side-by-side, Safeway normally comes out as the most affordable option for drivers in every type of area, no matter if it's urban, suburban, or rural.

Drivers in rural ZIP codes see the cheapest premiums from both carriers, but Safeway comes out on top with average prices about $146 a month. Safeway also has more affordable average premiums for policyholders in urban and suburban ZIP codes -- a $76 and $24 per month respective difference when compared to The General drivers in similar areas.

Safeway vs. The General Discounts

Regardless of 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 possible. That's where insurance discounts comes into play.

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

In the table below, we've taken a look at all of the different discounts Safeway and The General offer their customers so that you can find the one that has the most discounts and, therefore, the biggest savings.

Looking at the total number of discounts, Safeway comes out ahead with 11 discounts to The General's six.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like discounts for being a defensive driver, discounts for being a homeowner, and paid in full discounts. Safeway also offers agency transfer discounts, full coverage discounts, good student discounts, and more that The General does not.

On the flip side, The General has a couple unique discounts of its own -- group discounts, liability only discounts, and star level discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is Safeway or The General Best for You?

So, you've seen how different variables can affect your auto insurance rates. We've broken down the different discounts each carrier offers, too. But, when it comes down to it, which company is the right company for you and your specific needs?

Safeway might be best for you if....

• You don't have any speeding tickets, DUIs, or at-fault collisions on your record.
• You don't spend much time in your car.

The General might be best for you if...

• You're buying car insurance for a teen and looking for a wallet-friendly option.

We hope this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between Safeway and The General 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 car insurance policy is to compare quotes from multiple companies, not just Safeway and The General. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code below and get multiple quotes from some of the best auto insurance carriers in your area, all for free.

Safeway vs. The General FAQs

Is Safeway or The General cheaper?

Looking just at the national average prices, Safeway is the less expensive of the two companies, offering average rates of $194 a month compared to $241 for The General. That being said, Safeway won't necessarily be the lowest carrier for everyone, since there are a bunch of different factors that are considered when it comes to your insurance bill.

Who is better, Safeway or The General?

Unfortunately, the real answer is "it depends.". No one company is "better" for each driver -- it all depends on what your unique car insurance profile looks like. For example, Safeway offers more affordable rates for drivers with a recent DUI, while The General is cheaper for drivers with excellent credit.

Why do Safeway and The General offer me different rates?

Insurance carriers take a look at a lot of different variables when calculating the premiums they charge policyholders. Factors such as age, gender, your driving record, where you park your vehicle, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both Safeway and The General calculate prices using different variables, so each one will most likely offer different rates. The only real way to see which carrier is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from lots of different companies.

How do I know if Safeway or The General is right for me?

The only way to find the auto insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from several 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 ZIP code and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best car insurance companies in your area. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the best premium. And who knows, the best carrier for you might not be Safeway or The General 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.