Secura vs. Sentry: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• In general, Secura offers significantly cheaper premiums than Sentry
• Secura offers less expensive average prices for policyholders who live in rural neighborhoods
• Sentry offers more affordable rates for drivers with a DUI

Secura or Sentry: 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 big savings. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You might have narrowed it down to Secura or Sentry as potential options, but between the two, which company has more affordable premiums for auto insurance?

Looking at nationwide averages, Sentry has average rates that are around 25% a month more expensive than those from Secura.

However, Secura may not be the cheapest or best option for each driver out there. Insurance carriers use tons of complex algorithms to determine prices, so depending on how old you are or how clean your driving record is (among multiple other factors), you could see wildly different premiums from the ones above.

Luckily, we've broken down average rates from both Secura and Sentry by a bunch of different rate factors, so read on to find out which company is the best for you.

Secura vs. Sentry: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Secura and Sentry only compete against each other in one states, with Secura offering cheaper prices to the average driver in all of them. Wisconsin has the most noticable difference, where Secura premiums are $83 less expensive than car insurance rates at Sentry.

That being said, there are plenty of other factors that go into your auto insurance payment than just the state you live in. Read on to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers normally pay a lot more for insurance than any other group of drivers. That's because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to cause collisions and other accidents that will result in an insurance claim.

Even so, that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their auto insurance. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of over 20% less per month by choosing Secura over Sentry.

That being said, both companies will offer you dramatically lower prices once you turn 25. For example, average premiums for Secura policyholders reduce more than 55% and Sentry's rates drop almost 55% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Drivers around retirement age generally enjoy some of the lowest car insurance prices you can find. After all, they've likely been driving for quite some time, which typically decreases their chances of collisions and other infractions that can raise premiums.

When looking at Secura and Sentry specifically, which carrier is best for retired drivers? Secura gets the edge here, with average rates coming in at about $111 a month compared to Sentry's $148.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Those who are single tend to get offered slightly more expensive insurance prices than married couples. This usually boils down to married drivers having more than one vehicle on their policy -- something quite a few auto insurance carriers will reward with discounts.

For single drivers, the difference in average premiums between these two companies is significant, with Secura rates coming in at a quarter less than Sentry's. For married policyholders, the advantage is clear again - Secura has the edge when it comes to average prices.

Secura or Sentry: Average Rates by Gender

Because women are less likely to get into accidents and get tickets, they are less likely to file a claim with insurance. So, insurance carriers will tend to offer women more affordable rates.

With Secura, women usually pay around $3 a month less than men, and about $20 with Sentry.

When it comes to the most affordable premiums for each gender, Secura offers the cheapest average prices for both men and women. On average, women save about $41 per month and men save around $58 with Secura compared to the average Sentry policyholder.

Secura vs. Sentry: 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.

For most people, car insurance can be pretty complicated. There are so many different coverages and limits that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy for you.

But the most common policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (that covers bodily injury and property damage for other drivers and passengers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which typically refers to having collision and comprehensive coverages in addition to what you get with a liability policy).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability limits, Secura has the significant edge, with average monthly rates coming in at $69. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Secura again has the edge, with policies averaging about $222 a month to Sentry's $286.

Is Secura or Sentry Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

It's no secret -- drivers with good records end up getting the best deals on their insurance. But that's not to say you can't save money if you don't have the best driving record, either.

It's no secret secret that at-fault accidents and speeding tickets lead to higher prices, but which company -- Secura or Sentry -- has the most affordable premiums for drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Secura for their auto insurance can generally expect their monthly bill to go up around 29% after getting a speeding ticket. Sentry policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of about 12%.

Even so, Secura is usually the more affordable option for drivers both with clean records and with a ticket, offering rates that are $91 and $81 cheaper, respectively, compared to Sentry Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Secura drivers who get in an accident can expect to see their prices increase by over $40, while those who have insurance through Sentry will see around a $45 increase.

At the end of the day, drivers who use Secura end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with average premiums coming in at $129 compared to Sentry Insurance's $221.

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 speeding ticket. Secura drivers usually see a 64% raise in their insurance rates after a DUI charge, while Sentry will typically increase premiums by about 0%.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable prices, Sentry tends to be less expensive for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at around $178 to Secura's $244.

How does Credit Score Impact Secura and Sentry Rates?

Did you know many auto insurance companies take your credit score into account when determining rates? Certain states and carriers do not allow for credit score to be used as a car insurance factor, but it does affect many policyholders out there.

Car insurance companies argue that those with good credit scores are more likely to pay their bills on time every month, which lowers the risk involved on their end, while the opposite is true for those with bad credit.

So, which carrier offers the lowest premiums for drivers with good, average, or poor credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have a great credit score, Secura will normally reward you the most. For policyholders with "excellent" credit scores, Secura comes in nearly 29.07 cheaper. Drivers with "good" credit scores generally save about 28% with Secura compared to average prices from Sentry.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Secura typically offers lower premiums than Sentry when it comes to drivers with a below average credit score. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around 25% per month less with Secura compared to Sentry, and those with "poor" scores usually save an average of about 20% per month.

Is Secura or Sentry Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a considerable impact on your monthly insurance bill. Typically, those who drive less will end up with more affordable rates 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 Sentry charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly prices for Secura, with drivers who put 6,000 miles on their car annually paying around $5 less each month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles yearly. Still, for drivers in both categories, Secura is the less expensive company.

Secura or Sentry: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you park your vehicle can have a large impact on your monthly auto insurance cost. Usually, drivers who live in heavily-populated urban areas will pay quite a bit more than rural policyholders because of the number of cars that are on the roads where they live.

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

Those in rural areas can expect to pay about $139 monthly with Secura and $143 with Sentry. People in suburban areas pay a monthly premium of around $137 with Secura compared to $218 with Sentry. For drivers in urban ZIP codes, Secura's average prices are about $161 while Sentry offers premiums around $224.

Secura vs. Sentry Discounts

No matter why you might be in the market for a new car 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 insurance discounts as possible.

But with what seems like a million different discounts out there, it can be difficult to nail down the company that has the most discounts for your unique driver profile and to find all the discounts you're eligible for.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and broke down all of the different discounts offered by both Secura and Sentry so that you can see which one offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

Secura blows Sentry away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 19 different discounts to Sentry's five.

Both carriers offer several of the same discounts -- like advance quote discounts, discounts for insuring multiple cars with the same company, and paid in full discounts -- but Secura also offers discounts for anti-theft, distant student, good driving, and more.

On the other hand, Sentry has a proprietary discount of their own -- a homeowner discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is Secura or Sentry Best for You?

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

Secura might be best for you if....

• You will be the only person on the auto insurance policy.
• You're looking for the best prices on liability only coverage.
• You don't spend much time in your car.

Sentry might be best for you if...

• Your driving record includes a DUI charge.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between Secura and Sentry. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision about your insurance.

At the end of the day, the sure-fire way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your car insurance policy is to compare quotes from several companies, not just Secura and Sentry. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get multiple free quotes from some of the best insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Secura vs. Sentry FAQs

Is Secura or Sentry cheaper?

Secura is the cheaper of the two companies when looking at national average premiums, with policies averaging $146 a month with Secura and $195 for Sentry. However, that doesn't mean Secura will be the lowest company for every driver, since there are a variety of different factors (things like age, driving record, gender, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Secura or Sentry?

Unfortunately, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". No one carrier is "better" for each policyholder -- it all boils down to your unique auto insurance profile. For example, Secura is less expensive for drivers with excellent credit, while Sentry offers more affordable rates for drivers with a recent DUI.

Why do Secura and Sentry offer me different rates?

Car insurance carriers use several different variables when calculating the prices they charge. Things such as where you live, where you call home, gender, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both Secura and Sentry use different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different premiums. The best way to determine which company is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from several different companies.

How do I know if Secura or Sentry 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 carriers and finding the one best suited for your individual budget. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Just enter your information once and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top auto insurance companies for free. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the lowest rate. And maybe you'll find that the best company for you isn't Secura or Sentry 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.