Southern Farm Bureau vs. State Farm: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for insurance, Southern Farm Bureau offers significantly more affordable prices than State Farm
• Southern Farm Bureau offers more affordable rates for policyholders who drive a short distance to work everyday
• State Farm offers more discounts than Southern Farm Bureau Insurance

Southern Farm Bureau vs. State Farm: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

Are you considering a new insurance policy? With so many ads from all sorts of companies offering huge discounts, you're probably wondering exactly how much you might be able to save.

You might be considering Southern Farm Bureau or State Farm for your next policy, but which carrier will offer you cheaper premiums?

As you can see, Southern Farm Bureau has average rates that are about 35% per month less expensive than those from State Farm when looking at the national average rates for car insurance.

That being said, that doesn't necessarily mean Southern Farm Bureau will be the cheaper option for each driver. Auto insurance companies use tons of complex algorithms to calculate prices, so depending on how good your credit score is or how clean your driving record is (among a multitude of other factors), you could see wildly different rates from the ones above.

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

Southern Farm Bureau or State Farm: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

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But there's more to calculating car insurance rates than just your home state. Continue reading to see how other factors will affect your rates.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers typically pay a lot more for auto insurance than any group on the road. The reason is that 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 prices, teen drivers can still find ways to save money. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have Southern Farm Bureau for their insurance pay more than $150 less than those who use State Farm.

However, with both carriers, you'll see your premiums reduce significantly by the time drivers turn 25. For example, average prices for Southern Farm Bureau policyholders drop around 50% and State Farm's rates decrease nearly 60% over that time.

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 most affordable premiums you'll ever see.

So, which company offers the best prices to retired drivers? Southern Farm Bureau gets the edge, with rates for drivers 65 and older $35 more affordable than the national average for State Farm.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Single drivers tend to get offered slightly more expensive car insurance prices than married policyholders. That's generally because married couples tend to own and insure more than one car, which can often earn you a discount.

When it comes to relationship status, Southern Farm Bureau is the clear winner for those who are single, with premiums about $63 a month less expensive than State Farm, on average. The advantage for married drivers with Southern Farm Bureau is also obvious, where drivers save over 35% per month.

Southern Farm Bureau vs. State Farm: Average Rates by Gender

Because men are more likely to get speeding tickets and get into accidents, they run a larger risk of filing a claim with insurance. Therefore, insurance companies will tend to offer men more expensive rates.

Typically, women see premiums around 6% a month less with Southern Farm Bureau, while with State Farm, the difference is closer to 7% per month.

Looking at the data for each carrier specifically, Southern Farm Bureau comes out as the lowest option for both genders, with average prices $58 less for men and $52 cheaper for women.

Southern Farm Bureau or State Farm: 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 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.

Even so, most policies that many drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability only (which provides property damage and bodily injury coverage for other drivers and passengers if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- comprehensive and collision -- in addition to what you get with liability).

If you're looking for state minimum liability insurance, Southern Farm Bureau normally offers significantly cheaper rates of $54 compared to State Farm's $99. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, Southern Farm Bureau again has the edge, with policies about $65 a month more affordable than State Farm, on average.

Is Southern Farm Bureau or State Farm 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.

It's no secret secret that tickets and accidents lead to higher premiums, but which company -- Southern Farm Bureau or State Farm -- has the cheapest prices for drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Southern Farm Bureau policyholders can expect their rates to go up an average of $8 per month if they get a ticket, while State Farm usually raises prices around $21 a month, on average.

But Southern Farm Bureau tends to offer the best prices for both drivers who have clean records and those with a recent speeding ticket, offering rates that are $45 and $58 less expensive, respectively, compared to State Farm.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

After an accident, drivers who have their insurance through Southern Farm Bureau can expect to see about an $27 -- or around 23% -- increase in their car insurance premiums. Drivers who use State Farm for their auto insurance will see a monthly bill about $29 (or 18%) more expensive after reporting a collision to their insurance carrier.

Overall, drivers who use Southern Farm Bureau end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with monthly prices averaging $116 compared to State Farm's $163.

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 ticket when it comes to your car insurance bill. On average, State Farm will raise your premiums around 25% after a DUI, while Southern Farm Bureau's average rates rise by just under 20%.

How does Credit Score Impact Southern Farm Bureau and State Farm Rates?

Often times, your credit score can be used as one of the variables to determine your monthly insurance prices. This isn't always the case (for example, Massachusetts and California are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it will come into play for quite a few drivers.

The reasoning auto insurance carriers use is that policyholders with bad credit will be less likely to pay their bills on time; so typically, they'll be asked to pay more, while those with good credit will be rewarded with more affordable premiums.

Looking specifically at Southern Farm Bureau and State Farm, which company has the most affordable rates for drivers at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Is Southern Farm Bureau or State Farm 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 how much car insurance companies will charge for coverage. That's because the more miles you put on your vehicle each year, 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 Southern Farm Bureau charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly premiums for State Farm, with drivers who put 6,000 miles on their car each year paying about $13 less every month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles yearly. Still, Southern Farm Bureau is the cheaper option for drivers in both categories.

Southern Farm Bureau vs. State Farm: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you call home can play a considerable role in how much you pay for auto insurance. Normally, those who live in urban areas will pay more than policyholders in rural areas because of the number of vehicles that are on the roads in those areas.

Southern Farm Bureau tends to offer the cheapest rates for drivers in all types of areas, no matter if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

Drivers in rural ZIP codes see the lowest premiums from both carriers, but Southern Farm Bureau comes out on top with average rates around $83 per month. Southern Farm Bureau also has less expensive average prices for policyholders in urban and suburban ZIP codes -- a 41% and 29% per month respective difference when compared to State Farm drivers in similar areas.

Southern Farm Bureau vs. State Farm Discounts

Regardless of why you might be in the market for a new insurance policy, you're always going to want to save as much money as possible. That's where car insurance discounts comes into play.

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.

In the table below, we've broken down all of the different discounts offered by both Southern Farm Bureau and State Farm so that you can find the one that has the most discounts and, therefore, the biggest savings.

State Farm blows Southern Farm Bureau away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 23 different discounts to Southern Farm Bureau's four.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like discounts for being a defensive driver, discounts for being a good student, and multi-policy discounts. State Farm also offers ABS discounts, annual mileage discounts, anti-theft discounts, and more that Southern Farm Bureau does not.

Southern Farm Bureau's discounts come through just a few categories, including Defensive Driver, Driver Training, Good Student, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is Southern Farm Bureau or State Farm Best for You?

You've seen the role certain factors have on your auto insurance and the different discounts companies offer. But, at the end of the day, is Southern Farm Bureau or State Farm the best company for you, your vehicle, and your wallet?

Southern Farm Bureau might be best for you if....

• You don't have any speeding tickets, DUIs, or at-fault collisions on your record.
• You're looking for more protection with "full coverage" insurance.
• You live in a rural neighborhood.

State Farm might be best for you if...

• You value the experience that comes with a large national car insurance carrier.
• You're looking for the company with the most discounts.

We hope this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between Southern Farm Bureau and State Farm. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision about your 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 multiple carriers, not just Southern Farm Bureau and State Farm. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Simply enter your ZIP code below and get free quotes from dozens of the top auto insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

Southern Farm Bureau vs. State Farm FAQs

Is Southern Farm Bureau or State Farm cheaper?

Looking just at the national average rates, Southern Farm Bureau is the more affordable of the two carriers, offering average rates of $103 a month compared to $158 for State Farm. Even so, Southern Farm Bureau won't necessarily be the most affordable carrier for each policyholder, since there are lots of different variables (things like gender, age, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Southern Farm Bureau or State Farm?

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

Why do Southern Farm Bureau and State Farm offer me different rates?

Auto insurance companies take a look at a lot of different factors when calculating the premiums they charge policyholders. Variables like where your home is, age, where you live, gender, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both Southern Farm Bureau and State Farm use different formulas, so each one will most likely offer different prices. The only real way to see which carrier is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a variety of different carriers.

How do I know if Southern Farm Bureau or State Farm is right for me?

The only way to find the car insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from a handful of companies and finding the one best suited for your individual budget. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your ZIP code and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best insurance carriers 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 Southern Farm Bureau or State Farm 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.