State Farm vs. West Bend Mutual: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for insurance, West Bend Mutual offers more affordable prices than State Farm
• State Farm has less expensive premiums for drivers who have an at-fault accident on their record
• West Bend Mutual offers more affordable prices for policyholders who may not have much of a commute

State Farm vs. West Bend Mutual: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

So, you're thinking about switching your auto insurance. You've probably seen commercials and billboards from companies offering big discounts, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You might have narrowed your search down to State Farm or West Bend Mutual as potential options, but which one will save you the most?

As you can see, West Bend Mutual has average rates that are about 17% per month cheaper than those from State Farm when looking at the national average rates for auto insurance.

Even so, West Bend Mutual may not be the most affordable or best option for every driver out there. Car insurance companies use a variety of complex algorithms to calculate rates, so depending on how clean your driving record is or how good your credit score is (among many other factors), you could see wildly different premiums from the ones above.

So, if you want to find out which of State Farm or West Bend Mutual is really the best for you, keep reading to see average rates for each carrier broken down by multiple different rate factors.

State Farm or West Bend Mutual: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

State Farm and West Bend Mutual only compete against each other in three states, with State Farm offering more affordable premiums to the average driver in all of them. If you live in Wisconsin, West Bend Mutual is the cheaper of the two carriers when looking at the overall average prices. State Farm is the less expensive option in Iowa and Minnesota.

There's a lot more that goes into your insurance bill than just where you call home. Continue reading to learn more about how other factors will affect your rates.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

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

That being said, that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high car insurance premiums. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of $25 less a month by choosing West Bend Mutual over State Farm. It's worth noting that State Farm offers insurance in 51 different states compared to West Bend Mutual's three, which can skew the average rates a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

However, both companies will drop prices by the time drivers turn 25. For example, average premiums for State Farm policyholders lower more than $200 and West Bend Mutual's rates decrease around $200 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

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

When looking at State Farm and West Bend Mutual specifically, which company is best for retired drivers? West Bend Mutual gets the edge, with prices for drivers 65 and older $19 cheaper than the national average for State Farm.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that car insurance rates are normally more expensive for those who are single than they are for married policyholders? That's typically because married drivers tend to own and insure more than one car, which can often earn you a discount.

When it comes to relationship status, West Bend Mutual is the clear winner for single policyholders, with premiums about $21 per month more affordable than State Farm, on average. The advantage for married couples with West Bend Mutual is also obvious, where drivers save over 25% a month.

State Farm vs. West Bend Mutual: Average Rates by Gender

Because men are more likely to get tickets and get into collisions, they raise the chances of filing a claim with insurance. Therefore, men tend to pay more for auto insurance than women.

With State Farm, women normally pay more than $10 per month less than men, and around $15 with West Bend Mutual.

Looking at the data for each carrier specifically, West Bend Mutual comes out as the cheapest option for both genders. On average, male drivers save about $25 a month and women save about $29 with West Bend Mutual compared to the average State Farm policyholder.

State Farm or West Bend 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.

It's no secret that car insurance can be a complicated subject for most people. There are several different coverages that account for a range 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.

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

If you're looking for state minimum liability limits, West Bend Mutual usually offers less expensive rates of $77 compared to State Farm's $99. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, West Bend Mutual again has the edge, with policies around $30 per month cheaper than State Farm, on average.

Is State Farm or West Bend 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 tickets and at-fault accidents lead to higher rates, but which company -- State Farm or West Bend Mutual -- has the lowest premiums for drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

State Farm policyholders can expect their prices to go up an average of $21 a month if they get a ticket, while West Bend Mutual generally raises rates about $25 per month, on average.

But West Bend Mutual tends to offer the best prices for drivers both with a speeding ticket and with a clean record -- their rates are around 37% less expensive for drivers with clean records and 30% more affordable for those with a ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

State Farm drivers who get in an accident can expect to see their prices climb by just under 20%, while those who have insurance through West Bend Mutual will see around a 50% increase.

Overall, State Farm offers the most affordable premiums for drivers with an at-fault collision on their records, with monthly prices averaging $163 compared to West Bend Mutual Insurance'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. For example, West Bend Mutual increases average premiums by $85 a month -- that's over a 50% increase.

West Bend Mutual has the overall cheapest rates for drivers with a DUI on their records at $169 monthly, but it's worth noting that State Farm's average rates come from 51 states compared to just three for West Bend Mutual, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact State Farm and West Bend Mutual Rates?

You may not have known, but your credit score can come into play when companies determine your monthly bill. This isn't always the case (Massachusetts, for example, has banned the use of credit score as a rating factor) but it will come into play for a lot of policyholders.

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

So, which carrier offers the best premiums for policyholders with poor, average, or good credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have a great credit score, you'll usually find a better deal with State Farm. Drivers with "excellent" credit can save just under 20% compared to West Bend Mutual, and those with "good" scores can also expect to see savings -- about $10 or 9% less expensive each month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

West Bend Mutual typically offers lower prices than State Farm when it comes to drivers with less-than-stellar credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around $15 per month less with West Bend Mutual compared to State Farm, and those with "poor" scores typically save an average of about $120 per month.

Is State Farm or West Bend Mutual Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a large impact on how much insurance companies will charge for coverage. Normally, those who drive fewer miles will end up with more affordable rates since there's less of a chance of getting into a collision and causing an insurance claim.

As you can see in the table above, annual mileage doesn't have much of an impact on how much West Bend Mutual charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly prices for State Farm, with policyholders who drive 6,000 miles every year paying around $13 less each month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles annually. Still, West Bend Mutual is the cheaper option for drivers in both categories.

State Farm vs. West Bend Mutual: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you park your vehicle can have a substantial impact on your monthly car insurance cost. 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.

When comparing these two carriers side-by-side, West Bend Mutual generally comes out as the cheapest option for drivers in all areas, regardless of if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

Policyholders in rural ZIP codes see the lowest rates from both companies, but West Bend Mutual comes out on top with average prices about $113 a month. West Bend Mutual also has more affordable average premiums for drivers in urban and suburban ZIP codes -- a 15% and 24% a month respective difference when compared to State Farm policyholders in similar areas.

State Farm vs. West Bend Mutual Discounts

You want to save as much money as possible, right? The best way to do that is by utilizing as many auto insurance discounts as you can.

But where do you even start? With so many discounts out there, it may seem difficult to find all the of the ones you're eligible for.

Below, we've compared all of the different discounts offered by State Farm and West Bend Mutual so that you can see which carrier can save you the most money each month.

State Farm blows West Bend Mutual away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 23 different discounts to West Bend Mutual's 16.

There are a couple discounts both carriers offer, but State Farm also offers annual mileage discounts, drive safe & save discounts, driver training discounts, and more that West Bend Mutual does not.

On the flip side, West Bend Mutual has a couple unique discounts of its own -- advanced safety feature discounts, excess vehicle discounts, group discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is State Farm or West Bend Mutual Best for You?

You've seen the effect certain variables have on your insurance and the different discounts companies offer. But, when it comes down to it, which insurance carrier is the best company for you, your vehicle, and your wallet?

West Bend Mutual might be best for you if....

• You have received a ticket within the last few years.
• You live in an suburban area.
• You drive fewer than 12,000 miles yearly.

State Farm might be best for you if...

• You have an at-fault collision on your record.
• Your credit score is high.
• You're looking for the company with the most discounts.

We hope this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between State Farm and West Bend Mutual and that you can now make a more informed decision when it comes to 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 several carriers, not just State Farm and West Bend Mutual. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your ZIP code below and get multiple quotes from some of the best auto insurance companies in your area, all for free.

State Farm vs. West Bend Mutual FAQs

Is State Farm or West Bend Mutual cheaper?

Looking just at the national average prices, West Bend Mutual is the less expensive of the two carriers, offering average rates of $131 per month compared to $158 for State Farm. However, West Bend Mutual won't necessarily be the cheapest carrier for every driver, since there are a variety of different factors that come into play when it comes to your insurance payment.

Who is better, State Farm or West Bend Mutual?

Sadly, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". Neither company is "better" for everyone -- it all comes down to what your unique car insurance profile looks like. For example, State Farm offers cheaper rates for drivers with an at-fault accident on their record, while West Bend Mutual is less expensive for drivers who have less-than-stellar credit scores.

Why do State Farm and West Bend Mutual offer me different rates?

Insurance companies take a look at quite a few different variables when calculating the premiums they charge policyholders. Things such as age, gender, your driving record, where you call home, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both State Farm and West Bend Mutual use different formulas, 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 carriers.

How do I know if State Farm or West Bend Mutual 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, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Just enter your information once and you'll get free quotes from dozens of the best auto insurance carriers in your area. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the lowest rate. And who knows, the best carrier for you might not be State Farm or West Bend Mutual 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.