State National vs. Wawanesa: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for insurance, Wawanesa offers significantly cheaper prices than State National
• State National may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than Wawanesa Insurance
• Wawanesa tends to be a much less expensive option for policyholders who live in the suburbs

State National or Wawanesa: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

So, you're thinking about switching to a new insurance policy. After all, you've seen ads from all sorts of companies offering hefty savings. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You might have narrowed it down to State National or Wawanesa as your top options, but which carrier will offer you more affordable premiums?

Looking at the national average rates for both carriers, Wawanesa has average rates that are around 35% a month cheaper than those from State National.

That being said, that doesn't necessarily mean Wawanesa will be the less expensive option for every single driver. After all, auto insurance companies can offer drastically different rates to every driver depending on rating factors like your age, where you call home, your driving record, or even your credit score (among other things). So, at the end of the day, prices from each company will differ quite a bit from person to person.

Luckily, we've broken down average rates from both State National and Wawanesa by lots of different rate factors, so read on to find out which carrier is the best for you.

State National vs. Wawanesa: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Both State National and Wawanesa only offer car insurance in California, so you'll see that the average figures here will mirror the ones we mentioned above. Wawanesa drivers tend to pay about $55 per month less on average compared to drivers who use State National for their insurance.

Typically, where you live will play a pretty big role in how much you pay for car insurance, but since both companies only do business in California, a range of other variables will come into play when you compare State National and Wawanesa. Read on to find out 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 other group of drivers. That's because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

But that doesn't mean that teen drivers have to just accept sky-high auto insurance premiums. As you can see above, teens who use Wawanesa save almost 45% a month compared to those who use State National.

However, both carriers will offer you dramatically lower prices by the time drivers turn 25. For example, average premiums for State National policyholders reduce about $150 and Wawanesa's rates decrease around $70 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

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

When looking at State National and Wawanesa specifically, which company is best for retired drivers? Wawanesa gets the edge, with rates for drivers 65 and older $31 more affordable than the national average for State National.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

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

For single drivers, the difference in average premiums between these two companies is significant, with Wawanesa rates coming in at a third less than State National's. The advantage for married drivers with Wawanesa is also obvious, where drivers save over 35% per month.

State National or Wawanesa: Average Rates by Gender

You may not know, but insurance is generally cheaper for women than it is for men. This is because men are statistically more likely than women to get into collisions and get tickets, which leads to increased risk for insurers and, therefore, higher prices.

With State National, everyone ends up paying the same monthly rates regardless of gender; women and men end up paying same monthly premiums with Wawanesa.

Looking at overall affordability, Wawanesa offers the cheapest average prices for both men and women, with average premiums $55 less for men and $55 cheaper for women.

State National vs. Wawanesa: 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. Everyone needs auto insurance, but there are so many different limits and terms that it can be hard to find the right policy for you.

The two most common policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (which provides bodily injury and property damage coverage for other drivers and their passengers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- collision and comprehensive -- in addition to liability).

Looking specifically at state minimum limits for liability insurance, Wawanesa has the edge, with average monthly rates coming in at $64. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Wawanesa again has the edge, with policies averaging about $144 a month to State National's $240.

Is State National or Wawanesa 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.

At-fault collisions and speeding tickets will most likely raise your prices, but is State National or Wawanesa less expensive for drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use State National for their auto insurance can normally expect their monthly bill to go up around 28% after getting a speeding ticket. Wawanesa policyholders can expect a bit more drastic of an increase of about 30%.

Even so, Wawanesa has cheaper rates for drivers in both categories, offering premiums that are $28 and $37 more affordable, respectively, compared to State National.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

State National drivers who get in an accident can expect to see their prices climb by just under 30%, while those who have insurance through Wawanesa will see around a 35% increase.

At the end of the day, Wawanesa offers the most affordable premiums for drivers with an at-fault collision on their records, with average rates coming in at $113 compared to State National's $142.

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, State National increases average premiums by $150 per month -- that's nearly a 60% increase.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable rates, Wawanesa tends to be less expensive for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at about $125 to State National's $252.

How does Credit Score Impact State National and Wawanesa Rates?

Did you know many auto insurance carriers take into account your credit score when determining prices? This isn't true for everyone (California, for example, has banned the use of credit score as an insurance factor) but it does affect several policyholders out there.

Insurance companies argue that someone with good credit is more likely to pay their bills on time, which makes them less risky to insure. Because of that, drivers with good credit will often be rewarded with more affordable premiums.

So, which carrier offers the lowest rates for policyholders with poor, average, or good credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Is State National or Wawanesa Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

Did you know that the amount of time you spend in your car have a big impact on your monthly prices? Generally, those who drive less will end up with cheaper rates since there's less of a chance of causing a collision and filing an insurance claim.

For both remote workers and those taking short commutes, Wawanesa offers more affordable prices than State National. Wawanesa average premiums for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in nearly $45 less expensive than State National. Those who drive 12,000 miles every year can expect to pay more than $65 less with Wawanesa over State National.

State National or Wawanesa: 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 sizable impact as well. Usually, those who live in urban areas will pay more than drivers in rural areas because of the number of cars that are on the roads where they live.

Wawanesa tends to offer the most affordable premiums for drivers in all areas, regardless of if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, Wawanesa Insurance's average prices are around $59 less than State National. People who live in suburban areas pay about $58 less with Wawanesa compared to State National. Those in rural areas can expect to save around $48 with Wawanesa compared to State National.

State National vs. Wawanesa Discounts

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

But with what seems like a million different discounts out there, it can be challenging to nail down the carrier that has the most discounts for your unique driver profile and to find all the discounts you can take advantage of.

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

State National blows Wawanesa away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 10 different discounts to Wawanesa's two.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like discounts for being a good driver and mature driver discounts. State National also offers discounts for anti-theft, auto-pilot, distant student, and more.

Wawanesa's discounts come through just two categories -- Good Driving and Mature Driver.

Final Thoughts: Is State National or Wawanesa Best for You?

So, you've seen how different factors can affect your car insurance rates. We've broken down the different discounts each company offers, too. But, when it comes down to it, is State National or Wawanesa the best one for you and your specific profile and needs?

Wawanesa might be best for you if....

• Your driving record contains an at-fault collision.
• You live in a rural neighborhood.
• You want to save money while purchasing insurance for a teenager.

State National might be best for you if...

• You care about discounts (State National offers the most).

Hopefully, this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare State National and Wawanesa and that you can now make a more informed decision when it comes to your car 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 auto insurance -- comparing quotes from multiple carriers, not just State National and Wawanesa. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get multiple quotes from some of the best insurance companies in your area, all for free.

State National vs. Wawanesa FAQs

Is State National or Wawanesa cheaper?

Wawanesa is the cheaper of the two carriers when looking at national average premiums, with policies averaging $104 a month with Wawanesa and $159 for State National. That being said, that doesn't mean Wawanesa will be the cheapest carrier for each driver, since there are several different variables (things like age, driving record, gender, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, State National or Wawanesa?

Unfortunately, the real answer is "it depends.". No one company is necessarily "better" for every policyholder -- it all boils down to your unique auto insurance profile.

Why do State National and Wawanesa offer me different rates?

Car insurance companies use quite a few different factors when calculating the prices they charge. Things such as age, your driving record, where you park your vehicle, gender, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both State National and Wawanesa calculate premiums using different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different rates. The best way to determine which carrier is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a range of different carriers.

How do I know if State National or Wawanesa is right for me?

The only way to find the 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 area information and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top car insurance carriers for free. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the best price. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't State National or Wawanesa 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.