The Hartford vs. United Financial Casualty Company: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• In general, United Financial Casualty Company offers significantly more affordable prices than The Hartford
• United Financial Casualty Company tends to be a much less expensive option for policyholders who drive fewer than 6,000 miles every year
• United Financial Casualty Company has cheaper premiums for policyholders who don't have any speeding tickets, DUIs, or at-fault collisions on their record

The Hartford or United Financial Casualty Company: 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 hefty savings. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You've maybe even narrowed your search down to The Hartford or United Financial Casualty Company as potential options, but between the two, which one will save you the most?

Looking at nationwide averages, The Hartford has average rates that are around 50% a month more expensive than those from United Financial Casualty Company.

However, that doesn't necessarily mean United Financial Casualty Company will be the more affordable option for each driver. Car insurance carriers use all sorts of complex algorithms to determine prices, so depending on how clean your driving record is or how old you are (among many other factors), you could see wildly different rates from the ones above.

Luckily, we've broken down average premiums from both The Hartford and United Financial Casualty Company by a bunch of different rate factors, so read on to find out which carrier is the best for you.

The Hartford vs. United Financial Casualty Company: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

The Hartford and United Financial Casualty Company only compete against each other in California, where United Financial Casualty Company offers the cheaper average prices. United Financial Casualty Company drivers tend to pay about $139 per month less on average compared to drivers who use The Hartford for their auto insurance.

But there's more to calculating car insurance premiums than just the state you live in. Keep reading to find out more.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive insurance rates of any group out there on the road. That's typically because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into an accident that results in an auto insurance claim, making them much riskier to insure.

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 25% less a month by choosing United Financial Casualty Company over The Hartford.

But with both companies, you'll see your premiums reduce significantly by the time you turn 25. For example, average rates for The Hartford policyholders lower more than 30% and United Financial Casualty Company's prices decrease over 65% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Drivers around retirement age usually enjoy some of the most affordable insurance premiums you'll ever see. After all, they've likely been driving for quite some time, which generally reduces their chances of accidents and other infractions that can raise prices.

But who has the best rates for retired drivers between The Hartford and United Financial Casualty Company? United Financial Casualty Company gets the edge, with premiums for drivers 65 and older $97 cheaper than the national average for The Hartford.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Those who are single tend to get offered slightly more expensive car insurance rates than married drivers. That's normally because married policyholders tend to own and insure more than one vehicle, which can often earn you a discount.

For single drivers, the difference in average prices between these two carriers is significant, with United Financial Casualty Company premiums coming in at about half of The Hartford's. The advantage is also clear for married couples - United Financial Casualty Company offers the cheapest average prices.

The Hartford or United Financial Casualty Company: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get into a collision or get pulled over for speeding, which means they'll generally end up paying more for auto insurance than women.

With The Hartford, everyone ends up paying the same monthly rates regardless of gender, but with United Financial Casualty Company, the difference is closer to 1% per month.

Looking at the data for each company specifically, United Financial Casualty Company comes out as the lowest option for both genders, with average premiums $131 less for men and $133 cheaper for women.

The Hartford vs. United Financial Casualty Company: 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 so many different limits and coverages that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy for you.

The two most common policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (which covers the other party's property damage and injuries if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- collision and comprehensive -- in addition to what you get with liability).

Looking specifically at state minimum limits for liability insurance, United Financial Casualty Company has the significant edge, with average monthly prices coming in at $79. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, United Financial Casualty Company again has the edge, with policies averaging around $187 a month to The Hartford's $394.

Is The Hartford or United Financial Casualty Company Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from insurance companies offering great rates 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 speeding tickets and at-fault collisions lead to higher premiums, but which carrier -- The Hartford or United Financial Casualty Company -- has the most affordable rates for drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use The Hartford for their auto insurance can usually expect their monthly bill to go up about 36% after getting a speeding ticket. United Financial Casualty Company policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of around 25%.

That being said, United Financial Casualty Company tends to offer the best prices for both drivers who have a recent ticket and those with clean records, offering prices that are 18% and 30% less expensive, respectively, compared to The Hartford.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

After an accident, drivers who have their insurance through The Hartford can expect to see about an $136 -- or around 52% -- rise in their car insurance rates. Drivers who use United Financial Casualty Company for their auto insurance will see a monthly bill about $55 (or 35%) more expensive after reporting a collision to their insurance company.

At the end of the day, drivers who use United Financial Casualty Company end up with the cheaper prices after an accident, with average prices coming in at $158 compared to The Hartford's $262.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

On average, a DUI offense is going to cost you much more than a single collision or speeding ticket when it comes to your car insurance bill. For example, The Hartford increases average premiums by nearly $350 per month -- that's nearly a 75% increase.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable prices, United Financial Casualty Company tends to be cheaper for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at around $134 to The Hartford's $474.

How does Credit Score Impact The Hartford and United Financial Casualty Company Rates?

Did you know many auto insurance carriers take into account your credit score when determining rates? This isn't true for everyone (for example, Hawaii and Michigan are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it does affect a lot of drivers out there.

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

So, which carrier offers the best prices for drivers with good, average, or poor credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

You'll often be rewarded if you have stellar credit. With United Financial Casualty Company, improving your score from "good" to "excellent" will typically save you about 15%. On the other hand, because The Hartford doesn't have data available for credit scores, they most likely don't use credit to calculate your premiums.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Having bad credit can cost you with United Financial Casualty Company. For drivers with less-than-stellar credit, at United Financial Casualty Company, you may pay around $30 a month more if you have "poor" credit compared to those with "fair" scores. It's an even larger difference when compared to drivers with "good" or "excellent" scores. Because The Hartford doesn't have data available for credit scores, they might have better rates for drivers with bad credit over United Financial Casualty Company.

Is The Hartford or United Financial Casualty Company 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 large impact on your monthly premiums? That's because the more milage you put on your car each year, the more likely you are to be in an accident and file an insurance claim.

For both remote workers and those taking short commutes, United Financial Casualty Company tends to be the more affordable option. The Hartford's average rates for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in just under 45% more expensive than United Financial Casualty Company. Those who drive 12,000 miles annually can expect to pay nearly 55% more with The Hartford over United Financial Casualty Company.

The Hartford or United Financial Casualty Company: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you live can play a big role in how much you pay for insurance. Normally, 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.

United Financial Casualty Company tends to offer the lowest prices 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 $125 a month with United Financial Casualty Company and $255 with The Hartford. People in suburban areas pay around $134 with United Financial Casualty Company compared to The Hartford's $265 monthly. For drivers in urban ZIP codes, United Financial Casualty Company's average rates are about $139 per month compared to The Hartford's $273.

The Hartford vs. United Financial Casualty Company Discounts

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

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

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and broke down all of the different discounts offered by both The Hartford and United Financial Casualty Company so that you can see which company can save you the most money each month.

Looking at the total number of discounts, United Financial Casualty Company has the advantage when it comes to total number of discounts. The Hartford offers a grand total of 13 discounts, while United Financial Casualty Company has 18.

Both carriers offer many of the same discounts -- like anti-theft discounts, discounts for being a defensive driver, and discounts for being a good driver -- but United Financial Casualty Company also offers discounts for continuous insurance, e-signature, EFT, and more.

On the other hand, The Hartford has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like ABS discounts, employee discounts, group discounts, and more.

Final Thoughts: Is The Hartford or United Financial Casualty Company Best for You?

So, you've seen how different variables can affect your auto insurance premiums. We've shown you all the discounts each company offers, too. That's all well and good, but at the end of the day, is The Hartford or United Financial Casualty Company the best carrier for you and your specific profile and needs?

United Financial Casualty Company might be best for you if....

• You have a clean record.
• You don't spend much time in your car.

The Hartford might be best for you if...

• You have a more unique driver profile than those we mentioned above.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between The Hartford and United Financial Casualty Company. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision when it comes to 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 a handful of companies, not just The Hartford and United Financial Casualty Company. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code below and get free quotes from dozens of the top auto insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

The Hartford vs. United Financial Casualty Company FAQs

Is The Hartford or United Financial Casualty Company cheaper?

United Financial Casualty Company is the less expensive of the two companies when looking at national average rates, with policies averaging $133 a month with United Financial Casualty Company and $265 for The Hartford. Even so, that doesn't mean United Financial Casualty Company will be the cheapest carrier for everyone, since there are multiple different factors (things like age, gender, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, The Hartford or United Financial Casualty Company?

Sadly, the real answer is "it depends.". Neither company is "better" for each policyholder -- it all depends on what your unique insurance profile looks like.

Why do The Hartford and United Financial Casualty Company offer me different rates?

Auto insurance carriers use quite a few different variables when calculating the prices they charge. Things like gender, where you park your vehicle, your driving record, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both The Hartford and United Financial Casualty Company use different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different premiums. The best way to determine which carrier is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a range of different companies.

How do I know if The Hartford or United Financial Casualty Company is right for me?

The only way to find the car insurance company that's right for you is by getting quotes from multiple 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 quotes from dozens of your local top auto insurance companies for free. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the cheapest premium. And maybe you'll find that the best carrier for you isn't The Hartford or United Financial Casualty Company 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.