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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for car insurance, Wawanesa offers significantly less expensive rates than AAA
• AAA may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than Wawanesa Insurance
• Wawanesa has more affordable premiums for drivers with a DUI

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AAA or Wawanesa: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

So, you're thinking about switching to a new insurance policy. With so many ads from all sorts of companies offering pretty big savings, you're probably wondering exactly how much you might be able to save.

You've maybe even narrowed your search down to AAA or Wawanesa as your top options, but which one has cheaper prices for auto insurance?

Looking at nationwide averages, Wawanesa is quite a bit cheaper than AAA, with rates averaging $104 a month compared to $314 with AAA.

But that doesn't mean Wawanesa will necessarily be more affordable than AAA for each driver. After all, insurance carriers can offer drastically different rates to every driver depending on rating factors like where you call home, your credit score, your age, or even your driving record (among other things), so premiums will change quite a bit from person to person.

Wanting to know if AAA or Wawanesa is really the right carrier for you? Keep on reading to see how average rates can change based on all of the factors we've mentioned above.

AAA vs. Wawanesa: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

AAA and Wawanesa only compete against each other in California, where Wawanesa offers the cheaper average prices. Wawanesa drivers tend to pay about $111 per month less on average compared to drivers who use AAA for their car insurance.

There's a lot more that goes into your auto insurance payment than just where you live. Read on to find out more.

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Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- typically pay a lot for car insurance compared to older drivers. That's 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.

That being said, that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their insurance. As you can see above, teens who use Wawanesa save over 75% a month compared to those who use AAA.

Even so, both companies will offer you dramatically lower premiums by the time drivers turn 25. For example, average prices for AAA policyholders drop almost 60% and Wawanesa's premiums decrease more than 40% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Once you approach retirement age, you'll generally enjoy the lowest auto insurance rates 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.

But who has the best rates for retired drivers between AAA and Wawanesa? Wawanesa gets the edge, with prices for drivers 65 and older nearly 65% less expensive than the national average for AAA.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but auto insurance premiums tend to be more expensive for single drivers than they are for married policyholders. That's because policies for married couples usually cover several vehicles, which several carriers will give you a discount for.

For single policyholders, the difference in average prices between these two companies is significant, with Wawanesa rates coming in at around a third of AAA's. The advantage for married drivers with Wawanesa is also obvious, where drivers save almost 65% per month.

AAA or Wawanesa: Average Rates by Gender

Women tend to pay less for car insurance than men. This is because men are statistically more likely than women to get speeding tickets and get into collisions, which leads to increased risk for insurers and, therefore, higher prices.

On average, women see premiums about $35 a month cheaper with AAA; women and men end up paying same monthly rates with Wawanesa.

Looking at overall affordability, Wawanesa offers the cheapest average premiums for both men and women. On average, male drivers save about $227 per month and women save around $193 with Wawanesa compared to the average AAA policyholder.

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AAA 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, auto insurance can be pretty complicated. There are so many different coverages and terms that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy for you.

However, most policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability coverage (which covers the other party's property damage and injuries if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- collision and comprehensive -- alongside what you get with a liability policy).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability insurance, Wawanesa has the significant edge, with average monthly prices 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 AAA's $459.

Is AAA or Wawanesa Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

It's no secret -- drivers with good records end up getting the best deals on their car 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 collisions and speeding tickets lead to higher rates, but which company -- AAA or Wawanesa -- has the lowest premiums for drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use AAA for their insurance can normally expect their monthly bill to go up around 29% after getting a speeding ticket. Wawanesa policyholders can expect a bit more drastic of an increase of about 30%.

That being said, Wawanesa tends to offer the best prices for drivers both with a ticket and with a clean record, offering prices that are $139 and $194 more affordable, respectively, compared to AAA Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

AAA drivers who get in an accident can expect to see their rates rise by over 35%, while those who have insurance through Wawanesa will see around a 35% increase.

At the end of the day, Wawanesa offers the most affordable prices for drivers with an at-fault collision on their records, with average rates coming in at $113 compared to AAA Insurance's $339.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

If you get a DUI charge on your record, it's probably going to cost you more than a simple speeding ticket or even a collision. For example, AAA increases average premiums by nearly $200 per month -- that's more than a 45% increase.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable prices, Wawanesa tends to be less expensive for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at about $125 to AAA's $403.

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How does Credit Score Impact AAA and Wawanesa Rates?

Often times, your credit score can come into play when carriers determine your monthly bill. This isn't true for everyone (for example, Massachusetts and Hawaii are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it does affect a lot of policyholders out there.

Auto insurance companies 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 rates for policyholders with poor, average, or good credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Generally, if you have fantastic credit, you can expect to be rewarded. Jumping from a "good" credit score to an "excellent" one will typically save AAA Insurance customers around 25%. Because undefined, 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 generally means you'll also see higher rates with AAA Insurance. As you can see, AAA Insurance customers with poor credit scores pay about $250 a month more than those with fair scores (and even more compared to drivers with good or excellent scores). On the other hand, undefined doesn't have data available for credit scores, which means drivers with bad credit may find better rates with undefined over AAA Insurance.

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Is AAA or Wawanesa 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 your monthly prices. Usually, the more milage you put on your car each year, the more you can expect to pay for insurance.

For both remote workers and those taking short commutes, Wawanesa tends to be the cheaper option. Wawanesa's average premiums for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in around 68% less expensive than AAA. Those who drive 12,000 miles each year can expect to pay about 65% less with Wawanesa over AAA.

AAA 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 big impact as well. Normally, drivers who live in less densely populated rural areas will pay quite a bit less than urban policyholders due to the small number of vehicles that are on the roads where they live.

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

Those in rural areas can expect to save around 63% with Wawanesa compared to AAA. People who live in suburban areas pay about 65% less with Wawanesa compared to AAA. For drivers in urban ZIP codes, Wawanesa Insurance's average rates are around 70% less than AAA Insurance.

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

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and broke down all of the different discounts offered by both AAA and Wawanesa so that you can easily see which company offers the most discounts and, therefore, the largest savings.

AAA blows Wawanesa away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 31 more discounts than Wawanesa.

Both carriers offer lots of the same discounts -- like discounts for being a good driver and mature driver discounts -- but AAA also offers discounts for AAA, academic, advance quote, and more.

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

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Final Thoughts: Is AAA or Wawanesa Best for You?

You've seen the effect certain variables have on your car insurance and the different discounts companies offer. That's all well and good, but when it comes down to it, which insurance carrier is the right company for you and your specific profile and needs?

Wawanesa might be best for you if....

• You will be the only person on the auto insurance policy.
• Your neighborhood is in the suburbs.
• You're married and plan to have both of your names on the vehicle's insurance policy.

AAA might be best for you if...

• Your credit is below-average.
• You have above-average credit.
• You care about discounts (Aaa offers the most).

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between AAA 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 AAA and Wawanesa. Luckily, sites like Compare.com make it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your ZIP code below and get multiple quotes from some of the best insurance companies in your area, all for free.

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AAA vs. Wawanesa FAQs

Is AAA or Wawanesa cheaper?

Wawanesa is the cheaper of the two carriers when looking at national average premiums, with policies averaging $104 per month with Wawanesa and $314 for AAA. However, that doesn't mean Wawanesa will be the most affordable company for every driver, since there are many different factors (things like age, gender, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, AAA or Wawanesa?

Sadly, the answer truly is "it depends.". Neither carrier is necessarily "better" for each policyholder -- it all boils down to your unique car insurance profile. For example, AAA is more affordable for drivers with excellent credit, while Wawanesa offers less expensive rates for drivers with a recent DUI.

Why do AAA and Wawanesa offer me different rates?

Insurance companies use lots of different variables when determining the prices they charge. Things such as gender, your driving record, where you call home, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be used. Both AAA and Wawanesa calculate premiums using different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different prices. The best way to determine which company is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from lots of different carriers.

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

The only way to find the car insurance carrier that's right for you is by getting quotes from several 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 quotes from dozens of your local top auto insurance carriers for free. With those, you can guarantee you're getting the best price. And maybe you'll find that the best company for you isn't AAA or Wawanesa at all, but another you hadn't even thought of!

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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.