Auto-owners vs. West Bend Mutual: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for insurance, West Bend Mutual offers significantly less expensive prices than Auto-owners
• Auto-owners offers more discounts than West Bend Mutual Insurance
• West Bend Mutual offers more affordable average rates for residents of rural areas

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Auto-owners 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 huge discounts, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You've maybe even narrowed it down to Auto-owners or West Bend Mutual as potential options, but which one will offer you cheaper prices?

Looking at the national average rates for both companies, Auto-owners has average rates that are about 25% per month more expensive than those from West Bend Mutual.

However, West Bend Mutual may not be the cheapest or best option for every single driver out there. After all, auto insurance carriers can offer drastically different rates to each driver depending on rating factors like where you call home, your driving record, your age, or even your credit score (among other things), so premiums will vary quite a bit from person to person.

Wanting to know if Auto-owners or West Bend Mutual 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.

Auto-owners or West Bend Mutual: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

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

But there's more to insurance than just your home state. As we mentioned above, there's a lot of things that go into how car insurance carriers calculate your rates. 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 insurance compared to older drivers. That's because young, inexperienced drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

But that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their auto insurance. As you can see above, teens who use West Bend Mutual save $65 a month compared to those who use Auto-owners. It's worth noting that Auto-owners offers car insurance in 23 different states compared to West Bend Mutual's three, which can skew the average premiums a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

That being said, both companies will offer you dramatically lower prices once you turn 25. For example, average rates for Auto-owners policyholders decrease nearly $250 and West Bend Mutual's premiums reduce more than $200 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 prices for car insurance.

So, which company offers the best rates to retired drivers? West Bend Mutual gets the edge here, with average premiums coming in at around $92 monthly compared to Auto-owners's $133.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that insurance prices are usually more expensive for those who are single than they are for married policyholders? That's normally because married couples tend to own and insure several cars, 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 $49 per month cheaper than Auto-owners, on average. The advantage for married drivers with West Bend Mutual is also obvious, where drivers save almost 35% a month.

Auto-owners vs. West Bend Mutual: Average Rates by Gender

Men are statistically more likely than women to get into an accident or get pulled over for speeding, which means they'll typically end up paying more for car insurance than women.

On average, men see prices around $10 per month higher with Auto-owners, and about $16 more with West Bend Mutual.

When it comes to the most affordable rates for each gender, West Bend Mutual offers the lowest average prices for both men and women, with average premiums 25% less for men and 29% cheaper for women.

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Auto-owners 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.

Insurance can be a complicated subject for most people. Everyone needs auto insurance, but there are so many different limits and terms that it can be hard to find the right policy.

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

If you're looking for state minimum limits for liability insurance, West Bend Mutual normally offers less expensive rates of $77 compared to Auto-owners's $99. When it comes to full coverage policies with similar limits, West Bend Mutual again has the edge, with policies around $75 a month more affordable than Auto-owners, on average.

Is Auto-owners or West Bend Mutual Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from car insurance carriers offering great premiums 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 carrier -- Auto-owners or West Bend Mutual -- has the most affordable prices for drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Auto-owners policyholders can expect their rates to go up an average of $44 per month if they get a ticket, while West Bend Mutual usually raises prices about $25 a month, on average.

But West Bend Mutual has cheaper premiums for drivers in both categories, offering rates that are $37 and $56 more affordable, respectively, compared to Auto-Owners Insurance.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Auto-owners drivers who get in an accident can expect to see their premiums climb by just under 30%, while those who have insurance through West Bend Mutual will see around a 50% increase.

Overall, the less expensive prices come from West Bend Mutual, with monthly rates averaging $163 compared to Auto-Owners Insurance's $168.

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. Auto-owners drivers usually see a 54% increase in their auto insurance premiums after a DUI charge, while West Bend Mutual will generally raise prices by about 50%.

West Bend Mutual has the overall cheapest premiums for drivers with a DUI on their records at $169 a month, but it's worth noting that Auto-owners's average rates come from 23 states compared to just three for West Bend Mutual, so the data may be skewed slightly.

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How does Credit Score Impact Auto-owners and West Bend Mutual Rates?

Often times, your credit score can come into play when companies determine your monthly bill. Certain states and carriers do not allow for credit score to be used as a rating factor, but it will come into play for many policyholders.

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 cheaper prices.

Looking at Auto-owners and West Bend Mutual specifically, which carrier has the most affordable rates for policyholders at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have a great credit score, you'll usually find a better deal with Auto-owners for an "excellent" credit score. Drivers with "excellent" credit can save 2% compared to West Bend Mutual, while those with "good" scores can expect to see better savings from West Bend Mutual -- around $14 or 11% more affordable than Auto-owners every month.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

West Bend Mutual typically offers lower prices than Auto-owners when it comes to drivers with less-than-perfect credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about $43 per month less with West Bend Mutual compared to Auto-owners, and those with "poor" scores normally save an average of around $137 per month.

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Is Auto-owners or West Bend Mutual 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 car insurance bill? Usually, those who drive fewer miles will end up with less expensive premiums since there's less of a chance of getting into an accident 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 rates for Auto-owners, with policyholders who drive the least paying about $1 less each month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles every year. Still, West Bend Mutual is the more affordable option for drivers in both categories.

Auto-owners vs. West Bend Mutual: 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 auto insurance, but the type of area you live in can have a considerable impact as well. Typically, policyholders who live in less densely populated rural areas will pay quite a bit less than urban drivers due to the small number of vehicles that are on the roads in those areas.

When comparing these two carriers side-by-side, West Bend Mutual generally comes out as the lowest option for drivers in all types of areas, no matter if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

Policyholders in rural ZIP codes see the cheapest prices from both companies, but West Bend Mutual comes out on top with average premiums around $113 a month. West Bend Mutual also has less expensive average rates for drivers in urban and suburban ZIP codes -- a 23% and 28% a month respective difference when compared to Auto-owners policyholders in similar areas.

Auto-owners vs. West Bend Mutual Discounts

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

But where do you even start? With what seems like a million different discounts out there, it may be hard to find all the ones you're eligible for.

In the table below, we've taken a look at all of the different discounts Auto-owners and West Bend Mutual offer their customers so that you can see which company can save you the most money each month.

Auto-owners blows West Bend Mutual away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering eight more discounts than West Bend Mutual.

There are a couple discounts both carriers offer, but Auto-owners also offers advance quote discounts, company car discounts, COVID-19 relief discount, 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, marital status discounts, and more.

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Final Thoughts: Is Auto-owners or West Bend Mutual Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average premiums for many of the factors auto insurance companies look at, and walked through the different discounts each company offers, too. But, when it comes down to it, which insurance carrier is the best one for you and your specific needs?

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

• You have a DUI charge on your record.
• You live in an urban area.
• You don't spend much time in your car.

Auto-owners might be best for you if...

• You are considering moving to another state -- West Bend Mutual Insurance only offers policies in three states.
• You care about discounts (Auto-owners offers the most).

We hope this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between Auto-owners and West Bend Mutual and that it aids in making a more informed decision about 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 multiple carriers, not just Auto-owners and West Bend Mutual. Luckily, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get free quotes from dozens of top insurance companies in your area, all in just a few minutes.

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Auto-owners vs. West Bend Mutual FAQs

Is Auto-owners or West Bend Mutual cheaper?

Looking just at the national average prices, West Bend Mutual is the cheaper of the two carriers, offering average rates of $131 per month compared to $179 for Auto-owners. That being said, West Bend Mutual won't necessarily be the lowest company for each policyholder, since there are lots of different variables (things like age, gender, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Auto-owners or West Bend Mutual?

Unfortunately, the answer truly is "it depends.". No one carrier is necessarily "better" for every driver -- it all boils down to your unique auto insurance profile. For example, West Bend Mutual offers less expensive rates for drivers with a recent DUI, while Auto-owners is more affordable for drivers with excellent credit.

Why do Auto-owners and West Bend Mutual offer me different rates?

Car insurance companies take a look at a lot of different factors when calculating the premiums they charge drivers. Variables like gender, age, where you park your car, your driving record, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both Auto-owners and West Bend Mutual calculate rates using different factors, so each one will most likely offer different prices. The only real way to see which company is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from multiple different carriers.

How do I know if Auto-owners or West Bend Mutual is right for me?

The only way to find the insurance carrier 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 make it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your area information 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 best price. And who knows, the best company for you might not be Auto-owners or West Bend Mutual at all!

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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.