California Casualty vs. GEICO: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for car insurance, GEICO offers slightly less expensive rates than California Casualty
• California Casualty offers more affordable average premiums for policyholders whose driving record contains an at-fault collision
• GEICO has cheaper prices for drivers who have below-average credit

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California Casualty or GEICO: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

Are you in the market for a new insurance policy? With so many ads from all sorts of companies offering hefty savings, you're probably wondering exactly how much you might be able to save.

You might have narrowed it down to California Casualty or GEICO as your top options, but between the two, which carrier has more affordable rates for auto insurance?

Looking at nationwide averages, California Casualty is around $16 more a month than GEICO.

Even so, that doesn't necessarily mean GEICO will be the less expensive option for every single driver. Car insurance carriers use all sorts of complex algorithms to determine premiums, so depending on where you live or how clean your driving record is (among lots of other factors), you could see wildly different prices from the ones above.

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

California Casualty vs. GEICO: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

California Casualty and GEICO compete against each other in four states, with GEICO offering cheaper premiums to the average driver in all of them. Colorado has the most noticable difference, where GEICO rates are $62 more affordable than insurance prices at California Casualty.

There's a lot more that goes into your auto insurance payment than just the state you live in. Keep reading to learn more.

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Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers typically pay a lot more for insurance than any group out there on the road. It'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.

However, 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 over 15% less per month by choosing GEICO over California Casualty.

But with both companies, you'll see your prices reduce significantly by the time drivers turn 25. For example, average rates for California Casualty policyholders lower almost 60% and GEICO's premiums drop more than 55% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Drivers around retirement age usually enjoy some of the lowest auto insurance prices you'll ever find. After all, they've likely been driving for quite some time, which normally reduces their chances of collisions and other infractions that can raise rates.

When looking at California Casualty and GEICO specifically, which carrier is best for retired drivers? In this case, GEICO has the slight edge, with premiums about $1 a month less than California Casualty. That being said, the difference is only around 5%, so other variables will likely come into play when determining which company has the most affordable prices for you.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Did you know that insurance rates are generally less expensive for married couples than they are for single policyholders? That's because policies for married policyholders usually cover multiple vehicles, which several carriers will give you a discount for.

For single drivers, the difference in average prices between these two companies is significant, with GEICO rates coming in at about 10% less than California Casualty's. But for married drivers, that advantage is much less clear - GEICO offers the cheapest average premiums , but the difference is only $6.

California Casualty or GEICO: Average Rates by Gender

Because women are less likely to get tickets and get into accidents, they have a lower chance of filing a claim with insurance. So, women tend to get cheaper rates than men.

Men normally pay around $15 per month more than women with California Casualty, and about $10 with GEICO.

Looking at overall affordability, GEICO offers the lowest average prices for both men and women. On average, women save about $12 a month and men save around $20 with GEICO compared to the average California Casualty policyholder.

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California Casualty vs. GEICO: 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. There are so many different coverages and terms that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy for you.

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

Looking specifically at state minimum limits for liability insurance, GEICO has the edge, with average monthly rates coming in at $101. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, GEICO again has the edge, with policies averaging about $269 per month to California Casualty's $281.

Is California Casualty or GEICO Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from auto 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 speeding tickets and at-fault accidents lead to higher prices, but which carrier -- California Casualty or GEICO -- has the cheapest premiums for drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use California Casualty for their insurance can generally expect their monthly bill to go up around 19% after getting a speeding ticket. GEICO policyholders can expect a bit more drastic of an increase of about 23%.

That being said, GEICO tends to offer the best prices for both drivers who have a recent ticket and those with clean records -- their rates are around 16% cheaper for drivers with clean records and 12% more affordable for those with a ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both companies will increase rates pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault accident with GEICO climbing by around 43%. California Casualty has a less extreme climb, but you can still expect to pay more than 30% more than you were prior to your first collision.

At the end of the day, California Casualty offers the most affordable prices for drivers with an at-fault accident on their records, with average rates coming in at $198 compared to GEICO's $200.

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. On average, California Casualty will climb your premiums about 54% after a DUI, while GEICO's average rates rise by nearly 60%.

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How does Credit Score Impact California Casualty and GEICO Rates?

Did you know many insurance carriers take into account your credit score when determining prices? This isn't true for everyone (for example, Massachusetts and California are two states that ban the practice entirely), but it does affect lots 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 usually, they'll be asked to pay more, while those with good credit will be rewarded with cheaper premiums.

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

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

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Is California Casualty or GEICO 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 how much auto insurance carriers will charge for coverage. That's because the fewer miles you put on your car, the less likely you are to be in an accident and file an insurance claim.

For both remote workers and those taking short commutes, GEICO offers less expensive premiums than California Casualty. California Casualty average rates for drivers with 6,000 annual miles come in around $8 more expensive than GEICO. Those who drive 12,000 miles yearly can expect to pay about $25 more with California Casualty over GEICO.

California Casualty or GEICO: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

Where you live can play a considerable role in how much you pay for insurance. Generally, policyholders who live in heavily-populated urban areas will pay quite a bit more than rural drivers because of the number of vehicles that are on the roads where they live.

GEICO tends to offer the most affordable prices for drivers in all types of areas, no matter if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

Those in rural areas can expect to save around 3% with GEICO compared to California Casualty. People who live in suburban areas pay about 16% less with GEICO compared to California Casualty. For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, GEICO's average rates are around 3% less than California Casualty.

California Casualty vs. GEICO Discounts

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

But with what seems like a million different discounts out there, it can be difficult to find all the ones you qualify for or to nail down the company 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 California Casualty and GEICO so that you can see which one offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

GEICO blows California Casualty away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 14 more discounts than California Casualty.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like discounts for getting driver training, discounts for being a good driver, discounts for being a good student, and discounts for insuring multiple cars with the same company. GEICO also offers discounts for anti-theft, commercial drivers license, COVID-19 relief, and more.

On the other hand, California Casualty has a few proprietary discounts of their own for things like education discounts, renewal discounts, and travelink discounts.

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Final Thoughts: Is California Casualty or GEICO Best for You?

You've seen the role certain factors have on your auto insurance and the different discounts companies offer. But, at the end of the day, is California Casualty or GEICO the best company for you, your vehicle, and your wallet?

GEICO might be best for you if....

• Your driving record includes a DUI charge.
• You're married and plan to have both of your names on the vehicle's insurance policy.

California Casualty might be best for you if...

• You want to save money on your auto insurance after a collision.

Hopefully, this guide has ben a valuable resource as you compare California Casualty and GEICO and that it aids in making a more informed decision about 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 insurance -- comparing quotes from a handful of carriers, not just California Casualty and GEICO. Luckily, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code below and get multiple quotes from some of the best car insurance companies in your area, all for free.

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California Casualty vs. GEICO FAQs

Is California Casualty or GEICO cheaper?

GEICO is the more affordable of the two carriers when looking at national average premiums, with policies averaging $185 a month with GEICO and $201 for California Casualty. However, that doesn't mean GEICO will be the cheapest carrier for every driver, since there are a variety of different variables (things like gender, age, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, California Casualty or GEICO?

Sadly, the only answer we can give you is "it depends.". One company is not necessarily "better" for each policyholder -- it all depends on the makeup of your unique auto insurance profile. For example, GEICO is less expensive for drivers who have less-than-stellar credit scores, while California Casualty offers cheaper prices for drivers with an at-fault accident on their record.

Why do California Casualty and GEICO offer me different rates?

Car insurance companies use many different factors when calculating the rates they charge. Things such as your driving record, age, where you park your car, gender, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both California Casualty and GEICO calculate premiums differently, so it's likely they'll offer different rates. The best way to determine which carrier is the lowest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from lots of different carriers.

How do I know if California Casualty or GEICO is right for me?

The only way to find the insurance company 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 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 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 California Casualty or GEICO 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.